Patrick Freakin' Roy! Well, the NHL just got a little more interesting.

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Anaheim defenseman Ben Lovejoy collided with (kneed?) Avalanche rookie Nathan MacKinnon in the final minute of a 6-0 game, just before the Ducks scored to ruin Semyon Varlamov’s shutout. The Avs notched a 6-1 win after an entertaining donnybrook broke out from the final draw, with Avs coach Patrick Roy pushing over the glass that separates the benches. Roy, who was assessed a game misconduct, was not happy with Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau.

Cody McLeod was given a roughing minor and the Avs were given a minor for coach/manager on the ice (not sure who it was). Fourth-line Ducks forward Matt Beleskey was given a double minor for roughing.

“I was not very happy, first of all, seeing their defenseman (Lovejoy) kneeing our guy (MacKinnon). That was a knee-to-knee hit and it should have been a penalty in my opinion,” Roy said. “Certainly didn’t like that. When it’s 6-0 I don’t think this game needs this type of cheap shot. But after that obviously there was some talk from coaches, I guess, but at the same time what should I do? He put his fourth line on the ice and I’m not going to go with my first line, and I went with my fourth line and that’s it. I’ve been matching (lines) all night long by the way.”



Avs head coach Patrick Roy encouraged his players in the first period. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)
Avs head coach Patrick Roy encouraged his players in the first period. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

Lovejoy and MacKinnon dropped the gloves in the second period but were only assessed roughing minors. Roy, after explaining the wild ending in his NHL coaching debut, said it was “just a normal night” and the “great intensity felt like I never left.”

Avs enforcer Patrick Bordeleau might have stirred the pot, but says the Ducks were looking for the fight.

“Patty (Roy) said nothing crazy at the end. They for sure rushed at us. I didn’t even hit the guy in front of the bench,” Bordeleau said. “They rushed at us, like three guys, so me and McLeod dropped the gloves to get ‘er going.”

He added: “They lost their minds, I guess.”

Fifth-year Avs center Matt Duchene said it was probably the most fun he’s had playing hockey in the past four years and reminded him of Roy’s fights with Detroit goalies Mike Vernon and Chris Osgood.

“I was like a kid, sitting on the bench kind of re-living the Vernon fight and the Osgood fight. It’s kind of similar, pretty cool. I’m giddy right now,” Duchene said. “It’s so fun to win like that and such a difference from the last few years. (Roy) is leading the charge here and we’re ready for it … Maybe it was a little much at the end there, but that’s alright we sent a message.”

Duchene said he saw Bordeleau fake like he was going to hit one of the Ducks against the bench boards.

“Bordy threw a head fake on the guy and it kind of went from there and it turned into an old-fashioned donnybrook. It was old-time hockey,” Duchene said. “Hopefully we’re sold out after next game after that. I don’t think the fans could ask for anything more than we gave them tonight.”

Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin said: “That’s Patrick Roy’s style. He wants to show everybody they’re going to be hard and tough to play against.”

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I can't wait to see how he acts when the Redwings try to take out his goalie....

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