Rittich defends stick flip: I'm going to do it again

David Rittich won't apologize for channeling his inner Jose Bautista.

On Monday, the Calgary Flames goaltender defended the stick-flip celebration he broke out last Wednesday after stopping Edmonton Oilers sniper Leon Draisaitl to win a shootout.

"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 deny Draisaitl with a poke check to preserve Wednesday's win, Rittich got to his feet and tossed his stick in the air.

David Rittich's celly says it all. @NHLFlames take this edition of the #BattleOfAlberta in a shootout! pic.twitter.com/9lQAYaGel5

- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 30, 2020

Draisaitl didn't say much about it postgame, but after Saturday's 8-3 win by the Oilers over the Flames, he called it "disrespectful" and accused Rittich of "acting like they just won the Stanley Cup."

Rittich didn't have much to say in the immediate aftermath either.

"I just did what I did. I don't have any reason why I did it," he told reporters Wednesday night.

The final 2019-20 regular-season installment of the "Battle of Alberta" will take place on April 4. It will be the last game before the NHL playoffs for both clubs.

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