Pacioretty Says Julien's Embellishment Comments Come From 'Jealousy'

BOSTON (CBS) -- Sunday night's Bruins-Canadiens is long over now, and both teams can officially move on when they get back to game action on Tuesday evening.

However, the whole ordeal of Claude Julien calling out the Canadiens (and the rest of the league) couldn't pass without the Canadiens having their say. While most members of the team, as well as head coach Michael Therrien, remained mostly reserved when asked about the comments, Max Pacioretty didn't hold back.

"Jealousy," Pacioretty said when asked what he thought inspired Julien's mini-rant, according to the Canadiens' official website. "We're at the top right now and reading comments like that is awesome. If we're in last place, they wouldn't be saying anything about us, but we're in first place and it's the best feeling in the world."

The Canadiens are indeed in first place with 32 points, two more than the Bruins, though Boston has played three fewer games.

Pacioretty himself authored what may have been considered by Julien to be an embellishment in Sunday's game when he spent a couple of minutes down on the ice in front of the Montreal bench after apparently taking a high stick to the face. Replays were unclear as to whether the stick that hit Pacioretty belonged to Dennis Seidenberg or Pacioretty himself, but he nevertheless remained down on the ice for a while before making his way to the bench with no apparent injury.

Therrien said Julien's comments will have no bearing on how he runs his team going forward.

"To me, those comments that he made were ridiculous and I think he was very frustrated to have lost that game," Therrien said. "Our goal is to play a style of game that we feel will best bring us success. That's what's really important for me."

That style will go up against Boston's again March 27 at the TD Garden.

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• Boston Bruins
• NHL
• Claude Julien