Luongo throws shade at Tortorella for Heritage Classic snub

A wet and windy day in St. Louis has resurfaced old wounds for Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo.

The NHL set guidelines for the 2017 Winter Classic at Busch Stadium should the weather cause stoppages in the game. Among the ambiguous rules are that if weather conditions make it impossible to conduct a shootout safely, "the shootout will take place at United Center on Sunday, Feb. 26 prior to the regularly scheduled St. Louis-Chicago game, with the Blues the home club for shootout purposes only."

• Luongo says Heritage Classic snub led to Vancouver exit

These unforeseen circumstances clearly put players and goalies at a disadvantage but are unavoidable and part of the deal with outdoor games. But for Luongo, it also brought back painful memories of one particular outdoor game as evidenced by his not-so subtle tweet directed at former Vancouver Canucks and current Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella.

Luongo was benched at the 2014 Heritage Classic against the Ottawa Senators by Tortorella, who replaced him with Eddie Lack.

Luongo was traded to the Florida Panthers two days later.

"There's no hiding it. I did want to play that game," Luongo, in recalling that day, told reporters. "I mean that goes without saying, and if I would have played I probably would maybe still be here. Who knows?"

Lack, for his part, responded later with a tongue-in-cheek apology.