Phoenix Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett let loose a bit about officiating after a Game 3 loss, but he seemed to be the voice of reason after a stunning 4-3 OT loss in Game 5. Camera caught him attempting to calm down captain Shane Doan before the handshakes commenced and he was diplomatic during the post-game press conference too.
"[Complaining about calls is] not going to do any good right now. It is what it is,” Tippett said. “Ultimately, the last two games were our best games, but they were too late. L.A. beat us. That’s what should be remembered, not the refereeing.”
Tippett essentially agreed with the sentiment that the Coyotes began to play their best hockey too late in the series. Getting booted out of the postseason in that fashion might be on par with the stanchion-assisted shock the 2011 San Jose Sharks felt in last year’s Western Conference finals, but Tippett deserves credit for keeping his cool.
Perhaps he believes that there will be a “next time” for his team.