Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy offered a personal hearing after the slash

Charlie McAvoy A private hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety has been offered for the slashing Jack Benson Friday night — I mean Boston Bruins A defenseman can be suspended for six or more games to start the following season.

A hearing date has not been set as of Saturday.

McAvoy was ejected in Game 6 of the first-round series against Boston Buffalo Sabres 1:31 left, as the Bruins trailed 4-1 and were ultimately eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs. As McAvoy returns for an icing call, he is distracted by Benson.

After McAvoy went up, he skated straight to Benson and was penalized for a two-handed slash on the Sabers forward. The play happened away from the puck and drew an immediate reaction from the Buffalo bench.

While McAvoy received a five-minute major and automatic game misconduct, Benson received a two-minute minor penalty for tripping. The play was the culmination of frustration for McAvoy and the Bruins, who lost all three home games of their first-round series to the Sabres.

McAvoy said after the game that he believed he was stepped on by Benson.

McAvoy has two previous suspensions. In the 2019 playoffs, he served a one-game suspension for an illegal check Josh Anderson. During the 2023 regular season, he was suspended for four games for an illegal check Oliver Ekman-Larson — his most notable discipline to date.

“I’m just going to say (it was) raw emotion,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. “Charlie’s a hell of a player. Cares about winning. Anyone who’d want Charlie on their team. Probably went a little too far.”