David Rittich on stick flip: I'll do it again

If anyone thought David Rittich would be apologizing for flipping his stick Jose Bautista style during a recent game against the Edmonton Oilers, you were dead wrong. In fact, despite complaints from some members of the Edmonton Oilers, Rittich says he can't wait to do it again. 

"We're not able to celebrate in this league anymore or what?" Rittich said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "I didn't want to do anything more. I just celebrate. Why I should change myself? I'm going to do it (again). I'm that guy who is showing emotions, who is celebrating goals and wins.”

After reaching out to poke check the Oilers' Leon Draisaitl in last Wednesday's shootout win, Rittich threw his stick in the air. Draisaitl later called the move disrespectful, saying Rittich was acting like he just won the Stanley Cup. 

"I just did what I did. I don't have any reason why I did it," Rittich told reporters following the game. 

If nothing else, the move served to heat up an already very heated rivalry between the Flames and Oilers this season. Saturday night's game produced a very different result, as Edmonton put a beating on Calgary 8-3, but it also went crazy with the fights as several players got into it, including goaltender Mike Smith and Cam Talbot. The teams meet again on April 4th.