Ville Leino of the Philadelphia Flyers shouts at Antti Niemi of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game One of the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Final.Jonathan Daniel
The bad blood everyone is anticipating for the second game of the Stanley Cup final started curdling in the morning skates.
When word dribbled out of the Philadelphia Flyers dressing room that agitator Daniel Carcillo would replace James van Reimsdyk for Monday night's game, a lot of reporters made a beeline for Adam Burish, the Blackhawks' resident pest and master of the verbal dart. One day earlier, Carcillo indicated there would be retribution for what the Flyers said was a hit from behind Burish made on defenceman Lucas Krajicek that knocked him out of the game.
"We don't have a history," Burish said of Carcillo to Hockey Night in Canada's Elliotte Friedman. "Maybe after tonight we will."
A little later, Burish, 27, also made no apologies for what Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette referred to on Monday as "a dangerous hockey hit." Krajicek is expected to play Monday night as the Flyers try to even the best-of-seven series at one win each.
"I don't want to see anyone get hurt but this is the finals. Anything goes out there," Burish said. "I'm not here to make friends."
After the Flyers came off the ice at the United Centre from their game-day skate, Carcillo fired back at Burish. "He's a college guy. He's not going to fight," he told TSN's Darren Dreger.
The funny thing is, there are a few warm feelings between Burish and at least one Flyer. A few days ago, Flyer winger Ian Laperriere, who has spent his 16 NHL seasons playing the same scrappy game as Burish, told a reporter he respected the Blackhawk's aggressiveness and toughness.
Burish saw the remarks, said he appreciated them and told of his first encounter with Laperriere, 36, as a rookie.
"In my first year in the league [former Blackhawk]Marty Lapointe came up and said, 'Hey, this Ian Laperriere is asking about you. He was wondering what [your]story is,' " Burish said. "Marty told him, 'Ask him on the ice, he'll fight you. He doesn't care.
"So we fought and after the game he came up, found me in the hallway, gave me a pat on the back and said, 'Way to go kid, you're doing a nice job.'
Ever since then, I thought, what a guy. I hear he's the best teammate. I've got a lot of respect for what he does."
But that does not mean Burish would not drop the gloves if Laperriere comes calling on the ice Monday night.
"No, it doesn't change anything once you're playing," Burish said. "I hate hearing people say nice things about me because then I get thinking about them. But when I'm playing it doesn't matter."
Still, Burish added, he does have some respectful thoughts for Laperriere during a game.
"You look across the ice against a guy like that and he's got the full face mask on because he got two pucks off his face," he said. "It's crazy. I can't imagine going through something like that and having the courage to come back and play. That's incredible."
Carcillo was added to the lineup to give the Flyers more grit against the Blackhawks, although Laviolette, whose demeanour in the playoffs is that of a clenched fist, would not admit it directly.
Laviolette also would not confirm any of his lineup changes. In addition to Carcillo, it is expected defenceman Oskars Bartulis will play instead of Ryan Parent. Parent was benched for most of the first game after he made a turnover that led to a Chicago goal.
The Blackhawks will have the same lineup again Monday, which means Tomas Kopecky, who scored the winning goal in Game 1, will stay in for Andrew Ladd, who has what is thought to be an injured shoulder.