Mic'd Up Patrice Bergeron Is A Must For Hockey Fans

Every hockey player should wear a microphone at all times. These wonderful exchanges—between P.K. Subban and Patrice Bergeron, and between Bergeron and referee Dan O'Halloran—show how your penalty (or no-call) sausage is made.

The footage, from Game 6, aired on the Bruins' in-house all-access show, as noted by CBS Boston. Subban hits Bergeron in the corner, twice; Bergeron retaliates.

Bergeron: "Come on, man, don't do that. Hey? Seriously, buddy."

Subban: "What, did I hit your head?"Bergeron: "You know you did."Subban: "I didn't mean to. I thought you were Marchy."

Love this. Even in a series with very bad blood, there's no blind hatred. Subban didn't intend to hit Bergeron in the head—that would be dangerous. He didn't intend to hit Bergeron at all; he was hoping to take out constant pest Brad Marchand.

Bergeron then had a chat with officials to find out why there wasn't a penalty on Subban.

Bergeron: "Hey, were you gonna call Subban right away, or...?"

O'Halloran: "Well, I was going to give him the first punch, but when he did it twice I was going to get him."

Bergeron: "Yeah, I know, I know. Yeah, I'll stay away from it, thanks."

One shot would have been OK; a second crossed the line. But once Bergeron went after Subban, rather than give coincidental minors, O'Halloran decided to let both play on—something that made both coaches and all fans happy. Bergeron was told, very clearly, what he needed to do to avoid a call.

Just awesome stuff here. I wish the NHL would share more player/official chatter. It would shed light on sometimes-incomprehensible rulings, and help us believe that the zebras remain logical and in-control even when games get heated.

[ via BarDown]