Marchand missed time as a result of what could be deemed a dirty hit during game three of their respective series. Marchand, who himself has made a career of playing on the edge with all of his 5'9, 176-pound frame, had the following to say when asked about the incident that saw Bennett ultimately injure him:
And while Marchand may have said the quiet part loud in the sense that nobody will ever admit it, if you've been part of the game or watched hockey long enough, you know his sentiments are true, not just during the regular season but certainly during the playoffs, which is an entirely different animal altogether.
What isn't clear is if Marchand actually believes a clear intent to injure is necessary to win a hockey game or a series; his quote could simply mean that if you're playing hard, hurting someone is inevitable and likely to happen. What is absolutely true is his mention that if a team continues to lose players, the harder it is to win a game. No matter who you lose, the loss itself means the next man-up mentality really matters, and the longer you have to use the mentality itself, the more taxing it is on everyone involved.
