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Nothing surprises him anymore.
After all, they do have a history.
There've been too many goals, too many hits, too many big moments and a Cup they won together a decade ago.
So, to see his long-time student, Milan Lucic, mosey into the circle and casually win 69% of his faceoffs in Game 1 against Dallas?
Hey … Why not?!

Geoff Ward has come to expect that from one of the most gifted players he's ever had the pleasure of coaching.
"He's a student of the game," Ward appraised. "He loves this time of year. "He's got a penchant for creating moments when you need one.
"For him to go in - and he's hot in the faceoff circle, winning those draws - it doesn't surprise me that that's got that in his bag."
Lucic went 11-for-16 against a Stars team that finished fifth in the NHL this year, winning 51.8% of their draws. He went 2-for-2 against Jamie Benn, 2-for-2 against Roope Hintz, 3-for-5 against Joe Pavelski, and 3-for-5 against his former Cup-winning teammate, Tyler Seguin.
For years, Ward says, Lucic hated that part of the job, but got plenty of training in on the strong side with so many right-handed centres with the big, bad Bruins.
"On the PP, because we had Krej (David Krejci) and Bergy (Patrice Bergeron), they used to make me take all the draws on that side," Lucic laughed. "So, I did take a bunch of 'em back in my Boston days, and ever since we came to the bubble here, I've been working with all the centremen and Marty (Gelinas) on them."
Looking back at the 2011 playoffs, Lucic took 14 draws - including 10 in the offensive zone, and five on the powerplay - winning only 21.4% of them.
A team-worst.
He was a touch better in the regular season, conquering 38.4% of his 54 tries in the circle, but it was clearly an area that needed work.
The thing about Lucic - he'll do anything to improve.

No matter how long it takes.
"Anyone can take a faceoff, but winning it is another story," said Gelinas, who's been helping Lucic work on this aspect of his game, every day, after practice. "The only way you get good at them is to practice and to do what Looch does, which is to pick up on some of the tendencies of your opponent, watch the film, and know what you're up against.
"Looch has all the strength in the world, but this is a technical skill, also.
"Your timing is everything.
"Some guys will just go with pure speed, while others rely on positioning or power. I think Looch has done a good job incorporating all three depending who he's going up
against.
"But there's no question - that power? That's incredibly hard to defend."
Chalk that up as another way Lucic and his fellow third-line 'mates can hurt you.
Along with 'Playoff Sam Bennett' and the red-hot Dillon Dube, this fast, physical trio has been a proverbial game-changer in these playoffs.
Dube struck twice in Tuesday's Game 1 victory, including a sharp-shooting icebreaker that saw the 22-year-old go down on one knee to corral the Lucic feed and blister a one-timer short-side off the rush, a la Brett Hull in his prime.
The assist gave Lucic points in five straight playoff games for the first time since April 24 to May 6, 2014, and set Dube off on a two-goal night, later converting an ankle-breaking, end-to-end beauty that Stars defenceman Andrej Sekera is likely still feeling the effects of.
Bennett, meanwhile, leads all skaters with 27 hits to go along with two goals and three points so far in the post-season. He and Lucic have been absolute wrecking balls, with their collective work on the forecheck leading to a lot of that line's offence.
"We're having fun, playing the right way and competing," Lucic said. "There's nothing better than competing for a Stanley Cup and that's what's driven us more than anything."
No one else on the team has the kind of winning pedigree that Lucic does. His 100-plus games of playoff experience has been well documented around these parts, but it bears repeating because of the tangible impact it has in the dressing room.
"His teammates, they listen," Gelinas said. "So, we're very thankful and grateful that we have him.
"He's a guy that knows how to win, knows what it takes. They're taking his advice to heart. We have a young group here in the playoff department and it's so important to have a leader, a voice that carries.
"And he's doing it on the ice, too."
With six individual high-danger scoring chances, 14 hits and two drawn penalties, the hype is real and he's proving - still - to be a big-game player that leaves it all on the ice.
In a world where the game is getting younger and older, veteran players feel the pressure the contribute, Lucic is living proof of what a winning attitude looks like. He's not only turning back the clock and playing some of the best hockey of his career, but he's bringing a new skill to the table now, too, with that sterling winning percentage in the faceoff dot.

When you're built for the playoffs and the love the game like he does, you scratch, claw, and find ways to make a difference.
"When he came to Calgary, he said he wanted to get back to the way that he used to play," Ward said. "At the pause, we were starting to see him round into form. He'd been scoring some points before the pandemic break and seemed to be on an upswing. In my experience with him, when he starts on an upswing, he's usually able to continue it.
"I think he enjoys the players that he's playing with - I think they complement him well - and I think we're seeing a guy who doesn't have any confidence issues anymore.
"It's all about going out and playing the game.
"He's always been like as a player, he loves the big moments and right now, he's riding that wave."