Well the school year is in full swing again for yours truly so it looks like the old Flyers blog has been suffering from a bit of neglect.
Ah hell, it is a Flyers blog after all, surely the orange and black won't fault me for a bit of inconsistency. Tonight and Sunday afternoon. Two games, two loses, considerably less than 120 minutes of hockey actually played by the Flyers. Make that two BIG loses.
Atlanta leap frogged the Flyers in the Eastern Conference standings tonight courtesy of a 4-3 victory. Naturally, the Flyers held a 3-1 lead going into the third period and were playing in front of their home fans. Add in the playoff implications and all that and this should have been a slam dunk... not so much.
It's not even worth getting into all the nonsense that took place tonight, but I will point my finger directly at Braydon Coburn. The Big C once again fired the puck at his own net, thankfully even after missing most of the season with an injury, Emery still knows what to expect from Coburn and stopped the puck. On the ensuing face off, the whole Flyers team watched as Ilya Kovalchuck skated passed them and burned Emery to make it 3-2. Coburn's very timely and intelligent decision got the ball rolling and from there on out the Flyers did everything they could to give away the game.
Not a pretty effort and with the trade deadline edging closer and closer, you can't help but notice the Flyers glaring deficiencies on the blue line and the right wing. The Flyers handed Atlanta this game tonight on a silver platter. Braydon Coburn was the waiter, but the whole team has their stink on this one. Next up, the Flyers cap off their six game home stand with a game against the Islanders, a team that owes the Flyers more then a few instances of payback. Is it a must win for the orange and black?
Is Braydon Coburn currently in the midst of the worst contract year ever?
Absolutely.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Flyers latest team to beat Blue Jackets
It was just like old times for the orange and black last night as Jeff Carter and R.J. Umberger lead the offensive charge to the tune of a 5-3 win, except this time "The Umberglar" was doing his scoring for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Of course, Carter is still with the Flyers after surviving a host of trade rumors that had him going every where from Montreal to Mother Russia.
Thank goodness those days are over.
Anywho, Carter scored less then a minute in the game on a sort of breakaway as a result of a Columbus turnover in their own end. Carter managed to flip a nice backhander past Blue Jacket netminder Mathieu Garon. It was Carter's 18th goal of the season.
A little over two minutes into the second period Arron Asham took a b-e-a-utiful no look, behind the back pass from Claude Giroux and one-timed it for his fifth goal of the season. It was the type of pass that if it didn't work, would have had you screaming at your TV screen in rage. The difference though between this play and a lot of the Flyers seemingly careless centering passes is that prior to the pass, Giroux did check and see where Asham was a few seconds before throwing it in his direction.
After that they Flyers decided to let things sit for a bit and naturally Columbus came right back. Umberger, playing in his first game in Philadelphia as an enemy player, netted two about six minutes apart to even things up, further proving that the Flyers should never ever try and sit on a lead. Umby's second goal came as a result of both Matt Carle and Ray Emery failing to clear the puck from in front of the net. Emery gets a pass as it is only his second game back from injury. Still, he better not make a habit of that nonsense. It's what got Marty Biron shipped out of town, well that and his ridiculous contract demands.
90 seconds after Umby tied the score, with all signs pointing to a Flyers meltdown, a miracle happened. Jeff Carter won an offensive zone face-off, no small feat in and of itself though he was spectacular in the circle all night (14 for 18), and then in one fluid motion wristed it in the net through a stunned Garon's five hole. It was a thing of fluky beauty. The Flyers were back on top and Columbus' spirit had been broken.
With 52 seconds left in the period and the Flyers on the power play, Chris Pronger jumped way, Way up into the play and slammed home a pretty cross crease pass from Danny Briere to make things 4-2 for his seventh of the season and essentially end the night for the Jackets.
Dan Carcillo did his best one man wrecking crew impression in the third, which ended with him scoring his fifth goal of the year.
Rick Nash spoiled the party late in the game by scoring a throw away goal that initially the fans though was going to give Umby the hat trick. Fans rained hats down on the ice for Umby in a display that was about a 50-50 split between it being hat night and of respect for the former Flyer. Still it was a nice gesture. The fans went so far as to boo when the goal was officially given to Nash.
Whoever says Philly fans are jerks isn't paying attention. Work hard and we'll love you forever regardless of where you end up playing. Don't live up to your potential and you'll never hear the end of it. It's not hard.
Next up for the Flyers is a Thursday night home battle with the NY Rangers. For reference the Rangers smacked the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-2 last night with EIGHT different Rangers scoring goals. Marian Gaborik had NONE of them. Could there be a changing of the tide up in NYC? Could they finally be playing a team game as opposed to a two man show? Best not get carried away. Gabby had four assists last night. Likely they'll have revenge on their minds after the Flyers blanked them 6-0 up in Madison Square Garden when the two divisional rivals last met. Should be a good one.
Thank goodness those days are over.
Anywho, Carter scored less then a minute in the game on a sort of breakaway as a result of a Columbus turnover in their own end. Carter managed to flip a nice backhander past Blue Jacket netminder Mathieu Garon. It was Carter's 18th goal of the season.
A little over two minutes into the second period Arron Asham took a b-e-a-utiful no look, behind the back pass from Claude Giroux and one-timed it for his fifth goal of the season. It was the type of pass that if it didn't work, would have had you screaming at your TV screen in rage. The difference though between this play and a lot of the Flyers seemingly careless centering passes is that prior to the pass, Giroux did check and see where Asham was a few seconds before throwing it in his direction.
After that they Flyers decided to let things sit for a bit and naturally Columbus came right back. Umberger, playing in his first game in Philadelphia as an enemy player, netted two about six minutes apart to even things up, further proving that the Flyers should never ever try and sit on a lead. Umby's second goal came as a result of both Matt Carle and Ray Emery failing to clear the puck from in front of the net. Emery gets a pass as it is only his second game back from injury. Still, he better not make a habit of that nonsense. It's what got Marty Biron shipped out of town, well that and his ridiculous contract demands.
90 seconds after Umby tied the score, with all signs pointing to a Flyers meltdown, a miracle happened. Jeff Carter won an offensive zone face-off, no small feat in and of itself though he was spectacular in the circle all night (14 for 18), and then in one fluid motion wristed it in the net through a stunned Garon's five hole. It was a thing of fluky beauty. The Flyers were back on top and Columbus' spirit had been broken.
With 52 seconds left in the period and the Flyers on the power play, Chris Pronger jumped way, Way up into the play and slammed home a pretty cross crease pass from Danny Briere to make things 4-2 for his seventh of the season and essentially end the night for the Jackets.
Dan Carcillo did his best one man wrecking crew impression in the third, which ended with him scoring his fifth goal of the year.
Rick Nash spoiled the party late in the game by scoring a throw away goal that initially the fans though was going to give Umby the hat trick. Fans rained hats down on the ice for Umby in a display that was about a 50-50 split between it being hat night and of respect for the former Flyer. Still it was a nice gesture. The fans went so far as to boo when the goal was officially given to Nash.
Whoever says Philly fans are jerks isn't paying attention. Work hard and we'll love you forever regardless of where you end up playing. Don't live up to your potential and you'll never hear the end of it. It's not hard.
Next up for the Flyers is a Thursday night home battle with the NY Rangers. For reference the Rangers smacked the Tampa Bay Lightning 8-2 last night with EIGHT different Rangers scoring goals. Marian Gaborik had NONE of them. Could there be a changing of the tide up in NYC? Could they finally be playing a team game as opposed to a two man show? Best not get carried away. Gabby had four assists last night. Likely they'll have revenge on their minds after the Flyers blanked them 6-0 up in Madison Square Garden when the two divisional rivals last met. Should be a good one.
Like Brittany said... it's my prerogative
I've always heard that it was a woman's prerogative to change her mind. Without being a woman or knowing exactly what the word prerogative means, I can't say whether or not that old cliche is true or just a bunch of hogwash passed down from sitcom to sitcom.
What I do know is this: it's a hockey blogger's right to change their minds and being one of those and fully understanding the multiple definitions of the word right, I feel that I can speak with some authority here.
Recently I posted an entry which was not entirely kind to Flyers captain Mike Richards in regards to his spat with the local media. I pretty much ended up in"just shut up and play for the love of God" territory.
And you know something? That's just what the guy has been trying to do but those crum bums over at the Inquirer just don't seem to want to let him. Imagine my surprise when I saw that Bob Ford had decided to chip in his two cents on the Flyers in today's paper! Naturally I assumed the Flyers had traded for Michael Vick or Flyers was just a new nickname for columnist John Gonzalez, who is now officially the best thing going for the paper. Well, him and Kate Fagan, who does the beat for the 76ers.
I mean, Bob "Buttons" Ford writing about the area's hockey team? What could have caused such a thing? Of course, the answer to that was Ford just couldn't pass up the opportunity to jump in the dog pile of local journalists ripping the Flyers captain who ripped them for ripping his team.
We're going to need a sewing kit with all this ripping going on.
The point is, Richards didn't bring this upon himself. He said what he said and the local media won't let it die. No, instead they (read: King Crum bum and all around mediocre writer Sam Carchidi) keep picking at him and picking at him. Read this for the real origins of the beef.
So Carchidi could have just let things alone. I mean no one says that the beat writers and the team need to be best friends. Actually I feel like you'll get more honest reporting if the exact opposite is true. Look no further then WIP's Howard Eskin for proof that being in a team's pocket may work for a little while but sooner or later people will see you for the stooge you are and next thing you know you'll be splitting time with Ike Reese, who is somehow less of a homer than you.
