It would appear that Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand is up to his old tricks.

Marchand is once again facing controversy for his latest antics, this time due to a cheap shot he delivered in the third period of Tuesday's Game 3 in Columbus. With the Bruins trailing 2-1 late in the game and the puck frozen by Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, Marchand couldn't resist taking a jab at an unsuspecting opponent.

Following a whistle with 1:03 left in the third period, Columbus defenseman Scott Harrington was on his knees just outside the crease when Marchand delivered a punch to the back of his helmet. After hitting him, Marchand immediately started heading back to the Boston bench.

It was a dirty play, and one that Marchand was able to get away with as officials apparently missed it and no penalty was called. For that, Marchand is extremely fortunate considering the Bruins were only down a goal and have been heavily outplayed on special teams throughout this entire series. (The Blue Jackets' game-winner in Game 3 was scored on the power play -- one produced by a Marchand penalty, no less.)

However, cameras caught the incident, which was reportedly reviewed by the league's Department of Player Safety after Tuesday's game. Relatively speaking, it wasn't the hardest or most dangerous shot to the head, but Marchand is a controversial player with a lengthy rap sheet and suspension history, so many wondered if the league would come down on him yet again.

It sounds like Marchand will escape the incident without punishment.

That likely won't be received well by the Blue Jackets, who may look to seek a little bit of justice themselves in Game 4. Columbus head coach John Tortorella showed great restraint when asked about the incident post-game.

In any case, Marchand pulling this kind of stuff isn't a good look for the veteran winger, and it's worse when you consider the situation in which it was pulled. The coaching staff likely isn't pleased with his willingness to potentially put his team at a disadvantage late in a tight, crucial playoff game.

Marchand finished the regular season as the Bruins' leading scorer with 100 points, but he's been completely blanked on the scoresheet through the first three games of this series. The Blue Jackets lead Boston 2-1 and will have a chance to push the Bruins to the brink of elimination with a win on home ice this Thursday night.