Bruce Cassidy Apologizes to Arizona Coyotes for Comments After Game 5 Loss

After a frustrating and disappointing loss to the Dallas Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final, Vegas Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy was perhaps a bit too honest in his assessment of his team.

Dallas beat the Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena, setting up a pressure-packed Game 6 at American Airlines Center.

Vegas had 24 turnovers in the game and never really found its rhythm. The loss was the Golden Knights’ second straight loss after claiming a 3-0 series lead.

“We have 24 giveaways. I’m not sure you’re beating the Arizona Coyotes in January with 24 giveaways,” Cassidy said that night. “That’s no disrespect to Arizona, but it’s not the right way to play.”

Oops.

Coaches don’t often poke at other teams in postgame press conferences. Cassidy felt bad about his comments and veered away from a question about what he learned from his previous Stanley Cup Final experience to get his apology on the record.

“I want to apologize to Arizona. I made a comment after 5 the other day. It wasn’t intended that way. I brought them into this, and I shouldn’t have,” said Cassidy. “I contacted Bill Armstrong and John Ferguson to apologize for that. It was a dumb thing to say, disrespectful of puck management — to bring in another team — they play hard, and I’m sorry. I wanted to get that out there.”

Cassidy’s press conference kicked off the Golden Knights Stanley Cup Final media availability. The team was off Wednesday. They will resume practice Thursday and Friday before Game 1 on Saturday against the Florida Panthers at T-Mobile Arena.