Bruins’ Thornton, Boychuk saw no choice but to fight who was there

Thornton/By S. Bradley

WILMINGTON, Mass. — Bruins forward Shawn Thornton and defenseman Johnny Boychuk took a little guff from Canadian media types for taking on Roman Hamrlik and Jaroslav Spacek, respectively, toward the end of Boston’s 8-6 win over Montreal last night at TD Garden.

Thornton’s a player that strictly adheres to “The Code” so you knew there had to be an explanation for taking on a pacifist like Hamrlik.

“Not for me,” said Thornton this morning after practice at Ristuccia Arena when asked if it was a problem taking on a non-fighter. “Nothing would’ve happened, I don’t think, if he didn’t throw a punch. Then I lost my temper, obviously. But you punch me in the face, you should answer for it. That’s my take on it.”

Boychuk explained that he wouldn’t have done anything either if Hamrlik didn’t throw a punch and cause Spacek to get involved.

“I told him that if he grabbed me we’d probably have to fight, and then he let me go,” said the Boston blueliner. “And as soon as [Hamrlik] punched Shawn, I tried to get at him and then [Spacek] grabbed me. So it was just one of those things that we had to fight.”

Both Thornton and Boychuk were assessed game misconducts. But neither player, nor any of the Bruins, are facing the chance of supplemental discipline, according to head coach Claude Julien.