Skategate? Habs had blade issues too: Martin
May 26, 2010 in News
From The Gazette’s Herb Zurkowsky:
Not
only are the Canadiens denying any suggestions of sabotage, head coach Jacques
Martin said his players had their own skate-related issues during Saturday
afternoon’s game against Philadelphia.
According to Martin, his team lost two centres – Scott Gomez and
Dominic Moore – at the same time during the second period.
“Both teams had skate
issues,” Martin said Sunday, following a meeting at the team’s Brossard
practice facility. “With the new sticks, because of the intensity and
battles and shots on the composite sticks, it makes more damage.”
NBC reported during Saturday’s game at the Bell Centre, won 3-0 by the Flyers, that “sand or some other foreign substance,” had been emptied onto the floor outside the door of the visiting team’s dressing room and down toward the tunnel. Subsequently, several players’ blades became dull quickly.
A handful had to leave the game, some repeatedly, for skate repairs. Published reports had captain Mike Richards leaving three times for repairs, for example.
The Flyers attempted to alleviate the problem by placing a series of towels outside their room.
“Every game, teams have problems with their skates,” Montreal defenceman Hall Gill said. “There’s a lot going on in the arenas, more foot traffic, and there’s a tendency for more stuff on the ground.”
•
Canadiens forward Tom Pyatt is day-to-day with an upper-body injury
suffered during Saturday’s second period.
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