[January 21, 2014](Reuters) — Vancouver Canucks coach
John Tortorella will miss six games as part of a 15-day suspension
handed down by the National Hockey League on Monday for trying to enter
an opposing team's locker room.
Tortorella, who is not permitted to have any interaction with his
team during the ban, tried to barge into the Calgary Flames locker
room after the first period of last Saturday's game, which began
with a 10-player brawl.
"Mr. Tortorella's actions in attempting to enter the Calgary Flames
locker room after the first period were both dangerous and an
embarrassment to the League," said NHL Senior Executive Vice
President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell.
Calgary coach Bob Hartley used a starting lineup of mostly
fourth-line enforcers and Tortorella, who as the home coach was able
to respond with whatever lineup he wanted, opted to send out his
enforcers as well.
All 10 skaters engaged in a brawl when the game began and Tortorella
could be seen screaming at Hartley during the melee. The fights
resulted in eight ejections and 152 penalty minutes.
Hartley was fined $25,000 for his role in the in the brawl,
the NHL said in a separate statement.
When the first period ended, TV cameras caught Tortorella
involved in an altercation outside the Calgary locker room as he
tried to get inside and confront Hartley.
"We respect the decision made by the National Hockey League
today to suspend John Tortorella for 15 days from Sunday, with
no contact with the team for six games," Canucks General Manager
Michael Gillis said in a statement.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto;
editing by Frank Pingue)
