WATCH: Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins exchange violent Cross-Checks that send their victims to the locker room in Game Four

The Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins Game Four were marred by two violent incidents that led to Michael Lomberg and Garnet Hathaway having to leave the game in the late first period.

The first violent instance came with four and a half minutes left in the period when Pavel Zacha and Michael Lomberg were exchanging cross-checks on each other as Lomberg was trying to defend his net. Pavel Zacha then seemed to cross-check Lomberg in the face. The Panthers player crumpled to the ice, and Zacha was sent for a two-minute roughing penalty (although it probably should have been more). Lomberg had to be sent to the dressing room.

WATCH: Two violent cross-checks at the end of the first period of Game Four between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins send their victims to the dressing rooms

The incident with the Florida Panthers' Lomberg was a clear example of the kind of dangerous play that the NHL is trying to crack down on. Cross-checking to the head and face area is a serious offense, and the league has made it clear that they will not tolerate it. The fact that Lomberg had to be helped off the ice shows just how dangerous this kind of play can be.

After the final siren of the first period, Matthew Tkachuk went in on Garnet Hathaway and cross-checked the Bruins player in the mid-section along the board. Hathaway immediately went down and had to be helped off of the ice. The Florida Panthers' Tkachuck was given a penalty for cross-checking, and the incident once again highlights the issue of violence in the NHL.

Violent incidents like these are all too common in the NHL, and they have a negative impact on the game. They not only put players at risk of injury but also detracts from the quality of the game itself. The NHL needs to take a strong stance against this kind of behavior and ensure that players are held accountable for their actions.

The incidents involving Michael Lomberg and Garnet Hathaway in Game four of the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins series were a clear example of the kind of violent play that the NHL needs to crack down on. Cross-checking the head and face area is a serious offense, and it puts players at risk of injury. The league needs to take a strong stance against this kind of behavior and ensure that players are held accountable for their actions.