All that said, factor in the near constant typos and factual errors which appear in Carchidi and Seravalli's reporting and I'm switching sides. I'm backing the captain here. Sure, some of the media's points are interesting but Carchidi has turned this into a personal vendetta and it needs to stop. Leave that playground garbage where it belongs or at least start writing your stories in crayon with a few letters backwards here and there so we know what we're getting in too.
Long story short, I'm joining Richards in his local media boycott. I'm done with the Inky sports section (outside of Gonzo and Fagan). At least until Carchidi grows up and leaves well enough alone. You're a professional... act like it or for the love of God quit and stop taking up space. There are plenty of great sports writers out there who would actually LOVE to cover the Flyers not just hold pissing contests with them.
What I do know is this: it's a hockey blogger's right to change their minds and being one of those and fully understanding the multiple definitions of the word right, I feel that I can speak with some authority here.
Recently I posted an entry which was not entirely kind to Flyers captain Mike Richards in regards to his spat with the local media. I pretty much ended up in"just shut up and play for the love of God" territory.
And you know something? That's just what the guy has been trying to do but those crum bums over at the Inquirer just don't seem to want to let him. Imagine my surprise when I saw that Bob Ford had decided to chip in his two cents on the Flyers in today's paper! Naturally I assumed the Flyers had traded for Michael Vick or Flyers was just a new nickname for columnist John Gonzalez, who is now officially the best thing going for the paper. Well, him and Kate Fagan, who does the beat for the 76ers.
I mean, Bob "Buttons" Ford writing about the area's hockey team? What could have caused such a thing? Of course, the answer to that was Ford just couldn't pass up the opportunity to jump in the dog pile of local journalists ripping the Flyers captain who ripped them for ripping his team.
We're going to need a sewing kit with all this ripping going on.
The point is, Richards didn't bring this upon himself. He said what he said and the local media won't let it die. No, instead they (read: King Crum bum and all around mediocre writer Sam Carchidi) keep picking at him and picking at him. Read this for the real origins of the beef.
So Carchidi could have just let things alone. I mean no one says that the beat writers and the team need to be best friends. Actually I feel like you'll get more honest reporting if the exact opposite is true. Look no further then WIP's Howard Eskin for proof that being in a team's pocket may work for a little while but sooner or later people will see you for the stooge you are and next thing you know you'll be splitting time with Ike Reese, who is somehow less of a homer than you.
All that said, factor in the near constant typos and factual errors which appear in Carchidi and Seravalli's reporting and I'm switching sides. I'm backing the captain here. Sure, some of the media's points are interesting but Carchidi has turned this into a personal vendetta and it needs to stop. Leave that playground garbage where it belongs or at least start writing your stories in crayon with a few letters backwards here and there so we know what we're getting in too.
Long story short, I'm joining Richards in his local media boycott. I'm done with the Inky sports section (outside of Gonzo and Fagan). At least until Carchidi grows up and leaves well enough alone. You're a professional... act like it or for the love of God quit and stop taking up space. There are plenty of great sports writers out there who would actually LOVE to cover the Flyers not just hold pissing contests with them.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Richards mad at media + media mad at Richards= Gross indifference
Well, two losses in a row and suddenly Mike Richards and the local media appear poised and ready to drop the gloves and start throwing them. Hopefully, Richie learned his lesson from Dan Carcillo and doesn't throw a punch until he's sure that Frank Seravalli and crew have committed to the altercation.
Sadly, I couldn't care less about this story. The big deal is the Flyers have played two first periods over the last two games and then left it at that. I don't care if Shadow (Richards) runs the Flyers beat writers over with a Zamboni or goes to Las Vegas and marries them all courtesy of Elvis himself. Just play for 60 min, win games and win a Cup while I'm still young enough to be able to spell the world cup correctly. After that, I don't care what you do. He can spend his summers in Pittsburgh drinking maitais with Sidney Crosby for all I care.
Winning, whether right or wrong, cures all ills.
Richards beef with the local media stems from their reporting of made up stories, like the Flyers alleged fondness for adult beverages and late night debaucheries. Such debaucheries include the recent fictional scandal involving Scott Hartnell's wife and Jeff Carter.
In a recent Hockey News article, Shadow tip toed around the idea that the local media has been making up stories about the team, something that even when your name is Sam Carchidi, doesn't exactly sit well with the journalistic types.
Joffrey Lupul was deposited in Anaheim this past summer in return for Chris Pronger to break up the Center City boys club that also featured Scottie Upshall, Richards, Chance (Carter) and Sassy (Hartnell). Apparently the boys didn't care much for this, or for GM Paul Holmgren's calling them out for their partying ways either. And still... I don't care.
There's a reason I don't watch soap operas or for that matter follow the Eagles that closely and it's because I have no time for sideshows and spectacles. I don't need to know what's going on behind the curtain and I don't care. Win games Richards. For the first time in your tenure as captain lead a team that consistently plays for 60 minutes. It's not hard, lots of players do it. Better yet, put some of that passion dislike for journalists into something constructive, like getting better at taking face offs.
Two loses doesn't break the season of course, but you really shouldn't be getting shut out by Toronto and you played well against the Caps until the first intermission ended. Effort needs to be there every game. You won't win every game, but the effort needs to be there. With a six game home stand coming up, the Flyers should be in a good position to resume climbing the standings. Being one point behind the NY Islanders, even with a game in hand, is not where this team should be. Not even close...
Sadly, I couldn't care less about this story. The big deal is the Flyers have played two first periods over the last two games and then left it at that. I don't care if Shadow (Richards) runs the Flyers beat writers over with a Zamboni or goes to Las Vegas and marries them all courtesy of Elvis himself. Just play for 60 min, win games and win a Cup while I'm still young enough to be able to spell the world cup correctly. After that, I don't care what you do. He can spend his summers in Pittsburgh drinking maitais with Sidney Crosby for all I care.
Winning, whether right or wrong, cures all ills.
Richards beef with the local media stems from their reporting of made up stories, like the Flyers alleged fondness for adult beverages and late night debaucheries. Such debaucheries include the recent fictional scandal involving Scott Hartnell's wife and Jeff Carter.
In a recent Hockey News article, Shadow tip toed around the idea that the local media has been making up stories about the team, something that even when your name is Sam Carchidi, doesn't exactly sit well with the journalistic types.
Joffrey Lupul was deposited in Anaheim this past summer in return for Chris Pronger to break up the Center City boys club that also featured Scottie Upshall, Richards, Chance (Carter) and Sassy (Hartnell). Apparently the boys didn't care much for this, or for GM Paul Holmgren's calling them out for their partying ways either. And still... I don't care.
There's a reason I don't watch soap operas or for that matter follow the Eagles that closely and it's because I have no time for sideshows and spectacles. I don't need to know what's going on behind the curtain and I don't care. Win games Richards. For the first time in your tenure as captain lead a team that consistently plays for 60 minutes. It's not hard, lots of players do it. Better yet, put some of that passion dislike for journalists into something constructive, like getting better at taking face offs.
Two loses doesn't break the season of course, but you really shouldn't be getting shut out by Toronto and you played well against the Caps until the first intermission ended. Effort needs to be there every game. You won't win every game, but the effort needs to be there. With a six game home stand coming up, the Flyers should be in a good position to resume climbing the standings. Being one point behind the NY Islanders, even with a game in hand, is not where this team should be. Not even close...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Suddenly special teams keep Flyers rolling against Dallas
I'm not sure this is any consolation to the heartbroken Eagles fans out there but here it goes anyway... the Flyers got your back folks. I'm sure the city of Dallas is on the verge of mass hysteria after their beloved Stars fell to the Flyers 6-3 last night, completely forgetting the recent successes of their football team against a team named after a certain national bird.
See? All better now.
Well, I'm feeling better any way. Sadly, "Dexter" with Janice, from here on out referred to as "Spaceman," called last night so I didn't get to see a ton of the game, which seemed to be yet another solid effort from the resurgent Flyers. That being the case, I'll try and keep this sort. Usually when I say this, somehow I end up droning on even longer than ever. I can promise you that will very likely not be the case today.
See? All better now.
Well, I'm feeling better any way. Sadly, "Dexter" with Janice, from here on out referred to as "Spaceman," called last night so I didn't get to see a ton of the game, which seemed to be yet another solid effort from the resurgent Flyers. That being the case, I'll try and keep this sort. Usually when I say this, somehow I end up droning on even longer than ever. I can promise you that will very likely not be the case today.
- Flyers continued their success on the power play, going 2-4 with goals scored by Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell. Not to be out done, the Flyers penalty killing units shut down the Stars power play, holding them to an 0-5 mark. Kimmo Timonen even chipped in a shorthanded goal. Timonen has two of the team's four shorthanded tallies this year.
- Flyers were up 6-1 before packing things in with nine minutes left to play in the third. Dallas scumbag Steve Ott took a break from gouging eyes and boarding people to net two goals long after the Flyers had called it quits. Ott should be very proud of his accomplishments in life.
- Oscars Bartulis, Braydon Coburn, Blair Betts and Danny Syvret were the only skaters on the Flyers roster who didn't record a point in the game. Syvret gets a pass because he only played 39 seconds. No, he wasn't doing his best Riley Cote on a busy night impression but rather left with an upper body injury.
- Hartnell, Powe, Timonen, Giroux, Laperierre and Gagne scored the Flyers goals. Each of the team's four lines are represented.
- Laperriere had the Gordie Howe hat trick. In addition to his goal, he added an assist on Timonen's and fought Mark Fistric after the Dallas defender took a reckless run at a Flyer.
- For the record, Dallas hasn't won a road game since a Dec. 11 shoot out win over the San Jose Sharks.
