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Lucic says Iginla’s decision ‘lit a bit of a fire’ for them

Zdeno Chara, Jarome Iginla

Boston Bruins’ Zdeno Chara (33) covers Pittsburgh Penguins’ Jarome Iginla (12) in the second period of Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh Monday, June 3, 2013. The Bruins won 6-1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AP

One of the sidebars to the Bruins sweeping the Penguins was how Jarome Iginla’s decision to go to Pittsburgh rather than Boston wound up backfiring on him.

The fact he had a choice in the matter wasn’t lost on Milan Lucic and he said it served to motivate his team to showing Iginla what he might’ve missed out on as Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com shares.

“We kind of took it [as motivation], in that sense that when a guy chooses another team over your team, it kind of does light a little bit of a fire underneath you,” said Lucic.

Lucic later said he thought if Iginla had a chance to do it over again he might pick Boston over Pittsburgh. You know what they say about hindsight.

Until facing the Bruins, Iginla was one of the Penguins’ better offensive threats in the postseason. He finished the playoffs with four goals and eight assists but none of those came against Boston. Iginla wasn’t alone in that respect as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang also did not have a point in the series.

Now Iginla’s next question is: What will he do next? Re-sign in Pittsburgh? Test free agency? Retire? He’s got a lot to ponder this summer.