Dougie Hamilton or Aaron Johnson will be called upon in Game 2. (AP)

After a completely one-sided contest in Game 1, things got interesting Thursday in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series between the Bruins and Maple Leafs when B’s defenseman Andrew Ference was suspended for Game 2 for an illegal hit to the head of Toronto forward Mikhail Grabovski.

Ference was viewed as a repeat offender because his last suspension (the only other one of his 13-year career) came within the past 18 months — he was suspended for three games last January for his hit on Ryan McDonagh.

You can say all you wanted about Ference’s start to the season — which was not good — but he recovered well and is once again one of the more important and underrated pieces for the B’s. His absence isn’t something to overlook, and if the Maple Leafs plan on showing up for Game 2 (a big “if” after they chose not to Wednesday), it could be a closer game than the 4-1 drubbing the B’s gave the Leafs.

Without Ference, the Bruins have two options: There’s Dougie Hamilton, who played in 42 of the Bruins’ 48 regular-season games, and there’s Aaron Johnson.

While Hamilton’s name might come to mind first because of his offensive skill and the fact that he’s, well, Dougie Hamilton, don’t rule out Johnson. The 30-year-old is a left shot like Ference and could either slide into Ference’s spot on the pairing with Johnny Boychuk or play with Adam McQuaid, allowing Wade Redden to move onto Boychuk’s pairing.

The issue with Johnson is that he’s likely rusty after playing in only 10 regular season games, the most recent of which was over a month ago on March 30 against the Flyers.

Hamilton being in the lineup would give the B’s a bit of a predicament from a pairing standpoint. With Dennis Seidenberg playing on the right side with Zdeno Chara as part of the top pairing, that would give the Bruins three right-shot defensemen in their other two pairings. Perhaps Hamilton being in the lineup would force Claude Julien to break up the Chara-Seidenberg pairing to allow Seidenberg to go back to the left side on another pairing, with Hamilton skating with either Chara or Seidenberg, but would the Bruins really want to break up that top pairing given how effective it was in Game 1?

So those are the Bruins’ two options: Play the more talented rookie — but one who looked more and more like a rookie in the second half of the season — who would likely cause a bit of shuffling among the defensemen. Or, play the veteran who hasn’t been in the lineup in over a month. Those aren’t the best options, but just remember that Shane Hnidy at the very end of his career played three games in the playoffs in 2011, getting just 3:09 of ice time per game, and the Bruins won the Stanley Cup that postseason. Losing Ference is bigger than you might think, but it isn’t the end of the world.

The NHL announced Thursday that Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference has been given a one-game suspension for his hit to the head of Maple Leafs forward Mikhail Grabovski during a first-period Leafs power play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

With both players coming from different directions to get a puck in the corner, Ference hit Grabovski high, causing him to fall to the ice on a play that received no penalty.

This is Ference’s second punishable infraction in a span of 18 months or less, making him a repeat offender given that he was suspended three games last January for his hit on Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh.

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TSN’s Darren Dreger reported following the Bruins’ Game 1 win over the Maple Leafs that the league has reviewed Andrew Ference‘s elbow to the head of Toronto forward Mikhail Grabovski.

Ference elbow on Grabovski in the 1st was reviewed. Supplemental discipline possible, but seems unlikely.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 2, 2013

As the video below will show, both players were going after a puck in the corner from different directions during a Maple Leafs power play when the B’s defenseman caught Grabovski with a high elbow. When asked about the hit following the game, Ference said he didn’t recall the play. His coach didn’t offer much either.

“I haven’t seen it,” Claude Julien said. “I can’t comment on that.”

Ference was suspended for three games last January for his hit on Ryan McDonagh, which would put him in the repeat offender category given that his last suspension was within 18 months.

The Bruins welcomed first responders at Wednesday's game. (AP)

WILMINGTON — When the Bruins hosted 80 first-responders at Wednesday’s game, they thought they were simply providing a nice gesture as a way of thanking the brave bunch for all they had done for the city during Monday’s horrific events. They didn’t think they were making anybody’s day, but they were.

In meeting with the first-responders following their 3-2 shootout loss to the Sabres Wednesday, the Bruins were overwhelmed by their experience with the heroes and how proud they were to meet the B’s.

“They were very, very happy and excited that they came to the game and they really showed a lot of respect,” Brad Marchand said Thursday. “It was funny — not funny, but a different feeling because they were thanking us when really we wanted to thank them for everything that they did for our city and for us and for everyone who was involved. It was honor meeting them and being able to meet those guys and hear their stories of how courageous they were in a moment like that.”

Marchand said it was more of an honor for the Bruins to spend time with the heroes than the other way around, but to be able to give them something to be smile about was touching for the players.

