Shirtless, possibly inebriated Kucherov torches Fleury, Montreal fans in wild post-game rant
Fleury #Fleury
Freed at last from the pressure-cooker known as postseason hockey, Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov let his hair down Wednesday night, entertaining questions from reporters while shirtless following the their Stanley Cup clinching Game 5 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
Seemingly overflowing with liquid courage, the 28-year-old Russian began his press conference with a meandering rant, praising Conn Smythe recipient Andrei Vasilevskiy between sips of Bud Light.
“I was telling him every day, ”Vasey,’ you’re MVP. You’re the best player.’ And then they gave it to whatever the guy in Vegas, the Vezina,” said Kucherov, throwing shade at Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who was awarded the Vezina Trophy (given annually to the league’s top netminder) over Vasilevskiy. “And then last year they gave the Vezina to someone else. No. 1 bulls—. ‘Vasey’ took both Cups.”
Despite his Vezina snub, Vasilevskiy was phenomenal for Tampa Bay, blanking the Canadiens in Wednesday’s deciding Game 5 for his fifth shutout of the postseason. It was also Vasilevskiy’s fifth-straight shutout in a series-clinching win dating back to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final against the Dallas Stars.
Kucherov led all playoff scorers with 32 points (8+24) in 23 games this postseason, even though he had missed the entire 2020-21 regular season after undergoing offseason hip surgery. The 2019 Hart Trophy winner had plenty more to get off his chest in his postgame press conference, continuing to air his grievances while board operators in television trucks scrambled to find the dump button.
“I didn’t want to go back to Montreal. The fans in Montreal, come on. They acted like they won the Stanley Cup last game,” said Kucherov, mocking Canadiens supporters for celebrating Monday night’s Game 4 victory, their only win of the series. “Are you kidding me? Their final was last series.”
The Lightning finished third in the Central Division during the regular season, but rolled through the playoffs, extinguishing the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders (in seven games) and Montreal en route to their second-straight Stanley Cup title.
Kucherov is already Tampa Bay’s career postseason leader in most scoring categories, including points (127), goals (44) and assists (83).
Let’s just hope Tampa Bay’s championship parade doesn’t involve someone trying to throw the Stanley Cup from one boat (or vehicle) to another.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram