Bruins' Matt Grzelcyk Sent To Hospital After Oskar Sundqvist Boarding Penalty
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The first period of Game 2 between the Blues and Bruins was a very physical affair. Eventually, the hits being thrown from both sides resulted an injury.
It came with just over two minutes remaining in the opening period, with the score tied at 2-2. Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk skated to the corner in the Bruins' end to retrieve a puck but had to reach back across his body to make a play. Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist skated to Grzelcyk to deliver a check, with the resulting force sending Grzelcyk's head into the glass.
The thump of Grzelcyk's helmet could be heard around the TD Garden, and the Bruins' undersized defenseman immediately went down to the ice.
As a scrum broke out around Grzelcyk, Bruins captain Zdeno Chara helped the team trainer to tend to Grzelcyk in the far corner of the ice. After several moments, Grzelcyk was assisted to the bench area and went immediately to the locker room for further evaluation.
Sundqvist was penalized two minutes for boarding on the play. The Bruins didn't score on the resulting power play.
The Blues were credited with delivering 18 hits in the opening 20 minutes of Game 2, while Boston was credited with delivering nine.
Grzelcyk did not return for the remainder of the game, leaving the Bruins with just five defensemen.
Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy announced after the game that Grzelcyk was taken to a hospital for further evaluation.
After the game, Sundqvist was asked about the hit.
"No comment," Sundqvist said. "I can't say anything."
Veteran Bruins forward David Backes expressed some discontent with the hit.
"I don't think that's a hit we want in our game," Backes said. "I think it's from behind, elevated into his head into the glass. If that's a two-minute penalty, there's going to be a shortage of defensemen in this series by the end of it. ... That's something that if I'm making that hit, I'm probably watching from the bleachers for a few [games], but we will see what happens with their player."
Sundqvist will face a hearing with the department of player safety.
Cassidy announced Thursday that Grzelcyk is in the NHL's concussion protocol.