'They Thought It Was A Good Hit': Maple Leafs Sheldon Keefe Describes Explanation From Officials Regarding Mason Marchement's Late Hit on Jake McCabe

The head coach and McCabe were visibly upset when Marchment delivered a late hit on McCabe that left the Maple Leafs defenseman bloodied.

Toward the end of the second period of the Toronto Maple Leafs' 5-4 win against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, Stars forward Mason Marchment delivered a hit to Jake McCabe.

The Maple Leafs defenseman cleared the puck out of his zone with a no-look pass when Marchment came in a bit late with a hit McCabe certainly didn't expect.

McCabe was visibly angry after the hit that left him bloody due to the player's visor coming down on his face with a direct velocity. 

There was no penalty call on the play and Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was visibly angry. First, he tried to get a word with the officials at the end of the second period, which didn't happen. When he finally got that chat with the refs to begin the third, he got their side of the story.

"They thought it was a good hit," Keefe said. 

Keefe didn't agree.

"I see a vulnerable player that’s targeted and I’ve got to think that's the type of hit they do not want to see in the game," Keefe said. "Guy is bleeding everywhere and needs stitches. I’m sure they’re going to look at it."

The Maple Leafs were leading 3-2 at the time, and McCabe's ability to stay calm and collected was key to ensuring they didn't take a retaliation penalty.

"I wasn’t too happy about it," Auston Matthew said of the hit. "I thought he handled it as composed as one could be and kept just playing his game and competing. He was a monster out there for us tonight on both ends of the ice."

Marchment has a history with the Maple Leafs, playing under Keefe for several seasons with the Marlies. The 28-year-old played in four games with the Maple Leafs in the 2019-20 season before he was traded to the Florida Panthers for forward Denis Malgin.

UPDATE: The NHL Department of Player Safety fined Marchment $5,000, the maximum allowable under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

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