Rangers coach criticizes team, gets upset with reporter following Monday's win (w/)

The New York Rangers handed the Florida Panthers their first regulation loss of the 2021-22 season Monday night, but Rangers coach Gerard Gallant was in no mood to celebrate. Following the win, Gallant criticized his team for almost blowing it in the third period, when the Panthers managed to get the game to 4-3.

"It was no fun watching that. You win a game against an undefeated team, a great team, and you don't feel good about that win. I'll take the two points later, but it's not the way you got to play hockey," said Gallant.

"We battled for two periods and that third period, just, it's not acceptable for us," Gallant continued. "We've got to fight through it. We've got to grow up. We've got to be men and fight through it late in the hockey game."

Meanwhile, Gallant seemed to get particularly annoyed when asked about Alexis Lafreniere playing just nine minutes in the game by Mollie Walker of the New York Post.

"Are you kidding me, Mollie. Like, seriously," said Gallant with an exasperated look on his face. "The kid played tonight, I mean, give it a rest."

Walker followed up his question by asking Gallant how he thought Lafreniere played.

"I thought he was fine," Gallant said, continuing to look very annoyed. "Like, there's nothing more than Lafreniere tonight? Guys scored some good goals, we played some pretty good hockey and you're gonna bring up Lafreniere again? Give the kid a break."

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