Julien addresses firing

Claude Julien was as surprised as anyone when he was fired as the New Jersey Devils coach Monday.

In his first public comments since being removed, Julien said he wasn’t expecting to be fired because only three games remained in the regular season and his team was in first place and primed for the playoffs.

“You’re thinking you’re going to be heading into the playoffs and you’re getting mentally prepared for that,” Julien said in a teleconference Wednesday.

Julien’s firing stunned Devils players as well, even though the team had gone through a rough stretch, losing seven of their first 10 games in March. New Jersey has won five of its last six games since then, including Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over Ottawa in general manager Lou Lamoriello’s first game behind the bench.

Julien didn’t criticize Lamoriello, who told reporters Monday that he made the 11th-hour change because he felt the team lacked focus and wasn’t mentally or physically ready for the playoffs.

“As coach, sometimes you make decisions that are tough to understand but are for the good of the hockey club,” Julien said. “In Lou’s mind, he really thought that was the best decision for the hockey club, and I have to respect that.”

The firing came a day after the Devils regained first place in the Atlantic Division.

Chiefs signed

Two Spokane Chiefs will play pro minor league hockey.

The Vancouver Canucks assigned Michael Grabner to Manitoba of the American Hockey League. Teammate Derek Ryan has been signed by Kalamazoo of the United Hockey League.

On the ice

Sharks 3, Ducks 2 (SO): At Anaheim, Calif., Scott Hannan and Steve Bernier tied the score with second-period goals, and San Jose got goals from Jonathan Cheechoo and Ryane Clowe in a shootout to beat Anaheim.

Capitals 3, Thrashers 2: Alex Ovechkin scored two second-period goals, giving him eight in four games in Atlanta this season, and Washington beat Atlanta.