Hockey is a physical game: slamming guys into the boards and throwing punches is considered fair play. You’d think that the National Hockey League doesn’t really draw lines when it comes to what is acceptable behavior during a game. Oh, but they did, and their breaking point? Licking players.
The Boston Bruins are in the middle of their second playoff series, and left wing Brad Marchand is taking an offbeat approach to rattle the competition: licking or kissing their faces.
Suffice to say, the NHL has had it.
During the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Marchand licked Leo Komarov of the Toronto Maple Leafs after a quick scuffle for the puck, and most recently, after Tampa Bay’s right wing Ryan Callahan tried to confront the Bruin after a hit, Marchand licked him chin to temple.
I can’t tell if I’m grossed out as a human or kind of proud as a fan.
Marchand does have an unofficial history of this strange, taunting form of “affection.”
In 2016, when Patrick Eaves was playing for the Dallas Stars, he and Marchand got into each other’s faces only for Marchand to lean in for a kiss. I guess Eaves wasn’t into it.
Komarov has been subject to Marchand’s antics twice now -- last year, during the regular season, he planted a chaste kiss on the cheek to seemingly escape Komarov’s grip.
When asked directly why he’s been licking other players, Marchand basically shrugged and said, “Because I can.” Would we expect anything less from a Boston player? We’ll see if he complies with the league’s demands.
The Bruins play in Game 5 of their series today at 3:00 p.m. ET.