BRIGHTON — For the last two games, Adam McQuaid was restrained by linesmen.

That should never have been the case.

As the never-ending debate over fighting in the National Hockey League hits peak level through various forms of media, the case for ending a traditional aspect of the game seems to be growing by the second. The events surrounding McQuaid and the rest of the Boston Bruins during the last two games only adds another talking point to their argument.

Certainly, player safety is a valid point in any of the anti-fighting arguments. Understandably, using fighting to police the game and using it to respond to a dirty hit to one of their own teammates is a good counter argument.

Still, there needs to be a balance from one extreme to the other. And that balance wasn’t set when linesmen Greg Devorski and Mark Shewchyk stepped in to stop McQuaid and Will Carrier from allowing things to escalate during the second period of the B’s 4-2 win over the Sabres. At least that was the apparent mindset when they went in trying to protect the two.

Instead of letting the two settle their differences – in this instance with McQuaid responding to a Carrier hit on David Backes that knocked the former Blues captain out of the game with an upper body injury (day to day) – the linesmen only made things worse when the two were in the middle of throwing fists at each other. Not only is it a danger for the officials to be in the middle of things while the bout is going on, but it is also a determinant to the players involved and increases their chance of being defenseless as was the case with McQuaid against Carrier.

“It can be dangerous, but hopefully somebody will deal with it and make it better for next time,” Claude Julien told reporters in Buffalo postgame.

“I respect the job they do. Certainly, those linesmen are never rewarded enough. I’m sure they’ll approach that situation and talk about it and fix it so it doesn’t create a dangerous situation like it did.”

Unlike the instance two nights prior in Columbus where the officiating stepped in before McQuaid and Josh Anderson before the two exchanged fists – and right after the two literally dropped the gloves – the veteran defensemen got the worst end of things with an added instigator penalty and several stitches during his bout with Carrier.

“It’s obviously frustrating in that situation. You want to be able to protect yourself and defend yourself,” McQuaid recalled after Friday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena.

“I guess it’s a tough situation for everybody. [The linesemen] aren’t probably doing it for no reason and are probably being told to try to get in there [and break things up]. Tough situation for everybody, but yeah, in the middle of that things happen quick and it can be heated.”

Times have changed in the NHL as the amount of fights continue to decrease from previous seasons. As recent as about five years ago, it was hard to imagine the linesmen interrupting two willing combatants sans a knockdown or a lengthy and tiring bout. And there’s still the rare instance – or though it seems – where some officials let the players police the game itself.

That’s what should have happened in both instances with McQuaid. Instead, he’s left shaking his head in frustration, but also fortunate that things didn’t get worse.

“We’re all human I guess, but at the same time pick your spots, you know,” McQuaid added. “At the end of the day, they’re there to protect guys, but you also want to be able to protect yourself at the right times, too.”