- Marty Turco got caught playing defense instead of goalie on the Flyers second score of the game. He poked the puck off of James van Riemsdyk's stick once but the puck found its way back to JVR. Perhaps feeling a little too big for his hockey pants, Turco tried again and JVR passed the puck right passed him to a wide open Powe who had time to watch the entire "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (regular cuts not extended, let's not get carried away here) before burying the shot.
- Michael Leighton stopped 27 of 30 shots while starting his tenth straight game for the Flyers. He is 8-0-1 with a no decision in those starts. Ray Emery was his back up last night, while Brian Boucher enjoyed the game from the press box. I wonder if he can play defense?
Alright, that's all for now. Tomorrow night the Flyers head to Toronto to take on the grammatically challenged Maple Leafs featuring Colton Orr and a whole bunch of other players that the free world has never heard of. The Leafs will be looking for some revenge after the Flyers smoked them 6-2 on Jan. 6. Expect Danny Carcillo to fight someone, anyone wearing blue early on as his taunting of Toronto during the last game will likely make him a marked man. Somehow I don't think Carcillo is too worried...
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Best weekend ever... Part Deux
Ah yes, the Carnival.
I've watched it on TV every year, heard countless stories about it but on Sunday I finally got to go to the thing live and in person and I gotta say... I was very, VERY cool. Sure it has a decent price tag, but all the money goes to charity and the parking was free (!!) completely making up for my previous night's struggle.
I was able to procure autographs from Scott Hartnell, Simon Gagne, Danny Carcillo, Ian Laperriere and... wait for it... Danny Briere, who is--- in fact--- cuter in person than he is on TV. I didn't think it possible but it was true. So much so that a fight nearly broke out between me and the gaggle of equally awestruck teenage girls who were in line in front of us and who were simply taking entirely too long getting the man's signature for my liking. I've waited for years to get that close to Danny and I'll be darned if I'm going to let some little Hannah Montana wannabes steal away even a second of my time with him. Love sick sigh...
Janice, once again from here on out referred to as Ron, got me a neat Flyers grill set courtesy of the Mystery Bags. I almost considered getting a second one to see if I could get a Flyers grill to go with my grill set but I didn't want to push my luck. I may have ended up with a Flyers shower kit instead.
The highlight for me though, even beating out seeing Briere (<3) and Gagne up close, was Alumni Alley. For a nominal fee of $20 you were given the privilege of rubbing elbows with some of the greatest Flyers players of all time. Bobby Clarke, Bernie Parent, Bill Clement, Dave Schultz, Joe Watson, Bob Kelly, Brian Propp and more. It honestly doesn't get any cooler than that. Each was happy to sign whatever you gave them and even pose for a picture, even though they weren't supposed to pose. I was able to get all of their signatures on the back of my old Simon Gagne road jersey, forever retiring my old friend from active wearing duty and elevating it to cherished heirloom status.
The best part of Alumni Alley took place as we stood in limbo between Don Saleski and Bob Kelly. Ron noticed Flyers ice side reporter and all around funny guy Steve Coates walking around, talking to some of the other alumni. He attempted to take a picture, but Mr. Coates is an elusive gentleman to say the least. Saleski and Kelly saw this taking place and without missing a beat, Kelly called over Coatsey and demanded that he pose for Ron's picture. Coatsey happily obliged, putting his arm around the two legends for what could be the greatest photograph in the history of photography.
After the previous night's encounter, when I approached Bernie Parent, I considered asking him if he remembered discussing the weather with Ron and I, but I'm sure he does that with everyone. Also, he was a busy man on Sunday. It seems that you couldn't throw a stone inside the Wachovia Center without hitting Bernie Parent that day. Dude was every where. A certain local football team could use a safety... I'm not saying but I'm just saying Bernie covers some ground is all.
Overall it was a fantastic day getting to meet the players, walk around on the ice surface... I mean it was covered up, but the ice was under there darn it! Well worth the money and it was all for a good cause.
And you can park in the Wachovia Center lot for free. I might just go every year for that fact alone.
I've watched it on TV every year, heard countless stories about it but on Sunday I finally got to go to the thing live and in person and I gotta say... I was very, VERY cool. Sure it has a decent price tag, but all the money goes to charity and the parking was free (!!) completely making up for my previous night's struggle.
I was able to procure autographs from Scott Hartnell, Simon Gagne, Danny Carcillo, Ian Laperriere and... wait for it... Danny Briere, who is--- in fact--- cuter in person than he is on TV. I didn't think it possible but it was true. So much so that a fight nearly broke out between me and the gaggle of equally awestruck teenage girls who were in line in front of us and who were simply taking entirely too long getting the man's signature for my liking. I've waited for years to get that close to Danny and I'll be darned if I'm going to let some little Hannah Montana wannabes steal away even a second of my time with him. Love sick sigh...
Janice, once again from here on out referred to as Ron, got me a neat Flyers grill set courtesy of the Mystery Bags. I almost considered getting a second one to see if I could get a Flyers grill to go with my grill set but I didn't want to push my luck. I may have ended up with a Flyers shower kit instead.
The highlight for me though, even beating out seeing Briere (<3) and Gagne up close, was Alumni Alley. For a nominal fee of $20 you were given the privilege of rubbing elbows with some of the greatest Flyers players of all time. Bobby Clarke, Bernie Parent, Bill Clement, Dave Schultz, Joe Watson, Bob Kelly, Brian Propp and more. It honestly doesn't get any cooler than that. Each was happy to sign whatever you gave them and even pose for a picture, even though they weren't supposed to pose. I was able to get all of their signatures on the back of my old Simon Gagne road jersey, forever retiring my old friend from active wearing duty and elevating it to cherished heirloom status.
The best part of Alumni Alley took place as we stood in limbo between Don Saleski and Bob Kelly. Ron noticed Flyers ice side reporter and all around funny guy Steve Coates walking around, talking to some of the other alumni. He attempted to take a picture, but Mr. Coates is an elusive gentleman to say the least. Saleski and Kelly saw this taking place and without missing a beat, Kelly called over Coatsey and demanded that he pose for Ron's picture. Coatsey happily obliged, putting his arm around the two legends for what could be the greatest photograph in the history of photography.
After the previous night's encounter, when I approached Bernie Parent, I considered asking him if he remembered discussing the weather with Ron and I, but I'm sure he does that with everyone. Also, he was a busy man on Sunday. It seems that you couldn't throw a stone inside the Wachovia Center without hitting Bernie Parent that day. Dude was every where. A certain local football team could use a safety... I'm not saying but I'm just saying Bernie covers some ground is all.
Overall it was a fantastic day getting to meet the players, walk around on the ice surface... I mean it was covered up, but the ice was under there darn it! Well worth the money and it was all for a good cause.
And you can park in the Wachovia Center lot for free. I might just go every year for that fact alone.
Best weekend ever... Part 1
Well I don't know about you, but I had a pretty good weekend. Pretty, pretty good indeed.
Thanks to the wonders of the Flyers Santa Sack, on Saturday I was able to attend the game against Tampa, one of my all time favorite love-to-hate teams. Look no further than the 2004 Conference Finals for an explanation.
The day got off to a less than spectacular start thanks to the less than inglourious parking situation in the Wachovia complex. Myself and my companion, whose real name is Janice but from here on out will be referred to as Ron, left ourselves plenty of time to get down into the city for the game. Most of the rest of the town had bird flu or Eagle fever or whatever it is they're calling it these days, but we had a case of the Orange and Black pox and we had it bad. Got to the stadium, no big deal and then as myself and Ron are about to pull into the parking lot a security guard stops us and directs us elsewhere as a large truck decided to block the entrance we were about to utilize. Unfortunate, but like I said, myself and Ron gave ourselves an insane amount of time. Hell, we may have been able to drive home and back from there and still make it to the game in time for the puck drop. So we follow the guards directions, give some guy the requisite $15 (!!) dollar parking fee and commenced looking for a spot.
This was a mistake. The lot we found ourselves in was a maze that would have even the most battled hardened Minotaur cying for its mama. There were traffic cones scattered about in a fashion that can't even accurately be described as haphazard. After driving around for a bit, we suddenly found ourselves going the wrong way down a one way drive. This happened because there were no signs indicating it as such, or anyone in an orange safety vest saying "hey, don't go down there." As I drove backwards, only half trying to avoid hitting a traffic cone or security guard, I pondered how myself and Ron had gotten ourselves in this situation. Why, oh ,why hadn't we just parked at Citizen's Bank Park?
Oh, that's right. Because it's winter and we're seeing a hockey game and it shouldn't be outside the realm of possibility to find a decent parking spot in the lot next to the building the team actually plays in while the rest of the city is trapped in front of their TV sets vomiting up all types of dark green and bird feathers.
Finally, with the help of a Sherpa guide named Tenzing, after traveling many miles and narrowly avoiding hundreds of helpless traffic cones and dozens of less helpless security guards, we found a parking space. Our spot was located under a massive billboard which advertised, among other things, the TV show "Dexter." I started feeling better about the night.
We entered the building after traveling the shortest distance possible to get from car to building. I couldn't believe myself and Ron's luck. Deep in the pit of my stomach, I felt that soon the tide would turn back against us. I checked our tickets to make sure they weren't made of crackers. They weren't... at least not yet and they scanned to boot. Still, after the parking fiasco, I was on alert for more bad luck. Like a blood hound on the scent, only with shorter ears.
