The reason for the fine really ticks me off. Canuck fans and other idiots are all fawning over Bieksa for protecting the 6'6" meathead AHL fighter from breaking a nail in his first NHL game. Yet Westgarth is the one stepping up to the faceoff in place of B. Jones (who is the center on that line) for one reason: to protect him from having to fight the 6'6" meathead AHL fighter. The fact that Laine already smacked Jones around in an AHL game makes it an even more compelling reason for Westgarth to step up. That is team solidarity right there - that is looking out for a teammate. For all those that keep going on about the number of faceoffs that Westgarth has taken and how he was there to fight, the response is "Kellan Laine. Period." The only reason Westgarth is at the dot. Any other Vancouver lineup on the ice, and B. Jones is taking the faceoff.
Bieksa, the moron, is only taking the faceoff so he can goad Westgarth into a penalty. He had no intention of fighting, but you can bet that's not what he was saying at the dot. It would have worked if he hadn't gone off to pick a fight he thought he could win (which he didn't anyway). And how did Bieksa's paternal protector move end up for Laine at the end of the day? Laine got his nose punched in by Westgarth anyway. Nice protecting, Bieksa, real nice...
Anyway, the fact that Hartley is fined due to Westgarth is a massive joke. My respect for Westgarth went up significantly on how he handled the situation and himself. This fine stinks!
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