Zdeno Chara, broken jaw and all, started Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final for the Boston Bruins on Thursday night, despite suffering the gruesome injury in Monday’s tilt in St. Louis.
It’s remarkable that Chara is even playing considering he had his jaw wired shut, but Don Cherry believes that he could’ve done one thing to prevent the injury.
“Young coaches, [sticks] at the side, never out in front,” Cherry exclaimed during Coach’s Corner on Hockey Night in Canada. “I watch the TV down here, I watch the papers, the whole deal. Not once did they say ‘a stupid play.’”
“Here’s a guy, 42 years old, wasn’t taught when he was a kid,” Cherry continued. “I played 16 years, never had that happen to me. You never put your stick out like that. Here’s a guy – 42 years old – never learned when he was young.”
Chara suffered the injury in Game 4 after Blues forward Brayden Schenn’s shot ricocheted off the Bruins defenceman’s stick and onto his jaw.
The veteran blue-liner remained rooted to the bench for the rest of Game 4, but was medically cleared to play in Game 5.
[relatedlinks]
