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Zuccarello: ‘I’m not a diver’

Mats Zuccarello

Mats Zuccarello #36 of the New York Rangers celebrates a goal against the Philadelphia Flyers during their game on March 6, 2011 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. (March 5, 2011 - Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)

One thing to watch for in tonight’s Flyers-Rangers game? If the Blueshirts continue to get dinged for embellishment after being whistled for a pair of diving penalties in Sunday’s 4-2 loss at MSG.

One player in particular to watch will be New York forward Mats Zuccarello, who was sent to the box after getting hit by Flyers d-man Andrew MacDonald midway through the second period.

“I didn’t agree with that call, but at the same time, it’s fast hockey out there and refs makes mistakes, like we do,” Zuccarello said, per ESPN New York. “There’s nothing to think about right now.

“I think everybody who watches me play knows I’m not a diver.”

Here’s the play:

That embellishment call was the first of two against the Rangers in the period. Less than three minutes after Zuccarello was penalized, Derek Dorsett was called for diving after getting cross-checked by Wayne Simmonds. According to the New York Times, it was just the second time since the NHL started calling diving penalties in 1992-93 that one team got whistled at least twice in the same game -- the other occurred in Montreal’s opening-round series with Washington 2010, when Maxim Lapierre and Brian Gionta combined to get whistled for three diving penalties in Game 6.

Needless to say, the Rangers aren’t happy with how things transpired on Sunday, but head coach Alain Vigneault wasn’t biting when asked what he thought of the calls.

“Did you see the replays?” Vigneault asked. “So, I’ll let you make the judgment on if Zuccarello’s was an embellishment. It doesn’t matter what I think.

“I’ll let you make the judgment and make the call on that.”