During Saturday night's game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins - two teams that contested the 2011 Stanley Cup in a memorable playoff series - Bruins forward Brad Marchand taunted his opponent's relentlessly. On two separate occasions the Bruins pest mimicked lifting the Stanley Cup, and also twice made a show of kissing his championship ring finger.

Beyond the outcome of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Marchand and the Canucks have a long history of enmity. Over the past few seasons the Bruins agitator has low-bridged Daniel Sedin and Sami Salo, and also notoriously punched Daniel repeatedly in the face with his glove on.

Despite Marchand's antics, however, it would appear that the outright hate only flows one way.

"He's got no class," Canucks captain Henrik Sedin told Tony Gallagher of the Vancouver Province after Saturday night's game rather predictably. But then Henrik threw a curve ball, praised the diminutive forward's skill, and seemed to imply that if it were up to him he'd prefer a friendlier relationship: "I mean, he’s a great player; it’s too bad he has to act like he hates us all the time."