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VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks prepared Monday to play without their coach and captain for the foreseeable future. Coach John Tortorella was suspended 15 days on Monday, a span that will include six games starting with Tuesday nights game in Edmonton. He missed practice to attend a disciplinary hearing in New York with NHL officials. Tortorella got in trouble for entering the Calgary dressing room area, in an apparent attempt to get at Flames coach Bob Hartley, after the first period of a game marred by a line brawl following the opening face-off. Meanwhile, assistant coach Mike Sullivan, who ran practice and will take the reins from Tortorella against the Oilers, confirmed that captain Henrik Sedin will miss the game due to an undisclosed injury. Sedins absence will bring his consecutive-games-played streak -- the second-longest among active NHLers -- to an end following 679 straight games. "His status is day to day, but he will not play in Edmonton," said Sullivan. While NHL officials did not appreciate Tortorellas actions, which were aired on "Hockey Night in Canada," the players did. "I think it shows how passionate he is and how much he cares about his team," said defenceman Kevin Bieksa, who was at the centre of the brawl. "The other guy (Flames coach Bob Hartley), I dont know what he was thinking. But I think you respect a coach more when you see that hell watch your back and you see how much he cares. "Were not just pawns out there." Bieksa was among the eight players -- four from each team -- who were ejected two seconds into the contest that featured 10 fighting majors and a total of 152 penalty minutes after both coaches put out their fourth lines first. The punches started flying when Bieksa moved from his defence position to take the opening draw after he saw Kevin Westgarth, usually a penalty-prone winger, preparing to take the opening draw against Kellan Lain, a rookie whose NHL debut lasted only two seconds before he was ejected for fighting. "I kind of put two and two together," said Bieksa. "We heard their starting lineup. We definitely knew what was going to happen and we were told to defuse the situation if we could. I saw Westgarth line up at centre and evened that match." Bieksa said Tortorellas between-period actions occurred because the coach was upset that Lain, whose parents travelled from Oakville, Ont., to watch him play, had to fight on his first shift, and the other bouts that occurred. Zack Kassian, who has been in and out of Tortorellas doghouse because of inconsistency, undisciplined play and penalties, also praised him. "No matter who you talk to in this (dressing) room, everyone knows (Tortorella) is changing the culture of this team," said Kassian, who was on the bench during the brawl. Tortorella indicated after the game that he put out his fourth line instead of his first forward unit because he was wary of potential injury to Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who do not usually fight. Winger Dale Weise, who was among the players ejected, said Tortorella, did not tell the fourth liners to drop their gloves. "I agree with putting that line out just in case something happened there," said Weise. "I totally agree with (Tortorella) 100 per cent. You cant take a chance with a guy like that, Westgarth, and how tough he is." "(Tortorella) is always preaching that hes always got our back," added winger Tom Sestito, Vancouvers resident heavyweight. "He was just showing up. Thats great. I think the guys rallied around him. I thought it was pretty good." Sullivan said the Canucks would accept Tortorellas punishment. The assistant felt Tortorellas actions near the Flames dressing room to the "heat of the moment" and declined to discuss them. "As far as the starting lineup, we talked about it as a (coaching) staff before he decided who he was going to put on the ice, and I know Torts motivation was to protect his players and his team," said Sullivan. Replacing Tortorella at the helm, he will try to get the Canucks back on a consistent track. Vancouver has only one win in its past four games and is 2-3-2 in its last 10. Bieksa said a switch to Sullivan, a former head coach with the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, would be a change behind the bench, but not in how the team plays. "Sullys been a head coach in the NHL before and he knows what its like to be the big cheese behind the bench," said Bieksa. However, Henrik Sedins absence will prompt a change on the top line, where Ryan Kesler played centre in practice between Daniel Sedin and Alex Burrows. Henrik Sedin had ranked second in consecutive games played among active NHL players to St. Louis Blues defenceman Jay Bouwmeester. "I just think its a testament to how tough he is," said Sullivan. Henrik Sedin, who