The trade that moved Rene Bourque from Calgary to Montreal was something of a double-edged sword. While it presented Bourque an opportunity for a fresh start with a new team, it also meant he’d have to face the Washington Capitals again.
Bourque’s been public enemy No. 1 in Washington since elbowing and concussing Caps leading scorer Nicklas Backstrom on Jan. 3.
“I obviously don’t feel good about what I did and I apologized for it, but I’m sure they’ll be a few guys probably coming after me tomorrow,” Bourque told Canadiens.com. “It’s part of the game and I just need to be prepared for it. I know guys will be looking to make sure they finish their checks against me.”
Bourque -- then a member of the Flames -- received a five-game suspension for the elbow. Backstrom’s been out since the hit (likely to remain out until after the All-Star Game) and only now do the Caps have a chance for revenge.
See, Washington wasn’t scheduled to meet Calgary again this year, which meant no more meetings with Bourque. That’s a stark contrast to Bourque’s new team -- Montreal and Washington play four more times this season, beginning with tomorrow night’s affair at the Bell Center.
Montreal assistant captain Josh Gorges said that even though Bourque wasn’t with the Canadiens at the time of the incident, the team will still have his back should something occur.
“It’s a little different because we weren’t there originally,” Gorges said. “Maybe someone will come after him and challenge him or something like that but he’s on our team and he wears the same jersey as us so we’re going to be there to back him up if he needs it.”