On the opening puck drop between the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks, a line brawl broke out. The bad blood ensued throughout the game, sparking reaction on Twitter:
Saturday night's alright for fighting… BRAWL REPLAY: http://t.co/4FLzY3LOyf #Canucks
— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) January 19, 2014
Well, that escalated quickly. #CGYVAN
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) January 19, 2014
Also, an altercation broke out near the Calgary Flames’ dressing room during the first intermission of their game against the Canucks in Vancouver.
Torts pickin' a fight! pic.twitter.com/BhplB1xJZ3
— Alex Mieczynski (@brunswiki) January 19, 2014
CBC cameras captured Canucks head coach John Tortorella attempting to go into the Flames locker room at Rogers Arena, with Calgary enforcer Brian McGrattan pushing him away.
Flames goaltender coach Clint Malarchuk came out of the Flames dressing room after Tortorella and McGrattan were separated. Malarchuk followed Tortorella, but was restrained by several members of Calgary’s staff and McGrattan.
Much of the altercation appeared off camera, but another camera showed Chris Tanev pulling Alex Burrows back toward the Canucks dressing room.
CBC’s Scott Oake asked Calgary’s Lee Stempniak about the altercation during the second intermission, and the Flames forward said he was "a little surprised" to see Tortorella outside the visiting locker-room.
"I know he said something as it happened on the ice and I was one of the last guys off the ice," Stempniak said. "I came in and there was a big log-jam. I didn’t really know what happened. Still not quite sure what happened."
Aaaand Canucks coach John Tortorella dropped a few F-Bombs. #Canucks #CGYvsVAN #hockeyday pic.twitter.com/ThK0g2XNaf
— Aaron Wood (@azvibesports) January 19, 2014
@theroyalhalf
9 guys, 2 boxes
#LA pic.twitter.com/ywKZWhgHv5
— Karl Mielke (@perch35km) January 19, 2014
The Rocky music is playing…this is beyond epic. We wish you were here. #Canucks
— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) January 19, 2014
John Tortorella is chugging a giant jar of creatine, ripping off his shirt, drinking human blood in the Canucks room right now.
— Ace (@SuicidePass) January 19, 2014
The #canucks could charge an admission to Tortorella's post-game presser
— Brad Ziemer (@BradZiemer) January 19, 2014
Plenty of elbow room on the bench with 4 ejections and two others in the box. #fightnight pic.twitter.com/LZnVbU6wxH
— Karen Thomson (@KJT1040) January 19, 2014
There are seven #Canucks on the team bench, not including Eddie Lack. #depthisoverrated
— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) January 19, 2014
Bieksa, Weise, Garrison and Lain all got five minute penalties and game misconducts. Sestito got five-minutes and a 10-minute misconduct. #?
— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) January 19, 2014
Kellan Lain's parents and one of his siblings apparently flew in from Ontario to watch his NHL debut. Lasted two seconds. #canucks
— Brad Ziemer (@BradZiemer) January 19, 2014
Feel sorry for Kellan Lain tonight. What a tough spot he got put in in his NHL debut.
— Jon Kuiperij (@BeaverSports) January 19, 2014
#Canucks Lain's #NHL debut lasts 2 seconds. Imagine if he never plays again
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) January 19, 2014
Looks like people were ice fishing, patches of blood all over the ice. #Canucks
— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) January 19, 2014
Luongo, right now. pic.twitter.com/hiBqiIAI79
— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) January 19, 2014
Goals in the second period. A change of pace. #canucks #flames
— Hosea Cheung (@hosea24hours) January 19, 2014
Selfishly, I hope Torts's suspension is over by the time #Canucks visit #Habs on Feb. 6
— Dave Stubbs (@Dave_Stubbs) January 19, 2014
Can someone explain the logic of starting a hockey game with five fights? Isn’t the object of the game to put the puck in the net? #Canucks
— Jason deVos (@jasondevos) January 19, 2014
Alright Twitter. You win. *turns tv back on & switches channel to #canucks vs #flames.
— Grace P. (@Graicee) January 19, 2014
So……what’d I miss? #canucks
— Wayne D (@pucksnrucks) January 19, 2014
–With files from the Canadian Press