Posted by Pierre LeBrun
GREENBURGH, N.Y./ARLINGTON, Va. -- Did Capitals defenseman Shaone Morrisonn bite Rangers forward Brandon Dubinsky or not?
Dubinsky says yes. Morrisonn says no.
"It's tough to see in the scrum, for sure," Dubinsky said Monday after practice. "But it's pretty obvious what happened as far as our standpoint and evidence and stuff like that. Like I said, it's out of my hands. I just want to focus on my game and play, and we'll let management and the team take care of the rest."
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Brandon Dubinsky, far left, claims he was bitten by Shaone Morrisonn during Sunday's Game 6. Morrisonn denied the claim.
Dubinsky's right wrist was taped up, and he said that's where the bite occurred. I asked him whether he was sure it was Morrisonn who bit him.
"That's who I had, 100 percent sure," Dubinsky said.
Morrisonn absolutely denied it.
"I have no idea what he's talking about, what that's all about, actually," Morrisonn said. "It's weird that they're talking about that."
Morrisonn said Caps GM George McPhee was handling the matter.
"It was news to me when we landed last night," the Caps blueliner said. "I didn't really understand what he was saying. I don't know what to say. That's not what happened. I didn't do that or anything like that. …
"I was kind of shocked that they would say that, but this is what they do. But whatever. I'm just getting ready for Game 7."
Caps coach Bruce Boudreau also was angered by the allegation.
"I get so ticked off when I hear that," Boudreau said. "Shaone doesn't know what the heck they are talking about, and I don't either. I looked at it from every angle. … To me, it's a moot point, and let's move on."
Said Rangers coach John Tortorella, "I heard about it. I didn't see it, so I have no comment on that."
Caps' captain returns?
There's a chance Chris Clark could suit up Tuesday night. The Caps' captain hasn't played since late January.
"My last playoff game was a Game 7, too, in Calgary, so hopefully I can feed off of that," he said Monday. "Hopefully I have a little more legs than the Rangers have and I can add a little more speed. I'm in shape, and I've done everything I could because I've been skating the whole time, so there's no problem with that. It's just game shape, that first-game-of-the-year type thing."
Clark said Boudreau told him to "be ready."
Hello, kid
The new face at Rangers practice Monday was Russian rookie Artem Anisimov. Tortorella wasn't yet sure whether he would insert him into the lineup. With Blair Betts out after having his bell rung by Donald Brashear, either Anisimov or Colton Orr will go in.
"Yeah, would be exciting," Anisimov said in limited English. "A lot of pressure for me. Young guy. If I play tomorrow, it's second game in NHL for me."
He had 81 points (37 goals) this season with the Rangers' AHL affiliate in Hartford.
Avery is A-OK
Avery's return to the lineup Sunday earned mixed reviews from the coach.
"Sean is a guy I thought was good in spurts," Tortorella said. "He'll be better in Game 7."
Believe it or not ...
Do the Rangers really think they can win Tuesday?
"No athlete, no matter the ebbs and flows of a series, no athlete goes into a Game 7 thinking they can't win," Tortorella said. "It's a great opportunity. We have the wrong people on the bus if we have to go in there with a big speech as far as getting ready to play. They will be ready to play. How it falls out, I have no idea. We'll be there ready to compete."
Game 7 for Henrik
It's his fourth NHL playoff season, but Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist has never played in a Game 7. Mind you, he has won an Olympic gold medal, so you can't beat that kind of one-game pressure.
"Yeah, like playing in national team tournaments, like world championships or Olympics, you play one game," Lundqvist said. "It's nothing new for me."
Henrik not a "god"?
Alex Ovechkin raised some eyebrows Sunday when he said Lundqvist can't always be a god, but the Rangers weren't biting Monday.
"I don't think any of us care about what he is talking about," Rangers center Scott Gomez said. "We just care about what is going on in here. We know what we have to do. They have their game plan, and we have ours. Talk is cheap. It is what goes on tomorrow."
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