What happened to Brad Marchand? Jim Montgomery clarifies on Bruins star's injury

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand found himself sidelined after a collision during Friday's game against the Florida Panthers.

Marchand faced an unexpected setback, with an upper-body injury sidelining him from practice at Warrior Ice Arena. The absence of the Bruins' captain was notably felt during the third period of Friday's game, leaving fans and teammates concerned about his condition.

According to Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery, Marchand's injury status is categorized as day-to-day, indicating uncertainty about his return to the ice.

"Per Montgomery, NHL Bruins Brad Marchand is day to day with upper-body injury," Belle Fraser shared on X

Montgomery shed light on the incident, suggesting that the injury occurred following a hit from Panthers forward Sam Bennett. While Bennett's hit didn't result in a penalty during the game, Montgomery hinted at the possibility of interference, questioning the legality of the play.

Marchand's absence had an influence far beyond the Bruins' lineup, sparking debates about player safety and the interpretation of on-ice occurrences. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice provided his thoughts on the situation, downplaying the gravity of the incident and dismissing suspicions of foul conduct.

"No, and I don’t think most of you would either. It was just a collision,” Maurice said, per Michael Russo of The Athletic. “In a perfect world, every team has everybody healthy. Nobody likes to see anybody hurt,” Maurice said (via The Athletic)

However, Montgomery's remarks hinted at a deeper narrative, suggesting a history between Brad Marchand and Bennett that might have influenced the outcome of the collision.

"In real time, my eyes weren't on there. Having seen it, there's a history there with Bennett. There's clearly evidence of what went on," Montgomery said

Brad Marchand suffered the injury in Game 3 against Panthers

The Florida Panthers have once again dominated over the Boston Bruins. They scored four goals with a man advantage to secure a 6-2 victory over the Boston Bruins.

Now they have a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Vladimir Tarasenko and Carter Verhaeghe scored in quick succession on the same power play.

Panthers' coach Paul Maurice praised their power-play performance.

“I’ve been far more bullish on our power play than the stats — or at least the goals — would tell you,” Maurice said.

Evan Rodrigues netted two goals, contributing to Florida's back-to-back wins. The Bruins faced challenges with their captain Brad Marchand's absence and defensive struggles.

“Florida was good. We weren’t. We move onto the next game,” said Montgomery, “It’s too early to be able to talk about changes.”

Despite a late push, including goals from Jakub Lauko and Jake DeBrusk, Boston couldn't catch up. The Bruins must-win Game 4 to avoid a 3-1 series deficit. They also need to work on their special teams and overall team performance.