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Pierre McGuire on M&M: ‘Nobody likes to see embellishment’ 03.04.13 at 2:35 pm ET
By Jerry Spar

Pierre McGuire

NBC Sports hockey analyst Pierre McGuire joined Mut & Merloni on Monday, a day after the Bruins dropped a 4-3 decision to the Canadiens.

Following the game, B’s coach Claude Julien was critical of the Canadiens for what he deemed to be “embellishment” to draw penalties. McGuire empathized with Julien.

“I think it’s always been a problem in the league,” McGuire said. “Nobody likes to see embellishment. We’re not soccer. No disrespect to soccer players, either; I think that’s more in the culture in their game than it is in ours. And I don’t think there’s any coaches or general managers or even officials that want to see embellishment. It’s a hard enough game for the officials to referee now. With the embellishment that does take place from time to time, it’s really a tough game to officiate, even tougher.

“I can tell you, I’ve talked to a ton of coaches and a ton of players around the league and a ton of managers. Every one, to a man, they don’t want embellishment.”

McGuire said Zdeno Chara deserves credit for going after Alexei Emelin after the Canadiens defenseman sent Tyler Seguin to the ice with a cross check to Seguin’s side that broke Emelin’s stick.

“At the end of the day, Chara did what he was supposed to do. Chara showed leadership on Emelin,” McGuire said. “I thought that was a great job by him. You’ve got to think the referees missed the cross check that Emelin dished out to Seguin. You don’t like that. I didn’t like that.”

McGuire said Chara’s message got through, and not just to the Canadiens.

“I think what Z was doing more than anything else is he’s sending a message not only to the Montreal Canadiens but to the rest of the league. And believe me, that message has resonated. I just got done watching Tampa and Pittsburgh skate, and all the players know what happened last night. And they’re like, they don’t want to mess with Chara.

“So, it gives some more room to Seguin, it gives some more room to [Brad] Marchand, it gives some more room to [David] Krejci. People are aware in the league. While it’s a small sample size of, are you mad because Boston lost if you’re a Bruins fan, you look at it long term, it will probably pay itself off in the long term.”

Looking at the NHL this season, McGuire puts the Bruins in lofty company — alongside the record-setting Blackhawks.

“The Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins right now are the two best teams in the league, in my humble opinion,” he said. “And I’ve watched every single team in this league so far since the season started. The fact that they lost a tight game to Montreal, I don’t think it was all about embellishment. I just think there were some things Boston needed to do better in that game, and they didn’t get it done.”

To hear the interview, go to the Mut & Merloni audio on demand page. For more Bruins news, visit the team page at weei.com/bruins.

Read More: Pierre McGuire, Zdeno Chara, Print  |  Email   | Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • Bruce Steenspring

    Guns don’t kill people. Zdeno Chara kills people.

  • Ranting Coherently

    challenges. put the power in the team’s hand. just make sure things are handled quickly. if it’s determined that you can’t tell for sure if a call was right, or if the call is overturned on review, the team keeps the challenge obviously. if the call is deemed correct, the challenge is lost. last night the delay of game call was a clear miss. that should be challengeable. if a player takes an obvious dive, like pretending to be hit by a stick in the face when there was no contact, especially if they stay down on the ice, THROW THEM OUT OF THE GAME AND HAVE EVERYONE POINT AND LAUGH.

    BARRING THAT, GIVE FANS SCORECARDS TO RATE THE DIVES <<<<——–MAKE THIS HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY. THANKS. also, when a player is found to have committed a suspendable offense by a post-game league review, allow the "victimized" team to decide the game he is suspended for. they would not have to decide which game until just before a given game starts (early enough to allow the team to pick the replacement… or maybe not.. maybe make them play shorthanded)put the power in the hands of the PARTICIPANTS. i would like to see it taken even further. a replay official could have an answer "at the ready" in certain situations. no more walks over to the booth (football specifically). no more extended delays. no more "getting ready to watch the film". just put a freaking light on the rink somewhere and have the replay official light it appropriately. sheesh. can you believe we make things as inefficient as we do when we have the power to spy on an ant from space? my goodness. 

  • Kasperwitzen

    While Chara did what he “should” have done, the Emelin cross check was not that bad.. and Chara took himself out of the game doing the honorable thing… Whats more important in the end? 2 points (which Boston would have had, had Chara not done what he did) or sending a message we’ve seen plenty of times? Bostons loss is Montreals gain in the end!

  • ILoveHockey

    first, all Chara saw at that point was a guy breaking his stick over one of his goal scorer’s ribs, Seguin took a pretty good shot and ended up in the dressing room to get checked out. Lucky it doesn’t seem as though he was injuried.

    Second, The honorable thing is always the right thing to do- that’s what makes it “the honorable thing”

    Third- you are assuming they would have gotten the 2 points- we will never know

  • ILoveHockey

    I know what you are saying- in my living room in 60 seconds I get shown 6 different view of a questionable play- but they can’t get it right on the ice? Replay isn’t the delay people make it out to be- it can be done efficently.

  • Bruinman86

    Well, it may have cost them a win, but it may send the message to opponents to know there’s a price to pay for cheap-shots.

  • ima db

    so people complain Chara doesn’t ever retaliate/get in fights/”stand up for his teammates” and now he does so it’s his fault they lose? 

  • H Bouley

    Mcguire is a dink. The only message Charra sent to the Habs is “sure emelin was a little bruised, but getting Charra off the ice for 17 minutes was worth it.” “lets do it again.” What Charra should have done was pick his time later…or better yet let thornton dish out the punishment. 

  • Fab4ever

    It wasn’t a playoff game. Maybe Z could have picked a different time to get back…whatever…he did the right thing, period. Look, the Habs had 4 lousy shots during Z’s absence….and 2 went in….it was the way the puck was bouncing….it happens…if wasn’t like Montreal was peppering Rask…the B’s played poorly in that 1st period and that’s what cost them the game, not Chara being out…

  • Fab4ever

    It didn’t matter….the B’s made too many mistakes in that 1st period….and the Habs had only 4 shots during his absence….I’m glad he took that punk out….

  • ILoveHockey

    i agree with you, when Savard went down no one did anything, when Horton went down no one did anything- glad to see someone on this team do the right thing- right when it happened.

  • Anonymous

    Just one question, and the answer you tell you the hit was illegal.  How much force is needed to break your hockey stick??

  • Reality Check

    Nobody thought he was going to get 17 minutes.  That was not just a surprise, it was not the right call.  The B’s are being targeted by the officials right now.  Lucic can’t skate next to someone without getting whistled off.  Its sad, really…

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