Kevin Westgarth brought some truculence to the Calgary Flames on Friday, although his team still finished the evening with a 2-0 loss to the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.
In his second game as a member of the Flames, Westgarth fought Lightning forward Ryan Malone in a quick scrap just before the midway point of the first period.
Westgarth was acquired by the Flames in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 30. He’s not a goal scorer, but brings an element of toughness coveted by acting general manager Brian Burke.
“I’ve liked him since he played college hockey … I liked him in the American League,” Burke said earlier this week. “What he brings is what we desperately need: Size and toughness.”
Of course, the Flames, with Friday’s shutout loss, could use some scoring. They’ve lost four straight games, been outscored 10-1 in that span, which includes being held off the score board entirely in three of those games.