GIF: Niklas Hjalmarsson avoids impending doom of Milan Lucic hit

Niklas Hjalmarsson found himself in the crosshairs of a Milan Lucic hit and did his best to avoid it, but not before making the play.

By Brian Stubits

Jun 17, 2013 at 9:46 am ET • 1 min read

"Physicality is one thing. But when we finish our checks, when we have to finish our checks, I haven't seen our team run out of position just to throw the big check. It's more about if you're there, you finish your check, but we still have to play our game."

That's Bruins coach Claude Julien leading us to this outstanding GIF.

Milan Lucic is a big man. The Bruins forward is not only an offensive threat but is a wrecking ball on the ice, willing to throw his considerable strength behind a hit when the opportunity presents.

He had designs on laying out Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson in Game 2, but Hjalmarsson saw it coming and this happened.

I don't recall ever seeing that, a player trying to so hard to get out of the way of an impending hit. It's pretty darn hilarious.

Kudos to Hjalmarsson, though. Not only did he avoid the hit from Lucic that would have probably left a mark, but he hung in long enough to push the puck up to Dave Bolland to start a breakout.

S/t to @jtbourne/Backhand Shelf