It was while in this hyper alert state, that I happened to glance over to my right. Standing off to the side right before the escalator which would take myself and Ron to our seats, was Bernie Parent, the greatest goalie in Flyers history. Just hanging out. Even more curious was the fact that almost no one seemed to be paying him much mind. He posed for a picture with a dad and his son, but otherwise people just kept flooding on past him. Even a guy wearing a Parent jersey didn't notice him. Perhaps I was seeing things. Or worse, he was selling something. I almost walked past him but Ron convinced me to go up to him, which I did still expecting this to blow up in my face somehow.
It didn't. Bernie was incredible friendly, signing my ticket, shaking my hand and talking with myself and Ron at length about the weather in Toronto. It easily makes the top ten list of of all time coolest things that have ever happened to me. Chit chatting about Canadian wind chill with a hockey Hall of Famer. I was stoked, so much so that later on I chose to pay for a pretzel rather then allow someone else to handle my autographed ticket to utilize the $10 which came preloaded on it. Having been one, I know that those concession workers can have greasy hands...
As for the game, well so much had gone right for me I half expected the other shot to drop in the form of a shellacking at the hands of the 2004 Stanley Cup champions, but instead it was a wonderful 60 minute effort from the Flyers. Sure, it was against Tampa, but who cares? This team needs points and it was points they went out and got, 4-1 over the Lightning.
Blair Betts and the checking line played a great game, slowing down Tampa's best players and Bettsy was even able to add two key goals of his own in the third period, one on an empty net. Scott Hartnell and Danny Briere worked a spectacular two on one break just minutes into the final frame with Hartnell putting the puck in the net for his tenth goal of the season, as the Flyers clung to a 1-0 lead.
Claude Giroux picked up his ninth goal midway through the first period on the power play on a nice spinning wrister to open the scoring.
Tampa's only goal on Michael Leighton came a little past the half way point of the third period with a bouncing puck that Martin St. Louis was somehow able to flip past him. It was a tough save to make, more like a knuckle ball then a wrist shot, so Leighton can hardly be faulted. He played yet another strong game, stopping 17 0f 18 shots behind a Flyers defense that looked better then it has almost all season.
That's about it for the game recap. I'll be back after an episode of "Dexter" with my thoughts on the Flyers Wives Carnival which I was lucky enough to be able to attend, alongside Ron and two of our friends on Sunday. Tonight, the Flyers take on the Dallas Stars at the Wachovia Center. If you're going, beware of the parking lot and keep your eyes open for Hall of Famers lurking around corners...
Thanks to the wonders of the Flyers Santa Sack, on Saturday I was able to attend the game against Tampa, one of my all time favorite love-to-hate teams. Look no further than the 2004 Conference Finals for an explanation.
The day got off to a less than spectacular start thanks to the less than inglourious parking situation in the Wachovia complex. Myself and my companion, whose real name is Janice but from here on out will be referred to as Ron, left ourselves plenty of time to get down into the city for the game. Most of the rest of the town had bird flu or Eagle fever or whatever it is they're calling it these days, but we had a case of the Orange and Black pox and we had it bad. Got to the stadium, no big deal and then as myself and Ron are about to pull into the parking lot a security guard stops us and directs us elsewhere as a large truck decided to block the entrance we were about to utilize. Unfortunate, but like I said, myself and Ron gave ourselves an insane amount of time. Hell, we may have been able to drive home and back from there and still make it to the game in time for the puck drop. So we follow the guards directions, give some guy the requisite $15 (!!) dollar parking fee and commenced looking for a spot.
This was a mistake. The lot we found ourselves in was a maze that would have even the most battled hardened Minotaur cying for its mama. There were traffic cones scattered about in a fashion that can't even accurately be described as haphazard. After driving around for a bit, we suddenly found ourselves going the wrong way down a one way drive. This happened because there were no signs indicating it as such, or anyone in an orange safety vest saying "hey, don't go down there." As I drove backwards, only half trying to avoid hitting a traffic cone or security guard, I pondered how myself and Ron had gotten ourselves in this situation. Why, oh ,why hadn't we just parked at Citizen's Bank Park?
Oh, that's right. Because it's winter and we're seeing a hockey game and it shouldn't be outside the realm of possibility to find a decent parking spot in the lot next to the building the team actually plays in while the rest of the city is trapped in front of their TV sets vomiting up all types of dark green and bird feathers.
Finally, with the help of a Sherpa guide named Tenzing, after traveling many miles and narrowly avoiding hundreds of helpless traffic cones and dozens of less helpless security guards, we found a parking space. Our spot was located under a massive billboard which advertised, among other things, the TV show "Dexter." I started feeling better about the night.
We entered the building after traveling the shortest distance possible to get from car to building. I couldn't believe myself and Ron's luck. Deep in the pit of my stomach, I felt that soon the tide would turn back against us. I checked our tickets to make sure they weren't made of crackers. They weren't... at least not yet and they scanned to boot. Still, after the parking fiasco, I was on alert for more bad luck. Like a blood hound on the scent, only with shorter ears.
It was while in this hyper alert state, that I happened to glance over to my right. Standing off to the side right before the escalator which would take myself and Ron to our seats, was Bernie Parent, the greatest goalie in Flyers history. Just hanging out. Even more curious was the fact that almost no one seemed to be paying him much mind. He posed for a picture with a dad and his son, but otherwise people just kept flooding on past him. Even a guy wearing a Parent jersey didn't notice him. Perhaps I was seeing things. Or worse, he was selling something. I almost walked past him but Ron convinced me to go up to him, which I did still expecting this to blow up in my face somehow.
It didn't. Bernie was incredible friendly, signing my ticket, shaking my hand and talking with myself and Ron at length about the weather in Toronto. It easily makes the top ten list of of all time coolest things that have ever happened to me. Chit chatting about Canadian wind chill with a hockey Hall of Famer. I was stoked, so much so that later on I chose to pay for a pretzel rather then allow someone else to handle my autographed ticket to utilize the $10 which came preloaded on it. Having been one, I know that those concession workers can have greasy hands...
As for the game, well so much had gone right for me I half expected the other shot to drop in the form of a shellacking at the hands of the 2004 Stanley Cup champions, but instead it was a wonderful 60 minute effort from the Flyers. Sure, it was against Tampa, but who cares? This team needs points and it was points they went out and got, 4-1 over the Lightning.
Blair Betts and the checking line played a great game, slowing down Tampa's best players and Bettsy was even able to add two key goals of his own in the third period, one on an empty net. Scott Hartnell and Danny Briere worked a spectacular two on one break just minutes into the final frame with Hartnell putting the puck in the net for his tenth goal of the season, as the Flyers clung to a 1-0 lead.
Claude Giroux picked up his ninth goal midway through the first period on the power play on a nice spinning wrister to open the scoring.
Tampa's only goal on Michael Leighton came a little past the half way point of the third period with a bouncing puck that Martin St. Louis was somehow able to flip past him. It was a tough save to make, more like a knuckle ball then a wrist shot, so Leighton can hardly be faulted. He played yet another strong game, stopping 17 0f 18 shots behind a Flyers defense that looked better then it has almost all season.
That's about it for the game recap. I'll be back after an episode of "Dexter" with my thoughts on the Flyers Wives Carnival which I was lucky enough to be able to attend, alongside Ron and two of our friends on Sunday. Tonight, the Flyers take on the Dallas Stars at the Wachovia Center. If you're going, beware of the parking lot and keep your eyes open for Hall of Famers lurking around corners...
Friday, January 8, 2010
Flyers finally beat Pens, current winning ways suddenly seem more legit
Hope you were wearing your party hats last night kiddies, because the Flyers were throwing a bash up in Pittsburgh so amazing that it made a P. Diddy party look like a Colin McGlinchey party--- scarcely attended, poorly conceived and unrelentingly dull.
Oh well, the point is last night the Flyers scored early and they scored often, usually in bunches on route to beating their arch rival Pittsburgh Penguins, a team more evil Lex Luthor, The Joker, Pearl Forrester from Mystery Science Theater 3000 and P. Diddy combined.
Going into last night's road game, one of the knocks against the Flyers 5-1-1 stretch was that they weren't exactly beating the cream of the NHL's crop. Heck, the Flyers weren't even beating the equivalent to the stuff that gets saved and fed to the cows, but they were handling the NHL's version of gourds and those weird little things of corn that always show up around Halloween with a sort of careless ease.
Basically, the Flyers were beating seasonal decoration teams.
Well no more! Who cares that the Penguins were 1-5-0 since Christmas and that their power play is inexplicably the worst in the NHL, converting at a inept 14.4 percent this season? How in the world is that even possible!?! Do they realize that they have two of the top scorers in the NHL in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin at their disposal? Granted Power play quarterback and all around overrated defenseman Sergei Gonchar has been in and out of the line up with various injuries, but they haven't exactly sparkled like Edward Cullen in Ocean City at high noon with him in the line up either. Also, if Pittsburgh's success is predicated solely on one guy, shouldn't they be playing in Madison Square Garden and wearing blue?
ZING!
The Flyers jumped on the Pens early last night, with Jeff Carter scoring his 15th of the year on a very abbreviated Flyers power play--- it was scheduled to last about 15 seconds--- with a nice spin-o-rama wrist shot that blazed past Penguins starter Marc-Andre Fleury. Carter added another scorching wrister nine and a half minutes into the third period for his seond goal of the game. Roughly 31 seconds after his first, however, rookie James van Riemsdyk took an excellent feed from Arron Asham, skated in on a breakaway and beat Fleury five-hole with a pretty move.
It wasn't going to be an easy night though, Pens captain Sidney Crosby who only scores against the Flyers at this point netted a goal a little over a minute later to make things interesting. That's pretty much the story of the game actually. Every time the Flyers built themselves a comfortable lead, the Pens cut into it and made things interesting (read: nerve-wracking).
