Paul Bissonnette drops two-word response to Sens' Ridly Greig's cross-check on John Tavares

NHL analyst Paul Bissonnette dropped a wicked two-word response to the Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig’s cross-check on Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares.

The play occurred during the second period of Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. With the Senators down 2-1, the action got out of hand, leading Greig to level John Tavares with a nasty cross-check.

Here’s a look at the play:

Following the play, Bissonnette posted the following reaction on X:

“Lifetime ban”

The Leafs wanted a major penalty but had to settle for a two-minute minor. That situation didn’t make matters any easier on Bissonnette, who went off the rails, posting on X:

“What the hell is going on out there, they’re trying to kill us. Ottawa are playing like scumbags. Make them pay.”

Indeed, Tavares made the Sens pay with a power-play goal at the 4:07 mark of the second period to make the score 3-1. Minutes later, the Senators took another penalty, leading William Nylander to score off the ensuing draw to make the game 4-1.

The Maple Leafs' power play is 2-for-4 through 40 minutes, leading the way as the Leafs look to take Game 1 of their opening-round series against the Sens.

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John Tavares already matching last playoff’s offensive output

John Tavares has registered 12 goals and 12 assists in 38 playoff games for the Toronto Maple Leafs - Source: Imagn

Last postseason, John Tavares had a disappointing showing. The Leafs' veteran center had one goal and one assist in his team’s seven-game series loss against the Boston Bruins.

But in Sunday night’s opener, Tavares registered a goal and an assist through the first 40 minutes of the opening game, already equaling last year’s totals.

In 38 career playoff games with the Maple Leafs, Tavares has 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points. It’s worth pointing out that Tavares was limited to one game during the 2020-21 playoffs after sustaining a horrific injury in Game 1 of the Leafs’ opening-round series against the Montreal Canadiens.

Tavares’ performance is crucial for the Toronto Maple Leafs as they look to exorcise the demons of past failed postseason appearances. Tavares has appeared in the postseason in every year he’s played in Toronto but has only managed to make it out of the first round once.

With the Leafs' convincing win in Game 1 against Ottawa, John Tavares and his team look poised to make it past the first round this season.