Capitals' Tom Wilson riles Bruins with 'predatory' hit that hospitalizes Brandon Carlo

Tom Gatto

Capitals' Tom Wilson riles Bruins with 'predatory' hit that hospitalizes Brandon Carlo image

The Bruins spent most of Friday night being incensed at Capitals forward Tom Wilson after he sent defenseman Brandon Carlo out of the game and ultimately to the hospital with a high hit.

They thought Wilson took a cheap shot at Carlo, whose head hit the end-boards glass. No penalty was called. 

"Clearly it looked like to me he got him right in the head," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said, per NESN.com. "Defenseless player. Predatory hit from a player that’s done that before, so I don’t understand why there wasn’t a penalty called on the ice." Cassidy told reporters that Carlo was taken by ambulance to a Boston hospital. 

Bruins forward Brad Marchand called it a "bulls— hit and a "f—ing cheap shot" on live TV.

Boston captain Patrice Bergeron gave Wilson a piece of his mind during the game.

So did another player who was overheard in the cavernous TD Garden chirping Wilson.

MORE: Tom Wilson suspension timeline

Naturally, fists were part of the response as well. Jarred Tinordi, in his second game with the Bruins, and Trent Frederic dropped the gloves with him.

And, for the capper, the Bruins delivered the ultimate reply by winning 5-1.

If you want to do some calendar-circling, the East Division teams are scheduled to meet four more times this season. Their next matchup is April 8 in Washington.

Tom Gatto

Tom Gatto Photo

Tom Gatto joined The Sporting News as a senior editor in 2000 after 12 years at The Herald-News in Passaic, N.J., where he served in a variety of roles including sports editor, and a brief spell at APBNews.com in New York, where he worked as a syndication editor. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of South Carolina.