Later in the period Matt Carle scored his third goal of the year on the Flyers second power play of the game in a nice slap shot. Matt Cooke would score for the Pens shortly after, taking a nice feed from Jeff Carter, who doesn't discriminate based on jersey color and, despite his two goals, still managed to finish a -1. Wonders will never cease, but that stat is WAY over used anyway.
Chris Pronger resumed the Flyers scoring a minute and a half into the second period with a wrist shot from the blue line, making things 4-2 and ending Fleury's night after he made 11 saves on 15 chances. In came back-up Brent Johnson and in came van Riemsdyk on another Asham set up breakaway less then a minute later. Same move, different goalie, same result for JVR who now has ten goals on the season. Sidney Crosby scored on a ridiculously broken play around the halfway mark of the period, a play which could have been negated by Malkin being pretty off-sides but "surprisingly" wasn't.
Simon Gagne scored a shorthanded goal with a little under three minutes to play in the period to make things 6-3... except wait. It somehow wasn't called a goal on the ice, even though Johnson had the puck in his possession and was camping out inside his own net. The refs went to video replay, which couldn't show the puck actually in the net so no goal. The video replay was right, the only thing indicating that the puck was in the net was common sense, there were no shots of the puck past the goal line as is required. The real problem here is the idiotic ref who called it no goal on the ice. Johnson was IN HIS NET, not pushed in, he just sort of drifted that way. How could the puck not be in the net if every part of the goalie who has it IS? Won't argue with the video call, but the officials dropped the ball there... hold on. It's the NHL! I forgot, silly me. I'm supposed to be used to this by now.
After Carter scored in the third to really make it 6-3... really... Pens enforcer extraordinaire Mike Rupp scored his 11th goal of the year on a Carter-esque wrist shot. Let me clarify for those of you keeping score at home... the Penguins CAN'T score on the power play with Crosby, Malkin, Kunitz, Letang, Guerin, Gonchar, Goligoski leading the charge, but Mike Rupp, a guy who isn't even a good enforcer has almost doubled his previous career high 45 games into the season. What the heck is going on with that team? I sure hope that there is some crazy person sitting in a Johnny Depp poster covered basement in Pittsburgh writing a blog called "The Penguin Files" asking this very same question.
Shadow Richards secured the game with an empty net goal set up by the insane speed of Darroll Powe as he tore past Jordan Staal and flipped the loose puck out in front of the abandoned net, where after much struggle Richards was able to knock in his 19th goal of the season.
Michael Leighton had possibly the best game ever in which a goalie gave up four goals. He stopped 35 of 39 shots to pick up his career high seventh win. He made some absolutely spectacular saves at key points in the game and continues to make life difficult for both opponents and the Flyers, as former starter Ray Emery looms ready to return from injury. What will the team do? Leighton has been fantastic, Emery was fantastic to start the year before he got hurt and current backup Brian Boucher has carried this team for stretches as well.
It seems that almost every year the Flyers have a goalie controversy. Should this guy start or should that guy? Not this year though. GM Paul Holmgren fixed that nonsense. Now we have a should this guy, that guy, or that other guy start problem. The only thing better then a two-way goalie controversy is a three-way goalie controversy. Ah well, there are worse problems to have I suppose, like for example Mike Rupp outscoring your power play.
Well the orange and black are off until Saturday when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m. for a home game. The Flyers asked Tampa nicely to alter the game's start time to accommodate fans who would like to watch the Eagles playoff game which starts at 8 p.m., but the Lightning declined. They obliged the Flyers earlier in the season for a Phillies playoff game and the Flyers smoked them 6-2 that night, so its easy to see why they would be less then accommodating this time. Inglourious Flyers will be headed to the game so expect plenty of in depth analysis to go with my usual endless rambling.
Until then...
Oh well, the point is last night the Flyers scored early and they scored often, usually in bunches on route to beating their arch rival Pittsburgh Penguins, a team more evil Lex Luthor, The Joker, Pearl Forrester from Mystery Science Theater 3000 and P. Diddy combined.
Going into last night's road game, one of the knocks against the Flyers 5-1-1 stretch was that they weren't exactly beating the cream of the NHL's crop. Heck, the Flyers weren't even beating the equivalent to the stuff that gets saved and fed to the cows, but they were handling the NHL's version of gourds and those weird little things of corn that always show up around Halloween with a sort of careless ease.
Basically, the Flyers were beating seasonal decoration teams.
Well no more! Who cares that the Penguins were 1-5-0 since Christmas and that their power play is inexplicably the worst in the NHL, converting at a inept 14.4 percent this season? How in the world is that even possible!?! Do they realize that they have two of the top scorers in the NHL in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin at their disposal? Granted Power play quarterback and all around overrated defenseman Sergei Gonchar has been in and out of the line up with various injuries, but they haven't exactly sparkled like Edward Cullen in Ocean City at high noon with him in the line up either. Also, if Pittsburgh's success is predicated solely on one guy, shouldn't they be playing in Madison Square Garden and wearing blue?
ZING!
The Flyers jumped on the Pens early last night, with Jeff Carter scoring his 15th of the year on a very abbreviated Flyers power play--- it was scheduled to last about 15 seconds--- with a nice spin-o-rama wrist shot that blazed past Penguins starter Marc-Andre Fleury. Carter added another scorching wrister nine and a half minutes into the third period for his seond goal of the game. Roughly 31 seconds after his first, however, rookie James van Riemsdyk took an excellent feed from Arron Asham, skated in on a breakaway and beat Fleury five-hole with a pretty move.
It wasn't going to be an easy night though, Pens captain Sidney Crosby who only scores against the Flyers at this point netted a goal a little over a minute later to make things interesting. That's pretty much the story of the game actually. Every time the Flyers built themselves a comfortable lead, the Pens cut into it and made things interesting (read: nerve-wracking).
Later in the period Matt Carle scored his third goal of the year on the Flyers second power play of the game in a nice slap shot. Matt Cooke would score for the Pens shortly after, taking a nice feed from Jeff Carter, who doesn't discriminate based on jersey color and, despite his two goals, still managed to finish a -1. Wonders will never cease, but that stat is WAY over used anyway.
Chris Pronger resumed the Flyers scoring a minute and a half into the second period with a wrist shot from the blue line, making things 4-2 and ending Fleury's night after he made 11 saves on 15 chances. In came back-up Brent Johnson and in came van Riemsdyk on another Asham set up breakaway less then a minute later. Same move, different goalie, same result for JVR who now has ten goals on the season. Sidney Crosby scored on a ridiculously broken play around the halfway mark of the period, a play which could have been negated by Malkin being pretty off-sides but "surprisingly" wasn't.
Simon Gagne scored a shorthanded goal with a little under three minutes to play in the period to make things 6-3... except wait. It somehow wasn't called a goal on the ice, even though Johnson had the puck in his possession and was camping out inside his own net. The refs went to video replay, which couldn't show the puck actually in the net so no goal. The video replay was right, the only thing indicating that the puck was in the net was common sense, there were no shots of the puck past the goal line as is required. The real problem here is the idiotic ref who called it no goal on the ice. Johnson was IN HIS NET, not pushed in, he just sort of drifted that way. How could the puck not be in the net if every part of the goalie who has it IS? Won't argue with the video call, but the officials dropped the ball there... hold on. It's the NHL! I forgot, silly me. I'm supposed to be used to this by now.
After Carter scored in the third to really make it 6-3... really... Pens enforcer extraordinaire Mike Rupp scored his 11th goal of the year on a Carter-esque wrist shot. Let me clarify for those of you keeping score at home... the Penguins CAN'T score on the power play with Crosby, Malkin, Kunitz, Letang, Guerin, Gonchar, Goligoski leading the charge, but Mike Rupp, a guy who isn't even a good enforcer has almost doubled his previous career high 45 games into the season. What the heck is going on with that team? I sure hope that there is some crazy person sitting in a Johnny Depp poster covered basement in Pittsburgh writing a blog called "The Penguin Files" asking this very same question.
Shadow Richards secured the game with an empty net goal set up by the insane speed of Darroll Powe as he tore past Jordan Staal and flipped the loose puck out in front of the abandoned net, where after much struggle Richards was able to knock in his 19th goal of the season.
Michael Leighton had possibly the best game ever in which a goalie gave up four goals. He stopped 35 of 39 shots to pick up his career high seventh win. He made some absolutely spectacular saves at key points in the game and continues to make life difficult for both opponents and the Flyers, as former starter Ray Emery looms ready to return from injury. What will the team do? Leighton has been fantastic, Emery was fantastic to start the year before he got hurt and current backup Brian Boucher has carried this team for stretches as well.
It seems that almost every year the Flyers have a goalie controversy. Should this guy start or should that guy? Not this year though. GM Paul Holmgren fixed that nonsense. Now we have a should this guy, that guy, or that other guy start problem. The only thing better then a two-way goalie controversy is a three-way goalie controversy. Ah well, there are worse problems to have I suppose, like for example Mike Rupp outscoring your power play.
Well the orange and black are off until Saturday when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m. for a home game. The Flyers asked Tampa nicely to alter the game's start time to accommodate fans who would like to watch the Eagles playoff game which starts at 8 p.m., but the Lightning declined. They obliged the Flyers earlier in the season for a Phillies playoff game and the Flyers smoked them 6-2 that night, so its easy to see why they would be less then accommodating this time. Inglourious Flyers will be headed to the game so expect plenty of in depth analysis to go with my usual endless rambling.
Until then...
