Lucic, just what the NHL needs....

When was the last time Boston was excited about regular season Bruins game? When was the last time Bruins fans have been energized by one player? When was the last time there was Bruins talk on WEEI? When was the last time people cared about the Bruins? Well none of this matters right now, because tonight the Bruins take on the Montreal Canadiens, the NHL's answer to the Red Sox and Yankees, the Celtics and Lakers, and the Patriots and Colts. The names have changed, the style of play has changed...back, the rivalry hasn't changed, the Habs are still the hated. But tonight another chapter will be added...Lucic vs the Canadiens.
Milan Lucic has brought back the type of intensity the Bruins have lacked since Cam Neely retired in 1996, and now he has a dance partner north of the border in George Laraque. Laraque was brought in to be the answer to the Habs Mike Komisarek, who has been wanting a piece of Lucic going back to last season. Things hit the boiling point during the meeing in Boston on November 13th when Lucic destroyed Komisarek in a Cam Neeley/Chris Nyland style brawl. Laraque tried to goade Lucic into a fight earlier in that game, but Lucic was smart and didn't want to disrupt the momentum the Bruins had built, so then Laraque moved down the line to Shawn Thornton, who had the same mindset. There has been some talk from Laraque over the past day or two, but Lucic acts like he has been here before. Throughout the first period the Habs have been going after Lucic, but Lucic has kept his composure despite the chants of "Lucic, Lucic, Lucic" blanketing the Belle Centre in Montreal. Lucic has kept quiet, played his game, and has been somewhat of a non-factor through the first period, but like in Rocky II when Rocky learned to fight righty, everyone was waiting for him to unleash the left, I have a feeling Claude Julien will be playing the part of Mickey tonight.
To use another Rocky analagy, to the casual observer it would appear Lucic is getting crushed everytime he comes withing sight of the puck, but I think back to Rocky III when Appollo looks at Paulie and says Rocky is getting killed out there, and Paulie looks at Appollo and says, no "he's getting mad." I can't wait for Lucic to get mad, Bruins Den can't wait for Lucic to get mad, and the NHL can't wait for Lucic to get mad. It may say 2008 on the calendar, but it feels like 1978. GO LUCIC!