PHILADELPHIA After creating controversy with a goal celebration against the Lightning on Thursday, New York Rangers forward Artem Anisimov issued an apology to Tampa Bay on Friday.
Anisimov sparked a bit of a melee after his shorthanded goal in the second period, turning toward the Lightning goal after scoring, feigning as though his stick was a shotgun and firing a shot in the direction of the Tampa Bay net. Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier charged after Anisimov, setting off a scrum that resulted in 38 penalty minutes, including an unsportsmanlike call on Anisimov.
"I just want to apologize to Tampa,'' Anisimov told reporters after practice on Friday. "I didn't mean something by it. It's just my celebration and, when I score goals, I want to do something unusual. I apologize to Tampa. …I never do that celebration again. It's a good lesson for me. No more shooting.''
Tampa Bay won 3-2 in a shootout, snapping a five-game losing streak.
Lecavalier said it was nice to hear the Rangers rookie apologize.
"It's good that he realizes what he did was wrong and apologized for it,'' Lecavalier said.
Steven Stamkos, who was outspoken after the game regarding Anisimov's antics, accepted the apology, but didn't want to dwell on the situation.
"I'm sure he realizes now that he can't do that in the NHL and at least he came out and was man enough to apologize and realize he made a mistake. That's all you can ask for,'' Stamkos said. "But now it's gone, it's done and over with now. We got the two points and it's really not that big of a deal any more.''
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