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Phillip Danault has earned an interesting nickname in the Canadiens’ locker room: “Tird.”

Captain Max Pacioretty wanted to make sure reporters would get the spelling correct after he referred to his new first-line centre as “Tird” during an interview following Tuesday night’s 5-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks at the Bell Centre — it’s “Tird” not “Turd.”

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“Tird” comes from Danault’s difficulty pronouncing “third” with his French accent.

In a hockey locker room, where nicknames normally just include adding a “y” to someone’s name — Pricey, Shawsy, etc. — Danault’s nickname is unique.

“Everyone knows I love playing with ‘Tird’,” Pacioretty said. “He’s always in the right place at the right time and it makes it really easy on the winger. Everyone makes jokes that he’s always open … it’s a joke, but it’s the truth. He’s always in the right place at the right time and he makes it easy on the wingers. I tell him all the time: ‘I love playing with you.’ ”