Blackhawks head coach not happy with Lightning players trying to fight Connor Murphy

Nearly two weeks ago, the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning in a game that was overshadowed by a hit in the second period. Lightning defenceman Erik Cernak was carrying the puck behind the Blackhawks net when Chicago defenceman Connor Murphy hit him in the head. Murphy received a match penalty for an illegal check to the head. Any match penalty handed out is subject to automatic review from the NHL's department of player safety.

OH MY#Blackhawks Connor Murphy hit on #GoBolts Erik Cernak
5 minute major assessed
🎥 @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/DE0brYcILp— Here's Your Replay ⬇️ (@HeresYourReplay) March 7, 2021

Murphy ultimately avoided suspension for the hit, which angered the Tampa Bay Lightning. The two teams met on Thursday for the first time since March 7th, and less than a minute in, Lightning forward Barclay Goodrow tried to seek revenge for the hit, but instead came away with a two-minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Ahead of Saturday's game between Chicago and Tampa Bay, Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton voiced his displeasure with the Lightning players who were trying to get Murphy to answer for his hit on Cernak.

"For me, the hit he had in Chicago, he got a penalty for it. I think that was enough, considering he went through the guy's chest. He hit him hard but I don't believe it was a dirty hit. I don't agree with the thought you should have to answer for playing hard and finishing your check. That kind of thing is always going to be part of the game, I hope, I'm well-acquainted with headshots and obviously against them in any way. But at best it was glancing, incidental contact there. Obviously the player missed the rest of the game, but it wasn't a head issue; otherwise he wouldn't have played 20 minutes in the next game against Detroit," Colliton said.

"Murph has no problem answering the bell. He probably would love to. But we've asked him not to, because he's too important to our team. We need him on the ice. We've asked him to suck it up and make a team decision and just play, and he's done that. He's a hard player, he's a physical player, and that's part of what he brings and I don't think he should have to be warding off challengers for the whole game because he's finishing his checks," he added.

Colliton was asked if he was frustrated with the Lightning and how they chose to deal with the situation.

"It just doesn't make any sense to me. They've got some guys who play a hard game, a physical game. If Hedman finishes a hard check on Murph, I don't think they're going to love if we've got guy chasing him around the ice or expecting that he should take a five-minute major or risk breaking his hand on someone's head."

Jeremy Colliton is very upset about the Lightning trying to provoke Connor Murphy into a fight for his 3/7 hit on Erik Cernak.

"If Hedman finishes a hard check on Murph, I don't think [Tampa is] going to love if we've got guys chasing him around the ice."

His full comments: pic.twitter.com/yUly40qDS0— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 20, 2021

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