The hyped up war of words between Boston and Vancouver continues, with Bruins goalie Tim Thomas offering a mock apology to Roberto Luongo for failing to reciprocate the Canucks netminder's sportsmanly praise.
Luongo sparked a minor media firestorm Friday following the Canucks' 1-0 win over the Bruins by suggesting he would have stopped the game-winning shot that Thomas couldn't. The Olympic gold medal winner then clarified his comments Saturday to reporters at Vancouver International Airport.
"I said also he might make some saves that I don't," Luongo said. "I was just saying, on that particular play I would have played it different."
Luongo then added that he had been "pumping [Thomas'] tires ever since the series started. I haven't heard one nice thing he had to say about me, that's the way it is."
Thomas offered a wry reply Sunday while speaking to reporters in Boston.
"I guess I didn't realize it was my job to pump his tires," Thomas said. "I guess I have to apologize for that."
Thomas' comments followed those made in his defense by Bruins coach Claude Julien Saturday at TD Garden. Julien, after being asked numerous times about Luongo's assessment of Game 5, suggested comparing the two goalies' stats.
"Let's put it this way, I don't think Timmy is going to make much of the comment," he said.
"Either way, his stats are proof itself. He's given up six goals in five games. The guy that made the comment, I'm not quite sure how many he let in… I think you guys have an idea, so I don't think [Thomas] is going to lose sleep over it."
Luongo has let in 14 goals in the Stanley Cup final series.
The goalies' public jabs are the latest in a series that has had plenty of bad blood, including incidents of diving, taunting and even biting.
But for Vancouver, the only thing that counts is the team's performance in Game 6 on Monday, which could result in the Canucks' first-ever Stanley Cup victory.
The Cup will be in the building for the game, polished and ready for presentation.
With files from The Canadian Press
