Head Coach Calls Out His Goalie For Fighting Tom Wilson In Overtime
Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent was upset with his goaltender Elvis Merzlikins for fighting Capitals enforcer Tom Wilson.
Merzlikins Fights Wilson
Last night Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins lost it after getting run into by Tom Wilson.
Merzlikins and the Blue Jackets later went on to lose the game after letting in an Alex Ovechkin powerplay goal.
Merzlikin's rationalized his choice to give it to Wilson by saying how Wilson could have seriously injured him and the play was flat-out dirty.
«I mean, it's an emotional game,» Merzlikins said. «It's an emotional game. He slew-footed me very first shift and he was after me all game long. So, I was trying to grab my stick. I got punched in the head. Before that (on the breakaway), I'm pretty sure he was trying to get me hurt. So, I was just trying to get my stick. I got punched. Well, I'm gonna defend myself.» - Elvis Merzlikins
Vincent Speaks Out On The Play
While Merzlikins felt his actions were justified, Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent did not feel the same.
"Tom Wilson's job is to get in people's face, in the goalie's face, and he's creating a lot of emotions. The emotions were high, and he did what he had to do and we reacted. It cost us the game." - Pascal Vincent
Vincent later went on to mention how Wilson does this to everybody and the Blue Jackets cannot let him win.
«He does that to every team, every game. That's his job and he's one of the best in the league (at it). We know it. So, (Merzlikins) has to control his emotions. We're going in 3-on-2 on the other side (if that doesn't happen). that moment, we have to get better. That's unacceptable." - Pascal Vincent
The Blue Jackets are among the worst in the league this year and every point counts towards their pursuit of the playoffs. If they cannot pull themselves together, we will likely see them pick near the top of the upcoming draft.
As seen on HockeyFeed - Columbus coach Pascal Vincent throws Merzlikins under the bus
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