WASHINGTON – Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel has been speared and hacked, slashed and whacked while playing hockey.
Never, however, has he had his faced licked by an opponent.
Which might just mean he hasn’t played that many games against Boston winger Brad Marchand, who has done just that at least three times, most recently to Tampa Bay’s Ryan Callahan during Game 4 of the Bruins-Lightning series Friday.
“It’s something you wouldn’t expect,” Ruhwedel said after the Penguins’ optional game-day skate at Capital One Arena Saturday. “I’m not sure exactly why he does it.”
Marchand’s goal presumably is to unsettle opponents and, based on Callahan’s outraged reaction to having Marchand drag his tongue up Callahan’s face, it works.