Bruins force Backes to fight if he wants to stay in lineup!

On Tuesday night, the Boston Bruins lost newly acquired forward Marcus Johansson to an upper-body injury after he was levelled by a clean but high-speed hit from Carolina Hurricanes' Micheal Ferland and went down the tunnel. He did not return to the game, which the Bruins won 4-3 in overtime. 

The Bruins felt the need to defend their new teammate and it was David Backes who dropped the mitts and faced Ferland in a fight to let him know to stay away from Mojo, who I am sorry to stay has an unfortunate concussion history and is probably back on reserve with symptoms... 

While Ferland and Backes were dancing at centre ice, the commentators noticed that it was the Bruins forward's third fight in the last four games and that the 34-year-old seemed more eager to drop the gloves and be physical since then. Backes had fought Ferland yesterday, but also dropped the mitts in front of Tampa Bay Lightning's Adam Erne on Feb. 28 and San Jose Sharks top enforcer Michael Haley on Feb. 26. 

Reporters finally asked Backes about his new role on the team, and it seems that the Bruins are now forcing him to fight he wants to stay in the lineup. Backes admitted that he met with head coach Bruce Cassidy about his new responsibilities and dismissed any worry about possible concussions, per Boston Globe's Kevin Dupont. 

“You have to stick up for your teammates,” Backes said after the game per NESN. “Tonight’s hit, which was a hard, clean hit, but if guys are running at our skilled guys we need to hold them accountable and I thought there was an opportunity for me to step up and you know, fill that role.

“I asked Butchy (Cassidy) when we were in Vegas and we had a meeting if I could be put in roles or places that would have a bigger impact on games and you know, whether that’s with my gloves off or my gloves on I think he’s provided me those opportunities and hopefully I’ve done my job for him.”

Backes has posted just five goals and 14 points for the Bruins in 54 games and has found himself as an occasional healthy scratch for the first time in his career this season. He feels this is the way to remain an active part of the roster, and does not care about the future consequences even though he has a history of head injuries.

“Listen, they’re human beings first, and when you coach them every day that’s always a concern,” Cassidy said. “But David, I think, is grabbing onto an area of the lineup where he feels he can contribute. So, we really appreciate that as a staff and the players do too, that he’s putting himself in harm’s way for the good of the team, and that’s leadership.”

READ ALSO |Bruins’ Johansson struggles to get off the ice following high-speed collision with Ferland!