Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella fined $20K for post-game rant

Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella was fined $20,000 US by the NHL for his comments regarding the officiating in his team's 3-2 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.

The league also put Tortorella on notice that he was being assessed a conditional $25,000 fine. If he has another act of "similar inappropriate behavior" through Dec. 29, 2020, the NHL will collect the money.

WATCH | Tortorella's expletive-laden post-match press conference:

Columbus coach Tortorella fumes at officials, exits press conference after SO loss

5 years ago

Duration 0:58

In an expletive-laden post-match press conference, Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella ripped into NHL officials for refusing to add time to the clock before Zach Werenski's potential game-winner was waved off because time had expired.

Tortorella lambasted the officials after the game, contending an additional 1.1 seconds should have been put back on the clock nearing the end of the overtime period. It wasn't, and a Zach Werenski goal that would have been the game winner was waved off because time had expired.

Starting goalie Joonas Korpisalo was injured in the shootout.

WATCH | Korpisalo injured during the shootout:

Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo injured during shootout loss to Blackhawks

5 years ago

Duration 1:27

Joonas Korpisalo was injured after unsuccessfully trying to stop the first round overtime shot from Jonathan Toews, as the Columbus Blue Jackets fell to the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in the shootout.

"Refs don't do their freaking job and now we lose a game, and we lose our goalie," Tortorella said in his brief post-game news conference Sunday. "So the chain of events, if it was done right, we don't lose our goalie, we win the hockey game."

Korpisalo, who was selected to the All-Star team, will be out four to six weeks after undergoing knee surgery this week.

WATCH | Werenski's goal is waved off as time expires:

Blue Jackets potential game-winning goal waved off as time had expired

5 years ago

Duration 1:31

An apparent goal from Zach Werenski just before the buzzer in the 5-minute overtime period was waved off because a replay showed the puck crossed the goal line after time expired. The Blackhawks went on to win 3-2 in the shootout.