Following Monday's Winter Classic Rangers coach John Tortorella's comments suggested that the league and officials were conspiring to get the game to overtime. On Wednesday, in his first public comments since the, Tortorella was singing a completely different tune via
Blueshirts United.
"They were sarcastic comments by me at the wrong time, and it was
frustration on my part, as far as the referees...and what was done at
the end of the game," explained Tortorella. "Not for a second in no way,
time, shape, or form did I think anything like that (fixing the game so
that it goes to overtime) goes on with our league, or ever will."
"For me to question the integrity of the
league, the integrity of NBC, the integrity of (referees) Denny (LaRue)
and Ian (Walsh), the Flyers, the Rangers, go right on through all the
people here---there's not a chance I am thinking that way," Tortorella
continued. "It was wrong with my sarcasm and my frustration and I
apologize to everyone involved."
"I tainted the Classic with my mouth," Tortorella said.
Glad to see that Tortorella was willing to admit his error in publicly stating that there was an attempt to fix the game for a certain outcome. Criticizing bad calls is something that many do, but this went to a different level and apologizing for it was the right move. Tortorella will still get fined for his original comments.
