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Paul MacLean is just trying to do his job everyone

Ottawa Senators v Buffalo Sabres

BUFFALO, NY - DECEMBER 31: Paul MacLean, head coach of the Ottawa Senators watches play from the bench against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center on December 31, 2011 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

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Seeing Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson throwing a fit on the bench during Game 6 in Ottawa was disturbing enough for many but it was something coach Paul MacLean didn’t agree with at all. Jason Spezza being benched for a spell left many scratching their head as well but for MacLean he says he was just doing his job as a coach.

Allan Panzeri of Senators Extra hears it from MacLean about why he did what he did in taking a pair of iconic Sens players to task.

“When we coach the team every night, we’ve said a lot of times that the best players play, and a lot of nights it’s Jason (Spezza) and (Alfredsson) and that group.

“(Monday night), it wasn’t, so it’s my job as coach to give the team the best opportunity to win, and the players that do that are the ones who should be on the ice at the right time.

“And that’s all it is to me.”

Instead of Spezza and Alfredsson it was Kyle Turris getting the call to try and finish things off for Ottawa. As we know, things didn’t go the Senators’ way and they’ll have to try and get it done on the road for Game 7 against the Rangers.

What’s most surprising is that there’s no outcry over MacLean’s decisions from fans and media alike. Full faith in the coach to do what it takes? Why that’s unheard of!