Logan Couture admits he also cheats on faceoffs after accusing Sidney Crosby
Everybody cheats on faceoffs, you know
By
Chris Peters
•
2 min read
After the San Jose Sharks dropped Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final to fall into a troubling 2-0 series hole, second-line center Logan Couture delivered one of the biggest storielines to come out of that game.
Couture accused Penguins captain Sidney Crosby of cheating on faceoffs, crediting that to why the Penguins center is so good at that particular skill. Crosby has won 65 percent of his 40 draws over the first two games, including the one that immediately preceded the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 2. Naturally, that was the soundbite that seemed to offer the biggest conversation piece of a game that the Penguins dominated despite needing overtime to close it out.
Following Sharks practice Friday, Couture had a chance to address his comments that drew headlines and commentary from around the hockey world and beyond. He stood by what he said, but also clarified that this isn't just a Sidney Crosby thing. It's basically part of the game.
"Everyone cheats on faceoffs," Couture said as he addressed the assembled media Friday (via the AP). "I cheat, Jumbo [Joe Thornton] cheats. That's how you try to win draws. He's one of the best at it. He wins a lot of faceoffs."
Couture's comments on Crosby seemed to suggest that even though everyone cheats, he might get away with it more than most do.
"Some guys get away with it," he said (via the Los Angeles Times). "Some guys, the ref will stop it. That's what happens on faceoffs."
This is not exactly a shocking revelation from Couture. The fact that he brought the discussion to the forefront by calling out one of the game's top players may have more to do with frustration than actual gamesmanship. Either way, centers have a fraction of a second to make a play on a faceoff where they can win possession of the puck for the team. If they're not looking for every tiny advantage, they're not doing their job.
That's one of the points Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan made in his remarks during Thursday's media availability.
"Listen, all centers that go in there and take faceoffs, they're trying to get an edge," Sullivan said. "That's the reality of it. The way I look at it, that's all part of being a center iceman, trying to figure out a way to get an edge and be successful."
Couture also clarified Friday that he did not think Crosby cheated on the faceoff that the Penguins forward won to trigger the play that led to Conor Sheary's Game 2 winner. Additionally, Couture said he was not trying to lobby the officials to go watch Crosby more closely.
Maybe there was a mountain made out of a molehill here, but Couture's comments after the game certainly showed the frustration the Sharks have been feeling as a whole through their first two games of the series. They haven't faced an opponent like this and they're still looking for answers as to how to stop them.
As the series shifts back to San Jose, they're going to need some breaks to get back into a position where they can win the Stanley Cup. The Penguins won their last Stanley Cup by overcoming a 2-0 series deficit. So it's certainly possible, but everything from faceoffs to the power play to the matchups the play are all going to have to be executed far better than they have been so far if the Sharks are going to have a chance to win.
