Habs’ Pacioretty regrets Boychuk hit

Push from behind sent Bruins player to hospital

Max Pacioretty said he “had a little bit of the life sucked out of me” after he was involved in a first-period incident that landed Boston defenceman Johnny Boychuk in the hospital Thursday night.

Pacioretty said he felt he was battling for the puck early in the first period when he pushed Boychuk from behind and the Bruin went headfirst into the end boards. He was immobilized with what appeared to be a neck injury. He went to the hospital for observation but was released and returned to Boston with the team.

“I literally didn’t know what happened,” Pacioretty said after the Canadiens edged the Bruins 2-1. “I feel terrible because I’ve been in that situation. I had no intent to injure anybody; I hope he’s all right.”

Pacioretty, who suffered a concussion and a neck injury when he was checked into a stanchion by the Bruins’ Zdeno Chara three seasons ago, said he talked to several Bruins after the incident and: “they gave me the benefit of the doubt.”

But Pacioretty said it took him a while to regain his focus. “I didn’t play a strong game tonight,” he said. “I felt OK in the beginning, but I had the life sucked out of me when that injury happened. I got back to my game as the game went on.”

Pacioretty scored what proved to be the winning goal at 17:42 of the second period. It was his ninth goal in the last nine games and all of them have been scored at home.

“I can’t explain it, the puck’s just going in,” said Pacioretty, who scored on a backhander after Tuukka Rask stopped a shot by Raphael Diaz. “It’s coming every other game and it seems to be coming in the home games.”

Pacioretty leads the Canadiens with 11 goals and has turned things around since coach Michel Therrien started using Brendan Gallagher on a line with Pacioretty and David Desharnais.