Maurice bites his tongue over iffy officiating

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This article was published 03/12/2018 (2469 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEW YORK — Seldom does the topic of officiating come up with Paul Maurice during business with the media. Yet, it was clear the Jets bench boss had some strong opinions following his club’s 4-3 overtime victory Saturday in New Jersey — but took the high road.

Or, more aptly, the wiser, less-costly road, as criticism of NHL officials usually comes with a hefty fine from the league.

But at least two incidents were likely top of mind; one resulted in a bizarre call, while the other generated no call at all.

Midway through the first period, veteran centre Bryan Little was deep in Devils territory when he took a cross-check from Damon Severson and tumbled dangerously close to the boards. The blue-liner was assessed a penalty, but was accompanied to the penalty box area by Little, who was accused of embellishing the fall and was slapped with a two-minute minor.

It was a ludicrous decision by the referee and negated a much-deserved power-play chance for the visitors.

Meeting with reporters Sunday afternoon prior to the Jets-Rangers tilt, Maurice was asked if it’s in Little’s DNA to exaggerate in an effort to draw a penalty.

“Bryan didn’t embellish there, didn’t embellish when he got his neck broken. He’s not an embellisher,” Maurice said.

That was a reference to an incident in February 2016 when Little suffered a season-ending fractured vertebrae after a thunderous check by Tampa Bay defenceman Anton Stralman that went unpunished, either by the game officials or the NHL after the fact.

Maurice was tossed out of the game that night. Francois St. Laurent was the referee then, and he wore the stripes in Newark on Saturday night.

In overtime Saturday, Devils star centre Taylor Hall delivered a check on Winnipeg defenceman Josh Morrissey that came close to crossing the line.

Maurice was likely annoyed with a non-call on the player, however, the victim actually took much of the blame.

“I was more mad, probably at myself, because I put myself in… a bad situation there to take a hit. Unfortunately, he was coming hard. I don’t think he was trying to hurt anyone or anything like that with a minute left in overtime. That’s part of hockey,” Morrissey said, after the game at Prudential Center. “I was more mad at myself in the moment that I didn’t pull (the puck) off the wall or something like that and make a better play.”

Brossoit still steady

Laurent Brossoit continues to receive high praise from his head coach.

The Jets backup goaltender had yet another solid outing Saturday in New Jersey, stopping 36 of 39 drives, including a two-man breakaway early in OT by Hall and Nico Hischier.

He was beaten by Marcus Johansson at 6:45 of the first period and then played about 40 minutes of shutout hockey before Brian Boyle’s power-play deflection slipped past him late in the third period. Hall tied the contest 3-3 on a wild scramble with just under two minutes remaining after Brossoit had made a couple of stops first.

Brossoit is now 5-1-1 with a 2.16 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in limited duty behind Connor Hellebuyck, and is arguably the most trusted netminding alternative the Jets have had since the franchise arrived from Atlanta in time for the 2011-12 NHL campaign.

“He’s a battler in the net… I think he’s had one off-game, in St. Louis, because he gave up two he normally wouldn’t, (but) he still makes saves. I thought Saturday night he had no chance on the first goal (by Johansson) and it didn’t faze him one bit,” Maurice said.

“You wonder with a guy that doesn’t play a lot… if they get one early on them, sometimes those guys don’t have the base of confidence because they haven’t played as much. But (Brossoit) doesn’t show any of that. If one gets by him, as you saw (Saturday) night, it might be a long stretch before they get the second one.”

Hellebuyck returned to the crease Sunday night at Madison Square Garden and got the win. Brossoit could get the assignment Tuesday in Brooklyn when the Jets battle the Islanders.

Winnipeg has the day off today.

Honouring a legend

Rangers legend Vic Hadfield had his No. 11 raised to the rafters at Madison Square Garden prior to the game Sunday.

Hadfield played parts of 13 seasons with the Rangers (1961-74), registering 262 goals and 572 points, along with 1,041 penalty minutes, in 841 games.

He was one-third of one of the NHL’s all-time great forward lines — the GAG line — with Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle, and he fired 50 goals during the 1971-72 campaign.

“I sincerely hope that everyone here experiences something, anything in life, that makes you feel like I feel right now,” said the 78-year-old from Oakville, Ont., with family, friends and ex-Ranger greats such as Ratelle, Gilbert, Steve Vickers, Winnipegger Ted Irvine, Brandon product Bill Fairbairn, Winnipegger Pete Stemkowski, Walt Tkaczuk, Jim Neilson, Ron Greschner, Adam Graves and Mark Messier looking on.

The former Edmonton captain’s No. 11 is already up in the rafters.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @WFPJasonBell