Brad Marchand Snaps and Attacks Panthers' Defenseman Nate Schmidt in Heated Altercation

Monday marked the second meeting between the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers this season, and it's safe to say that the rivalry is getting more intense after some Stanley Cup Playoffs matches in recent years.

The Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt was merely attempting to defend his teammate who had been run over in a very physical manner when captain Brad Marchand launched a vicious attack on him during Monday's game.

Marchand took a defenseless Schmidt who was merely defending his teammate to the ice and pummeled him without warning, which was understandably unacceptable to many fans on social media.

Marchand has established himself as one of the league's most despised players over the years, and although his teammates adore him, his actions on the ice undoubtedly cause a reaction from the opposition. With some extremely strong players on the other team, this may not be the last time we see this in this fierce rivalry in the Atlantic Division, but it is extremely unlikely that Marchand will hear anything from the league following this play.

Despite missing captain Aleksander Barkov, the Panthers won this game 4-3. The Bruins, who are now 2-2-0 on the season, will need to regroup if they want to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024-2025.