Less than six minutes remained in the second period on Thursday when San Jose Sharks right winger Givani Smith was sent to the penalty box for boarding Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand.However, that wasn’t Smith’s only penalty.In the last minute of the game, Smith had to answer to Trent Frederic, who was defending Marchand. The Bruins forward felt it was necessary to respond with his fists, so Frederic and Smith dropped the gloves.
After Boston’s 3-0 victory at TD Garden to end a three-game losing streak, Frederic told reporters, “You don’t want people hitting Marchy.” “He serves as our captain. He’s very obviously a great player, and he’s loved by all in this place. You do not want him to be struck in that manner.
It was a good fight, with both players exchanging blows, and Marchand had to be grateful that Frederic stepped up to tackle Smith. Jim Montgomery, the head coach of the Boston Bruins, was undoubtedly happy with Frederic’s actions.
“You really adore it,” Montgomery remarked to the press. “Freddy is a highly esteemed team member due to his unwavering commitment to upholding his teammates’ rights and playing the game properly. We really need his physicality in our group.
Getting into scraps is nothing new for Frederic as he brings a vital physical presence to the Bruins. It has become part of his role that he has accepted, but he believes he isn’t the only one willing to drop the gloves when the situation calls for it.
“A lot of guys have stood up,” Frederic said. “(Derek Forbort) did it in Florida. We have a bunch of guys that can do it. That time I called my own number.”
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