If Detroit Red Wings' defenseman Brendan Smith has something to prove to the Boston Bruins, his own teammates or to the world as a whole, he probably shouldn't target the most fearsome hockey player on the planet.
Smith, the 6' 1" older brother of Bruins' forward Reilly, apparently had an episode of Napoleon Syndrome at the end of the first period of Sunday's Eastern Conference quarterfinal match between the Red Wings and Bruins, attempting to square off with the 6' 9" veteran blue liner Zdeno Chara...
...the hulking Slovakian good-naturedly sparring with the elder Smith away from a scuffle that ensued as the alarm sounded for the first intermission - Gregory Campbell coming to the aid of Johnny Boychuk who had taken a mean cross-check along the end boards - Chara still clutching his stick while absorbing several attempted gloved punches, smiling like a Cheshire Cat as Smith tried in vain to connect with his face.
But Chara tired of Smith's act quickly, and when he dropped his stick at Smith's beckoning, his Red Wings' teammates appeared to urge him to back off while Chara started egging him on. Luckily for him, a linesman noticed what was about to happen to Smith and sprinted in, separating the two - Chara laughing all the way down the tunnel.
The whole 30 second episode had the aire of a schoolyard shoving match between a big sixth grader and an upstart fourth grader arguing over milk money. For his part, Chara declined to discuss the dust up and only wanted to discuss the game, which Boston won by a score of 4-1.
Perhaps Smith was just trying to fire up his teammates by engaging Chara, but the leadership in the Red Wings' locker room probably pulled him aside and told him that while they admire his guts, they question his judgement...
...and maybe even a quick word with his younger brother over dinner, who would probably be more than happy to order a steak for his elder brother instead of the knuckle sandwich that Chara would have served him if the linesman hadn't interfered...
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