Everyone, we’ve reached the “message-sending” portion of the Carolina Hurricanes - New York Rangers series. Actually, regarding everything Gerard Gallant said about the actions of Hurricanes such as Max Domi and Tony DeAngelo, maybe we’re at the “sending messages about message-sending” part of the series.
Anyway, censors had to be ready for some of Gerard Gallant’s messages.
Rangers’ Gallant profanely unhappy about Hurricanes’ rough stuff late in Game 3
During the closing moments of the Rangers’ 3-1 win over the Hurricanes in Game 3, Max Domi and Ryan Lindgren got into it. Then plenty of other players also got involved.
Some post-game theatrics at the Garden. 👀#StanleyCup | #NoQuitInNY | #LetsGoCanes pic.twitter.com/3KB9nZgp42
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 22, 2022
Lip-readers were busy trying to guess what unpublishable things Gerard Gallant might have been saying to Tony DeAngelo after all of that violence.
Gerard Gallant and Tony DeAngelo get into a chirping match at the end of the game 👀🍿 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/uu22tlDRJC
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 22, 2022
Gallant was not shy sharing similar thoughts about Domi, DeAngelo, and the Hurricanes during his press conference. Clearly, Gallant believes that Ryan Reaves can handle future rough stuff, as this series is very much alive with the Hurricanes’ lead halved to 2-1.
Gerard Gallant says he wasn't happy with the "bulls--t" Tony DeAngelo and the Hurricanes initiated toward the end of regulation in Game 3
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) May 22, 2022
"If they want to play like that, we've got the guys that can match that" pic.twitter.com/gtKDZ2fOsD
Gallant believes that the Rangers didn’t act that way late in losses to the Hurricanes, but notes that the shoe could “be on the other foot” as this series goes along. He believes that Domi was guilty of a “cheap shot” on Lindgren.
Sure feels like a prelude to future violence
Now, as much as coaches like Gallant love to believe that Ryan Reaves is a deterrent, others wonder if that’s really the case. Few, if any coaches are as willing to trust Reaves in high-pressure playoff situations quite like Gallant does. One cannot help but wonder if playing Reaves too much -- or in the wrong situations -- could actually hurt the Rangers more than the Hurricanes.
Then again, with the Rangers’ power play being more successful than the Hurricanes’ group (particularly in Game 3), maybe a penalty and carnage-filled game would work to Gallant’s advantage?
Either way, the league might want to monitor the situation, in case the other shoe drops in an especially ugly way.
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.