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Daniels propel Flyers past Leafs 6-2
Not a bad way way to follow up a humiliating loss. Last night the Flyers came out and pounded the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2, scoring six goals in a game for the second consecutive Wednesday. Remember last week they smoked the Rangers 6-0. It was the Flyers first home win since they... wait for it... beat the NY Islanders 6-2 on Dec. 8.
Yesterday's date? January 6th. Dun dun DUNNNN! I feel like Jim Carey in "The Number 23" all of a sudden. Now, I just need to grow some shaggy bangs and I'll be all set.
So back to the game. Somehow I managed to miss most of it so I won't belabor you with things that you could easily find in any highlight video. I caught the game's first goal, missed the second and third due to dog walking, caught the fourth on the radio and my memory is spotty from there. Having sporadically watched the game and diligently watched the highlights, here are some very brief thoughts.
Yesterday's date? January 6th. Dun dun DUNNNN! I feel like Jim Carey in "The Number 23" all of a sudden. Now, I just need to grow some shaggy bangs and I'll be all set.
So back to the game. Somehow I managed to miss most of it so I won't belabor you with things that you could easily find in any highlight video. I caught the game's first goal, missed the second and third due to dog walking, caught the fourth on the radio and my memory is spotty from there. Having sporadically watched the game and diligently watched the highlights, here are some very brief thoughts.
- Welcome back Daniel Briere! Not that he ever really left us, but finally the Danny Briere haters can exit stage right. See yourselves out, please... Two goals last night, his 15th and 16th of the year were also good for his 499th and 500th career points.
- What's in a name? The Daniels Carcillo and Syvret each netted a goal to go along with Briere's two. For Syvret it was his first career indoor NHL goal (he scored his other goal this season at the Winter Classic), while Carcillo's 4th of the season was a painfully pretty effort from a guy who is used to just dishing out pain. Look out Ovechkin, Carcillo's got your number. Seems like Toronto's problem was not having a SINGLE Daniel on their roster... not one! They have a Nikolai and a Colton, but no Daniels. Seriously, who brings a Nikolai to a Daniel fight? Oh Canada!
- The orange and black went a studly 3-6 on the power play last night. Nothing beats making teams pay for their dumb penalties and any team with Colton Orr on its roster is bound to take more then a few of those.
- The Flyers worked their power play very effectively while only giving Toronto four, and holding them scoreless. This is huge people. The Flyers PK is still ranked near the bottom of the NHL but they been much better as of late. Kudos to Blair Betts and co. for their work on that end.
- Fight! Fight! Fight! The game turned into a playground brawl during the third period with Arron Asham squaring off against Toronto's Garnet Exelby, Scottie Hartnell taking on Jeff Finger and Carcillo doing battle with Jamal Mayers. Earlier in the game Mayers took on Ian Laperriere.
- Colton Orr. In a game where the rest of his team was willing to duke it out with the Flyers tough guys, Orr was strangely silent. Why, oh why could that be? Oh that's right, because Colton Orr is the most useless player in the NHL. He has one job to do--- drop the gloves--- and he didn't do it. Instead he took an idiotic run at Mike Richards as the second period expired, put his team shorthanded and had to watch as Richards scored on the subsequent power play. The only thing Orr does is attempt to hurt people. Throw this waste of space out of the league before he succeeds. Well, that or force Toronto to trade him to the Penguins so he can bring his unique brand of hockey there and cost them some games. I like that plan better actually.
- Lastly, Michael Leighton is NO pumpkin. Well, not yet anyway. He stopped 30 of 32 shots and made some huge saves while the game was still close. How's this for an underdog story? Waived by the worst team in the league, a goalie finds new life and leads his perennially underachieving team to the promised land... Jake Gyllenhaal as Michael Leighton in "Flying High: The Michael Leighton Story." I smell an Oscar. Lots of them. Certainly one for Scruffles, the trained bear that will be portraying Chris Pronger in the film.
Well, that's all folks. Tonight the Flyers are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pens for the fourth time this year. The Flyers are 0-2-1 this season against their cross state rivals and were blown out by them 6-1 on Dec. 15. The Flyers lost to the Pens 3-2 in a shootout the next day. The Pens recently ended a five game losing streak by beating Atlanta 5-2 at home on Tuesday night.
For a team that was picked to win the Stanley Cup before the season began, beating Toronto isn't exactly a parade worthy achievement. A win tonight would go a long way towards proving that Flyers have actually turned a corner and that they are a legitimately good team.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Flyers top lines, head coach, defense and goalies stuck in traffic, rest of team loses 7-4
All right that's it. Everyone's going to the woods. I don't care that there were only three characters in "Homeward Bound" this entire Flyers team looks like it could use a little lesson on hard work and dedication.
Well scratch that. The third and fourth lines are ok. They can stay here, but the top two lines---especially the top two lines--- the entire defensive corps and all 13 goalies that we've signed since the season began: be gone from my sight.
I know this may sound a bit harsh, possibly even insane, but it needs to be done coming hot on the heels of a 7-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday afternoon. The game saw the Flyers jump out to an early 1-0 lead, then fall behind 4-1, storm all the way back to tie things at four, only to then blow it in the third by giving up three straight.
The game was just about as ugly as they come, for both sides really. Flyers starter Michael Leighton was chased from the net halfway through the first period after allowing two goals on seven shots. The first goal was just one of those things, but the second goal was absolutely dreadful. He just got flat out beat to the glove side by Jarkko Ruutu, whose proudest NHL moment until that goal was biting a guy's hand during a game last season.
Now, I don't want to say that Leighton has turned back into a pumpkin and his Cinderella story is officially over, but he has sprouted a stem and turned a peculiar shade of orange. I'm not saying, but I'm just saying.
The only thing that's keeping me from officially saying is that backup turned starter turned backup Brian Boucher came in and actually managed to do worse then Leighton. Much worse. Boosh gave up five goals on 26 shots, some of which weren't his fault, some--- like the game winner--- very much were.
The Flyers turned the puck over in the first and third period like it was on fire, resulting in plenty of Sens goals, but that wasn't the case on the game winner. On that play there was a delayed penalty call coming on the Flyers with the Sens in full control of the puck. A big shot was fired from near the top of the face off circle which Boosh stopped, sadly he left a gigantic rebound just sitting in front of him, which was recovered by the Sens and thrown past Boosh, who by this point had gotten himself so out of position that he looked like he was getting ready to take a pass and head out on a breakaway. That being the situation, "Mr. Consistency" Alexei Kovalev had a wide open net to shoot at after taking the earlier mentioned pass. Naturally, he whiffed on the first shot, but as Boosh was still waiting for that home run pass at center ice, Kovalev eventually netted the puck for the game winner. It was a thing of idiotic beauty, not just on Boosh's part, but everyone wearing a Flyers jersey on the ice.
So, I guess you wondering why the third and fourth lines are exempt from woodland abandonment? Well, if it wasn't for those two lines, there would have been no game yesterday at all. Fourth liner Ian Laperriere scored his second goal of the season on a lengthy wrister about two minutes into the game and it was the furious work of third liners Arron Asham, Darroll Powe and James vanRiemsdyk that led to the second period comeback.
The comeback came with a bit of luck as Powe scored off the stick of a Senator to make it 4-2 very early in the second, while Asham's goal which made it 4-3 was scored after Powe and about three Senators hit their starting goalie Pascal Leclaire. His day was done after that as Brian Elliot replaced him in goal about six minutes into the second period.
Mike "Shadow" Richards tied things after receiving a great pass from Kimmo Timonen as the Flyers worked a 5-3 power play. Of course, earlier in that shift, Richards did everything possible to help the Sens quash the comeback bid. He dropped his stick, he missed a wide open Timonen with a pass, clearing the zone for the Sens and then broke his stick. He skated aimlessly around center ice for a bit and then finally was put in a position where he couldn't help but succeed thanks to Timonen. The game was tied and then the period ended. And so did the game for the Flyers.
They came out listless in the third, Boosh lost his mind on the winning goal and gave up two more after that for good measure. Here are some fascinating numbers:
First Line:
Well scratch that. The third and fourth lines are ok. They can stay here, but the top two lines---especially the top two lines--- the entire defensive corps and all 13 goalies that we've signed since the season began: be gone from my sight.
I know this may sound a bit harsh, possibly even insane, but it needs to be done coming hot on the heels of a 7-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday afternoon. The game saw the Flyers jump out to an early 1-0 lead, then fall behind 4-1, storm all the way back to tie things at four, only to then blow it in the third by giving up three straight.
The game was just about as ugly as they come, for both sides really. Flyers starter Michael Leighton was chased from the net halfway through the first period after allowing two goals on seven shots. The first goal was just one of those things, but the second goal was absolutely dreadful. He just got flat out beat to the glove side by Jarkko Ruutu, whose proudest NHL moment until that goal was biting a guy's hand during a game last season.
Now, I don't want to say that Leighton has turned back into a pumpkin and his Cinderella story is officially over, but he has sprouted a stem and turned a peculiar shade of orange. I'm not saying, but I'm just saying.
The only thing that's keeping me from officially saying is that backup turned starter turned backup Brian Boucher came in and actually managed to do worse then Leighton. Much worse. Boosh gave up five goals on 26 shots, some of which weren't his fault, some--- like the game winner--- very much were.
