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Blue Jackets Dean Evason Fires Back at Devils Head Coach Comments
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- Blue Jackets Dean Evason Fires Back at Devils Head Coach Comments
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The New Jersey Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets are division rivals, but they're seemingly consummating a legitimate rivalry. The on-ice product Monday night in New Jersey's 5-3 loss was evidence enough. However, now the head coaches are involved.
In the second period of Monday's tilt, and in Brenden Dillon 's 1,000th NHL game, the Devils defenseman took a few punches from Blue Jackets forward, Dmitri Voronkov before he could even get his gloves off. The result was Dillon face-planting to the ice in a scary scene.
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Sheldon Keefe did not like Voronkov's actions.
"[Dillon] would never do something like that to another player," Keefe said in a pointed response. "That I know for certain. Yeah, I don't like it. I don't think Dillon knows he's in a fight, and he's tackled from behind. Before he knows it, his helmet's off, his jersey is over his head, and we saw what happened from there."
He finished his thoughts by highlighting Dillon's character.
"All I know is there is no more honorable player in this league than Brenden Dillon. He plays as hard and honest game as anybody in the league," Keefe said.
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On Wednesday, Blue Jackets head coach fired back at Keefe.
"We saw (Keefe's) comments," Evason said . "They have no bearing on our room."
It should be noted that there was no supplementary discipline handed out to either side by the NHLs Department of Player Safety.
However, Jonas Siegenthaler was tossed from Monday's game for insufficiently securing his fight strap.
The next time the Devils and Blue Jackets meet is on New Year's Eve. It's anticipated that sparks will fly again, after some comments and social media posts made their rounds.
"I'm sure it's going to be quite the match next time we play them," Paul Cotter said with a sneer on Monday.
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Mathieu Olivier made it be known on social media he has the next game vs. the Devils circled on his calendar.
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