May 12, 2014; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic (17) and Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban (76) battle for position during the first period in game six of the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
Milan Lucic Reflects on Bad Playoff Exit
The entire Boston Bruins’ squad was frustrated after the Montreal Canadiens knocked them out of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs early, but Milan Lucic took it to another level with his handshake-line agitations.
Reflecting on the situation, the 26-year-old forward admitted that his actions weren’t justified but declared an apology won’t happen.
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“I’m not going to apologize for how I acted or what was said,” Lucic said, courtesy of the Hockey News. “But at the end of the day, thinking about it now, maybe I definitely could have handled the situation better than I did. But more than saying what I said to the players, I was upset with losing. I was upset with losing to them. We had such a great team that had won the Presidents’ Trophy and that being the end and losing the way that we did, I think it all just accumulated to me losing my cool in the handshake.”
What Lucic decided to do in that line is a thing of the past, but that line, which stands as the epitome of respect in hockey, the center of calm and courtesy when two teams have beat the hell out of each other, should never have to endure such resistance.
This infringement speaks terribly to a player’s character, and in the past, Lucic has been known for tussling with people, even a random man outside of a Vancouver nightclub.
Although he’s an enforcer, his skirmishes have to remain on the ice during play, and let’s hope he brings his “A” game for the B’s next year because everybody’s itching for stronger Stanley Cup contention than last season.