“I went over and just told him not to (board Carle) again and I think he didn’t like that,’’ Paquette said. “He got me on the chin and the throat all in one motion, he surprised me, I didn’t expect that, but that’s part of the game. We never said anything (about fighting) he never talked to me at all. He cross checked, I cross checked him back and he suckered me right away.”
Chara earned an extra penalty on the play for the punch. Then later in the game, in the final minute as Tampa Bay looked for the tying goal, Chara continued to hound Paquette along the boards and in the corners. Just before the final buzzer, Paquette took a swing at Chara that ended up in another slight altercation.
“I went in front of the net, tried to do my job and he just wouldn’t let me go and that’s my job,’’ Paquette said. “I think he took a couple of penalties on me the last game and if I had to do it again, I would.”
