During the first intermission Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins forward Jakub Lauko revealed he has a nickname for linemate Nick Foligno.
The youngster and the wise, older veteran have already developed a tight bond, so much so that Lauko calls Foligno "Uncle Nick."
It's pretty clear why the 23-year-old Lauko would go with that nickname for Foligno, especially given the age gap between the two. Lauko is in the infancy of his NHL career, having played in just six games in the league after making Boston's roster following a strong showing in training camp. It's quite the contrast compared to the 35-year-old Foligno, who has played 1,031 regular-season games over 17 seasons with three different organizations.
Skating together on the fourth line, which is centered by Tomas Nosek, allows Lauko to learn from the much more experienced Foligno. And Foligno is more than willing to take Lauko under his wing and dispense his immense hockey knowledge to a player who is trying to gain his footing in the NHL.
"He's just like advised me along the way, every shift, every game," Lauko said during his intermission interview with ESPN. "He's a really nice teammate, really nice guy and I'm enjoying playing with him."
Lauko had another reason to be grateful for Foligno in Boston's thrilling 6-5 overtime victory over the Penguins. Foligno set up Lauko with a terrific pass and watched the rookie score his first NHL goal, which came with extra meaning for Lauko. Lauko even posed for a photo with Foligno to celebrate the accomplishment in the visitor's locker room following the game.
The type of chemistry not only they have, but the entire team has shown during the early part of this season has been a big reason for the team's success.
The Bruins will try to keep it going Thursday night when they face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
