There were actually two brutal cheapshots on the same shift.
Thornton was pissed at Orpik for an earlier hit, and ended up slew footing him then sucker punching him on the ice. Brutal play, and deserves a very long suspension.
But immediately before, James Neal deliberately aimed a knee to the head a Bruin who was lying prone on the ice. It should have also been a match penalty. The zebras only called it a minor. And while I missed the first half of the first period, it seems the officials were letting some cheap hits go and allowed the game to get out of hand. (Disclaimer: this is what NESN is saying, and I won't pretend they are completely objective.)
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