Was Claude Julien trying to get a psychological advantage? Or flat-out complaining about foul play?
Those were the questions on everyone’s minds prior to Game 2 when Boston’s coach told a popular Bruins blog that Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger likes to take “liberties on players at time.”
Julien was specifically referring to a shoving match in Game 1 involving Pronger and Bruins veteran Mark Recchi. Of course, Pronger — the NHL’s resident bad boy — wouldn’t bite when asked about it after practice.
“I just worry about my game and let the rest of them do the talking,” Pronger said yesterday.
The refs agreed with Pronger since Recchi was charged with a roughing penalty, leading to a Mike Richards’ tally in the third period of Game 1. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette didn’t see anything to warrant Julien’s ire, either.
“I thought Pronger’s game was pretty clean,” he said. “That’s Chris’s job just like it’s [Zdeno] Chara’s job on the other side — to play [against] our skilled guys with an edge. I didn’t see him do anything illegal.”
