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Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy of Team USA said this week he was focused on playing hard no matter the opponent.Bruce Bennett\/Getty<\/p>\nMILAN \u2014 Panthers rookie Sandis Vilmanis, vilified by Bruins fans for his leaping elbow to the jaw of Charlie McAvoy on Feb. 4, said it was an accident.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course I didn\u2019t mean to do that,\u201d said Vilmanis, speaking to the Globe after Tuesday\u2019s practice with Team Latvia at the Milan Cortina Olympics. \u201cYou know, it just happened so quick. And, of course, you don\u2019t see who it is, right? <\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I made, uh, not a great play there. But I mean, it\u2019s hockey. It happens really quick.\u201d <\/p>\n
Vilmanis, who didn\u2019t take a shift after the incident, exited that game with what the Panthers said was an upper-body injury. He has since recovered, and will be in the lineup when Latvia opens Olympic play against McAvoy and the United States on Thursday. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bruins fans have found his social media accounts and let him know their displeasure. <\/p>\n
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\u201cOf course they have,\u201d said Vilmanis, who was booked for a minor penalty (illegal check to the head) but nothing further. \u201cIt\u2019s normal. Fans have their opinion, of course.\u201d <\/p>\n
The 22-year-old left winger, who has 14 career NHL games under his belt, hadn\u2019t faced the Bruins before last week. It didn\u2019t take long for him to understand the loathing those teams have for each other. <\/p>\n
\u201cOh yeah, the first couple of shifts, I already had a couple hits on me,\u201d Vilmanis said. \u201cIt\u2019s a heavy game, a hard game.\u201d <\/p>\n
He expects the same Thursday, but nothing extra from McAvoy, who said this week he was focused on playing hard no matter the opponent. Team USA coach Mike Sullivan also downplayed the incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s in the rearview mirror,\u201d said Sullivan, who also happens to be McAvoy\u2019s father-in-law. \u201cThese guys are focused on the opportunity we have in front of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy of Team USA said this week he was focused on playing hard no matter the opponent.Bruce Bennett\/Getty<\/p>\n
Vilmanis\u2019s teammate, Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis, wasn\u2019t sure the Bruins were done with him. <\/p>\n
\u201cNot here, probably,\u201d Balinskis said. \u201cMaybe when we go back to the National League. Maybe when we play Boston again he may need to keep his head up a little bit more. But I don\u2019t think he\u2019s in trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n