SATURDAY FLA NHL ROUND-UP: TORTORELLA TOSSED, CATS CLAW FLAMES
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Philadelphia coach John Tortorella reluctantly left the bench Saturday night after receiving a game misconduct and bench minor early in the Flyers’ 7-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
On a night that the 2004 Stanley Cup-winning Lightning team that Tortorella coached was honoured, he lasted just 10:49 into the game before receiving the penalties right after Philadelphia fell behind 4-0.
Tortorella expressed displeasure toward the officials, and then repeatedly told referees Wes McCauley and Brandon Schrader that he would not leave. He relented after a couple minutes and headed to the locker room.
Tortorella was replaced by associate coach Brad Shaw, who handled the post-game coaches media session.
“Well, I think he was just trying to make a point that we felt like we might not been getting our fair shake,” Shaw said. “It’s an emotional game at times, and we all get elevated blood pressure.
“I’m not going to speculate on whether or not it was the right call. It’s an emotional game, you know, and Wes decided that was the right thing to do. That’s his decision in the moment.”
About 90 seconds before Brayden Point’s power-play goal made it 4-0, the referees called a penalty call on Tampa Bay’s Michael Eyssimont for tripping. It was changed to Flyers defenceman Ronnie Attard after the officials had a discussion.
“It’s just like two guys skating, hustling for a puck and their skates come together and one guy fell down and one didn’t,” Shaw said. “So, I wasn’t very excited about it myself.”
Less than a minute later, Philadelphia right-winger Garnet Hathaway was given a 10-minute misconduct for making contact with Tampa Bay’s Anthony Cirelli during a timeout for a line change.
“I’ve never seen that,” Flyers centre Sean Couturier said about Tortorella’s ejection. “Did he really deserve to get kicked out honestly after what he said? He didn’t say much.”
Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman was at the game and said he was never ejected during his NHL-record 2,141 games. But Bowman added he did get tossed once as in coach in the juniors with Peterborough for throwing spare sticks on the ice during a game at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko scored his first two goals as a Panther and Florida beat the Calgary Flames 5-1 on Saturday.
Tarasenko, acquired by the Panthers from the Ottawa Senators in a Wednesday trade, scored his first by stealing Jonathan Huberdeau’s pass with a long reach of his stick and firing the puck past Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom with a quick wrist shot 23 seconds into the second period. He celebrated with a jubilant one-knee fist pump.
“I’m not gonna lie, it’s nice,” Tarasenko said. “It’s a relief. It’s nice to understand your linemates more, the system and how the team plays and I felt (more) comfortable as the game goes on and I’m not gonna lie, it feels nice.”
Tarasenko, who also had an assist, scored his second goal late in the second period.
“I think everyone knows how special of a player he is,” said Aleksander Barkov, who was assisted by Tarasenko on his second-period goal that gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead.
“He has been in the league for (13) years now and every year he’s been one of the highest goal scorers. He makes plays, he scores goals, he has an unreal shot. So to have that type of guy on the ice is always dangerous and I like playing with him.
“So I’m trying to get the puck to him and trying to get open.”
Sam Bennett and Kevin Stenlund also scored for Florida, while Anthony Stolarz made 34 saves.
The Panthers have now won 17 of their past 20 games and retain a one-point lead over the Boston Bruins atop the NHL. The Bruins beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 on Saturday.
Yegor Sharangovich scored for the Flames and Markstrom made 26 saves.
“I thought we turned the puck over too much,” Flames captain Mikael Backlund said. “They are a highly skilled team and they are good on the transition. We kind of got away from our game in the second when we started turning pucks over.”
Defenceman Aaron Ekblad (672) passed current Flames forward Huberdeau (671) for second place in games played in Panthersfranchise history.
Ekblad left the game with a leg injury after colliding with Tarasenko late in the first period and did not return.
Florida forward Evan Rodrigues left the game after blocking a slap shot with his ankle late in the second period and also did not return.
Coach Paul Maurice did not have an update on either player, stating that both need to be evaluated on Sunday.
Newly acquired Panthers forward Kyle Okposo did not play after getting traded to Florida from Buffalo on Friday.
UP NEXT
Flames: Visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.
Panthers: Visit the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
(Associated Press)
