BOSTON -- Montreal's Max Pacioretty talked to TSN's Bob McKenzie from his hospital bed Wednesday night and he had plenty to say about the fact Zdeno Chara is playing tonight against the Sabres. Chara was not suspended by the NHL for his devastating hit on Pacioretty in Tuesday's game.
"I am upset and disgusted that the league didn't think enough of [the hit] to suspend him," Pacioretty told McKenzie. "I'm not mad for myself, I'm mad because if other players see a hit like that and think it's OK, they won't be suspended, then other players will get hurt like I got hurt."
For his part, Chara said the play was an accident and he had no intent of riding Pacioretty into the stanchion by the benches. Pacioretty -- who has a severe concussion and fractured cervical vertebra -- isn't buying that.
I felt he did mean to do it. I would feel better if he said he made a mistake and that he was sorry for doing that, I could forgive that," Pacioretty said. " ... I believe he was trying to guide my head into the turnbuckle. We all know where the turnbuckle is. It wasn't a head shot like a lot of head shots we see but I do feel he targeted my head into the turnbuckle."
In a related matter, the Ottawa Sun is reporting mega NHL sponsor Air Canada is threatening to pull out its sponsorships of the league unless something is done about head shots. More fodder for the league's GMs to talk about when they meet next week in Boca Raton, Fla.
---MIke Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
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Boston Bruins | NHL | Sabres
