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Bruins Defenseman Hot Over Rough Stuff
By Steve Conroy/Bruins Notebook
Wednesday, March 3, 2004
TORONTO
- Nick Boynton didn't want to say too much about what might happen the next time the Bruins play the Maple Leafs in two weeks.
But the nasty, 10-stitch scar that curled around his left cheekbone gave
one a good idea of what he may have been thinking. Boynton was steaming
after the Bruins' 3-2 loss at Air Canada Centre, but almost as much at the referees as he was at the Leafs after the game
got wild in the second period.
It started when Bryan McCabe boarded Joe Thornton into the glass face-first.
Boynton, who thought Drake Berehowsky was the player who made the illegal check, chased him down behind the net and start
swinging. But Boynton said McCabe had his arms pinned while Berehowsky
took his shots. Once he got free, the linesmen stepped in.
``That's what happens when you don't call third man in. And then when I
get my arm free, they proceed to break it up. Only in Toronto do you ever see this happen. It's unbelievable,'' Boynton said. ``When you cross-check players from behind into the boards, something's going to happen.
If the linesmen want to hold my arms, that's fine, but there's usually two guys in a fight. When I get freed up, let it go.
Don't jump in. I got this on my face, at least let me take a swing at the other guy. I don't know what crosses their minds.
It happens pretty quick. McCabe had both my arms. It's pretty unbelievable to me.''
When the subject of revenge came up - the B's have two more games against
the Leafs - Boynton chose his words carefully. ``I don't know if
there's any need to say stuff like that,'' Boynton said. ``But guys settle it their own way. I'm not going to get into a war
of words or anything like that, but I got hit pretty good. But whatever. It's the official's fault, but that's life.''
Boynton, who got handed an extra two minutes for roughing on top of fighting,
said he felt that McCabe deserved more than the two minutes he received for boarding. ``I should hope so,'' Boynton said. ``I just saw Joe go down and I went in. I thought it was Berehowsky to tell you
the truth. That's why I went that way. It just blows your mind. There were about three calls they missed on that. It should
have been a 5-on-3.''
Thornton later pounded McCabe in a fight and Travis Green fought Gary Roberts
before the period was out. It was probably no coincidence the B's came out flying in the third.
Holding hurts Boynton
He was 'suckered' by Berehowsky
By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell, Globe Staff, 3/3/2004
TORONTO -- Bruins defenseman Nick Boynton was sporting a deep gash
on his left cheek that required 10 stitches. In response to Joe Thornton being hit from behind into the boards by Toronto
defenseman Bryan McCabe in the second period last night, Boynton went after defenseman Drake Berehowsky, thinking
he was the culprit. Boynton said he was a sitting duck for Berehowsky's punch because his arms were being held from behind
by another Maple Leaf.
"He suckered me," said Boynton. "That's what happens when
you don't call a third man in. Then, when I get my arm free, they proceed to break it up. Only in Toronto do I ever see this
happen.
"It's unbelievable. You cross-check people from behind into the boards and
obviously something is going to happen. If the linesmen want to hold my arms, that's fine, but there are usually two guys
in a fight. If I get freed up, let it go. Don't jump in.
"I've got this on my face, at least let me take a swing at the other guy.
I don't know what crosses their minds. McCabe had both my arms, so it's pretty unbelievable to me."
The teams play again March 16 in Toronto and in Boston March 25, so Boynton
didn't want to make promises of retribution that would inflame the situation.
"Guys settle it their own way," he said. "I'm not really going to get into
a war of words. But I got hit pretty good. It's the officials' fault, but that's life."
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