NHL

Ex-Penguins defenseman Robert Bortuzzo draws ire of Boston fans with punch, wink

Jonathan Bombulie
Monday, June 10, 2019 12:06 p.m. | Monday, June 10, 2019 12:06 p.m.

Boston Bruins left wing Jake DeBrusk (74) tries to stop St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, left, during the second period of Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final Sunday, June 9, 2019, in St. Louis.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Robert Bortuzzo has become a hated man among Boston sports fans.

In the waning moments of Sunday night’s 5-1 St. Louis Blues win over the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, Bortuzzo and forward Noal Acciari had words. Bortuzzo caught Acciari with a gloved punch to the chin, then gave a wink as he was being escorted off the ice.

Bortuzzo punching Acciari in the face with less than a minute left in Game 6 pic.twitter.com/8Dbgru2RUx

— Heart of NHL (@HeartofNHL) June 10, 2019

Needless to say, this development was not received well by Bruins fans.

Can you imagine if Brad Marchand did what Robert Bortuzzo just did? The overreaction would be insane.

— Mike McMahon (@MikeMcMahonCHN) June 10, 2019

Physicality has always been a part of the 6-foot-4, 221-pound Bortuzzo’s game. He picked up 15 fighting majors in parts of four seasons with the Penguins from 2011-15.

He drew the ire of his old team when he injured Evgeni Malkin with a cross-check to the ribs earlier this season.