Logan Couture admits he’s a cheater like Sidney Crosby

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Logan Couture of the San Jose Sharks didn’t back down from his post-Game 2 comments that, on faceoffs, Sidney Crosby “cheats and gets away with that [because] he’s Sidney Crosby.”

In fact, the Sharks center said he’s a cheater too. And that Joe Thornton is, too.

“Everyone cheats on faceoffs. I cheat, Jumbo cheats. That’s how you try and win draws,” said Couture.

But Crosby gets away with it more than most.

“He’s one of the best at it,” said Couture.

[PUCK DADDY: How Sidney Crosby Cheats on Faceoffs]

What Couture said, and reiterated on Friday at Sharks practice, is essentially true: Everyone who ever takes a faceoff cheats.

Just like they do on jump-balls in the NBA. Just line a linesman illegally holds up a defensive player on every running play in the NFL. It all comes down to whether you can mask that cheating, or if your reputation is such that you earn the benefit of the doubt.

But his comments about Crosby went viral after Game 2, with fans and media latching onto them as an example of frustration at best and sore-losing at worst.

They inspired such reactions as:

And …

And …

Ouch.

Couture said he wasn’t aware that his comments drew some ire from the public and media.

“I don’t know if it got scrutiny. If it did, it did. If you ask their centermen, they’re going to say we cheat as well,” he said.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was asked about Couture's comments on Thursday. “Listen, all centers that go in there to take a faceoff are trying to get an edge,” Sullivan said. “That’s just the reality of it. They’re doing the same thing our guys are doing. The way I look at it, that’s all part of being a center iceman and trying to figure out ways to get an edge and be successful. Sid’s not doing anything their guys aren’t doing."

Sullivan then added, “Quite honestly it really isn’t really worthy of a response.”

So what was his specific issue with Crosby’s faceoffs?

“When you get in a draw, the linesman tells you to put your stick down. Sometimes he stops it if it’s an unfair advantage. Sometimes they don’t,” was what Couture offered.

For the record, his comments weren’t directed at the final play of Game 2, when Crosby won a draw and the Penguins scored the game-winner on a play he basically designed.

“That was a clean faceoff. I never said anything about that. It was clean. They made a nice play off the faceoff,” said Couture.

So were his comments about Crosby directed toward the linesmen, working them for Game 3 on Saturday to look out for “cheating" from the Penguins captain?

“No, not at all. These guys are the best in the world at what they do,” he said of the officials. “And if you look at our team, and we do the same thing.”

--

Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.