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Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella was fined $20,000 and warned he could face an additional penalty for ripping NHL officials after a game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The league announced the fine against Tortorella. The league also said Tortorella was given a conditional fine of $25,000 that the league will collect if he behaves in a similar fashion at any point through Dec. 29.
Tortorella went after officials Sunday for mishandling the clock in overtime. The Blue Jackets were given a power-play opportunity with 19 seconds remaining in overtime but an extra second ticked off the clock when the play was blown dead. Officials refused to add an additional second.
As time expired in the overtime frame, Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski put a goal in the back of the net but it was waved off because replay showed that the puck crossed the goal line after time expired. Tortorella argued that if there had been one extra second, Werenski’s goal would have counted.
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“So the whistle is blown at 19.2 on the clock. For some reason, the clock is run down a second and a tenth to 18.1. Whatever reason, I have no g--d--- idea,” he said. “So instead of resetting the clock, we have them tell our captain, ‘We're not going to do it.’ [The league office in] Toronto doesn't step in, refs don't do their freaking job and now we lose the game, and we lose our goalie."
The NHL defended the official in question, and said that Tortorella’s behavior was “unprofessional along with unacceptable.”
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Colin Campbell, the NHL’s director of hockey operations, said the referee’s decision was a judgment call. The referee checked with the clock operator before denying the Blue Jackets’ request to restore the time. Campbell said NHL operations did not need to get involved.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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