Not sure if Hartley wanted a brawl or was just rewarding the grinders, I'm leaning toward him sending the Canucks a message though. Quite possible though that Hartley wasn't expecting a line brawl and was just expecting a McGrattan/Sestito fight.
If Tortorella didn't want to play into Hartley's hand all he had to do was start a line like Kessler/Richardson/Higgins and I doubt any fights would have happened. He didn't even need to start the Sedins, just didn't have to start his goons to match Hartley.
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