Cal Clutterbuck has snapped back at Lindy Ruff after the Dallas Stars coach accused the New York Islanders forward of diving following Sunday’s game.
Need a refresher?
Stars’ defenseman Jason Demers was ejected for a hit on Clutterbuck in the second period of that game, prompting Ruff to say the following about the incident:
“I think the guy who got hit has a history of diving,” Ruff said, as per the Dallas Morning News.
“I looked at the play, and don’t think [Demers] elbowed him, I don’t think he did anything, really. And [Clutterbuck] didn’t seem to be hurt, but he sold it pretty good. Maybe [Demers] deserved a minor penalty, that’s my take on it.”
Based on comments made to Newsday Long Island, a number of Islanders, including head coach Jack Capuano, took exception with what Ruff said about Clutterbuck, who was fined $2,000 by the NHL last January for diving.
“I just find it disrespectful,” Clutterbuck told Newsday.
“I’ve played a lot of games in the league to this point, the hit itself — if anyone looks at the replay, it’s completely unnecessary. I get my head driven into the board by a knee or a thigh. I reacted to the amount of pain I was in. To embellish a hit like that, I’d have to come up with something pretty quickly while I’m in pain, so I just don’t care for the comments. That’s the road he chose.”
The Islanders and Stars meet again on March 19 in Dallas.