Charlie McAvoy handed Marco Sturm and the Bruins an ugly headline with a late hit that turned a lost night at TD Garden into a bigger story.

Boston's 4-2 loss to San Jose was already heading to the final horn. Then McAvoy drilled Kiefer Sherwood high with 10 seconds left, and the game spilled into a post-whistle scrum.

For Bruins fans, that's the part that stings. McAvoy is supposed to set the tone from the blue line, not give the other side a reason to frame him as the villain on a game that was already gone.

Sherwood didn't leave much room for debate the next day in Montreal. He called the play dirty, unnecessary, and stupid, then made it clear his issue was the contact landing straight to the head.

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That criticism carries weight because Sherwood isn't some finesse winger complaining about hard hockey. Last season, he piled up 384 hits, the highest total tracked league-wide since 2005-06.

So when a player with that résumé says there's a line between finishing checks and trying to hurt someone, Bruins fans should know this one won't be brushed aside as standard chirping after a heated game.

The bigger issue for Boston is that the timing makes McAvoy look rattled. Down two goals, seconds left, and no real upside in stepping into that kind of collision.

Bruins fans know the standard is higher

McAvoy plays hard, heavy, and emotional. That edge is part of what makes him one of the Bruins' most important players, especially when games tighten up and the bench needs a jolt.

But Bruins fans also know the difference between a hard playoff-style finish and a hit that hands the other team the moral high ground. This landed in the second category.

Sherwood also praised how the Sharks jumped in for him, calling it a sign of team unity. That matters, because the sequence gave San Jose a rallying point after the buzzer.

From Boston's side, this is now about discipline as much as damage control. McAvoy's value comes from being on the ice in every big moment, not from inviting extra noise around player safety.

Bruins fans will back McAvoy's compete level every time. They'll also expect a cleaner finish than this, because leaders on contending teams can't let frustration write the last scene.