“A beer league team”: Bruce Cassidy gets angry (just before facing Patrick Roy)

Last night, the Vegas Golden Knights were in Newark to take on the Devils, a club that hasn’t lived up to expectations this year.

That said, the Knights, once again an NHL powerhouse, dropped the game by a score of 6-5. The club scored five goals, but also gave away too many to their opponents.

And that didn’t please Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy.

We played a beer league game. We thought it was the preparatory schedule, I guess. – Bruce Cassidy

The coach pointed out the offensive effort of a few trios, but he wasn’t exactly happy to see the defensive effort put forth (or not put forth) by his flock. He felt it showed a lack of respect for the game.

The Knights deserved to lose, in his opinion.

“We basically played a beer league game out there. We thought it was preseason, I guess.”

Golden Knights HC, Bruce Cassidy did not hold back after the Knights lost 6-5 in OT to the Devils.

via @GoldenKnights pic.twitter.com/0WGaCNTJFn

– BarDown (@BarDown) January 23, 2024

Obviously, there’s a difference between a performance like that from a club like Vegas, the defending Stanley Cup champions, and the Habs, a rebuilding club.

But in both cases, even if Martin St-Louis didn’t react as strongly after last Thursday’s and Saturday’s games, a coach’s dissatisfaction is understandable.

That said, I wonder how much of Cassidy’s comments were motivated by the fact that tonight the club will face the New York Islanders on Long Island.

And when I say the New York Islanders, I mean Patrick Roy’s Islanders.

After all, we know that the Islanders’ new coach had an impact on Sunday, when New York beat Dallas. The effect of Roy’s arrival will no doubt mean that the Islanders won’t be “easy to play against” tonight.

And if there’s anyone who knows this, it’s Jonathan Marchessault, who once had Roy as his coach in Quebec City.

Jonathan Marchessault is delighted to see Patrick Roy back in the NHL and predicts great success for him.

He had a few tasty anecdotes to tell me when I went to meet him yesterday.

The two face off tonight on Long Island: https: //t.co/v7WxICrKAE

– Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) January 23, 2024

Let’s not forget that tonight, Patrick Roy will direct his second game for the Islanders. Meanwhile, the Senators, a club that would have benefited from hiring Roy, will be in Montreal. And on Thursday, Patrick Roy will be in Montreal.

Cassidy knows that every win is important… and the Canadiens must hope that he doesn’t let Patrick Roy gain any more confidence ahead of Thursday night’s duel in the Temple.

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