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Bruins bad boy Shawn Thornton came correct and apologized for his water bottle antics on Saturday night.
"I obviously got caught up in the moment," Thornton said. "The fine . . . I'll pay the fine. I obviously agree with what the league does there. I'll pay the fine and move on. I'm sorry that the silly incident kind of overshadowed how my teammates played, and the great win, and how good this series has been. There are definitely more important things that we should be focusing on. I got caught up in the moment, and I probably shouldn't have done that. I'll move on and get ready for Game 6."
Bruins head coach Claude Julien was asked about Thornton's actions and his league-mandated fine during his media availability on Sunday’s day off. Needless to say, Julien was not pleased with what he saw on videotape.
“I finally got a chance to see. It happened late in the game, and I’m not going to comment on it when I hadn’t seen it,… said Julien. “But I’ve seen it and I’ve talked to Thorny. As a coach you always want to support your players, but there are certain things that you can’t support.
“I don’t think I can support Shawn on these actions. I don’t think we like seeing our players do that. Whether he got caught up in the game, or whatever . . . he’s got to own up to it. That’s all I’ve got to say about it.…
Julien probably told Thornton top cut the crap and to stop dumping gasoline on an already raging fire.
I'd be willing to bet that the Habs are going to fixate on Thornton's disrespectful act that was perpetrated against the Habs' best player in Subban.
Thanks, CSN Boston
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I applaud the NHL for fining Boston Bruins tough guy for his act of utter idiocy that he committed against Montreal D P.K. Subban in the dying moments of Saturday night's Bruins win on home ice.
Thornton is a guy who likes to pump his own tires as being a stand-up guy who plays the game the "right way". He always defends the NHL "code". Talk about shattered images. What he did to Subban Saturday night makes him look like a chump and an amateur.
With 47 second remaining on the game clock and the Bruins cruising to victory, Thornton knowingly and willingly sprayed Subban's facial visor with a blast of water as he skated past the Bruins bench. Subban took umbrage to the childish prank and circled back to confront Thornton on the Bruins bench.
There's no place for this crap in the NHL. None whatsoever. Above all else, its a matter of safety. What if Subban couldn't see a check coming or a puck, then suffered an injury as a result of being blinded by water on his windshield?
Just. Plain. Selfish. Childish. Stupid.
Thanks, NBCSN
As is Boston typical, there was no penalty levied against Thornton. After the game, Subban told media that he was sprayed not once, but twice by an offender on the Bruins bench. Subban said that he could nit see out of his visor for the last 90 second of the game.
The NHL has fined Thornton $2,820.52, the maximum allowable amount under the new collective bargaining agreement for his stupidity and unprofessionalism at the end of Game 5.
Thornton embarrassed his owner, coach, teammates and fans by stooping to such a low level. That's a veteran leader? Maybe Reilly Smith, Dougie Hamirlton, Carl Soderberg and Torey Krug will shine laser pointers in Montreal Canadiens' eyes during game action in Game 6 in Montreal on Monday. Why not, right? If a team leader like Thornton is the role model, why not follow his lead and act a fool like him?
If you can't beat an opponent within the bounds of good taste and exemplary sportsmanship, resort to childish, dangerous tactics.
I lost respect for Thornton after I watched his act on Saturday night. I'm sure he'll be hearing it from 20,000 Bruin haters when Game 6 transitions back to the Molson Centre on Monday night.
If I'm Habs head coach Mike Therrien and a leader in the Habs room, I'm using the Thornton water antics as a rallying cry for Game 6. I'm finishing my checks with impunity and I'm playing with an extra measure of hatred towards my Bruin opponents.
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Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf wasn’t shocked by his team’s Game 4 push-back win in LA. His team needed a win to avoid slipping into a three games to one sink hole.
“Nothing surprises me in this series anymore….
