Don't you hate it when you're watching your teammates skate to an emphatic victory over the Nashville Predators, and then all of a sudden an agitating gnat completely misses a check, flips over the boards and ends up on your lap?
And doesn't the fact that it's Jordin Tootoo make it just a little worse? From last night's Colorado Avalanche victory over the Preds, a comedy of failures:
As you can see, not only did Tootoo disappear onto the Avs' bench, but his respect for The Code disappeared, too -- diving to the ice and turtling when Darcy Tucker skated over to make him pay for ... well, probably for being Jordin Tootoo.
After the game, Colorado Coach Tony Granato did everything but flap his arms and make clucking sounds when asked about Tootoo's behavior in the Denver Post:
"We expected a guy who was running around to stand up and fight for himself. Instead, he went down and covered up," Granato said of Tootoo. "I would expect a guy that runs around that much, finishing his check and stirring the pot as much as he does, to be able to answer the bell. I'm sure Darcy felt the same thing."
Avs veteran Darcy Tucker was assessed four minutes in penalties for cross-checking and unsportsmanlike conduct against Tootoo after he tried to lay a big hit on Colorado's Cody McLeod in the second period. "I don't think it warranted four minutes," Granato said.
Tootoo, whose momentum after missing McLeod carried him into the Avalanche bench headfirst, was challenged by Tucker after getting back onto the ice. Tootoo, indeed, put his hands over his head after taking a cross-check from Tucker.
Tootoo did much the same thing in a game at Nashville last month after a hit on Brian Willsie that still has the Av sidelined with a knee sprain.
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Jason Arnott scored Nashville's only goal of the night on the power play that followed Tucker's penalties. For the record, Tootoo has five fights this season after having nine last year, taking on players like Ole-Kristian Tollefsen and Brandon Prust. But watching him dive and turtle faster than the contestants during Claude Lemieux Imitation Night at a Worcester bar is more than a little embarrassing.
