New York Daily News It’s getting chilly between the Rangers and Canadiens, with Habs coach Michel Therrien taking shots at the Blueshirts and coach Alain Vigneault, who responded in kind on Sunday. The primetime drama that is the Eastern Conference Final — with its soap opera-like themes — continued to unfold hours before Sunday’s Game 4 between the Rangers and Canadiens.
Alain Vigneault spoke for his team on Sunday morning, addressing several ugly issues that have transpired between the two hockey clubs in the last few days, including his relationship with Habs coach Michel Therrien.
“I think he said it prior to the series, for this two-week period we’re not really friends,” Vigneault said of Therrien. “He’s probably right.”
Therrien’s most alarming trash talk on Saturday consisted of a quote about Rangers center Derick Brassard, who was set to return to the lineup for Game 4.
“We expect Derick Brassard to play and we know exactly where he’s injured,” The Habs coach said. “Hockey is a small world.”
Vigneault was as diplomatic as he could be in response.
“Let me put it this way,” Vigneault said. “I just hope nothing happens to Brass or the player and Michel could be in trouble.”
Vigneault was also asked to react to the way his staff was treated on Saturday afternoon after the Canadiens threw Rangers assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson, video coach Jerry Dineen and travel secretary Alex Case out of their practice for violating a “gentleman’s agreement.”
“We were treated very unfairly yesterday,” Vigneault said. “There is no rule, there was no agreement between both teams. That is the exception, not the rule. I’ve been asked in the past to do this on a couple of occasions. Usually the coach calls me or the GM calls the GM. (It) never happened. What happened yesterday was uncalled for. Without a doubt, my staff handled it with a lot of class, just like our team. Play whistle to whistle. Don’t get involved with the other stuff. Very regrettable. This is the National Hockey League and that type of behavior… we’re lucky it didn’t escalate.”
Despite all of the ugliness, Vigneault says his desire to beat the Canadiens hasn’t increased. It’s been there all along.
“My desire before the series started was as high as it could be,” Vigenault said. “We want to move on and compete for the Stanley Cup. This other fla-fla stuff, you’d have to ask them.”
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May 22, 12:19PM
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