Two months before Milan Lucic reportedly threatened to kill Montreal Canadiens’ Dale Weise while shaking hands after the series-ending Game 7, the Boston tough guy was pitching an anti-bullying book.

Called “Not Cool to Bully in School,” the left winger and his wife, Brittany, released the children’s book in March. The book, which can be purchased online, encourages kids not to bully in school.

Co-author Jon Goode said he stands “100 per cent” behind the book despite Wednesday night’s incident.

“Milan has been amazing to work with,” Goode wrote to the Star in an email. “He genuinely cares about kids and his community and is one of the best people I know.”

In promoting the book, Lucic gave private readings to boys and girls clubs in the Boston area.

“I always feel like — and still to this day — that you should treat people the way you want to be treated,” he told the Boston Herald after speaking to kids at one such event. “That’s why I feel strongly about this issue. It’s unfortunate it’s still an ongoing issue.”

Asked what his message is to parents about bullying, Lucic responded: “Teach them to respect everyone, respect themselves and respect your peers. I know that’s what I was brought up to believe in growing up. My parents did such a good job with myself.”

That image contrasts sharply with Lucic’s actions Wednesday, when the Canadiens ousted the Bruins from the playoffs with a 3-1 victory.

All series long, there was bad blood between Lucic and Weise, and between Lucic and Habs defenceman Alexei Emelin.

When it came time to shake hands at the end of the playoff series, a time-honoured tradition of sportsmanship in the NHL, Lucic was in no mood for pleasantries.

It’s been widely reported that Lucic told Weise: “I’m going to (expletive) kill you next year.” A few moments later, Lucic shook Emelin’s hand and apparently had some not-so-nice things to say to him too.

When asked what he told Weise, Lucic said he wanted his conversation to “stay on the ice” and suggested that “if he (Weise) wants to be a baby about it, he can make it public.”

The series-long battle between Lucic and Weise played out with incidents of Lucic chest-thumping and muscle-flexing, and Weise mocking Lucic with similar gestures.

Weise, who tallied only six goals in 61 games in the regular season, scored two goals against the Bruins in a surprise performance for a fourth-line winger. Along with scoring the overtime winner in Game 1, he scored the opening goal in Game 7.

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Lucic, a 24-goal scorer during the regular season, had one goal in the series, an empty-netter.

Lucic’s handshake blew up on Twitter, producing a mix of amusing and outraged comments as well as a lot of people wondering what the big deal was.