SALT LAKE CITY | Now that the first match of the Utah Club in Salt Lake City is in the past, André Tourigny is expecting another special moment since he will face Patrick Roy’s Islanders on Thursday evening, during a trip to Long Island .
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This will be the first time that the two men find themselves on opposite benches as head coaches in the National League.
Roy was hired by the Islanders on January 20, while Tourigny was in his third season in Arizona.
The two teams had already played their two matches against each other when Roy was appointed to his position.
It will be a reunion for the two drivers. Tourigny had been Roy’s assistant with the Colorado Avalanche for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, but their association ended fizzled.
“The end in Colorado could have been better,” said Tourigny.
“Let’s just say that between us there was a lot of fire and not a lot of water! “, he continued, giggling.
On good terms
Photo Chris Gardner / Getty Images via AFP
After his time with the Avalanche, Tourigny headed to Ottawa, where another assistant role with the Senators awaited him. He then returned to junior hockey in Halifax and Ottawa (67ers), before obtaining his expected promotion to the NHL.
The one who never hides behind clichés doesn’t hide the fact that he can’t wait to cross swords with Roy.
“It’s special to face Pat. He and I still talk. It’s been a long time since we got over our differences. Honestly, when I returned to junior in Halifax, he called me and we talked often,” he said.
Today, Tourigny prefers to laugh about it when it comes to the tension that has arisen between him and Roy.
“Probably both of us weren’t in the same place in our lives at that time. He already told me that if I had to do it again, it would be different and I agree with him. We always had a good relationship before Colorado and a good relationship after. That’s when there were ups and downs. »
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