from Eric Francis of Sportsnet,

The gesture? Predictable.

The timing? Ridiculous.

If you think David Rittich’s stick flip provided unnecessary ammunition for the Edmonton Oilers last month, consider what Brad Marchand did to fire up the Flames Tuesday night.

Midway through a tight contest that saw the Flames leading 1-0, Marchand converted a shorthanded breakaway to send the crowd at TD Garden into a frenzy.

Instead of proceeding to the Bruins’ bench, the Bruins veteran immediately skated towards Mikael Backlund to deliver a stare down and a few choice words.

It was akin to a post-homer bat flip, showing up the opposition when they’re at their most vulnerable and frustrated.

A crowd of unhappy Flames gathered, including Milan Lucic and Backlund, who shared their displeasure with today’s version of the Little Ball of Hate.

continued

Watch the Marchand goal and aftermath below. Calgary won the game 5-2.