Foes To Friends: Brad Marchand Reacts To New Team Canada Linemate

There is certainly no love lost between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers.

The rivalry between the two Atlantic Division rivals has grown exponentially in the last two postseasons, with the Panthers playing the spoilers to the Bruins each time.

The rivalry between the two clubs will be put aside when Team Canada takes on Team USA during 4 Nations Face-Off on Saturday night at Bell Centre in Montreal.

Brad Marchand and fellow agitator Sam Bennett are expected to be linemates, with Seth Jarvis on Team Canada’s fourth line.

“He plays very hard. Very skilled,” Marchand said of Bennett, per Bruins-provided video. “Great patience, and he just plays the game full 200 feet, so great asset to the team. Really looking forward to playing with him. I like the way we practiced together. He’s a competitor, seen it first hand. He comes up big in those moments.”

That close-up look the Bruins captain referred to came in last spring’s postseason when Bennett got away with a sucker punch that forced Marchand to miss two games of Boston’s second-round series against Florida.

Marchand said he more-or-less discussed the incident with Bennett and the temporary linemates have tabled the rivalry and moved on, at least for the round-robin tournament.

“We didn’t really get into it, I just said I’m not passing him the puck,” Marchand joked. “Stuff happens out there. Whatever happens out there during the season, you let it go. We’re all here for the same reason and fighting for the same goal. Those are things we can laugh about.”

Bennett explained that what previously happened on the ice stays there, especially when he’s putting on the Canadian Maple Leaf.

“It’s never personal,” Bennett said, per Bruins-provided video. “It’s just part of the game. He’s been super good to me. He’s one of the leaders in this locker room. You can just feel his presence in the room. … Excited to get the chance to play with him and create a little havoc (Saturday night).”

The marquee matchup between USA and Canada is slated for 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, and the powerhouse tilt will air on ABC.