Bruins' Charlie McAvoy Ejected for Violently Slashing Sabres Player Zach Benson in Retaliation for Illegal Trip

Bruins' Charlie McAvoy and Sabres' Zach Benson during the May 1 NHL game.
Credit: Sportsnet

Immediately after getting back up off the ice, McAvoy skated toward Benson and swung his stick at him, delivering a two-handed slash across the Sabres player's torso in retaliation.

"You don't want to see the last play of the game,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said after the incident. “You don't want to see a guy take a chop like that at somebody else. I think he feels that Benson tripped him on the play or took his feet out from underneath him."

"I'm just going to say [it was] raw emotion,” he continued. “Charlie's a hell of a player. Cares about winning. Anybody would want Charlie on his team. Probably went a little too far, though.”

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While Benson received a two-minute penalty for the tripping, McAvoy was given a five-minute major for slashing and a game misconduct.

Charlie McAvoy during the May 1 NHL game.
Credit: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty

The Sabres ultimately won the game 4-1, and they now advance to the second round of the NHL playoffs. It marks the team's first time since 2007.

The Sabres will next take on the winner of Game 7 between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

When asked about a possible suspension, which would be decided by the NHL's Department of Player Safety and served next season, McAvoy said that he “can't imagine it really matters much,” given that he won't play another game until September.

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