Backes thinks he'd be suspended if he threw hit like Sundqvist's on Grzelcyk
Boston Bruins winger David Backes wasn't a fan of the hit thrown on teammate Matt Grzelcyk in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night.
Grzelcyk was visibly shaken up after being run into the glass from behind by St. Louis Blues winger Oskar Sundqvist in the first period. The Bruins defenseman didn't return to the contest, and Backes wasn't pleased with the situation.
"I don't think that's a hit we want in our game," Backes told The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford. "It's from behind, elevated, into his head, into the glass. If that's a two-minute penalty, I think there's going to be a shortage of defensemen in this series by the end of it."
Sundqvist was given a minor penalty on the play, but the league is reviewing the incident for potential supplemental discipline, according to Pierre LeBrun of TSN, which Backes thinks he'd receive if he was the player who'd thrown the hit.
"I think if I'm making that hit, I'm probably watching from the bleachers for a few, but we'll see what happens with their player," he said.
Backes has already received two suspensions since joining the Bruins in 2016.
Overall, Game 2 was a thoroughly physical affair, with the Blues outhitting the Bruins 50-31.
St. Louis also won the game in overtime to tie the series at 1-1.