The Boston Bruins wrangled a 2-1 overtime decision away from the LA Kings on Tuesday night, giving them two much-needed points.
Charlie McAvoy ended the night 39 seconds into the extra frame with his seventh of the season. The goal sent the fans at the TD Garden wild, as the home crowd celebrated the victory.
But as the dust settled from the Bruins' big win, the club demonstrated just how classy it is. Following the game's conclusion, Boston players took turns shaking hands with Kings' captain Anze Kopitar before heading off into the locker room.
Kopitar, who announced his retirement at the beginning of this season, likely played his final game in Boston. And that's something that Bruins' players wanted to acknowledge.
That's respect 🤝
— NHL (@NHL) March 11, 2026
The @NHLBruins stayed on the ice after the game to shake hands with Anze Kopitar in what might be their last meeting with the @lakings captain! pic.twitter.com/Jd8OgaWj6i
In particular, Bruins head coach Marco Sturm lingered just a bit longer than everyone else. He hugged Kopitar, signaling the relationship between them. Sturm got to know Kopitar very well during his tenure as an assistant coach with the Kings.
The ovation for Kopitar as he skated off the ice was further testament of the class and overall appreciation Boston Bruins fans have for the unbelievable achievements the 38-year-old amassed throughout his NHL career.
Kopitar's career totals against Bruins
Since Kopitar and the LA Kings play in the Western Conference, he only gets to see the Bruins twice a year. So, Kopitar has only played 30 games against the Bruins in his career.
Since the 2007-08 season, the Kings' captain has scored eight goals and added 13 assists for 21 points. He's a minus-8 while racing up four penalty minutes.
In total, he's averaged 21:95 of ice time against Boston, with his career-high coming in the 2009-10 season, where he played over 25 minutes in two games against the Bruins.
Over the years, Kopitar's ice time has gradually decreased. That's more a function of his overall age and role than ineffectiveness. On Tuesday night, Kopitar played 18:95 while failing to register a point.
Bruins fans will remember Kopitar as one of the best players the team had to face. Over 18 seasons, Boston got to see one of the all-time greats, albeit limitedly. Perhaps the Bruins and Kings can meet in the Stanley Cup Final this season, giving the two-time Stanley Cup champion one last shot at NHL glory.