Phoenix Coyotes rip refs following loss to Stanley Cup-bound Kings

Mike Smith had a few bones to pick with the refs after the Coyotes Game 5 loss to the Kings. (Christian Petersen/Getty)

It sounds like the Coyotes won't go silent into the night.

Following their game five loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night, Phoenix's goaltender Mike Smith said to a group of reporters it's "disappointing that we not only got beat by [the Kings] but that we got beat by the officials too."

Smith went on to say that the refs did "everything they could not to get us to this position," furthering speculation that the league office prefers big market teams in the Stanley Cup. The entire audio clip with Smith's comments can be heard at NHL.com.

Meanwhile, Coyotes forward and team captain Shane Doan said in animated fashion from the locker room following the game that he knows the refs "do their best. I know they always try to do their best and that they're going to make mistakes. It's just tough when you're on the short end of it so many times."

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