Report: Andrew Ference Facing NHL Disciplinary Hearing For Elbow On Mikhail Grabovski
BOSTON (CBS) -- After the Bruins dominated in a 4-1 Game 1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night in Boston, there were plenty of good feelings to go around. However, a bit of bad news could be on the way.
Defenseman Andrew Ference will have a disciplinary hearing on Thursday afternoon regarding his elbow on Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski, according to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos (via Twitter).
The hit in question took place 13 minutes into the game. Grabovski skated to the corner and tried to tap a loose puck past Ference. The Boston defenseman skated to the puck and extended his left elbow, making direct contact with Grabovski's face.
Ference was asked about the hit after the game, but he said he didn't recall the collision.
"I don't even know what you're talking about," Ference said. "I don't even know which play you're talking about."
Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle didn't argue one way or the other for punishment on Ference.
"To me, those are hits in the game. Sometimes in the playoffs, you're going to see physicality -- it'll be front and center," Carlyle said. "It's a game that's made to be physical. You're allowed to hit people. To judge if it was offside, a bad hit, or a belligerent hit, that's not for me to judge. That's for people in the league to make those determinations."
Ference faced a disciplinary hearing during the 2011 playoff run for a collision with Montreal's Jeff Halpern, though Ference was not suspended or punished for that hit. Ference was suspended during the 2011-12 season for a hit on the Rangers' Ryan McDonagh.
