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VANCOUVER -- It was an ugly throwback to another time. The Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames engaged in a wild first-period brawl Saturday night which later carried over to Canucks coach John Tortorella being involved in an altercation in the hallway outside of the Flames dressing room. The opening minutes of the NHL game, which the Canucks won 3-2 in a shootout, was like a scene from the movie Slapshot. It brought back memories of when teams like the Broad Street Bullies and Big Bad Boston Bruins waged wars on the ice. "I dont think anybody expected that," said Flames defenceman Chris Butler, one of eight players ejected from the game. "Its been a while since something like that happened, five guys pairing off." The Flames raised a red flag by putting their fourth line on the ice to start the game. The Canucks countered with their tough guys. Game on. Just two seconds had ticked off the clock when all five skaters from each team taking the opening faceoff dropped their gloves and began throwing punches. Calgary heavyweight Brian McGrattan was left bloodied in a fight with Vancouver tough guy Tom Sestito. After the fight Sestito patted McGrattan on the back of the head. Minor league callup Kellan Lains first game as a Canuck was brief. He was tossed for fighting with Calgarys Kevin Westgarth, who has no points in 21 games for the Flames. Also receiving game misconducts were Vancouvers Dale Weise plus defencemen Kevin Bieksa and Jason Garrison. Shown the door for Calgary was Westgarth, Blair Jones, Ladislav Smid and Chris Butler. "They started their goon squad over there," said Sestito, who leads the NHL with 167 penalty minutes in 47 games. "I just dont think were going to be backing down from guys." Ironically, Sestito and McGrattan remained in the game. In the aftermath of the brawl Tortorella could be seen yelling at the Flames bench. Later in the period, Calgarys Mark Giordano punched Vancouvers Alex Burrows in the face. Burrows was wearing a facemask to protect a broken jaw. It was his first game since Dec. 1. The bad blood wasnt confined to the ice. At the end of the first period CBC cameras captured Tortorella attempting to go into the Flames locker room at Rogers Arena. McGrattan pushed him away. Flames goaltender coach Clint Malarchuk came out of the Flames dressing room after Tortorella and McGrattan were separated. Malarchuk followed Tortorella, but was restrained by several members of Calgarys staff and McGrattan. Much of the altercation appeared off camera, but another camera showed Vancouver defenceman Chris Tanev pulling Burrows back toward the Canucks dressing room. Tortorella refused to comment on the incident but made no apologizes for the lineup he started. "I know the other guy across the bench," he said. "Its easy for people to say well put the Sedins out there and its deflated. I cant put our players at risk like that. "With the lineup that he had, Im not going to put those types of players at risk and thats what ensued. Im not proud of it. Ive apologized to every one of the players involved in it. I dont feel great about it at all." Flames coach Bob Hartley was left shaking his head over Tortorella charging his teams dressing room. "I just dont understand," he said. "I got out of there. I dont need to get suspended or fined. "There is nothing to be settled there. I just dont understand what was going on." Hartley also defended his starting lineup. "Those guys are playing well for us," he said. "They got a goal last game. Were not scoring many goals. We had zero intentions there. "As far as I know they were the home team. They had the luxury to put whoever they wanted on the ice." The teams combined for 188 penalty minutes in the first period. Vancouver was called for 95 minutes in penalties. Braves Rene Rivera Jersey . Five years ago, Nestor and Zimonjic beat the American twins to win the title. But the Bryans, the worlds top-ranked team, needed 74 minutes to earn the victory Saturday as both Nestor and Zimonjic lost serve in the second set. Braves Ronald Acuna Jr. Jersey . - The Jacksonville Jaguars are leaning more toward playing injured quarterback Blake Bortles against Tennessee on Thursday night. -- Downcast before the final game of what had been a difficult road trip, the Ottawa Senators found a way to dig out a little momentum in the desert before heading home. Braves Peter Moylan Jersey . -- Phil Mickelson will be watching the final two rounds of the Masters from home for the first time in 17 years. Braves Lucas Duda Jersey . -- Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Tiger Woods, shot a 2-under 69 on Tuesday to finish first in stroke-play qualifying at the Womens U.SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver is continuing his outreach to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community more than a year after his anti-gay remarks leading up to the Super Bowl. The San Francisco Bay Times announced Thursday that Culliver conducted his first interview with an LGBT media outlet, sharing how he changed his thinking. Culliver, who missed the 2013 season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee sustained during training camp, underwent sensitivity training and began doing other outreach work. Culliver has worked with "The Trevor Project," an organization that provides crisis and suicide intervention to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. "I truly appreciate the staff at the Trevor Project for allowing me to grow and educating me on the issues affecting the LGBTQ community," Culliver said Thursday in a statement to The Associated Press. "I have learned so much and made some really great friends. I will continue my commitment to the organization and to their youths and stand firm with hope that one day that all individuals regardless of sex, race, or creed will be treated with dignity and respect from all." During Super Bowl media day in 2013 at the Superdome in New Orleans, Culliver responded to questions from comedian Artie Lange by saying he wouldnt welcome a gay player in the locker room. He also said the 49ers didnt have any homosexual players and, if they did, those players should leave. He later aapologized, facing a large group of Super Bowl media members for nearly an hour.dddddddddddd "Chris has grown immensely from his words and has committed to continue to grow as a human, particularly around matters around the LGBTQ community," his publicist, Theodore Palmer, said Thursday. "He believes that every individual has a right to love the way they choose to love and celebrate the differences of others on a daily basis." In fact, Culliver told the Bay Times he hopes to work on a project with University of Missouri defensive end Michael Sam, who would become the NFLs first openly gay player. Culliver also applauded Nets centre Jason Collins, who became the first openly gay NBA player last month. "I applaud Michael and Jason for their courage," Culliver told the Bay Times. "I have absolutely no problem playing and interacting with someone from the LGBTQ community and look forward to connecting with Michael soon on some projects." The 25-year-old Culliver, a third-round draft pick in 2011 out of South Carolina, made 47 tackles with two interceptions and a forced fumble during the 2012 season while starting six games for the Niners. They lost in the Super Bowl that season to Baltimore. The San Francisco Bay Times, in its 36th year of publication, defines itself as the oldest fully LGBT-owned and funded newspaper in the Bay Area. It was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be produced jointly and equally by gay men and lesbians. 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