Boston Bruins blue-liner Charlie McAvoy was assessed a minor penalty after hitting the Blue Jackets' Josh Anderson in the head on Monday night in Game 6, and he defended himself postgame.
"Hockey play," he said following the Bruins' 3-0 win that eliminated Columbus, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. "Just trying to deliver a legal check."
Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen didn't seem to agree.
"I think the video on that hit was pretty self-explanatory," Kekalainen said, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
Columbus captain Nick Foligno initially called the hit "unnecessary," but then added he felt referee Kelly Sutherland made the right call to issue a minor penalty.
“You’d like to see it be five minutes, but we didn’t score on the power play and we didn’t score on the one after that,” Foligno said.
McAvoy hit Anderson in the head with 20 seconds left in the second period.
Charlie McAvoy gets two minutes for an illegal check to the head on Josh Anderson.
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) May 7, 2019
Woah.
DOPS will also take a look at that. pic.twitter.com/nhuuiHGhXL
Anderson left the game but returned for the start of the third period.
The Bruins prevailed and are moving on to the Eastern Conference Final.
