DALLAS -- Flyers coach Peter Laviolette and Dallas forward Steve Ott got into a brief altercation between periods heading for their dressing rooms.
Replays by VERSUS show Ott holding Laviolette up by yapping at him. He then gives Laviolette a push as the coach tries to move past him. Laviolette returns the push, moving past Ott to the left.
Apparently, it had nothing to do with Otts hard hit on Claude Giroux in the opening period. Ott said it was about allowing the Stars to exit first as a courtesy in their building.
"I mean, have a little respect," Ott said. "They're supposed to go the other way. If the coaches use the tunnel, then they wait for the players. That's just the way it always is.
I mean, if he has to be 'that guy,' I guess he can be. But there should be a mutual respect there. I wouldn't do it to his Philadelphia Flyers team, and he shouldn't do it to ours.
Laviolette refused to comment after the game on the incident.
"We just had a big win, we moved back into first place in the Eastern Conference, Laviolette said. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks won. We should probably keep it about the game because it was such a big win for our team.
NHL
Pressed on the matter, Laviolette said. What a huge win for our organization tonight. Do you think?
Since this altercation involves a coach, it will surely be reviewed by Colin Campbell, the NHLs director of hockey operations.
The two player benches join a common tunnel at center ice. Although the visiting team exits the ice through a different tunnel at one end of the rink, it's customary for the visiting coaches to sometimes exit through the common tunnel which the Stars players and their coaches also use.
That's why Laviolette and his coaches were there while his players were somewhere else.
During the second period, Flyers assistant coach Craig Berube was yelling at Ott, undoubtedly about the incident.
It seemed to carry over onto the ice as Ott and several Flyers exchanged words.
I was trying to stand up for my partners (Giroux), said Marc-Andre Bourdon who got into it with Ott that period. If hes chirping at others, just fight me but then Brenden Morrow got in there. He Ott turned around firstHes just a bleep.
After the second period, the Flyers coaching staff waited till Dallas went up the tunnel and wanted to follow, but officials made the Flyers staff go onto the ice, after their players and take the long way around to the dressing room.
E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net.