Brendan Smith is moving on. By doing so, he hopes the Rangers will, too.
Throughout the third period of the Rangers’ Game 4 win against Montreal, the defenseman was repeatedly battered by the Canadiens, most apparent in Alexander Radulov’s slash across Smith’s wrist. Later came a cross-check and an elbow to the face. Play continued after each incident.
Though Smith wasn’t hurt — finishing the game logging a team-high 22:44 of ice time — he was surprised that a whistle was never blown.
“We were both battling, and I’d just rather somebody battle hard rather than just hacking,” Smith said of Radulov. “But it’s the game, it’s the playoffs. Anything goes sometimes. I felt like the ref was right there. I think on both the ref was right there. It was an elbow. But it doesn’t matter. We came out with a win, so it’s all good.
“For sure, they have guys that play a little on the edge. Personally, I would like [players] to be a little more accountable. Sometimes that’s not what’s going to happen, and you just have to battle through it.”
If Smith harbors any fantasies of revenge, he remains silent about them, claiming no intention to strike back against the Canadiens in Game 5 Thursday night. Recently he was reminded the Rangers are most likely to suffer the consequences of his own short-term satisfaction.
Earlier this week, Ottawa’s Bobby Ryan got away with an elbow to the face of Boston’s Riley Nash in Game 3 of their first-round series, and when the Bruins forward responded by punching back, the Senators ended up with a power play, setting up Ottawa’s game-winning overtime goal.
“If you retaliate, normally they call the retaliation. They don’t call the first instance,” Smith said Wednesday. “I just witnessed that in the Ottawa-Boston series, where Bobby Ryan kind of got away with a high hit and then they called the retaliation. So you got to make sure you don’t retaliate because that’s kind of what the refs are looking for. I might disagree with some of the calls, but that’s just how the game goes.”
Smith, who was traded from Detroit to the Rangers on Feb. 28, has fit in well since arriving and become one of the team’s key defensemen, though he admits he still is trying to learn some of the tendencies of his new teammates.
There still may be time.
“I don’t feel like the new guy, I guess,” Smith said. “I feel like I’m kind of in the mix. These guys are really good and inviting and bringing me in. So it’s exciting in that sense.
“I wanted to come into an atmosphere that battles hard, works hard and is a playoff team. That’s what we’re doing. So it’s exciting for myself.”