Tortorella: Teams kill 'good' penalties more often than 'bad' penalties

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella said recently he believes teams kill a higher percentage of penalties committed in the defensive zone compared to those in the offensive zone.

However, he doesn't have, or want, any numbers to back that opinion up, reports Aaron Portzline from The Columbus Dispatch.

Calling infractions in the defensive zone "good penalties," Tortorella is stubborn in his belief that "bad penalties" - those in the offensive zone - are tougher to kill.

"You actually think you kill a higher number of 'good' penalties than 'bad' penalties?" Portzline asked Tortorella.

"Damn right I do," he replied, laughing. "I don't know what the percentages are and I really don't give a (hoot), to be honest. I want us to take care of our blue and I want us to get to their blue. I know deep in my heart (now laughing harder) and I don't care what the number is, whether it's wrong or not, we're going to kill that penalty off."

The penalty kill hasn't been a strong point for the Blue Jackets this season, ranking 20th in the NHL at 79.8 percent, down slightly from 80.2 percent last year.

Though his team has killed just eight of 11 penalties (72.7 percent) in their past five games, Tortorella's apparent light mood in the interview likely has more to do with the team's recent winning ways - now victors of six of their last eight.

"You kill the good ones off at a higher percentage than the bad ones," he continued, laughing louder, "and I don't give a damn what percentage you come up with. I'm not going to believe you."

Copyright (C) 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.