The Flyers turned the puck over in the first and third period like it was on fire, resulting in plenty of Sens goals, but that wasn't the case on the game winner. On that play there was a delayed penalty call coming on the Flyers with the Sens in full control of the puck. A big shot was fired from near the top of the face off circle which Boosh stopped, sadly he left a gigantic rebound just sitting in front of him, which was recovered by the Sens and thrown past Boosh, who by this point had gotten himself so out of position that he looked like he was getting ready to take a pass and head out on a breakaway. That being the situation, "Mr. Consistency" Alexei Kovalev had a wide open net to shoot at after taking the earlier mentioned pass. Naturally, he whiffed on the first shot, but as Boosh was still waiting for that home run pass at center ice, Kovalev eventually netted the puck for the game winner. It was a thing of idiotic beauty, not just on Boosh's part, but everyone wearing a Flyers jersey on the ice.
So, I guess you wondering why the third and fourth lines are exempt from woodland abandonment? Well, if it wasn't for those two lines, there would have been no game yesterday at all. Fourth liner Ian Laperriere scored his second goal of the season on a lengthy wrister about two minutes into the game and it was the furious work of third liners Arron Asham, Darroll Powe and James vanRiemsdyk that led to the second period comeback.
The comeback came with a bit of luck as Powe scored off the stick of a Senator to make it 4-2 very early in the second, while Asham's goal which made it 4-3 was scored after Powe and about three Senators hit their starting goalie Pascal Leclaire. His day was done after that as Brian Elliot replaced him in goal about six minutes into the second period.
Mike "Shadow" Richards tied things after receiving a great pass from Kimmo Timonen as the Flyers worked a 5-3 power play. Of course, earlier in that shift, Richards did everything possible to help the Sens quash the comeback bid. He dropped his stick, he missed a wide open Timonen with a pass, clearing the zone for the Sens and then broke his stick. He skated aimlessly around center ice for a bit and then finally was put in a position where he couldn't help but succeed thanks to Timonen. The game was tied and then the period ended. And so did the game for the Flyers.
They came out listless in the third, Boosh lost his mind on the winning goal and gave up two more after that for good measure. Here are some fascinating numbers:
First Line:
- Mike Richards: -4, 1 goal, 2 SOG, 2 PIM, 15:44 TOI
- Simon Gagne: -5, 1 assist, 3 SOG, 2 PIM, 15:26 TOI
And the winner is:
- Claude Giroux: -6, 0 SOG, 13:00 TOI
I know the Flyers were handcuffed in terms of line changes by being the road team, but Peter Laviolette needed to do a better job of getting these buffoons off the ice when Kovalev's line was on. The line of Briere, Hartnell and Carter are destined for the woods because they are guilty by association. They did nothing... almost literally. The three of them mustered FIVE total shots and nothing more.
SENS Best Line
- Alexei Kovalev: 4 goals, 1 assist, +5, 6 SOG
- Mike Fisher: 1 assist, +4, 3 SOG, MARRIED to Carrie Underwood
- Ryan Shannon: 3 assists, +4, 2 SOG
So... why keep the human turnover machines Giroux and Gagne on the ice while these guys were running amok? Why call a time out in the first period when the score is a still manageable 2-1 AND pull your goalie? Laviolette played his hand way too early, leaving him with nothing to do but watch and grind his teeth when the wheels really fell off.
For Sens coach Cory Clouston, it marked the end of a very successful weekend. On Friday he learned that instead of gym next semester he will have a study hall. Then on Saturday, he scored a date to the upcoming Winter Formal with uber babe Michelle Fitzmargret, a sophomore. Dating older women, study hall, head coach of a winning hockey team, what more could a Canadien teenager ask for?
The Flyers are done until Wednesday, when they return home to "battle" the Toronto Maple Leafs. Neither team plays much defense so that score may end up resembling a Toronto Raptors, Philly 76ers game. After that, its another date with the Pens, who are enjoying a five game losing streak at the moment. Hopefully that's still going when the Flyers meet them on Thursday. What a test that would be. Are the Flyers better then a bad Penguins team or will the Pens end their skid against the orange and black?
Ah well. Toronto first.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Welcome to the New Year folks!
Well this is a tad over due, but Happy New Year and all that.
Now, I know what you're thinking... wasn't this blog supposed to be part of a class project and seeing as though it is now January and the class in question has ended... why hasn't the blog? Perhaps like some hideous monster in a horror film, it simply can not be stopped. No matter what local police or even the US Army may try, this blog keeps on tickin', leaving in its wake a tangled mass of destruction that would put Godzilla to shame.
Or maybe it's because, unlike my classmates, I just have nothing better to do with my time.
I like the first reason better because it's less depressing from my end, but choose whichever you prefer. Honestly though, who doesn't like a good rampaging monster?
So, Dr. Ray's class has come and gone but the blog remains. I must thank Dr. Ray for putting me onto this site and giving me the encouragement to keep going with it. If I wasn't trying so hard to graduate from college following this semester, I would love to take another of his classes. Ah but the real world beckons me closer with its cold, shriveled up hand and when the real world comes a-callin, you best get your tush in motion. At least that's what I've always heard anyway.
You may have noticed one or two changes to the site over the past few weeks. The biggest being that I once again update it regularly. I know! Having free time is wonderful and nothing leads to more free time then being unemployed and on break from school. I imagine this is what heaven must be like.
Philosophizing aside, back to the site. I've also added features on Upcoming Games, Standings and Team Leaders. I will try and keep these updated as often as possible but each contains a link to Yahoo!Sports, where you will find up-to-date information as well as some of the best hockey coverage the Interweb has to offer. There are certainly worse places to pass the time online then Yahoo!Sports. They should make that their slogan: "Yahoo! Sports... Well...there are certainly worse places to pass your time..." I should have majored in Marketing.
Lastly, you'll now notice at the bottom of every post, you now have the option to share your opinion, without having to take the time to comment. Simply check "Inglourious" if you liked it, "Not Inglourious" if you didn't and "Feh" if you had no opinion whatsoever. You can vote on the topic, the writing, the content, whatever. Use this rating system however you see fit. I'm talking to you the millions.... AND MILLIONS of readers who shift through my nonsense on a near-daily basis. And for that... I thank you. You couldn't see it, but I bowed to you just now. Once I figure out how to post video, I'll get that up there for you.
All right. That's all for now. Hopefully this year brings wonderful bounties to hockey fans everywhere, especially those who follow a certain orange and black clad squad...
Now, I know what you're thinking... wasn't this blog supposed to be part of a class project and seeing as though it is now January and the class in question has ended... why hasn't the blog? Perhaps like some hideous monster in a horror film, it simply can not be stopped. No matter what local police or even the US Army may try, this blog keeps on tickin', leaving in its wake a tangled mass of destruction that would put Godzilla to shame.
Or maybe it's because, unlike my classmates, I just have nothing better to do with my time.
I like the first reason better because it's less depressing from my end, but choose whichever you prefer. Honestly though, who doesn't like a good rampaging monster?
So, Dr. Ray's class has come and gone but the blog remains. I must thank Dr. Ray for putting me onto this site and giving me the encouragement to keep going with it. If I wasn't trying so hard to graduate from college following this semester, I would love to take another of his classes. Ah but the real world beckons me closer with its cold, shriveled up hand and when the real world comes a-callin, you best get your tush in motion. At least that's what I've always heard anyway.
You may have noticed one or two changes to the site over the past few weeks. The biggest being that I once again update it regularly. I know! Having free time is wonderful and nothing leads to more free time then being unemployed and on break from school. I imagine this is what heaven must be like.
Philosophizing aside, back to the site. I've also added features on Upcoming Games, Standings and Team Leaders. I will try and keep these updated as often as possible but each contains a link to Yahoo!Sports, where you will find up-to-date information as well as some of the best hockey coverage the Interweb has to offer. There are certainly worse places to pass the time online then Yahoo!Sports. They should make that their slogan: "Yahoo! Sports... Well...there are certainly worse places to pass your time..." I should have majored in Marketing.
Lastly, you'll now notice at the bottom of every post, you now have the option to share your opinion, without having to take the time to comment. Simply check "Inglourious" if you liked it, "Not Inglourious" if you didn't and "Feh" if you had no opinion whatsoever. You can vote on the topic, the writing, the content, whatever. Use this rating system however you see fit. I'm talking to you the millions.... AND MILLIONS of readers who shift through my nonsense on a near-daily basis. And for that... I thank you. You couldn't see it, but I bowed to you just now. Once I figure out how to post video, I'll get that up there for you.
All right. That's all for now. Hopefully this year brings wonderful bounties to hockey fans everywhere, especially those who follow a certain orange and black clad squad...
Flyers drop Winter Classic in OT, masses entertained
The Winter Classic looms no longer.
The NHL's flagship event has sailed off into the sunset, with the home team finally getting a win as the Bruins bested the Flyers 2-1 in OT.
In other history making news Dan Carcillo got into a fight. Whoops! Nothing Earth-shattering about that on the surface, allow me to explain. Carcillo's first period fight against Shawn Thornton was the first ever Winter Classic bout. Who would have guessed this tiny piece of history would be made by the Flyers? Life is just full of surprises. In case you were wondering Carcillo picked up the "W" in the tussle, also no real surprise.
In terms of the game, well it was a defensive battle which doesn't tend to make for good television, just ask the New Jersey Devils about that. Both teams came out tentative and stayed that way for nearly the entirety of the game. If it wasn't for some spotty officiating, the game very well could have gone to a shootout tied at zero.
Less then five minutes into the second period, Scott Hartnell got away with a fairly blatant trip on Bruins net minder Tim Thomas. Shortly after that, Thomas went through a midlife crisis. He decided that maybe this whole stopping the puck thing wasn't for him after all. So he decided to try his hand as team enforcer and threw a wicked hard crosscheck at Scott Hartnell, who had once again drifted in close to the crease. At the same instant, defenseman Danny Syvret, who has been playing well since taking over for the injured Ryan Parent, fired a weak writster from the blue line which squirted past Thomas and into the net.
