BOSTON _ Entering Wednesday's Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, everyone important had shared his opinion of Bruins defenseman Torey Krug's game-defining Game 1 hit on Blues' rookie Robert Thomas.
Everyone except the guy who sparked it.
It was Blues forward David Perron who tangled with Krug in front of the Bruins' net after the puck headed in the opposite direction around the halfway mark of the third period. After being ridden like a mechanical bull, Krug got up, furious, and zoomed toward Perron, who had skated away, headed to the bench for a shift change while fully prepared to be engaged from behind. That hit didn't come, as Krug smartly realized it would have led to a penalty. But Krug's intention was clear. Someone was going to pay.
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Krug was simply chasing the puck. Yeah, right.
Krug, without his helmet and out for retaliation, leveled Robert Thomas instead of Perron. The Bruins celebrated a clean, hard hit that energized all of TD Garden. The Blues wondered if Krug should be called for charging, considering he took a long sprint down the ice before rocking Thomas. That's how this stuff goes. Regardless, the blow became The Moment of Game 1. And now there might be aftershocks.
Thomas, who has been nursing what is believed to be a wrist injury throughout the playoffs, is not playing in Game 2.
Blues coach Craig Berube said Krug's hit had nothing to do with that. Yeah, right.
I wondered how Perron felt about his wrestling match with Krug now that the Bruins seem to have gotten the best out of it. His explanation made a lot of sense. Here it is:
"At the time, we are obviously not playing a good game," Perron said Wednesday. "We are down, 3-2. There are 10 or so minutes to go. The penalties are at 4-1, 5-1, 5-2, 4-2, whatever, right around there. [Perron is right here. The Blues had four penalties to the Bruins' two at the time; NHL officials tend to keep things even.] I think I can push the envelope a little bit. At worst, I feel like I'm getting (my team ) a 4-on-4. If he gives me an extra slash or something, maybe we get on the power play. That was my perspective."
The refs did not bite on the pushing and shoving between Perron and Krug. Perron eventually skated off, figuring Krug might chase him down and engage again. That would have been welcomed. Didn't happen. Krug initially flew toward Perron's back, thought better of it, then peeled off and crushed Thomas.
"I was pretty exhausted, so I figured he was," Perron said. "I only heard the crowd. I didn't see the hit. I had to see it yesterday. You never want to see a teammate get hit like that, for sure. It was a good response by him, and momentum for them. ... It could have turned in many ways. Maybe he takes another penalty from that (hit on Thomas). It's really tough to say. It didn't work out for us. But, when you feel the game getting away from you, you are trying to do things to change that."
Did Perron think the hit was dirty?
"I don't really want to comment on this," he said. "I agree with both sides of it. If you are playing for the Bruins, you are like, great hit. From our perspective, well, he took a lot of strides. I know he glided into it a little bit, but he's coming with a lot of force, a little bit reckless. That's all I can say. I can see both sides of it. I'm not the ref. I'll let them decide."
Time will tell if that hit becomes a deciding factor in this series, but it certainly feels like an important chapter right now.
