from Michael Grange of Sportsnet,

Gary Bettman has been a lot of things over his nearly 20 years running the NHL, but on Thursday night he took on a new role, even for him.

He's now the NHLPA's bad boyfriend.

There was so much promise in the air these past few days in Manhattan, which is kind of romantic in the crisp December cold, the city bedazzled with Christmas lights. After months of bickering and fighting, it appeared the NHL and its players were finally going to put their differences aside and get back together.

Just a few days ago NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr was positively glowy when he said that Tuesday was the two sides' best day of negotiations, perhaps ever.

Hey, can you cut him a break? He was caught up in the moment.

But on Thursday night the moment crashed like cheap glassware under a motorcycle boot. In a bad romantic comedy it would be the scene where the boyfriend shows up drunk at the reception and starts hitting on someone's mom.

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