Photo: Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images
In the Capitals’ Opening Night meeting with the Boston Bruins back in October (one in which they dropped a 7-0 bombshell on the B’s), Boston forward Brad Marchand took exception to a goal celebration by Caps’ center Lars Eller, and subsequently forced Eller into a fight that wasn’t fair from the start, a move that caused Eller to decline comment about the incident prior to Thursday night’s game in Beantown. Eller tried to return the favor to Marchand, but the rugged winger refused to retaliate.
At the 7:43 mark of the second period, Eller attempted to engage Marchand in another round of fisticuffs, only for the Bruins’ agitator to refuse, resulting in Eller being seated in the penalty box for two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct; the Bruins would fail to score on the ensuing power play.
After the game, Eller was not pleased with Marchand’s refusal to answer, responding by saying the following:
Lars Eller on Brad Marchand: “Everyone saw what he is. … There’s not a lot of integrity in his game.”
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) January 11, 2019
Marchand, when asked why he refused to fight Eller, responded by taking aim at Eller’s playing time and role with the team, saying:
Brad Marchand on why he didn’t fight Lars Eller when challenged: “I haven’t looked at the stat sheet, but I really don’t feel like I need to prove anything. He plays maybe 10-12 minutes a night and I’m playing 20. In a 1-0 game and to go on a power play, it doesn’t make sense”
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) January 11, 2019
The Capitals and Bruins don’t meet again until February 2, and there is no doubt going to be some bad blood left between the two clubs; one of which has defeated the other in 14 consecutive games.
By Michael Fleetwood
Pingback: Lars Eller Tries to Tussle With Brad Marchand in Caps’ 4-2 Win; Postgame Reactions — NoVa Caps – Hockey Time
We have a new Bête-Noire for the Caps! It used to be Cindy Crosby as the biggest NHL wimp and jerk. Brad Marchand has unseated him. Amazing! So he won’t have a rematch because his opponent doesn’t play NHL minutes. War, I say! War! Wonderful that the Bruins lost this game with such a cowardly weasel on the top line
As a transplant to MA, it was great to see the Caps live at the Garden. Wilson was in Marchand’s face during every commercial break after the Eller incident and appeared to be challenging him…Marchand can’t use his top line minutes argument against Wilson who shares the same distinction. Marchand should have finished what he started in Game 1. No matter, Wilson and Orpik gave the rat a little extra attention to the point where he tried to embellish but the refs were having none of it. Bruins outplayed the Caps in this one but the Bruins got what Marchand deserved in the final score, a regulation loss.
“Top line minutes …” — Great observation, ALL CAPS in MA! This Marchand attitude and quote is bulletin-board material. Marchand has made it to my “Caps Fans All-Time NHL Butthead” list. Let’s see … here’s a quick compilation:
– Sidney Crosby (a great player, inveterate Cap-killer, but world-class whiner and cheap-shotsman)
– Peter Worrell (FL Panthers goon who cheap-shotted Caps D Jan Bulis, who was never the same afterwards)
– Claude Lemieux (Mostly on Colorado but also NJD, read up on this mug. Used to egg-on Caps forwards during the Mike Gartner era)
– Ken Linseman (NYI troublemaker in 1970s and 80s, bedeviled the Caps in those days)
– Milan Lucic (EDM, vicious cheap on Caps defensman Brian Pothier ~ 2006. Major concussion and damaged vision, amazing that he played for several years afterward)
– Arron Asham (PIT forward who KO’d Jay Beagle then celebrated over his unconscious victim, 2011)
– Danny Briere (BUF, had memorable fights and feuds with Alex Ovechkin in his early years)
– Matthew Barnaby (BUF again, picked many fights with Caps in late 1990s and usually won)
– Ron Hextall (PHI goalie, owned the Caps for years in the 1980s and would tell the press as much)
– Ulf and Kjell Samuelsson (PIT defensemen who used to feast on Caps’ inept forward play in 1980s / 90s)
– Newest and Latest: #75 Reaves on VGK. The vilest NHL jerk on anyone’s roster today. But he backs it up with excellent results in 2018-9. Caps need to even the score for his cheap shot to Wilson this year
Jon S: Maybe time to ask readers for their submission: “NOVACAPSFANS All-time Caps Nemesis List.” I recall the old ones, some readers can provide more recent jerks!
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