Tortorella to Trotz: Quit whining about high-stick call

John Tortorella has a brief but important message for Barry Trotz.

"Quit whining, that's all I have to say," the Blue Jackets head coach said Monday, according to Tom Reed of the Columbus Post-Dispatch.

Tortorella was responding to Trotz's comments Sunday about a high-sticking call on Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom that was drawn by some apparent embellishment on the part of Nick Foligno.

Trotz said he hoped the NHL looked at the incident, calling it "just a little bit disrespectful to the game."

As of late Monday afternoon, Foligno had not heard from the league, and was somewhat taken aback by Trotz's words.

"I think I was most offended by his remarks only because anyone who knows me and knows the way I play, that's probably the furthest thing from my mind there," Foligno maintained.

"(Backstrom's stick) came very close to hitting me in my face," he added. "You can slow anything down and make it look how you want. If you watch it at full speed, I only throw my head back. I don't grab for my face. I do that strictly because it was so close to my face. It's a natural reaction I think anyone would have when a stick comes that close to their face."

The divisional foes will meet next on Jan. 5 in Washington.