In all of sports, there’s no stronger show of respect than the handshake line at the conclusion of an NHL playoff series. But what happened Sunday, after Nashville eliminated Colorado with a 5-0 victory, was respect bigger and firmer than any handshake. Game knows game.
Predators coach Peter Laviolette stood on the ice, refusing to depart for the dressing room, until he stood face-to-face with Nathan MacKinnon, and heaped praise on a superstar on the rise.
In MacKinnon and the Avalanche, Laviolette sees the team Nashville used to be not long ago. “He thought our team is up-and-coming, similar to their team,” MacKinnon said.