Zdeno Chara Levels Cedric Paquette with a Single Punch

Zdeno Chara is a giant, terrifying human being, and you'd do well not to instigate him if you value your body's structural integrity.

Cedric Paquette forgot this rule or was too green to appreciate it in the first place. A 21-year-old center in his first meaningful season in the NHL, Paquette learned an important lesson Tuesday night about the dangers of poking the bear.

Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski spotted video of Paquette's brief run-in with the Boston Bruins defenseman/rock golem. The incident occurred early in the third period of Boston's 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, shortly after Chara was booked for boarding Matt Carle.

Ostensibly looking to stand up for his teammate, Paquette confronted the Bruins defenseman near the Lightning goal. A shoving match ensued, which quickly escalated into a fight.

Paquette muffed a punch on Chara's left ear, and Chara retaliated with swift and decisive force, leveling the 6'1" center with a devastating right hook to the throat and/or jaw.

One punch. "Fight" over.

Chara spent a total of six minutes in the box after the fight (four for roughing, two for boarding) while Paquette was taken to the locker room for medical treatment. He also received two minutes for roughing.

After the game, Bruins winger Brad Marchand wondered aloud at Paquette's decision to provoke the Mountain That Skates. The Boston Globe's Amalie Benjamin reports that Marchand couldn't believe anyone would actively invite this kind of ruin upon their person.

Whether Paquette sees a return to the AHL in the near future is unknown, but for his sake, I hope he's sent to a Siberian club before Tampa Bay's next bout with Boston.

He's 21 years old. I want him to live to see 22.

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