For as much as John Tortorella has run his mouth over the years, he doesn’t have the best track record — and now he’s paying the piper for some recent comments.
This story actually begins a year ago. After losing to the Washington Capitals in Game 5 of their first-round series, the Columbus Blue Jackets head coach claimed his team, which was trailing 3-2 in the series, would win Game 6 on home ice. They got their doors blown off 6-3 and were eliminated.
He didn’t seem to learn his lesson, so let’s revisit what he claimed with regards to Columbus’ second-round series against the Boston Bruins this year, which the Blue Jackets lost Monday after falling 3-0 in Game 6.
First, he claimed the Bruins’ experience was overrated. Boston’s top line responded by playing better than it did in the first round, and veterans David Krejci, David Backes, and Marcus Johansson had the goals in the clinching game.
Then, after losing in Game 5 to go down 3-2, he guaranteed (again!) that they would be back in Boston for Game 7. Whoops!
Finally, he asserted before Game 6 that his team had “dented” Tuukka Rask. The Bruins goalie delivered a 39-save shutout to bury the Jackets in their own arena in Game 6.
So what could Tortorella possibly have to say after the game? Well, not much.
His postgame press conference lasted just two minutes, and the boldest claim he made was that he felt it was the best game his group had played. Surprisingly, no harpoons at the Bruins or their players.
Despite the result, John Tortorella thought Game 6 was the @BlueJacketsNHL's best of the series.#CBJ | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/3t4t9g2kH0
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) May 7, 2019
To be fair to Tortorella, he’s no stranger to being prickly with the media after losses, and he wasn’t asked directly about any of those comments he had made previously.
However, it’s safe to say he’s eating significant crow at the moment.
