Coach Jacques Demers of the St. Louis...

Coach Jacques Demers of the St. Louis Blues confirmed a newspaper report that he threw pennies on the ice during last Thursday’s Stanley Cup playoff game against the Minnesota North Stars.

Demers said he wanted to give his tired penalty killers a break, so, on two separate occasions during play stoppages, he tossed pennies on the ice. The Blues eventually lost that game, 6-2.

“They were dropped in front of the bench,” Demers said. “They were five pennies. It gave us a little extra time. I just happened to be an honest person who didn’t deny it.”