If Scotty Bowman was trying to get his Detroit Red Wings mad with his remarks after Thursday’s 5-2 thumping by the New Jersey Devils, he apparently succeeded.
Some of them were mad at themselves, others mad at their coach, who said he had never in his life been “so embarrassed and humiliated.” He also said, “I told them some of them didn’t even need a shower.”
“He’s trying to get us all so mad at him to get us to work together,” said center Keith Primeau, who played despite a painful stomach muscle injury. “We’re all real upset with what he said. We’re all competitive people.
“I agreed for the most part, but our guys tried to play hard. Scotty is really intense, really competitive. It’s difficult as a coach because he can’t get on the ice and make things happen. All he can do is send guys over (the boards) and try to get what’s asked out of them.”
“It was really tough,” said Sergei Fedorov. “We were really trying to do our best. What kind of reaction can you have? You just suck it up.”
“Hey,” conceded winger Ray Sheppard, “they did roll over us.”
Big bucks? New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur, who chose to play out his option at a meager $140,000, is hoping to cash in big on his decision after a sparkling playoffs in which he is one of the favorites to win the Conn Smythe trophy.
“I risked a lot playing out my option,” he said. “It made me probably play a little better. When this is over I’m going to look around and see what’s out there. I’d be crazy not to. I’d prefer to stay here, but I would go somewhere else if I had to.”
The Devils will have the opportunity to match any offer he receives and “I’d think they’d want to match it,” he said.