Rangers-Bruins: Bad blood brewing
Boston Bruins' Joonas Kemppainen (41) battles New York Rangers' Oscar Lindberg (24) and Jesper Fast (19) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Boston, Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. Credit: AP / Michael Dwyer
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault dished out some harsh words about Bruins coach Claude Julien and some thoughts on the NHL's system of discipline Saturday.
After hearing of Julien's comment that Henrik Lundqvist was embellishing after taking a knee to the neck from forward Brad Marchand on Friday, Vigneault was irritated.
"In preseason, Lundqvist did the same thing," Julien said after the Bruins' 4-3 win in Boston. "I know he does some acting on the side, but I don't think it needs to be on the ice."
Julien was irked because the Rangers scored on the power play for a 3-2 third-period lead after Marchand was sent off for goaltender interference.
"It's a little disappointing," Vigneault said Saturday. "I mean, obviously everyone saw the knee to the head. The comments on Hank were very inappropriate. The way Hank conducts himself on the ice, away from the rink, off the ice, the example that he sets. Who would you rather have as a son? Henrik . . . or Brad Marchand? For him to say things like that about Hank, totally wrong. Probably Claude is getting a little older and needs to check his eyesight."
Vigneault also was riled about an unpenalized boarding by Matt Beleskey that left Derek Stepan with two broken ribs. Stepan, who is out indefinitely, was being examined in New York Saturday. The league's Department of Player Safety has not announced any action against Beleskey.
"The league not saying anything about the missed call on the ice or supplemental discipline, are they sending a message to the players?" Vigneault said. "It's very hard for me to comment on that without getting myself in trouble and the team in trouble and how they see things and how things can unfold in the future. You're better off biting your lip and teaching your players to better protect themselves.
"Was it a late hit? I think it definitely was," Vigneault said. "Should we help Step moving forward to better protect himself? We're going to try and do that. That's the second time that that's happened."
On Nov. 14 in Ottawa, Zack Smith nailed Stepan in mid-ice in the second period, and he underwent the league's concussion protocol before returning for the third period.
Circle Jan. 11 on your calendar. That's when the Bruins come to Madison Square Garden.
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