NHL
Crosby dismisses handshake flap
PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby isn’t apologizing for unintentionally failing to shake hands with some Detroit players after Game Seven of the Stanley Cup finals, saying he didn’t realize the Red Wings were leaving the ice before he joined the handshake line.
During a chaotic postgame scene on the crowded Joe Louis Arena ice following Pittsburgh’s 2-1 victory on Friday, Crosby was ushered to several live TV interviews by NHL personnel, hugged some teammates and was handed the Stanley Cup by Commissioner Gary Bettman.
Crosby was celebrating when Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom, alternate captain Kris Draper and some other key Red Wings players went to their dressing room. Crosby estimates he shook hands with about half the team, including goalie Chris Osgood and coach Mike Babcock, who congratulated him on his leadership ability.
That wasn’t enough to satisfy Draper, who told the Associated Press that “Nick was waiting and waiting, and Crosby didn’t come over to shake his hand. That’s ridiculous, especially as their captain, and make sure you write that I said that!”
Crosby finds any suggestion that he would intentionally avoid shaking hands nonsensical, saying, “It’s the easiest thing in the world to shake hands after you win.”
After losing is different, as the Penguins experienced a year ago against Detroit, so Crosby understands why some Red Wings players quickly shook hands and left before the Penguins’ postgame celebration began.
“I really don’t need to talk to anyone from Detroit about it,” Crosby said Sunday. “I made the attempt to go shake hands. I’ve been on that side of things, too, I know it’s not easy, waiting around. I just won the Stanley Cup, and I think I have the right to celebrate with my teammates.
“On their side of things, I understand if they don’t want to wait around.”
Meanwhile, Penguins defense-man Sergei Gonchar played the final two rounds of the playoffs with a partially torn right medial collateral ligament, a major injury that can sideline an athlete for months.
Gonchar, playing through the injury because he wanted to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in an NHL career that began during the 1994-95 season, was injured during a knee-to-knee hit by Washington star Alex Ovechkin in Game Four of the Eastern Conference semifinals. He revealed the injury on Sunday.
Log into MyBuffalo to post a comment
MyBuffalo is the new social network from Buffalo.com. Your MyBuffalo account lets you comment on and rate stories at buffalonews.com. You can also head over to mybuffalo.com to share your blog posts, stories, photos, and videos with the community. Join now or learn more.
Reader comments