Battle of Alberta Flames Cam Talbot and Oilers Mike Smith fight David Rittich pulled then re-enters game

The goaltenders took center stage inthe latest meeting between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers inSaturday’s “Battle of Alberta” the second such matchup in 72 hours. After Flames goalie David Rittich prompted social media mockery for being pulled early, his replacement Cam Talbot and Oilers ‘tender Mike Smith squared up at center ice and threw down in a rarely-seen goalie fight. But first, Rittich. MORE: The 27-year-old netminder was pulled early in Richard Dent Jersey the second period after giving up four goals on 17 shots. It was a completereversal of fate for Rittich, who made 31 saves in in Wednesday’s edition of the Pat O’Donnell Jersey rivalry. During the midweek contest, “Big Save Dave” was at his best in thwarting a motivated Oilers squad. Rittich’s stellar game Wednesday was punctuated with a poke-check save made on Edmonton star Leon Draisaitl to clinch the shootout victory, followed by a celebration in which the 27-year-old netminder jubilantly to sed his stick into the air before greeting his teammates. David Rittich’s celly says it all. take this edition of the in a shootout! Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) The stick to s didn’t go over well in the northern half of Alberta, so when Connor McDavid scored his second goal of Saturday’s contest toseemingly seal Rittich’s fate just 3:28 into the second period, Twitter exploded with derisive comments for the Flames’ backstop. Rittich throwing his stick at a wall isn’t nearly as impre sive as throwing it in the air. Andrew Grose (@GroseAndrew) Kids, let this be a le son. Never be the goalie who flips his stick after a win. Eddie Jackson Jersey Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) With Rittich on the bench, Talbot stepped between the pipes to facean Oilers team with momentum and a literal score to settle. Edmonton continued to pour on the offense, scoring another two goals in the secondas Talbot seemed as shellshocked as his teammate. As if that wasn’t enough, while play was stopped with 24 secondsleft in the middle frame for aMatthew Tkachuk vs. Ethan Bear scrap, Talbot and Smith met near the red line and engaged in the first ever goalie fight in the history of the Battle of Alberta. The David Montgomery Jersey Battle of Alberta continues to deliver. Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) The chaos forced an early intermi sion as officials scrambled to regain control of the game, and eventually Talbot andSmith were both ejected from the game. Rittich, who surely thought his night was over just minutes earlier, was forced to return to the game in Talbot’s absence. Rittich Jonathan Bullard Jersey has to come in now, after being jeered by the Oilers as he was pulled earlier. Clearly, they weren’t fans of the stick flip last game. Eric Francis (@EricFrancis) The Battle of Alberta continues to entertain.