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Claude Julien’s had it with biting and taunting; Lapierre has no comment on being called “punkish”

Claude Julien

Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien answers a question at a news conference in Boston Sunday, June 5, 2011. The Bruins and Vancouver Canucks play Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

AP

We know you can’t get enough of the talk about Alex Burrows and his bite of Patrice Bergeron. Since there’s been so much discussion of it thanks to the league not suspending or fining Burrows for it and then Burrows singlehandedly beating Boston in Game 2, it’s become a bit of a talking point at the Stanley Cup finals in Boston.

By “a bit of a talking point” we mean “thing everyone is losing their mind over.” Bruins fans are furious over the lack of action from the NHL while the Canucks are pointing at other things that went on during Game 2 to distract the officials for tonight’s Game 3.

Adding fuel to the fire was Maxim Lapierre openly taunting Patrice Bergeron by sticking his finger in Bergeron’s face mocking him for what happened. So much talk for things not actually playing out with shots and saves can make one go crazy or get really cranky. Consider Bruins coach Claude Julien as part of the latter. Julien let it rip today during this morning’s press conference.

Q. The biting incidents have taken on lives of their own. I want to talk to you more about Max Lapierre taunting with the finger. What do you think it says about sportsmanship or lack of sportsmanship?

COACH JULIEN: I can’t really talk about their team. I’m going to talk about mine because I don’t handle those players. I don’t deal with those players on a one-on-one basis. It really isn’t up to me to I guess comment on it. If it’s acceptable for them, then so be it. Certainly wouldn’t be acceptable on our end of it. I think you know me enough to know that. Not much I can say on that.

The NHL rules on something. They decide to make a mockery of it, that’s totally up to them. If that’s their way of handling things, so be it. Again, we can’t waste our time on that kind of stuff. We really have to focus on what we have to do. The last time I looked, we’re down two games to none, and all our energy has to go towards that.


Lapierre’s taunting was enough to also make NBC’s Mike Milbury snap off at him during intermission of Game 2 referring to Lapierre as a “punk.”

As for Lapierre’s take on being called that he was understandably muted.

“What am I going to say to that? I’ve got no comment about that,” Lapierre stated yesterday afternoon upon arrival in Boston.

I guess there’s not much to say when all the talking he’s doing is with his digits. As for Julien’s agitated take on things today, it’s understandable. After all, if you were answering questions all the time about things that had nothing at all to do with what’s going on on the ice that matter to the game, you’d get pretty annoyed as well.

The one thing this whole situation has brought about from the series is some spice. With both teams being as locked in and as focused as they are, the interviews and takes on the game aren’t exactly attention grabbing. For better or worse Burrows’ bite and the lack of response from the NHL followed by Lapierre’s antics have helped make the Canucks more of a heel in this final battle for the Stanley Cup than a hero.