Tortorella on Blues: "They are not that good in their end zone."
LOL Torts, ya got dominated. DOMINATED.
[It should be pointed out the Blues are 2d in the NHL for goals against and defense and ability to get the puck quickly out and on transition up ice is a strength of the team.]
"I asked you to f------ defend, I've seen you f------ defend before and you're going to do it here. If that's how we're going to battle, we're not going to have a chance to win. Jesus Christ, how much time do we have to talk about it? If that's all the juice we have as far as competing against that team, we will get killed tonight. And we have two periods here. So I've asked you all to buy into how we have to play. If that's it, we're f------- done. Pack it up! I know this f------ team isn't that way. I've seen ya! We have 40 f------ minutes to go. Take each shift at a time and chip away. They are not that good in their end zone. And we know our club, that's the biggest f------ positive is how hard we play. So f------ screw it on straight here. Screw it on and let's be ready to go each shift at a time. Stiffen up here. Everybody. But I'll tell you, if you're not going to be stiff, you're not going to play. I'm warning you all. This is contest here that's a good test for us for where we are right now. ... Let's see what we are against a stiff hockey team. Let's be ready to go here now. C'mon."
As much as I dislike Torts, its not a huge leap in my opinion. It seems to me like they rely so much on their initial transition out of the zone (which is a strength of theirs) that when they get caught they run around a little bit. Most of the goals they have allowed have been during long sequences in their own end that look like powerplays. They are not bad in their end, but I wouldn't call them great.
I wouldn't read much into that comment. A coach getting his team ready in for the 2nd period....I think Tortarella should have the privacy to motivate his team however he needs to. At any rate, I don't view this as disrespect to the Blues.
Wait no rant about how all we do is a stupid, boring, trap because our team doesn't give up weak breakaways and defends as a 5 man unit? I guess he forgot the part where NY isn't that good in their own end either and they should have worried about keeping the puck out of it.
Yeah, no outrage, more a chuckle. The narration also made it sound like the Rangers responded to the tirade and began playing better in the second, a period that the Blues once again completely dominated. Rangers were badly outplayed start to finish.
If this was in a press conference after the game, then it would be pretty bad. It's almost like Washington's speech about Carp before the World Series lol.
He does also go on to say "This is a good test for us... Let's see what we are against a stiff hockey team", so I wouldn't take it as him calling the Blues a weak team. Down 2-0 after a period I don't know what you would expect an NHL coach to say to his team.
