Karl Alzner didn’t really want to say anything after his team’s 4-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Monday. Not that he regretted making the classic “crybaby” gesture towards fellow Vancouver native Milan Lucic. But the Caps had already stirred the pot enough for one night. As Alzner waited outside the Boston dressing room after the game, he was hoping to chat with another old acquaintance, Bruins forward Brad Marchand, to apologize for an inadvertent elbow midway through the game. Something tells me Alzner won’t be apologizing to Lucic any time soon. Not after the bruising Boston winger’s post-game comments anyway.
“I don’t even know what to say on my side to show I’m not a crybaby,” an incredulous Lucic said. “That’s coming a lot from a guy who I think has two roughing penalties in three years.”
For his part, Alzner is still angry over some extra shots he took from Lucic in a game between the two teams last month in Boston. Something tells me those two aren’t finished, even if Alzner isn’t in Lucic’s league as a heavyweight. Who is, really, in today’s NHL? But Alzner is playing fantastic hockey. The breakdowns that occurred during the loss weren’t on his watch or partner John Carlson’s. You’re starting to see why Alzner, especially, is one of the league’s most underrated players.
“It’s competition. That’s the spirit of competition. It’s gonna happen,” Washington forward Brooks Laich said. “You’re gonna get hit and you’re gonna take hits. If somebody gets a good hit on you, you’ve got to stay composed. You can’t be spending time in the penalty box. They’ve got a very good power play and a lot of talented players. It’s gonna be physical. You’ve just got to be prepared to play.”
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