Ex-Red Wing Tyler Bertuzzi In Hot Water
Look out.
While the Detroit Red Wings lacked fire in their second loss to the Montreal Canadiens, a former Red Wings player showed more fire than necessary. Despite scoring the opening goal, they ultimately lost to the Canadiens for the second time in two days. Last night, they lost 5-1.
Alternatively, one former Red Wings forward did everything that he could to spark his team to victory. The Chicago Blackhawks fell 6-4 to the Calgary Flames, but not from a lack of trying from one Tyler Bertuzzi.
The Flames were leading 5-1 going into the third period, and that's when Bertuzzi came alive. He scored the team's first two goals of the final frame. The first came within a minute of the period beginning.
After that, Ilya Mikheyev brought the Blackhawks within one goal. And then things began to get out of hand.
Martin Pospisil takes Tyler Bertuzzi's helmet off, and Bertuzzi slashes Jonathan Huberdeau, which sets everyone off.
I imagine that was Bertuzzi's way of telling Pospisil/Calgary: "You go after our top guys, I'll go after yours." #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/mx5sOOEDIv— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 21, 2024
Martin Pospisil had Bertuzzi in a head-lock in front of the Flames' net after a whistle late in the third period. Jonathan Huberdeau came over and popped Bertuzzi's helmet off. He took exception to that and slashed the back of Huberdeau's leg once he had broken free.
Once the smoke had cleared, Bertuzzi walked away from the altercation with a roughing penalty against Pospisil, a slashing penalty against Huberdeau, and a 10-minute misconduct.
The slash seemed like an excessive reaction. Given this, I believe Bertuzzi will probably be fined for the incident.
Perhaps the Red Wings can learn from this and come out with some kind of fire against the St. Louis Blues on Monday night.
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