Barrett Hayton did not know if a player had kept the puck after the game to offer it as a gift to André Tourigny. The 21-year-old center looked in the direction of Anton Stralman for an answer.
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Stralman didn’t know that either. The Coyotes will not cause a diplomatic incident even if they never find this famous puck. For Tourigny, this 6-3 victory had an important symbolism.
At 47, he signed his first win as head coach against the Canadiens on the ice at the Bell Center on Tuesday night.
“No, I don’t think I’ll keep that puck,” he replied quickly.
Tourigny became a bit more emotional when talking about his loved ones.
“For me, this victory means a lot of things. I saw my mother [Denise] before the game and she already had tears in her eyes. I will talk to her again and I know she will still be emotional. »
“The puck doesn’t bother me at all. I prefer to think of my loved ones. I met my mother, my sister and friends. I had friends who were next to the visitors’ bench. That means a lot to me. »
“I know my mum was nervous for this game and it was the same for my dad. [Maurice], who was at home. My relatives had the chance to see me coach a game at the Bell Centre. I said it before, I know where I come from. My friends from Nicolet and Rouyn-Noranda made the trip to come to the Bell Centre. »
hot dogs
Before the match, Tourigny had made a great confidence. He was looking forward to eating hot dogs. A thorough investigation revealed that he tasted three before the match and three others after the match.
Apart from this greedy passage, the former coach of the Ottawa 67’s had described the symbolism of this first game at the Bell Center in the role of an NHL head coach.
“I’m a people guy. For me, coaching my first game in Montreal makes me especially happy to do it in front of my family and friends. It means a lot to me. The rest are just objects. It’s not concrete. What touches me is to see the pride felt by the people I love. »
He then talked about the influence of his parents, Maurice and Denise.
“My father and my mother are role models for me. I have always learned from them and look back on their lessons. I always say my mom starts smiling before she wakes up. She is in a good mood. I want to keep this mentality, there is not a single bad day. We can play badly, but the next day, we must smile again. My father is for the calm and the thoughtful side. I also learned over time to become less impulsive. When the wires start touching, I can relax more now. And I think we’ll talk about it tomorrow. It comes from my father. »