Second thoughts

My goons can beat up your goons

John Tortorella said after his Vancouver Canucks’ 3-2 shootout victory over the Calgary Flames that he doesn’t endorse fighting in hockey.

That’s a surprising statement for anyone who watched Saturday’s first period.

It took just two seconds into the game for five seperate fights to break out at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. Canuks’ Tom Sestito and Brian McGratten, of the Flames, were the first to drop their gloves, and the other eight players on the ice followed suit with individual brawls.

Sestito and McGratten were each given five-minute penalties for fighting and 10 minutes for misconduct, and the other eight players were thrown out of the game. A combined 178 penalty minutes were levied in the first period and reporters said it looked more like a scene from the 1970smovie “Slapshot” than an actual NHL game.

The fights were between backup players. Calgary Coach Bob Hartley started his fourth line in the game, and Tortorella, sensing something was amiss, started his backups, too.

“I don’t want it in the game,” Tortorella said, “but I have to protect my team. … I see the starting lineup and I know the other guy across the bench. … I can’t put our players at risk that way. With the lineup that we had, I am not going to put those type of players at risk - and that’s what ensues.

“I’m not proud of it. I’ve apologized to every one of the players involved in it. I don’t feel great about it at all. … But I’d do the same thing again if it came that way because I cannot put anybody else out there knowing what’s going to happen and knowing the guy across the way.”

Tortorella’s ire continued after the first period, when cameras saw him outside of the Flames’ locker room with Flames players preventing his entry.

Hartley told reporters he started his backups as a reward and was surprised by the reaction.

“We had absolutely zero intentions there,” Hartley said.

“Those guys are playing hard for us. We’re a disciplined hockey club. As far as I know, they were the home team, so they had the luxury of putting whoever they wanted on the ice.”

For the record, Vancouver is 25-16-9, good for fourth in the Pacific Division, putting it five points out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. Calgary (16-26-7) is sixth in the Pacific, 25 points out of the playoffs.

No faith

Connecticut women’s basketball Coach Geno Auriemma doesn’t know the religions of his players. He doesn’t care, either.

In an interview with the Hartford (Conn.) Courant, the coach who has won eight national championships said he thinks it’s “stupid” to mix religion with sports. His team doesn’t pray before or after games, or during any other team meeting.

“I think everyone that goes on national television, and is asked why do you win, says ‘I want to thank God [for giving them the strength to perform].’” Auriemma said. “Really? Like God gives a crap that you made 18 jump shots.

I have always had a problem with that.”

Auriemma said he prayed before and after every game while attending a Catholic high school in Pennsylvania, but it’s not part of what he does as a coach.

“If you asked me the religion of my players, I would say I have no idea,” he said. “I really don’t care.

It’s none of my business. And I have tried to keep it that way.”

Quote of the day “That was my call and it worked out.” Arkansas women’s Coach Tom Collen, on overriding his assistant coach and wife, Nicki, on a defensive call in the final seconds of Sunday’s 68-65 victory over Mississippi.

Sports, Pages 14 on 01/20/2014

Upcoming Events