The Boston Bruins will play in the Eastern Conference final for the first time in six years, though they could be without key defenceman Charlie McAvoy to open the series against Carolina.
Bruins’ McAvoy lays out Blue Jackets’ Anderson with a controversial hit late in the second period of Game 6<br><br>Thoughts on the minor penalty call? 🤔 <a href=”https://t.co/zSMqrhLOKM”>pic.twitter.com/zSMqrhLOKM</a>
—@hockeynight
With 20 seconds left in the second period, McAvoy delivered a head-first hit to Blue Jackets forward Josh Anderson. Referee Kelly Sutherland motioned to eject the Bruins blue-liner from the game before reversing his decision, assessing McAvoy a two-minute penalty.
Charlie McAvoy said his hit on Josh Anderson was “a hockey play” where he was aiming to throw a shoulder to his chest. Said he kept his elbow in and tried to deliver his hit as clean as possible
—@HackswithHaggs
Columbus captain Nick Foligno said after the game that Sutherland told him he didn’t believe Anderson was injured, despite being stretched out on the ice grabbing his face. Anderson returned to the game in the third period.
McAvoy, 21, is second to fellow defeceman Zdeno Chara on the Bruins in these playoffs with a plus-8 rating to go with a goal and six points in 13 games while averaging a team-leading 24 minutes 46 seconds of ice time.
In 54 regular-season contests, McAvoy collected 28 points and was plus-14.