“They really expressed last night how big it was for them to come to the game and how excited they were from the moment they heard they were coming,” Marchand said. “Some of the guys were telling us how they found out and just how excited they were all day long or the day before, and it was all they could think about. They said that’s what they needed to kind of get their mind off things. They saw a lot of stuff. To be able to give that to them for them to enjoy and look forward to watching us play and just a few hours to watch us play and enjoy something, it’s huge for us. We take a lot of pride in that. Obviously, those guys are heroes and we look up to them. They did some courageous and amazing things. We owe them a lot.”

After the game, Andrew Ference and some other players took the first-responders out for beers as a way of further thanking them for everything they had done. Though Dennis Seidenberg didn’t join them (his children had to get up early), he wasn’t surprised to see how much the night meant to both sides.

“It’s a great sports town, Boston is,” Dennis Seidenberg said. “People are very emotional about their sports. When you have a chance to give them the opportunity to come to a game and get their mind off what happened, it’s easy for us to do and something nice also.”

Andrew Ference prides himself on being a Bostonian. (AP)

WILMINGTON — One of the reason Boston is considered such a great sports town is because of the standard it sets. It isn’t for everyone. Star players have failed here, because it takes a certain kind of player to embrace Boston and everything that comes with it.

Andrew Ference is one of those players. Since being traded to the Bruins in 2007, he’s soaked up every bit of it. When the Bruins won the Cup, he put it in a baby stroller and walked it around the North End. Though he’s an Edmonton native, he’s really taken to being a Bostonian, so when he puts on his jersey Wednesday night and takes the ice, he won’t feel a sudden attachment to the city in wake of Monday’s bombings.

“You’re always proud. It’s not like we’re just here today all of a sudden saying, ‘We love Boston,’” Ference said. “This is a team that’s woven itself into the neighborhoods that they live in. They’ve really embraced the fact that they’re residents here. I don’t think anybody just feels like they’re here for a visit. That’s been a special part about our team, so I think that something like this obviously magnifies all the things that [make] you care about the city. You’re proud no matter what to not just be part of a sports team, but part of the community. That’s why people love it here so much.”

Ference, 34, has also played for the Penguins and Flames in his career, but he’s really made a home in Boston, like so many other Bruins. The Bruins’ roster has everything from organizational lifers (Patrice Bergeron) to former journeymen who eventually became mainstays (Shawn Thornton) and everything in between. Ference’s love for the city is obvious, as is the case with guys like Nathan Horton, and the alternate captain said there’s no shortage of reasons why.

“It’s a great community. People look you in the eye and they talk to each other. People aren’t strangers here. I think that’s why guys love playing here and living here and have fully embraced different events,” Ference said. “We’ve had tons of families that go to different things that the city offers. … If we [didn't have a game scheduled] last night, the whole team probably would have been down there. It’s not like we just hole up in our houses. Guys are really part of the city. What’s not to love?”

Bruins past and present expressed their condolences in the aftermath of Monday’s bombings at the Boston Marathon. The Bruins weren’t the only ones in the hockey world concerned, as the rival Canadiens held a moment of silence prior to their game against the Flyers Monday.

This is not good in Boston right now. Explosions at the marathon on Boylston.

— Andrew Ference (@Ferknuckle) April 15, 2013

Way too many friends down there today, I feel sick. — Andrew Ference (@Ferknuckle) April 15, 2013

Just put the kids to bed, they were a couple blocks away today and got pretty scared.Tough to know what to say to them on a night like this.

— Andrew Ference (@Ferknuckle) April 16, 2013

Told them that although there might be a bad person out there, we saw thousands who ran to help.Way more good people in this world than bad.

— Andrew Ference (@Ferknuckle) April 16, 2013

Hope this was just a horrible accident. Prayers to everyone around the area that they are okay.

— Tyler Seguin (@tylerseguin92) April 15, 2013

Praying for Boston right now! I hope everyone is ok! — Steven Kampfer (@SteveKampfer47) April 15, 2013

#Habs solidarity with Boston & #Bruins will be shown with a moment of silence pre-game tonight #hockeyisjustagame

— Dave Stubbs (@Dave_Stubbs) April 15, 2013

The Canadiens held a moment of silence for the Bruins Monday. (Dave Stubbs Twitter photo)

Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference tweeted Monday afternoon that Monday’s game against the Senators had been postponed, confirming an earlier report from Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston. The Bruins followed by confirming that the game had been postponed, though the makeup date is not yet known.

Game is off. Our best to everyone affected, please be safe.

— Andrew Ference (@Ferknuckle) April 15, 2013

The postponing comes in light of Monday’s events at the Boston Marathon, where two bomb explosions resulted in multiple deaths and injuries. Bruins president Cam Neely issued the following statement:

“After consultation with City, State and NHL officials we collectively made the decision to postpone tonight’s game. Public safety personnel from the City and State are still gathering information regarding today’s events and it is vital they have all resources available for their investigation. The thoughts and prayers of everyone in the Bruins organization are with the city of Boston and all those affected by today’s tragedy.”

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