Charlie McAvoy's Two-Handed Slash in Game 6 Loss Costs Him and Boston a Chance at Redemption

The Boston Bruins' season ended in frustration and fury on May 1st. With 1:31 left in a 4-1 Game 6 elimination loss to the Buffalo Sabres, defenseman Charlie McAvoy delivered a two-handed slash across Zach Benson's torso that got him tossed from the game with a 5-minute major for slashing and an automatic game misconduct.

Here's what happened: The Bruins had their net empty for an extra skater. As McAvoy skated back for an icing call, Benson tripped him with his left leg, sending McAvoy crashing into the end boards. McAvoy got up, skated over through his teammates, and unloaded on Benson. Benson was called for a minor penalty for tripping on the play.

A Brutal Series Comes to a Brutal End

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

The slash could draw supplemental discipline from the NHL's Department of Player Safety, which reviews every play that could result in discipline. When asked if he expects to hear from the league, McAvoy said: "I won't play another game until September, so I can't imagine it really matters much."

A Season to Forget

It was a nightmarish series for McAvoy overall. He finished the six games with a minus-6 rating and just two assists. In Game 6, he was outhustled to a puck and unable to prevent a pass by Buffalo forward Josh Doan that found Benson for the back-breaking 3-1 lead in the third period.

"You work a long time to get to the playoffs. Every time it is an opportunity and we're on the wrong side of this one. So it hurts right now," McAvoy said.

Even Ruff, the opposing coach, showed respect for McAvoy after the game, calling him "a hell of a player" who cares about winning. But he also had to acknowledge the slash: "Probably went a little too far though."

The Sabres advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2007, where they'll face the winner of the Montreal-Tampa Bay series.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.