Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella explains his frustrations with Pierre-Luc Dubois

It might have shocked those who didn’t know the whole story.

The sight of Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella laying into center Pierre-Luc Dubois on the bench and Dubois dishing it right back certainly raised eyebrows Tuesday, after the spat was shown during a Sportsnet broadcast.

Taking place shortly before the third period of Game 2 between the Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs, who won 3-0 to split the first two games in a best-of-five series, the exchange got people talking.

Dubois and Tortorella, however, weren’t among them. Dubois hasn’t spoken with reporters since the incident, and Tortorella wasn’t directly asked about it Wednesday in a video conference with reporters. He was asked about Dubois, though, and his answer was a continuation of a conflict that has simmered for a while.

“It’s a process,” Tortorella said, when asked how Dubois responds to adversity during games. “He’s a young player, still learning to understand momentum swings in games, what is needed in certain situations when things aren’t going right for him or the team. … It doesn’t surprise me. It happens with all young players.”

This particular young player, however, is like his coach in one big regard. He has a strong will that isn’t easily broken. So Tortorella and Dubois have played “tug-of-war" in this regard much of this season.

Tortorella is on one end, pulling and prodding Dubois to become one of the NHL’s top two-way centers. Dubois is tugging at the other end with the resolute belief that playing so much defense in Tortorella’s system is holding him back offensively.

They had a couple of notable clashes during the regular season, played out with public comments, and Tortorella picked it back up during the Jackets’ two-week training camp to prepare for the postseason.

It’s interesting to note that Dubois was one of five Blue Jackets skaters who were caught in the Maple Leafs’ zone after Toronto captain John Tavares made it 2-0 on a breakaway early in the third period — after the verbal confrontation on the Columbus bench.

It might amount to nothing, but it’s a situation that will be watched even more closely now.

Lottery announcement

The NHL announced it will conduct the second portion of its two-part draft lottery Monday. It’s the first event of its kind, which the league concocted in response to the 24-team playoff format it is using to conclude the season.

The first portion of the draft, held in June, placed eight teams into draft slots ranging from second to eighth. A “placeholder” got the first pick, which prompted the second draw. All eight teams that lose in the qualifying round will get one lottery ball in the drawing, which means a 12.5% chance for each to win.

bhedger@dispatch.com

@BrianHedger

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