SUMMERSIDE – After two intense back-to-back games on the ice, things also began heating up off the ice between the Summerside Western Capitals and Edmundston Blizzard on Monday.
Caps head coach Billy McGuigan accused the Blizzard of “embellishing things and diving” in the first two games in Edmundston, N.B.
As an example, to back up his claim, McGuigan pointed out the Blizzard’s Maxime Grandmaison, listed as six-foot-one and 187 pounds, was assessed an unsportsmanlike penalty for diving on the same play Caps’ rookie forward Cameron Roberts, who is listed as five-foot-nine and 149 pounds, was assessed a boarding penalty halfway through the third period of Game 2 Sunday night.
“We are the smallest team in the league, we are the least penalized team in the league, we are up there playing one of the biggest teams in the league and one of our smaller players, Cam Roberts, bumps into Grandmaison and Cam goes for a penalty and they call Grandmaison for unsportsmanlike for diving,” explained McGuigan. “This is a hockey team that embellishes stuff, they are diving all over the place, they are the bigger of the two teams and I haven’t liked the way they have played.
“When we have the puck and are running a cycle or lugging pucks, you don’t see our guys falling down and laying on the ice. That’s what it seemed to be up there. It seemed to be two games of watching them embellish plays.”
When asked about McGuigan’s comments, Blizzard head coach Ryan Salvis responded: “To be honest with you I haven’t yet watched the game from (Sunday), so to be honest I can’t confirm (anything) about that.
“We haven’t been a team that has deliberately taken dives in the playoffs. Obviously, if there is some stick work and one of our guys goes down easily to try and draw a penalty, that’s part of playoff hockey, I guess. I don’t think we are doing any deliberate diving.”
Click here for story on Games 1 and 2 between Caps and Blizzard:
Click here for series preview between Caps and Blizzard:
The Caps and Blizzard enter Game 3 of the best-of-seven Eastlink North Division final series in the MHL (Maritime Junior Hockey League) at Eastlink Arena on Tuesday tied 1-1. The opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m.
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