BOSTON (CBS) — The NHL did not have a problem with Torey Krug’s hit on Montreal forward Andrew Shaw, but the Canadiens certainly did.

Krug and Shaw went racing for a loose puck in the first period of Boston’s 2-1 overtime win in Montreal on Monday, and expecting a hit from the forward, Krug lowered his shoulder. But Shaw went for the puck instead, and was on the receiving end of a big hit from the 5-foot-8 Krug.

The NHL did not have Krug in for a hearing over the hit, but Montreal was being Montreal about it following the game. Krug defended the play Wednesday afternoon when he joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Zolak & Bertrand, and said Shaw told him he thought he’d get a suspension for the blow.

“It was a 50-50 play. Things happen pretty quickly on the ice, and I thought it was a puck their guy could have gotten. I looked up and saw it was Shaw, and he’s a physical player. I assumed he was going to try to hit me. I went for the puck and lowered my shoulder, thinking I was going to get hit,” Krug explained. “He came back in the game and told me he thought I was going to get suspended.

“When it happened I thought it was a clean play. Like I said, it was a 50-50 puck. If I didn’t expect a hit there, chances are I would have ended up on my rear end,” Krug added. “I didn’t really expect anything to come from it.”

The Montreal bench was not happy with Krug following the hit, and Brendan Gallagher challenged the blue liner to a fight one shift later. It didn’t last very long after the two threw off their gloves, as Krug hit the ice after two light punches from Gallagher.

“It wasn’t [the greatest fight]; I don’t do it too often,” said Krug. “Whatever. I slipped and fell, and [Gallagher] wasn’t too happy about it. It was something I came to expect after that hit. I figured he’s a guy who sticks up for his teammates and a leader of his team, so I thought it was coming.”

Krug also discussed the importance of Monday night’s win and previewed Wednesday night’s game against the Penguins in Pittsburgh. Listen to the full interview below:



