\n<\/p>\n
Bickerstaff accused Prigioni of triggering the incident that saw them both ejected by insulting his players. <\/p>\n
“There were things said by their assistant coach,” Bickerstaff said. <\/p>\n
“I’m in the same boat as my guys are in. We’re going to defend each other and I’m not going to let people say belligerent things about my guys. <\/p>\n
“And it’s that simple. So he said what he said. He knows what he said.”<\/p>\n
Minnesota head coach Chris Finch later suggested Detroit’s physical approach early in the game had triggered the flashpoint.<\/p>\n
“I thought leading up to that, the game was way too physical,” said Finch.<\/p>\n
“It was a little lopsided in its physicality and I thought it was bound to happen. It just felt like it was coming.<\/p>\n
“We knew they were a super physical team. They hit you, they hold you… but I just thought it got to a point where players were going to take matters into their own hands, and you don’t ever want that.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n