The Boston Bruins’ battle with the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night wasn’t just another chippy Atlantic Division matchup - it turned into a flashpoint when Charlie McAvoy took a high hit that left head coach Marco Sturm visibly frustrated postgame.
“It was a brutal hit, and everyone saw it,” Sturm said after the game, still clearly heated. “I had the opportunity to look at the replay, too. To come out with four-on-four like that, I just didn’t understand.”
The play in question came midway through the first period, when Panthers forward Sandis Vilmanis delivered an illegal check to McAvoy’s head. The Bruins’ top defenseman went down hard and needed help getting off the ice. While he did return to start the second period, the hit sparked immediate outrage on the Boston bench - and it didn’t stop there.
Vilmanis was assessed a two-minute minor for the illegal check. But things escalated quickly.
Bruins defenseman Jonathan Aspirot immediately came to McAvoy’s defense, earning a roughing minor of his own. The Boston bench was also hit with a two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, compounding the chaos and leaving fans scratching their heads as the situation evened out to four-on-four play.
Sturm didn’t mince words when asked about the sequence.
“I’m here to protect my guys, especially Charlie,” he said. “If you target his head, which was clear to see, that just pisses me off.”
And you can understand why. McAvoy isn’t just Boston’s defensive anchor - he’s a tone-setter, a leader, and a U.S.
Olympian. Earlier this season, he missed nearly a month after taking a slap shot to the face.
So when he goes down again, especially on a hit to the head, it’s going to raise alarm bells in Boston’s locker room.
Despite the emotional swing and the physical toll, McAvoy returned to log meaningful minutes. He’s been a force this season, tallying 39 points in 45 games - a strong pace for one of the league’s most complete blueliners.
The game itself ended in heartbreak for Boston, as Florida edged out a 5-4 win in a shootout. But the bigger story might be what happens next - whether the league takes another look at Vilmanis’ hit, and how the Bruins respond moving forward.
For now, the Bruins will have to regroup, knowing they came out of the game with more than just a loss on the scoreboard. They’ll be watching McAvoy closely - and so will the rest of the league.