Respect after the battle: Colorado and Minnesota have closed the series.

Respect after the game: Colorado and Minnesota closed the series with a handshake.
There was an unusual silence on the ice of the arena, replacing the day-long noise of intense physical battles and the sound of skates hitting the ice. After the final siren, which marked the end of this intense playoff series, the players from Colorado and Minnesota stood in a traditional line for a handshake. This ritual, which has become a standard in the National Hockey League, once again proved that beyond the tournament tables and dry statistics, there’s still room for true sportsmanship. Both teams’ players, exhausted from the intense competition, exchanged brief words, patted each other on the shoulders, and looked into each other’s eyes. For the Lakers, this handshake became an official pass to the next round of playoffs for the Stanley Cup. Meanwhile, the Ducks accepted their defeat with dignity, leaving everything they had on the ice. Despite the intense battles, disputes with referees, and the passion that filled every game, none of the hockey players allowed themselves to behave in a non-sporting manner. The ice erased the boundaries between opponents, giving way to the classic sportsmanship.