Ex-Bruins enforcer Milan Lucic drops 2-word reaction to his 2013 all-out heavyweight tilt against Joel Rechlicz

Former Boston Bruins enforcer Milan Lucic took fans back in time on Friday when he reposted one of the most memorable fights of his career. On his Instagram stories, Lucic shared a throwback clip from the account HockeyFights showing his infamous 2013 preseason bout with then-Washington Capitals enforcer Joel Rechlicz.

The fight occurred during a Bruins-Capitals exhibition at TD Garden, part of the final tune-up schedule ahead of the 2013-14 season. Midway through the first period, the two heavyweights squared off at center ice. What followed was nearly a minute of non-stop punches, with both men exchanging heavy rights and refusing to back down.

Lucic kept his caption short and cheeky, writing:

“Preseason tilt” alongside a laughing-crying emoji.

Milan Lucic had originally delivered a clean neutral-zone hit that sent Capitals forward Dane Byers to the ice during the first period of the said preseason game. Caps’ Joel Rechlicz immediately intervened, leaving Lucic no choice but to drop the gloves.

Lucic had later admitted that the exchange left him a little breathless after all.

“I was hoping he was gonna go down, but he’s a big, tough kid, I guess a great fight,” Lucic said. “I’m sure you guys enjoyed it. It’s always nice to get into one just because it’s been the offseason, and not getting into a fight and then having one like that, there’s probably no better way to get back into it.” [NESN]

The bout was later ranked No. 1 on The Hockey News list of top NHL fights in 2013 and remains one of Lucic’s most replayed highlights from his career.

Milan Lucic pens heartfelt birthday message for wife Brittany

Earlier this week, Milan Lucic shared a heartfelt tribute to his wife, Brittany, on her birthday. Posting on his Instagram stories, Lucic shared a photo of the couple walking hand-in-hand along a beach, accompanied by a message praising her support through his most challenging moments in life. He wrote:

“Happy birthday, @brittanylucic. Thank you for being my rock and standing by me through everything. I’m so lucky to have you, and I love you more than words can say.”

The post comes a year and a half after Lucic’s personal struggles reached a breaking point in late 2023, following an arrest at the couple’s Boston home on an alleged domestic violence charge.

Prosecutors ultimately dropped the case in February 2024 after Brittany invoked marital privilege and declined to testify. Following the incident, Lucic took an indefinite leave from the Bruins and entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.

About the author

Anjum is an NHL reporter at Sportskeeda with over five years of professional experience in the spectator sports industry. Raised in Bahrain, Anjum grew up close to the Formula 1 and GP2 scene, but it was ice-sports that she truly had a chance to play at school.

Anjum prioritizes thorough research, fact-checking and verification of sources when reporting, and has worked for Oil on Whyte, Leafs Herald, the Nation of Blaugrana, Barca International Cules, FromTheBend, Last Word On Sports and NASA.

She got interested in ice hockey after watching the “MVP” trilogy as a second grader and has not gotten over the sport yet. Her favorite player is Alex Ovechkin, whose legendary one-timers live rent free in her heart. The iconic moment when Ovechkin reached 800 career goals with a hat trick in Chicago as the away crowd chanted “Ovi, Ovi” is probably her happiest memory from an ice-rink.

When not enjoying the game, Anjum can be found sailing, star-mapping or collaborating with fellow citizen scientists at NASA.

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Edited by Anjum Rajonno