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Bruins Recchi: Habs 'Were Trying To Get Zdeno Suspended'

BOSTON (CBS) – Bruins forward Mark Recchi took the first shot at the Montreal Canadiens Wednesday afternoon on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Felger and Mazz.

Recchi said the Canadiens "embellished" the severity of Max Pacioretty's injury from Zdeno Chara's March 8th check into the boards in attempts to get the Bruins captain suspended. Pacioretty was diagnosed with a severe concussion and fractured vertebrae, but could return to the ice in time for the playoffs.

"He does have fractured vertebrae, but the concussion really was a non-factor," Recchi said, bringing up Pacioretty tweeting at the movies less than a week after the injury. "They were trying to get Zdeno suspended and they embellished it a little bit. You have to look at it from that side they were trying to do everything they could to get him suspended. The league sent the message that it was a hockey play, and that's the important thing that people understand."

Listen: Mark Recchi On Felger and Massarotti Talks Pacioretty, Canadiens

"They deemed it a hockey play and nothing more," the 21-year veteran said. "We all know it was an accident and that's the bottom line. Zdeno had no intentions to hurt him. It was unfortunate there was a partition there, and it happens that's the game of hockey and part of it. When the NHL didn't suspend him they made a huge statement saying it was just a hockey play."

"They're serious about protecting the players right now," Recchi said of the NHL. "It was an interference play at worse, the patrician got in the way. I don't think Zdeno was the blame for that, the league found that and we don't feel as players it is. I've been run into the turnbuckle probably 40 times in my career. As a winger that's the risk you take when you go across the board like that. You're playing the game, it happens. There was no intent to hurt anybody and that's the main thing."

Recchi said the Canadiens will try to get their revenge with the final score rather than their fists. The Bruins are also much more focused on their own team right now, as they currently lead the Canadiens by three points in the Northeast Division with two games in hand.

Read: Bergeron "Not Expecting Anything Stupid" Against Canadiens 

"We want to make a big push before the playoffs, make sure we're firing on all cylinders," he said. "We're not so much focused on the Montreal Canandiens, everyone else is making a big hoopla right now. We're focused on what we do as a hockey club. If we do the things that have made us good all year, then we'll beat the Montreal Canadiens tomorrow. If we don't, they have chance to win the game as well. But we believe if we do the right thing, 95-percent of the nights we're going to beat the other team."

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