'A SPECIAL THING'

BOSTON - No trip to the North End is complete without a trim and a fade at the Boston Barber & Tattoo Co.
"Funny story with that," said Milan Lucic, recalling Wednesday's visit with one of his beloved, Beantown institutions. "He started his business in '08 - during my rookie year.
"It's great to see him having success as well.
"That's one of the great things about coming back is feeling love from the people. I basically spent all my 20s here, so I became an adult in this city. Reconnecting with the people of this city is a special thing."
Lucic, too, is a legend around here, spending his prime bullying opponents in the Bruins' iconic, black and gold colour scheme. In all, the 6-foot-3, 240-lb. brute played 566 games with the B's, recording 139 goals, 342 points, 1,590 hits and 772 penalty minutes.
Best of all, he did what every player sets out to do.
He won.
As Bostonians have come to expect.

"It's one of those sports towns that you can't really explain unless you're in it," Lucic said. "They live and die by it, so whether it's the Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots, they have your back 100% and if the team's rolling, then the city and fans are rolling with you. The fans are a big reason what makes this place so hard to play in. I think it's a reason why (the Bruins) have gotten off to such a good start as well."
Having played in the West ever since he was dealt from the Bruins in 2015, Lucic has come back to these parts only six times before. He's yet to record a point in his first two as a Flame, but was a point-per-game player (1G, 3A) in the previous four, showing just how big a deal these rare stops are for the Big Man.
Best of all, Lucic's wife, Brittany, along with two of his three kids - Valentina and Nikolina - have accompanied him on this leg of the trip and are all getting a chance to re-live some of his most cherished memories together, as a family.
"They haven't been back since I was traded," Lucic said. "Showed them where they were born and where they used to live."
Valentina (the oldest) was only a year-and-a-half old at the time.
"Just walking around town and showing her where we used to go, where we used to take her, it was a lot of fun to do."

Lucic isn't the only one celebrating a homecoming tonight. Noah Hanifin, of course, was born here and attended Boston College growing up. Dan Vladar - who will get the start in goal - spent several years in the Bruins organization before being traded to Calgary in the summer of 2021. Meanwhile, Kevin Rooney - a Canton, Mass. native - said he has about 50 postgame passes lined up for family and friends that couldn't miss his one and only trip to New England this year.
"My little cousin, actually, is playing before the game tonight, at 3:30," he said. "Hopefully I can get over a little bit early and check out the end of that."
Clearly, the Boston blood runs deep.
Rooney, who was a Bruins fan growing up and said earlier this year it was "wild" to now be playing on the same line as one of his idols, will now get a chance to play alongside Lucic at the most appropriate venue.
Not even Hollywood could write a script like this.
"Definitely," said Rooney, whose uncle is part owner of The Greatest Bar across the street from the rink. "It was pretty cool for him to get his family out here and all that. Everyone's excited to see me and him play together tonight on a line. He's been amazing for me since I've gotten to Calgary, and is a guy I've looked up to since I was a teenager. So, to share the ice with him tonight at the Garden, it's pretty special."

Only one thing can make a stopover like this even sweeter: Leaving The Old Towne with a victory and snapping this delicate, six-game slide.
It certainly won't be easy. The Bruins are one of the league's top teams and enter the night with a perfect 7-0-0 record on home ice. There's a vibe around Boston this year - a 'Last Dance'-type of feel, with Patrice Bergeron nearing the end of his career, and Lucic's former linemate, David Krejci, returning from Europe for one last kick at the can.
The Flames, meanwhile, have played two good games on this trip, but have only a single point to show for it.
It's time to change that.
"Obviously, it's a big game for us," Lucic said. "Not being able to get a win on this road trip where we felt we had two really good games, it just gets tougher with an opponent that's first in the league and is 7-0 at home. We know what this game means for us and for this road trip. We're on a losing streak, so we want to get back in the win column.
"Sometimes you've got to use it as motivation when you're playing the best team in the
league, so lots to play for, lots to get motivated for.
"We've got to do that here tonight."