Damaged left thumb and down for everyone or just for me missed Saturday's 4-0, series-clinching triumph
ZELEPUKIN Bone injuries LEFT THUMBSTEVE HIRSCH
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
ZELEPUKIN Bone injuries LEFT THUMB
By STEVE HIRSCH
, Sunday
Segment: SPORTS
Version: All Versions -- Sunday
Column: Demons PLAYOFF is it down or is it just me Laptop
EAST RUTHERFORD -- It seemedas if this Eastern Conference quarterfinal ranges amongst
the Demons and Canadiens couldn't go one day without some kind of
controversy.
Last week in Montreal it was one thing next an additional. At present, with the
groupings back in New Jersey for Game 5, we had "Zele-gate."
At his headlines conference next the morning skate before Saturday's
Game 5 conflict at Continental Battleground, Demons trainer Jacques Lemaire exposed
which two of his players had been slashed through out Montreal's 4-3
triple-overtime triumph Thursday. Left wing Valeri Zelepukin endured a
.
Lemaire went on to make a complaint referee Mick McGeough for failing to
punish the offending Montreal players.
And who may they be?
"I will not declare," Lemaire grunted. "The referee have to know."
Zelepukin mentioned he did not understand who nailed him, though he remembered
which it occurred within the 3rd period. But he also mentioned his thumb was not
damaged, only bruised, and which so far as he knew he will be within the
is it down or just me lineup.
A group spokesman mentioned later which Zelepukin was X-rayed on Mon
and which he'd a hairline fracture. He did in reality miss the game, and
was substituted within the lineup by defenseman Kevin Dean, as Lemaire picked out to
use Scott Niedermayer as a left wing to down for me examine Mark Recchi.
The hunt was so therefore on to choose the offender, down or just me and speculation
aimed at Montreal captain Vincent Damphousse, whose queue has often
been on is it down for me or everyone against Zelepukin's and who has a brief history of knocking New Jersey
players out from action. Damphousse finished Ken Daneyko's ironman streak
3 years ago when he damaged Daneyko's shoulder by slamming him into
the boards, and last 365 days he fell apart Shawn Chambers' hand with a cut,
leading to the defenseman to miss 13 games.
Damphousse denied which he was liable for Zelepukin's casualty,
but added, "Eventhough I did, who cares, truly?"
Bad blood? Oh yea. And why would Lemaire refuse to mention the
offender? Since according to Montreal sources who come to light later within the
day, the criminal was none other than previous Satan winger Stephane
Wealthier, that would clarify why Lemaire stayed ma. Lemaire decried the
detergent opera mother earth of the advertising coverage once the groupings were in Montreal
for Games 3 and four, and more commonly didn't wish to begin a warfare of words
with his outspoken previous player.
Lemaire had also rejected to mention the other Demons victim, who
grew to be rookie winger Patrik Elias. But Montreal winger Martin
Rucinsky had his personal narrative to inform, and he threw the ball back into
Lemaire's court.
"We got slashed the equivalent way they slashed us," Rucinsky mentioned. "I
got elbowed in my face [in Game 3] by [John] MacLean and lost two teeth,
and no one saw it.
"If you wish to grumble," Rucinsky mentioned of Lemaire, "tell your individual
players to play clear first."
Key phrases: HOCKEY. Experienced
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