Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde is a first-year head coach in the NHL. He has experienced a ton of firsts this season, and Tuesday saw him experience his first career ejection.
The Red Wings head coach was ejected from the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins for arguing with a referee. Lalonde took issue with the results of a coach's challenge relating to goaltender interference.
Detroit rallied, pulling off a 7-4 victory in a game they led 3-0 at one point. Lalonde left with the game tied at three. Veteran winger David Perron scored a natural hat trick to lead the charge.
Lalonde revealed on Wednesday he has not heard from the NHL regarding the ejection. In fact, the strongest opinion he's heard came from his 12-year-old daughter.
“She wanted to email the league and get her two cents in and she was a little down on dad’s language, too,” Lalonde said.
The Red Wings head coach accepted responsibility for the ejection. “Probably on me doing a better job of reading the situation, controlling my emotions, not putting myself in that situation,” he said.
Lalonde did say he expects to hear from the NHL about the incident. He admitted to the media that the ejection certainly took him by surprise.
“I was a little shocked. I don't know if it warranted that,” he said. “As far as the call, I would make that challenge 100 out of 100 times.”
Tuesday was his first ejection at the NHL level, but not his first ejection overall. Lalonde received the boot in a game in the United States Hockey League.
“And we came back from three goals in that game,” the Red Wings head coach said. “So, I don’t want to waste them. But we’re 2-0 on my lifetime ejections.”
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