Watch: Flyers’ John Tortorella Ejected After Screaming at Referees

In the Philadelphia Flyers’ first game since Friday’s NHL trade deadline, head coach John Tortorella was ejected after an expletive-laden screaming match with the referees calling the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Flyers were under the cosh from the start of the game, as Egor Zamula was held out of the lineup due to illness.

As such, the Flyers were forced to dress 13 forwards and five defensemen, including debutants Erik Johnson and Denis Gurianov.

Predictably, things didn’t go according to plan for Tortorella and the Flyers. Tampa Bay scored four times in a 10-minute span to put the hosts up 4-0 in the first period, and Tortorella had just about had enough. Forty-two seconds after Garnet Hathaway received a 10-minute misconduct and immediately after Brayden Point’s goal to make it 4-0, Tortorella was tossed for blowing up on the officials.

John Tortorella was ejected from tonight's game after an expletive-laden tirade #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/spCDMgoC5b

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) March 10, 2024

Tortorella has become more and more reserved in his advanced age, but the Flyers’ bench boss has still had his moments this season, including his latest one in Tampa Bay on Saturday night. Of course, nobody is going to forget Tortorella’s rant directed at Anthony SanFilippo over the Kevin Hayes rumors that had been spread about in the aftermath of the Cutter Gauthier saga.

For a Flyers team that just beat the NHL’s No. 1 team in the Florida Panthers a few nights ago, this effort does not resemble that effort in any capacity. Zamula’s absence certainly plays a factor in that, as does forcing Johnson into a prominent role immediately after arriving via trade. Maybe re-assigning Adam Ginning to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the middle of a road trip wasn’t the smartest call?

The Tortorella-less Flyers finished the first period in Tampa Bay down 4-0.

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