Bruins’ A.J. Greer is suspended one game for cross-check of Montreal’s Mike Hoffman

For his cross-check on Mike Hoffman, A.J. Greer will forfeit $4,121.62 to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.Steven Senne/Associated Press

Bruins forward A.J. Greer was suspended one game and fined $4,121.62 for his cross-check to the face of the Canadiens’ Mike Hoffman Thursday.

Greer, who attacked Hoffman before a faceoff in the neutral zone, received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the move. The incident occurred at 17:08 of the first period.

After the game, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery anticipated having a chat with the 26-year-old Greer, who has 5 goals, 11 points, and 85 penalty minutes in 52 games as a bottom-six winger.

“We talk about playing with emotion, which is great, but not getting emotional,” Montgomery said, stressing the suffix on the last word. “Unfortunately, Greersy, his stick rode up — I don’t know if it rode up his stick, his shoulder pad — it cut him. It’s something we can learn from, because you can’t take those kinds of penalties in the playoffs.”

Greer, who has not appeared in the NHL playoffs, has been a productive asset for his previous teams’ AHL affiliates. In nine career AHL postseason games between Colorado (2019) and Utica (2022), he has a 6-5—11 line.

With Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno eyeing returns for the postseason, and energetic rookie Jakub Lauko making an impact — like Greer, all are left-shooting wingers — it seems Greer will start the playoffs on the outside of Boston’s lineup.