Bruins avoid disastrous injury with cheap shot hit on Charlie McAvoy

If there has been one thing that the Boston Bruins and their fans are sick of dealing with this season, it's injuries. They have dealt with numerous ones, and currently, they are playing without the services of centers Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm.

Playing the Florida Panthers in their final game before the Olympic Break, the Black and Gold were hoping to get through the game healthy and into the break without having to deal with another injury. Easier said than done.

Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy took a hit to the head from Florida's Sandis Vilmanis at center ice and was down for a while. He needed help getting off the ice and to the locker room. It didn't look good, but what was given for a penalty was just insane.

Sandis Vilmanis avoids a major penalty with a cheap shot hit on Charlie McAvoy

Here is the hit from Vilmanis' hit on McAvoy. Tell me what you think.

Anyway, Vilmanis was given a two-minute minor for an illegal check to the head. Jonathan Aspirot got a roughing minor for going after Vilmanis. The Bruins ended up shorthanded after a bench minor, most likely given for Marco Sturm giving his two cents worth. If so, good for him.

Back to the shot to the head by Vilmanis. The referee missed the ball, big time. They could have called a five-minute major, reviewed, and downgraded it. However, it is clear as day what Vilmanis was doing. He knew what he was doing and threw the elbow at McAvoy's head. The league should look at this for disciplinary action. At least they should protect the players. We'll see if this happens as the Panthers play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. McAvoy did return for the second period, which is a good sign.

Just before that, the Bruins lost Mason Lohrei, who took a stick to the face on a follow-through from Florida's AJ Greer, but he returned shortly after McAvoy was injured.