DETROIT -- The Little Ball of Hate has been resurrected just in time for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand is once again trying to aggravate his opponents, and this time it's the entire Detroit Red Wings roster he's focused on.

Known around the league as one of the game's best agitators, Marchand said at the start of this season that he wanted to control his emotions better, and he was able to accomplish that. He remained disciplined and was not fined or suspended by the league for any of his usual antics.

Brad Marchand scuffled with Red Wings left winger Tomas Tatar in Game 2 at TD Garden on Sunday. Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports

But in this first-round series against the Red Wings, Marchand is trying to get under the skin of his opponent. Detroit coach Mike Babcock had a message for his players in regard to Marchand.

"Just ignore him," Babcock said. "Play hard and ignore him."

Marchand wasn't surprised when he heard that.

"I've been getting that my whole life," he said with a laugh.

Prior to this series, Marchand said, he had the inside scoop from linemate Reilly Smith that his older brother, Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith, did not like him. Brendan Smith has been on the ice a lot when Boston's second line of Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and Reilly Smith is out there.

Brendan Smith and Marchand collided at 5:10 of the second period during Boston's 3-0 win in Game 3 Tuesday night at Joe Louis Arena. As Marchand attempted to avoid the hit, the two collided and Marchand fell to the ice. He remained on his knees for a few minutes and was tended to by a team trainer. There was a penalty called on the play, Marchand laying on the ice and grabbing his knee to try and draw the call.

He remained in the game, and afterward Marchand said his leg was tingling after he landed on it. Brendan Smith wasn't buying the excuse.

"I saw a picture of where he went down. I mean he's very slippery, so you've got to make sure that you get all body, and he slipped out of my check, which was good; good play by him," Smith said. "But it was funny when he was putting all of his weight on the leg that actually got hit ... but that's Marchand. He's going to try to create that stuff. That's the kind of player he is, and he's lived off of it for a long time and that's why he's great. That's something that he's going to do, but it's kind of funny when you get caught like that when you go down on your left leg and you've got the right leg up. But that's how he is and how he plays."