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re classic rivalry, I am totally with you on that. i generally agree with the truism that you can’t have a real rivalry until you have met in the playoffs. beating the crap out of each other trying to get into the playoffs is a close second though.

Sometimes, however, “in the heat of the moment” any player is bound to take out his frustrations on a vulnerable opponent. Or “stuff happens out there”, as Brown puts it. It’s not so easy to deter that sort of spontaneous behavior. Which is maybe Brown’s point. Despite the Ducks’ penchant for resembling the personality of their coach and taking a lot of stupid, often overly-physical penalties, I don’t think Ryan is the sort of player who usually takes runs at smaller guys, nor is he a sore loser in general. Dustin was maybe wise to downplay the event and provide some perspective. Even keel, baby. Even keel. Keep your eyes on the prize.

Anyway, Brown’s comments aside, what I really hope happens is that this is the beginning of a classic rivalry. (After last night, I’m starting to wish for us to square off against Anaheim in the playoffs.) If so, we’ll be witness to the sort of character on this team that we haven’t seen since the ever-so-brief days of Deadmarsh, Gleason, Mair, et al. (Who can forget that game against Ottawa?) I’m excited!

As it turns out, the comments made yesterday by Hradek (or whomever) about last night’s game being the most important in the history of the “rivalry” might just have been right on target.

Whine?
Avenge?
Defer to the authorities?
Turn the other cheek?
Forgive and Forget?
Shut up and play?
Pander to the blood-thirsty masses?

How should one respond if, say, Steve Moore delivers a legal but nasty, heavy, open-ice hit on your best player, who had his head down (and, yes, happened to suffer a concussion from the incident)? Depends on if your name is Todd Bertuzzi, Brian Burke, Brad May, Matt Cooke, Mark Crawford — a boatload of courageous, admirable leaders there… not! — or if it’s Markus Naslund, or if it’s one of the many who called a spade and spade and were just fine with moving on and playing hockey.

What would Scott Stevens say? (Something along the lines of what Brownie said, I’d reckon.) What would Scott Stevens do? (BOOM! But clean, legal, timely… “a la samourai”.)

I don’t think Gretzky, Messier, Yzerman, Lidstrom, Niedermeyer or Crosby (to name a few other captains I personally happen to admire) would have had much different to say, either. You don’t win games or settle scores or support your teammates or even “lead the charge” by grousing to the media during a post-game interview.

Brownie scored the sort of gritty goal that every forward on this team should take as an example of how to go to the paint. He gave and took a load of abuse on the ice, as he does night in and night out. He was gracious enough in victory to make a level-headed observation about the perpetrator of a hit which I’m sure he, just as much as the rest of us, would rather have not occurred. Good enough for me.

I think the Kings are fine with #23 wearing the C.

I’ve got no problem with the way that Dustin behaves, as a captain, on the ice. That’s where he’s at his best, “leading the charge”, and I’m sure that’s where he — or any other player on the team — will take care of business if he feels it’s necessary.

And yeah, I do think this is the stuff that bad blood rivalries are made of. Ever tune in to any of those? The players don’t sit around after games blabbing and boasting and bragging and beating their chests and pointing fingers (as much as some vicarious fans might wish they would). The best battlers speak softly, respect their opponents, and leave it all on the ice — where it really matters. Let’s leave the histrionics to the Don Cherrys of the world.

There is NOTHING more insulting to a deadly rival than to brush off their goading and seem like you mean it. “And who are you, again?”