Now, far be it for me to rip the incumbent Vezina trophy winner, but that selfish and idiotic play almost cost his team the game. Sure, Hartnell's earlier trip likely deserved a penalty, but leave the revenge to the guys who aren't the last line of defense. Like the aforementioned Thornton character.
Fortunately, the refs and Neil Diamond were there to bail out Thomas, who was named to the US Olympic team after the game in one of the most bizarre spectacles ever to air on network television. More on that later.
Following a Dennis Leary and Lenny Clarke led rendition of Diamond's Fenway Park staple "Sweet Caroline," Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen went down to block a shot, a Bruin fell over him and BAM! Instant tripping penalty. The call was really more of an effort to even up the game's power play total then anything else, but sadly this one ended up in the back of the Flyers net courtesy of ex-Flyer Mark Recchi with a mere two minutes and 18 seconds left in the game. The Flyers survived a late Danny Briere penalty, which carried into over time, but couldn't survive another questionable call from the zebras.
The Flyers almost ended the game at one end, but Briere failed to bury the puck into a wide open net. The play went the other way with about half of the Bruins bench still on the ice during one of the longest line changes in recorded history. Naturally this wasn't called and Marco Sturm redirected a shot past Michael Leighton to end it for the home team.
Immediately following the play, NBC color commentator and noted buffoon Mike Milbury announced that the Bruins had gotten away with one on that play. Not to let the day be sullied by Milbury's sudden fit of common sense, play-by-play announcer Mike Emerick did what he does best, ignored Milbury and beamed about what a great game they had just witnessed.
And it was an entertaining game. Leighton continued to play better then any one ever could have imagined. He stopped 24 of 26 shots and handled the pressure of the day admirably. The two goals that got past him were both redirections from in close that no one would have gotten to. The Flyers have no one but themselves (and of course the officials but that goes without saying) for the loss as they failed time after time to convert on odd man rushes. It seemed like every other play there was a Flyer 2-1 or breakaway and the result was always the same. Ill-advised shot wide of the net or easy save for Thomas. Perhaps the outdoor ice surface was to blame, who's to say?
The Flyers still got a big point out of the game even though they saw their four game winning streak come an end. Their record on the Walt Disney Presents "The Flyers Six Game Road Trip" goes to 4-0-1, with the final game taking place Sunday in Ottawa at 1 p.m.
So, just a few weeks ago the Winter Classic lurked just round the corner like a huge embarrassing monster. The Flyers couldn't beat anyone and they were headed towards a potential disaster on national television. Instead, they came out and played a good not great game. A few bad decisions on offense were the difference in this one, with the game's officials accounting for all of the offense. I guess if you want to sell the league to the masses, this is the way to do it: honestly. It's as if the NHL said: "Hey! We want you to like our sport, but we don't want to lie to you. Our officials like to decide games for the players. It's what they do." Take it or leave it NHL fans. This is the sport we've come to know and love. At least they sucked for both teams yesterday.
Following the game, Thomas was announced to the US Olympic team. Rather then just say "hey this guys on the team," NBC ran with the concept. They decided to make a huge thing out of the roster announcement, trotting out a army of little kids, each wearing a jersey corresponding to a member of the Olympic squad. Then it was Thomas turn, and when his name was called, he came out and stood in line with the youngsters. Is the idea of consistency is so foreign when it comes to hockey, that no one considered how strange it would look to have a grown man stand out in line with a bunch of kids? Apparently it is. Either do the thing with all kids of no kids, but mostly kids and one bearded grown man makes no sense. Or better yet. Just say who's on the goldarn team! Having the kids with the names on their jerseys awkwardly stand there and then miss their cue to turn around is not the way to go. Get the rest of the to show up, or don't do anything at all.
I digress.
I gotta say that it was a real kick to see the Flyers at the center of the hockey universe for just one day. The Winter Classic is one of the very few things Gary Bettman has done right during his all too long stint as Commissioner. Taking the game back to its roots, what a novel concept!
Now, let's all go back to worshipping at the alters of Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin again. After all, that's the way things should be. I' m seriously jonesing for a Pens/ Caps game, man! I need to see some split screens of Crosby and Ovechkin!!
The NHL's flagship event has sailed off into the sunset, with the home team finally getting a win as the Bruins bested the Flyers 2-1 in OT.
In other history making news Dan Carcillo got into a fight. Whoops! Nothing Earth-shattering about that on the surface, allow me to explain. Carcillo's first period fight against Shawn Thornton was the first ever Winter Classic bout. Who would have guessed this tiny piece of history would be made by the Flyers? Life is just full of surprises. In case you were wondering Carcillo picked up the "W" in the tussle, also no real surprise.
In terms of the game, well it was a defensive battle which doesn't tend to make for good television, just ask the New Jersey Devils about that. Both teams came out tentative and stayed that way for nearly the entirety of the game. If it wasn't for some spotty officiating, the game very well could have gone to a shootout tied at zero.
Less then five minutes into the second period, Scott Hartnell got away with a fairly blatant trip on Bruins net minder Tim Thomas. Shortly after that, Thomas went through a midlife crisis. He decided that maybe this whole stopping the puck thing wasn't for him after all. So he decided to try his hand as team enforcer and threw a wicked hard crosscheck at Scott Hartnell, who had once again drifted in close to the crease. At the same instant, defenseman Danny Syvret, who has been playing well since taking over for the injured Ryan Parent, fired a weak writster from the blue line which squirted past Thomas and into the net.
Now, far be it for me to rip the incumbent Vezina trophy winner, but that selfish and idiotic play almost cost his team the game. Sure, Hartnell's earlier trip likely deserved a penalty, but leave the revenge to the guys who aren't the last line of defense. Like the aforementioned Thornton character.
Fortunately, the refs and Neil Diamond were there to bail out Thomas, who was named to the US Olympic team after the game in one of the most bizarre spectacles ever to air on network television. More on that later.
Following a Dennis Leary and Lenny Clarke led rendition of Diamond's Fenway Park staple "Sweet Caroline," Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen went down to block a shot, a Bruin fell over him and BAM! Instant tripping penalty. The call was really more of an effort to even up the game's power play total then anything else, but sadly this one ended up in the back of the Flyers net courtesy of ex-Flyer Mark Recchi with a mere two minutes and 18 seconds left in the game. The Flyers survived a late Danny Briere penalty, which carried into over time, but couldn't survive another questionable call from the zebras.
The Flyers almost ended the game at one end, but Briere failed to bury the puck into a wide open net. The play went the other way with about half of the Bruins bench still on the ice during one of the longest line changes in recorded history. Naturally this wasn't called and Marco Sturm redirected a shot past Michael Leighton to end it for the home team.
Immediately following the play, NBC color commentator and noted buffoon Mike Milbury announced that the Bruins had gotten away with one on that play. Not to let the day be sullied by Milbury's sudden fit of common sense, play-by-play announcer Mike Emerick did what he does best, ignored Milbury and beamed about what a great game they had just witnessed.
And it was an entertaining game. Leighton continued to play better then any one ever could have imagined. He stopped 24 of 26 shots and handled the pressure of the day admirably. The two goals that got past him were both redirections from in close that no one would have gotten to. The Flyers have no one but themselves (and of course the officials but that goes without saying) for the loss as they failed time after time to convert on odd man rushes. It seemed like every other play there was a Flyer 2-1 or breakaway and the result was always the same. Ill-advised shot wide of the net or easy save for Thomas. Perhaps the outdoor ice surface was to blame, who's to say?
The Flyers still got a big point out of the game even though they saw their four game winning streak come an end. Their record on the Walt Disney Presents "The Flyers Six Game Road Trip" goes to 4-0-1, with the final game taking place Sunday in Ottawa at 1 p.m.
So, just a few weeks ago the Winter Classic lurked just round the corner like a huge embarrassing monster. The Flyers couldn't beat anyone and they were headed towards a potential disaster on national television. Instead, they came out and played a good not great game. A few bad decisions on offense were the difference in this one, with the game's officials accounting for all of the offense. I guess if you want to sell the league to the masses, this is the way to do it: honestly. It's as if the NHL said: "Hey! We want you to like our sport, but we don't want to lie to you. Our officials like to decide games for the players. It's what they do." Take it or leave it NHL fans. This is the sport we've come to know and love. At least they sucked for both teams yesterday.
Following the game, Thomas was announced to the US Olympic team. Rather then just say "hey this guys on the team," NBC ran with the concept. They decided to make a huge thing out of the roster announcement, trotting out a army of little kids, each wearing a jersey corresponding to a member of the Olympic squad. Then it was Thomas turn, and when his name was called, he came out and stood in line with the youngsters. Is the idea of consistency is so foreign when it comes to hockey, that no one considered how strange it would look to have a grown man stand out in line with a bunch of kids? Apparently it is. Either do the thing with all kids of no kids, but mostly kids and one bearded grown man makes no sense. Or better yet. Just say who's on the goldarn team! Having the kids with the names on their jerseys awkwardly stand there and then miss their cue to turn around is not the way to go. Get the rest of the to show up, or don't do anything at all.
I digress.
I gotta say that it was a real kick to see the Flyers at the center of the hockey universe for just one day. The Winter Classic is one of the very few things Gary Bettman has done right during his all too long stint as Commissioner. Taking the game back to its roots, what a novel concept!
Now, let's all go back to worshipping at the alters of Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin again. After all, that's the way things should be. I' m seriously jonesing for a Pens/ Caps game, man! I need to see some split screens of Crosby and Ovechkin!!
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