according to multiple media reports was playing with a splint on an injured finger and sore ribs, left Saturdays the game following the second period after Tortorella told him to take his equipment off. Burrows indicated it will take a while to get used to playing without Sedin, who has 40 points in 50 games and last missed a contest in March 2004. "Since Ive been here, hes played every game, and thats an amazing feat," said Burrows. "Hes such a big part of this team. a Well try to win without him, but well have to wait and see." Notes: Injured defenceman Ryan Stanton (ankle) and centre Jordan Schroeder (foot), who practised Monday, are close to returning to the lineup following extended layoffs and travelled with the team to Edmonton. a The Canucks have returned goaltender Joacim Eriksson now that starter Roberto Luongo has returned to the lineup. a Lane praised Bieksa for showing leadership by replacing him in the opening face-off Saturday. Chase Utley Green Jersey . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. Yasiel Puig Green Jersey . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. http://www.baseballdodgerslockroom.com/hyun-jin-ry...rs-jers ey/ . -- Whether Jeremy Hill deserves a prominent role in LSUs offence this early in the season is a matter for debate. http://www.baseballdodgerslockroom.com/kenley-jans...rs-jers ey/ . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.baseballdodgerslockroom.com/scott-kazmi...rs-jers ey/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable.The day Ottawa Senators fans circled on their calendar on July 5 has finally arrived. Daniel Alfredsson and the Detroit Red Wings (13-7-7) are in town tonight to take on the Senators (10-12-4.) This is Alfredssons first time playing in Ottawa since leaving the place he called home for 17 seasons as a free agent in the summer. You can catch all of the action live on TSN with coverage beginning at 5pm et/2pm pt. At age 40, Alfredsson returns in the midst of a fine first season in the Motor City. He has six goals and 13 assists in 22 games in on pace for a 66-point campaign. The team plans to play a video tribute to their former captain on the scoreboard prior the game. "Well recognize what Daniel has done in Ottawa and what he means to our fans," Senators owner Eugene Melnyk told Ottawa sports radio station TSN 1200 Wednesday. "Theres no question were going to honour him and make sure that everybody is behind him." Media attention has been strong this weekend and Alfredsson spoke on Saturday about his feelings surrounding the game. "Its a division rival and theyve handed it to us pretty good two times (this season)," said Alfredsson. "Obviously coming back to Ottawa, playing the first game, Im sure it will be emotional. Im not sure how I will react but I think it will be a special night." His return sparks memories of the turmoil surrounding his departure last summer. "We all were pretty adamant that he was going to return because he is grounded in this city and so well-loved that everyone figured something would work out," Senators defenceman Marc Methot told the Ottawa Sun upon the signing. Some of that love from Senators fans has since dissipated and Alfredsson can expect a mixedd reception when he takes the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre.dddddddddddd This wont be the first time that Alfredsson has done battle with his former mates, though. He was held without a point in Detroit when the teams met on Oct. 23, but was forced to sit out with a groin strain for their second meeting exactly one month later. Back in August, Alfredsson explained his motivation to depart Ottawa and play another season when he initially had planned to retire. "In late June this year, I decided I had it in me to play one more season," Alfredsson said on August 15. "I told management I was willing to return and I reminded them of our agreement from the year before." That agreement, according to Alfredsson, was that he would be compensated for taking less money in the final year of his previous deal in order to help Ottawas cap number come down. By agreeing to a salary of $1 million in the last year of that deal, his average salary dropped to $4.8 million from the $6.1 million where it would have been because of his decision to retire. When he decided to play another year, negotiations with the Senators, Alfredsson said, "went nowhere." The Red Wings came calling and Alfredsson was more than willing to listen. "I was delighted by their enthusiasm and by their belief in how they saw me fitting into their plans," he said of the Red Wings in August. "So that call opened my eyes to a possibility I had never thought of — to play another year, maybe even two, with another great team." The repercussions of that decision will be fully felt tonight. 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