“Well I thought it was really a hockey play,” Trotz began, a common phrase for defending a controversial hit. “Because if you look at it, Sid’s coming across and [Braden Holtby] throws his stick out there. He sort of gets split and he’s coming down, and [Niskanen] has to go to the back post because that’s where the puck’s going. And other than he just sort of ran into him. There’s no reaction to it. Unfortunately Sid got injured there, but I don’t know if a guy in that situation — if you want a guy to throw his hands over head. It’s just hockey. It’s a hockey play. Unfortunately he got hurt.”

AD

AD

This is both a standard answer from a coach in Trotz’s situation, and a deeply upsetting answer to partisans on the other side. A few minutes later, Pittsburgh reporter Rob Rossi — who had already referred to the hit as an “assault” on Twitter — had a follow-up for Trotz about the moment before the Niskanen hit: when Alex Ovechkin’s stick hit Crosby.

“Barry, is the play by Alex that led to Sid sort of staggering into Niskanen — where he appeared to get the stick up toward the face — is that a hockey play?” Rossi asked.

“Was there a penalty?” Trotz asked. “I don’t understand . …

“Does there have to be a penalty to [not] be a hockey play?” Rossi countered. “I’m just asking. Is it a hockey play also?”

AD

“I’m not going to defend anything,” Trotz said. “You want me to defend Alex? Then is [Chris] Kunitz’s predatory hit on [T.J.] Oshie okay? Or the one on [Nicklas] Backstrom, is that okay? I’m not gonna debate about all that stuff. So that’s a terrible question.”

AD

“I was just asking about the stick,” Rossi said. “So, no? So, no, Barry?”

“Next,” Trotz said. “You got your answer.”

Within an hour, Rossi had published a column slamming the Capitals for their play.

“Ovechkin, who can’t beat Crosby on the ice, decided to remove him from it,” he wrote, suggesting the Capitals discussed attempting to injure Crosby during their Saturday night closed-door meeting.

AD

He also published a video response.

“It’s nothing personal, Barry,” he began. “I actually kind of like you. But you say a lot of stupid things, and you don’t win a lot of playoff games. … And I’m starting to think there’s a reason for all of these, well, let’s just call them playoff failures in your career. You’re the master at getting the most out of your team in the regular season, which makes you the perfect coach for the Washington Capitals. Because who knows getting the most out of the regular season better than the Washington Capitals?

AD

“But playoff hockey is a little bit different, and some of the things you’ve said are indicative of some of the things that the Capitals have done in this series,” Rossi went on. “And it’s not real intelligent hockey. It’s not hockey conducive to winning in the postseason. And one of the things you’re going to see as this postseason continues is the Penguins advance, the Capitals go home, and it’s all because Barry Trotz. Maybe he’s a good coach. Maybe he’s even a really good coach. But to be a really successful coach in the playoffs, you need to be great. And if you just listen to him talk, you’ll know Barry Trotz is incapable of that.”