Some people argue that hockey has a tendency to become barbaric, with slashing, hitting, and even bare-knuckle fighting involved in gameplay. One of the most redeeming responses to that argument is that hockey is one of the most sportsmanlike games there is, and the heavy competition leading to aggressive behaviour is an accepted element.
The most concrete proof of this notion is the post-series handshake. Two teams have just played an intense best-of-seven series with passionate competitiveness, only to gather for handshake lines after one team has been eliminated. Often times personal rivalries even take a moment to stop and say an extra word of congratulations or farewell to each other, as the rivalry was all a part of the game. That was not the case for Ryan Callahan and Brad Marchand after the Boston Bruins were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
While they didn’t go so far as to pull a Martin Brodeur skipping the handshake with Sean Avery, Callahan basically got away from the man that licked him as quickly as possible. With the cameras up close on the highly anticipated moment, you can see Callahan hardly even glance at his nemesis, while Marchand seemed a little more willing to acknowledge the Lightning forward.
The two may downplay the interaction, but it’s obvious there wasn’t much time to make amends given how quick the interaction was. Marchand may never fully be forgiven, especially not by the Tampa fan base.
(H/T NHL on NBC Sports)
