John Tortorella Benches a Defensemen For Entire 3rd Period and Tells The Media Why
In a move that raised eyebrows during Wednesday night's game, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula found himself benched by head coach John Tortorella.
Zamula's night took a turn during the middle period when he incurred his second delay-of-game penalty in as many games, contributing to a growing issue with penalties for the 23-year-old defenseman. His tally now stands at five penalties in the last four games.
Tortorella, known for his decisive coaching style, took action by sidelining Zamula for the entire third period, signaling a clear message about the consequences of on-ice decisions. In his pursuit of victory, Tortorella opted for a shorter bench, utilizing only five defensemen for the final 20 minutes of the game.
The head coach addressed the situation, emphasizing the ongoing challenge of balancing player development with the imperative to secure wins throughout the season. Tortorella stated,
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''When there are decisions to be made, you know you're getting deeper in your lineup. I'm not going to lose sight of the kids. We'll see where it all goes. We're going to be making these decisions all year long, whether it be older guys or the younger guys, as we continue. We want to grow them, but we're trying to win hockey games, too, as we're involved in the season.''
The strategic benching serves as a reminder that performance on the ice carries weight, and players must navigate a fine line between development and contributing to the team's success.
| POLL | ||
16 NOVEMBRE | 154 ANSWERS John Tortorella Benches a Defensemen For Entire 3rd Period and Tells The Media Why Do you think Zamula would benefit from being sent down to the AHL? | ||
| Yes | 108 | 70.1 % |
| No | 46 | 29.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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