DeBoer makes up with reporter after postgame outburst
Warning: Story contains coarse language
Dallas Stars head coach Peter DeBoer owned up Saturday to letting his emotions get the better of him after Friday night's loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
DeBoer got into a heated exchange with Dallas Morning News columnist and ESPN personality Tim Cowlishaw after the Stars' 3-1 loss in Game 5. DeBoer took offense to a question from Cowlishaw that the bench boss perceived to be criticizing his team's character.
"You can sit here and question our character if you want," DeBoer said Friday. "You haven't been around all year, I haven't seen you here all year."
DeBoer wasn't having it when Cowlishaw insisted he wasn't questioning the Stars' character.
"You are, that's what you're doing," DeBoer said. "I'm not gonna do it. You go ahead and write whatever the fuck you want."
Pete DeBoer on the Stars effort in Game 5. pic.twitter.com/crfPveIg5U
- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 1, 2024
On Saturday, DeBoer took a more amicable tone when Cowlishaw asked whether the Stars already having won two in a row in the series after trailing helps them in the same situation now.
"That's a good question, Tim," DeBoer said with a laugh, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers. "Let's do a redo. Yeah, I mean and again, I think to last night, if I had a redo on your question, what I would tell you is, this team, and I'm not saying you were - I took it that way in an emotional moment after the game - but the one thing we can't question in our group in my mind is our commitment, our care, our character.
"This group was in third place in the division (with) eight weeks left in the season, won the conference, found a way to push for the Presidents' Trophy, was down against the last two Stanley Cup champions in Round 1 and 2, including 2-0 going on the road into Vegas, got off the mat, (and) found a way to win both those series," he continued. "I get the question. I get how it felt last night, but I've got full confidence in the character in our room."
DeBoer also gave Cowlishaw credit for making "a really fair point" when he noted the bench boss has had to stretch the Stars' defense, thereby making them more fatigued. However, the head coach added he won't use that as an excuse.
The question Cowlishaw posed Friday about Dallas' "lifeless" second period stems from the Stars' overall slow start to the game. The Stars failed to respond after a sluggish opening 20 minutes, allowing the Oilers to score twice in the first 5:09 of the middle frame to take a 3-0 lead. Dallas had only recorded five shots on net at that point.
Dallas got going in the third period, but it was too little too late. For the game, the Oilers outshot the Stars 26-20 and controlled 56.2% of the expected goals at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.
The Stars find themselves on the brink of elimination, but they've shown plenty of fight so far in these playoffs. They stormed back against the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 1, taking the series in seven games despite dropping the first two contests at home. Four of their 10 wins this postseason have been comebacks.
Edmonton can advance to the Stanley Cup Final with a victory in Game 6 on Sunday.
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