The Anaheim Ducks needed a Game 4 win. Badly. A loss would have dug them deeper into a 3-game-to-1 series hole. Desperate for a win in a hostile Staples Center, Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau made two high-risk, high-reward gambles in order to find a win. Boudreau and the Ducks skated home to Anaheim with a Game 4 victory in their suit Hugo Boss jacket pockets.
Boudreau’s first gamble: playing youngster Devante Smith-Pelly on the top scoring line with rock stars Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Smith-Pelly could have reacted one of two ways: he could have embraced the top-line assignment and played the game of his life, or, he could have wilted under the heat of the bright lights. The kid didn’t disappoint as he scored the game winning goal that sealed the deal for the Ducks.
“There’s a little pressure, yeah,… Smith-Pelly said afterward. “Those guys (Gettzlaf and Perry) are both world-class players. If I try to play like them, it isn’t going to work. I just have to stay true to myself and my game.…
The kid was asked to define his own style of play.
“Bang bodies and go the net.…
Mission accomplished. In the first period, Smith-Pelly fought his way to the slot and ripped a Corey Perry blind pass behind Jonathan Quick. It proved to be the only goal the Ducks would need in their 2-0 shutout Game 4 win.
Thanks, Ducks TV
Later in the first period, Getzlaf scored an insurance goal from behind Quick’s net to give the Ducks some breathing room.
Quick skated to the locker room after twenty minutes trailing by two goals. No big deal, right. Wrong. Kings head coach Darryl Sutter pulled Quick and replaced him with Martin Jones for the final 40 minutes. Sutter’s decision appeared to be more about zapping his skaters with a hot cattle prod to awaken them from their first period slumber as opposed to a disciplinary act towards Quick.
Boudreau’s second gamble paid off. Boudreau has started three different goalies in the past three games, meaning. With Frederik Andersen injured, Jonas Hiller was benched in favor of the Kitchener Ranger and former Team USA WJC MVP John Gibson.
The 20 year old Pittsburgh native made all 28 saves for his first ever NHL postseason victory. Gibson earned a shutout victory in his first NHL start this season. Amazingly, the kid has only started four games in his brief NHL career, posting two shutouts. At 20 years, 330 days, Gibson became the youngest goalie in NHL history to record a shutout in his playoff debut. He's also the youngest goalie to start a playoff game since Columbus' Steve Mason (20 years and 329 days) on April 23, 2009 vs. Detroit and the youngest to win a playoff game since Montreal's Carey Price (20 years and 238 days) on April 24, 2008 vs. Philadelphia
Thanks, NBCSN
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Goaltending insn’t the issue for the LA Kings right now. Its their defense, or lack thereof. Veteran ass kickers Robyn Regehr and Willie Mitchell are injured and their replacements are not playing up to their high standards. Regehr and Mitchell are very valuable defenders because they play in all situations, even strength and on the PK. They don’t panic and they don’t make dumb mistakes with the puck. They are reliable, and respected members of the Kings’ room. Mitchell was injured late in the first round and Regehr suffered his injury early in this second round against the Ducks.
The Kings didn’t know what impact that Regehr and Mitchell were making until both left the lineup with their injuries.
“It’s challenging for us to lose left-side D,’’ Darryl Sutter said before Game 4 on Saturday.
Mitchell, a 12-year NHL veteran, averaged 20 minutes TOI in the regular season and Regehr, a 14-year veteran, averaged 19 minutes.
Matt Greene and Jeff Schultz have drawn back into the Kings’ lineup, however, their combine performances are not as dominant as that of Regehr and Mitchell. Close, but no cigar. The bigger challenge for the Kings has been on the PK, where Regehr and Mitchell have been stupendous.
In the final four games of the San Jose series, and the first game of the Ducks series, the Kings went 22 for 23 on the PK. In their next two games, sans Regehr and Mitchell, the Kings were a disappointing 3 for 6 on the PK. Ryan Getzlaf scored a PPG in the first period of Game 4.
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Be sure to wish convey your Happy Mothers Day wishes to your mom and grandmother today.
If she is not here with you, let her know that your are thinking of her.
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