PIT vs NYR

Michel Therrien might have been better off leaving the issue alone. After all, Rangers' coach Tom Renney's passing pre-series reference to Sidney Crosby's reputation for embellishing fouls to draw penalties certainly didn't work to New York's advantage in Game 1.

But Therrien obviously felt his superstar's honour needed to be defended today. So, unsolicited, Therrien launched into a soliloquy ripping Renney for even suggesting that Crosby might dive from time to time and decrying the notion that the the game-changing call on Martin Straka for interfering with Sid the Kid behind the play with 3:20 left last night might have been a bit borderline.

"Where I’m kind of disappointed is that there’s gamesmanship before the series about Sidney drawing penalties," Therrien said. "This is a star player that plays into traffic. Powerful skater. And when a star player like this goes to traffic and plays into traffic, well, he’s going to draw penalties.

"And we all know what Tom Renney’s trying to do. He tried to do it before we started the series. He tried to do it last night, I saw his comments today. He’s trying to get attention to the referees and complaining about the penalty last night at the end of the game.

"As far as I’m concerned – as far as we’re all concerned – it’s not even close. In the 1990s, I could understand we let those things go. With the new game, it’s about speed. It’s about the good players getting a chance to make plays. It’s letting those good players be able to skate if you get caught out of position.

"And I think our game is much better. We’ve got obstruction rules. It’s a faster game. That’s why you see young players able to dominate the way they’re able to dominate in the National Hockey League.

"But we know what he’s trying to do. But I’m convinced the referees don’t buy into those things, the league doesn’t buy into those things. Why don’t we give credit to a guy that plays into traffic, will get shots.

"Sidney took a shot in the face from [Sean] Avery in the first period. Sometimes he’s going to draw penalties. Sometimes, there’s not going to be any penalty. But he’s going to keep going there. And eventually, he’ll draw a penalty if he keeps going there. And he knows.

"He’s not going to go to the outside. That’s the way he is. He’s not going to take the easy road. He’s going to take the tough road and try to succeed. And yesterday, on that play, he had a step on [Straka] and if he didn’t get hooked, we’re probably going to go on a breakaway. And he drew a penalty.

"I’m kind of disappointed they complained about it."

For their part, the Rangers pulled back today from their heat-of-the-moment comments following the game.

Alternate captain Brendan Shanahan, who said last night that Crosby "embellished" the play and the call was "weak," said after the Rangers' practice today: "feel like the only thing our team did after the game last night was defend Martin Straka. We certainly didn’t come into the room, throw down our equipment and say, ‘We got hosed by the refs.’ So I’m kind of surprised that Therrien’s making it a big issue today.

“Because we aren’t. If he wants to bring the referees’ attention to it, then fine.”