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Posts Tagged ‘Milan Lucic’

Hockey is back.

There are old faces in new places (Mike Babcock and Lou Lamoriello in Toronto). There are new faces in old places (Slava Voynov in Russia). Jaromir Jagr is still employed in the NHL, joining Chris Chelios and Gordie Howe as a rare “once in a couple different generations” player.

Already a treasure trove of storylines have emerged, with more on the way. Here are eight to whet your appetite for the upcoming season:

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Kevin Dineen's legendary old-school nose. Photo by Dan Hickling.

The old-school hockey player is an endangered species. He still lurks around the rink, delivering a bone-jarring hit every now and then, but he’s wary and gun-shy as the threat of extinction looms each shift. He’s looking over his shoulder, hoping his checking victim is OK, hoping the referee’s hand isn’t raised, because all it takes is one Brendan Shanahan video and the old-school style disappears forever.

Sigh.

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National Hockey League teams and their fans have a lot to be thankful this holiday season.

Major labor problems are a thing of the past (at least for now). Until the NBA returns at Christmas, pucks are the only professional sport in town during the week, allowing unprecedented access to the sport for the average follower. The league’s biggest star ended his 10-month injury hiatus when Sidney Crosby returned to the Pittsburgh Penguins this past week.

However, Crosby is not the only player NHL fans should being showering their gratitude towards. Here are five more players teams should be grateful for:

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Eleven days ago, Boston’s Milan Lucic delivered a bull-rushing charge of Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, a devastating hit that resulted in a concussion, whiplash and an immediate need for retribution. The Sabres should’ve pounded Lucic when the hit occurred in the first period – yet they failed miserably. Ask Buffalo’s Paul Gaustad, the poster boy for a cowering effort who, afterward, pointed the finger toward his own face. Ask Buffalo GM Darcy Regier, who spoke to reporters and vowed his team will “deal with it differently in the future.”

Well, that “future” is today, as Boston visits Buffalo. A season-shifting opportunity is knocking upon the Sabres’ door, and it’s Lucic on the other side, pounding his Fred Flintstone-sized fist. The burning question: Is Lucic knocking as the grim reaper, someone who will kill Buffalo’s team unity? Or can the Sabres kick him to the curb like a pestering solicitor, and earn the defending Stanley Cup Champions’ respect as they battle atop the Northeast Division?

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This week I’m going to try something different. I’ll address a topic in the NHL and then a topic in college hockey. Respectively: a cheap shot and the rise of a powerhouse.

Saturday night in Boston, Bruins winger Milan Lucic plowed into Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller and sent him flying, knocking Miller out indefinitely with a concussion. On Monday the NHL announced that Lucic would not receive any disciplinary action, its decision based on a lack of intent on Lucic’s part.

Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff was outraged by the hit saying that if Lucic wasn’t suspended that it would be “fair game on goaltenders.”

Just hours after the ruling, Ruff was proven prophetic as his backup goaltender Jhonas Enroth was run over by Montreal Canadiens forward Erik Cole.

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