Boston’s Milan Lucic didn’t hold back when it came to telling the Bell Centre how he felt.
Seconds after taking a boarding penalty against old friend Alexei Emelin -- a penalty that by all means wiped out the Bruins’ chances of a comeback in what ended as a 6-4 loss -- the hotheaded Lucic entered the box, but not before pantomiming a lewd and well, rather selfish act. (What was that Woody Allen line again? “Don’t knock masturbation, it’s sex with someone I love.…) The 6-foot-4 Lucic wasn’t done there, as he also appeared to lift an invisible Stanley Cup over his head, taunting a Montreal crowd in the midst of a Cup drought over two decades long.
And even then, Lucic wanted more, ultimately finishing the night with a misconduct after barking at the officials once he left the penalty box. Call it yet another Boston meltdown.
The punishment wouldn’t end there for Lucic, either.
Lucic was slapped with a $5,000 fine yesterday (the highest fine allowed per the league’s CBA) and an undoubtedly reddened face at the rink on Saturday. After the club’s morning skate in Buffalo, Lucic made a public apology to his team, B's fans, the Montreal Canadiens and their fans for the gesture, and admitted that he regretted it. That apology will obviously mean little to a Habs fanbase that really doesn’t need more reason to hate a Boston top-liner that’s found himself on the wrong end of many blatant wrongdoings. First came Lucic’s spears during last season’s playoffs, and then the handshake line incident.
Now, Jerk-Gate.
But all things considered, this was the least offensive. And if you disagree, well, I have to believe that you’ve never stepped outside your home. Go outside? Lewd gestures everywhere. (But then again, maybe that’s just my take as a frequent driver of city streets in Boston and New York. You’re almost relieved when someone makes a lewd gesture at you when driving, ‘cause that means they’re opting for that instead of a gun.)
But it’s not classy! Man, nothing’s classy. And the classy argument is ridiculous when you look at this game’s long, bloodied history. I mean, if Rocket Richard can fight a referee, I think Milan Lucic can give it back to the fans. Not only that, this wasn’t the first time this has happened. Need a reminder? Of course you do.
It was juvenile, childish, and everything in between, but my goodness, you’d think he got naked in the box based on the ‘classy’ shtick you’re once hearing about the Black and Gold from their biggest critics. So, just let me just burst this bubble while it’s there-- the Bruins are not classy. They’re the villains of the National Hockey League. They’re lying through their teeth when they say that they pride themselves in being a ‘classy’ team on the ice. That’s not their MO, and I honestly can’t remember the last time it was. (Probably when they were getting their asses kicked in and out of every building in the league from 2005 to 2007.)
Now, if you wanna get on Lucic’s case, do it. But do it for the other celebration.
Lifting the Cup? 2011 was three years now (God, it feels silly saying that). Move on. The Bruins simply cannot continue to walk around with the entitlement that they’re champions, and that they deserve the bounces to go their way. That’s a mindset that’ll get you nowhere fast. And I think Lucic is a great example of that. This guy has been pouting for six straight games now, and his stat-line is 100 percent reflective of that. So hey, raise the Cup if you want, but it’s 2014 and you’re a $6 million top-liner with zero goals and 10 shots in six games.
Hell, at that rate, that invisible Cup will be the only one you raise this year.
Well, unless you spear somebody again.
Tonight, the Bruins take their struggles to Buffalo, where they’ll look to get back on track against a Sabres club that’s won just one of their five games this year, and has just eight goals for. On top of the that, the totally-tanking-but-we-can’t-say-that Sabres are 0-3-0 at home. Life is rough for the Blades. But for whatever reason, no matter their record or situation as a hockey franchise, they undoubtedly ‘get up’ for games against the B’s.
That certainly poses a problem for a Bruins club in dire need of a blowout win to restore confidence, but won’t stop the Black and Gold from trying to load ‘em their 12-forward punch.
Coach Claude Julien will bump Simon Gagne on up to the top line with Lucic and David Krejci, and put Matt Fraser back in the lineup after a three-game layoff, where he’s expected to skate with Danny Paille and Gregory Campbell on the fourth line.
The Bruins will give the start to Niklas Svedberg for just the second time this year. Stopping two shots in relief of Tuukka Rask on Thursday night, Svedberg comes into play with a 0-1-0 record, and stopped 28-of-30 shots thrown his way in only other outing of the season. One noticeable thing about Svedberg, at least from the Colorado game: He’s an extremely active goaltender and can move well around the crease. And though it’s a miniscule sample size, Svedberg comes into action with a stellar 1.80 goals against average and .940 save percentage (just four goals against on 67 shots) in three NHL games.
Buffalo counters with Jhonas Enroth. The 5-foot-10 Enroth started last night’s game for the Sabres, stopping 34-of-35 shots in a losing effort against the Florida Panthers, but comes into this one with a nightmare of a resume versus the Bruins. In eight career games against the Bruins, Enroth has posted just one win, along with an .892 save percentage and goals against average just south of an even 4.00.
Patrice Bergeron has nine goals and 30 points in 51 career games against the Sabres.
Simon Gagne’s goal vs. Montreal was his first NHL since since Apr. 23, 2013.
Dating back to last year’s playoffs, Brad Marchand has no goals in his last 18 games.
Matt Moulson has eight goals and 17 points in 20 career games against Boston.
Buffalo forward Tyler Ennis has won just 13 of his last 41 faceoffs.
Seth Griffith, Ryan Spooner, and defenseman Matt Bartkowski are expected to serve as the healthy scratches for the B’s. For Spooner, this is a numbers game. The Bruins obviously prefer Campbell in that fourth-line center role, and Spooner's skates didn't even touch the ice for the third period in his last game played, an obvious bad sign for a forward still looking to make a legitimate NHL impression. In the case of Griffith, this is really about seeing what you have. I think what separates Griffith from a Spooner is that his skill-set allows him to be a plug in up and down the lineup, whereas Spooner's best used as a skill guy.
Bartkowski, well, I can't explain this one. The defense is a disaster. Give him another game. He was generally mistake-free for almost 60 minutes against Colorado, but that game-winning goal shouldn't be held against him while the second-pairing is getting torched on a nightly basis.
2014 first-rounder David Pastrnak continues to skate in Providence with the P-Bruins, and had zero points and a minus-1 along with a tripping penalty. The 18-year-old righty has one goal and three points in three games at the American Hockey League level.