Game 2 Victory: Couturier's Legend is Growing

After the Philadelphia Flyers improbable (depending on who you ask) Game 1 come-from-behind victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, much of the credit was being attributed to rookie forward Brayden Schenn and veteran playoff legend, Danny Briere. Rightfully so. Schenn was a physical force to be reckoned with, assisted on both of Briere's goals and notched the game-tying goal on the Flyers lone powerplay. All Danny B. did was score the first 2 goals of the game missing the last week of the season with a back injury. After the Flyer buried themselves, Mr. Playoff was the shovel that dug them out.

However, as I discussed in my last blog entry, the victory would not have been possible without unsung heroes, specifically Ilya Bryzgalov and Sean Couturier. Couturier was held off the scoresheet, but that matters not. His game was all about keeping the likely recipient of this years Hart Trophy for NHL MVP (along with the Art Ross Trophy for the scoring title), Evgeni Malkin, off the board. He passed his first test with flying colors. What he did with his second test is the stuff of legend. Unsung hero, no more.

Until there was 3 seconds left in the 2nd period of Game 2, "Coots' (as his teammates call him)" 2nd NHL playoff game was very reminiscent of his 1st. Malkin was invisible thanks to the dilligent checking and surprising poise of Courturier and his line, but despite the surging Flyers efforts to yet again fight back from a 2-0 and 3-1 defificit, they still found themselves down 4-3. That's when Coots showed the world he's not just a one-trick pony by pouncing on a fat rebound off of a mediocre point shot to tie the game at 4-4 heading into the 2nd intermission. Timing is everything in Hockey, and he couldn't have timed this one better.

If you thought he was done there. Think again. The Flyers yet again stumbled out of the gate to start the 2nd period, coughing up a goal less than 2 minutes into the period. Down a goal, up a goal. The Flyers keep coming in waves. Sean intercepted a cross-ice pass while applying pressure on the Penguins brutally subpar defense, walked in all alone on Marc-Andre Fleury, went back-hand, fore-hand and tied the game for the last time on the night. It was a perfect example of everything he brings to the table. The great defensive play followed by the smooth offensive finish. Get used to seeing that Flyers fans. This kid is going to be one of, if not, the best two-way forward in the game someday. Thank you Columbus GM Scott Howson, you're now on my Christmas card list forever.

The Flyers would never look back. Jagr eventually tallied the game-winner on a spin-around shot off another juicy rebound from the floundering "Flower." Couturier and Claude Giroux each capped off hat-tricks, becoming the first pair of Flyers to pull it off in the same playoff game....ever.

In the 3rd period, instead of having to keep Malkin at bay, he forced Evgeni to defend him. Malkin has 2 secondary assists (neither of which Couturier was on the ice for) in 2 games and is a -5. There are no two ways about it. The NHLs leading scorer was a non-factor in two home playoff games.

Couturier may look like a teenager and talk like he is 11, but don't let that gap-toothed smile fool you. On the ice, he is wise well beyond his years. Not only has he been more of a factor in this series than the player he has molded his game after (Jordan Staal), he is displaying the savvy of a 10 year veteran, rather than a player who this time last year was gearing up for the NHL Entry Draft.

2 knock knocks down, 14 to go.

Off the Post: Game 2 - Unsung Heroes

1- Ilya Bryzgalov - Don't let his numbers fool you. His play has been spectacular. The majority of Pittsburgh's 8 goals have come from poor defense and rebounds. His glove save on Kris Letang was not only the turning point of the game (instead of going down 3-0, the Flyers scored less than a minute later to make it 2-1), but arguably the save of the year. The only numbers that matter for him right now are 2 wins, 0 losses.

2- Jake Voracek - Despite scoring the OT winner in Game 1, Voracek was overshadowed by Schenn and Briere. Yet again last night, he was one of the best forwards on the ice, pushing the pace and exhausting the Penguins defense every time he touched the puck. He has been the main reason for the Flyers success on their limited powerplay chances as well, notching a sensational assist on Claude Giroux's PP goal.

POST YOUR THOUGHTS BELOW ON THE FLYERS WILD 8-5 VICTORY IN GAME 2!

Game 1 Victory: Unsung Heroes

It's a beautiful morning in the "City of Brotherly Love" today. The sun is shining, flowers are blossoming and the Phillies, Sixers and most importantly, Flyers, pulled off a rare hat-trick of victories last night. Those who bleed Orange & Black are still trying to wrap their heads around yet another improbable comeback victory.

We've seen it before though, so no one should be surprised. The Flyers marched into Pittsburgh, got trampled for the first 20 minutes by an adrenaline fueled Black & Gold wave that left them down 3-0 at the 1st intermission, and then calmly dug their way out of their own graves to win 4-3 in overtime on a goal from Jake Voracek. It's rare that a team can make another teams own building feel like a house of horrors. With a record that now stands at 6-1 at the CONSOL Energy Center, that's exactly what the Flyers have done to to the Penguins.

Now you will hear all about the heroics of Mr. Playoff (Danny Briere) and rookie Brayden Schenn today, and every positive word will be justified. Briere did what he does best, rise to the occassion and elevate his play when the chips are down. He was a crucial part of the Flyers last comeback from a 3-0 deficit in Game 7 of the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals in Boston (assisting on the 2nd goal and scoring the 3rd), and his 2 goals last night proved that despite growing older with age, he still has the magic.

Schenn's performance should come as no surprise either. The last 2 games of the season against Pittsburgh brought out the best in him, and he has succeeded in every big game at every level of his life so far. His monster shift in the 1st period in which he leveled 2 Penguins in the corner approximately 3 seconds apart seemed to settle the Flyers down after they played like deer caught in headlights the first 10 minutes. His 1 goal and 2 assists that followed made it the best playoff debut by a Flyers rookie since Rosaire Paiement in 1968, the first year the Flyers made the playoffs. Schenn was the only Flyer that looked comfortable playing in this spotlight as soon as the puck dropped. The rest of the team eventually followed suit.

However, the Flyers would not have been able to win without the unsung performances of a couple of key players.

Did anyone hear Evgeni Malkins name last night? You know, the same Malkin that just won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer with a whopping 109 points (the only player in the NHL to eclipse the century mark this season). Do you know why you didn't? Sean Couturier, the 19 year old rookie center drafted 8th overall last spring with a pick acquired from Columbus in the Jeff Carter trade, did a spectacular job at staying with Malkin stride-for-stride and relegating "Geno" to a non-factor in the game. His linemates Max Talbot and fellow rookie Zac Rinaldo certainly deserve some credit too, but "Coots" was the driving force in a performance that no one his age should be able to deliver. Think about it, a 19 year old rookie shut-down one of the top 3 players on the planet on the road. Extremely impressive.

You only go as far as your goaltending takes you, and after falling down 3-0, Ilya Bryzgalov stopped the final 15 shots he faced, 4 or 5 in spectacular fashion. Point blank opportunities by Crosby and Malkin (on the PP) were confidently thwarted. Bryz gave the Flyers the chance to claw back into the game. He was left with no margin for error, and he answered the following question that many Flyers fans were wondering coming into this series: Which Ilya Bryzgalov is going to show up for the post-season? Now we know, and as they say, "knowing is half the battle."

One thing is for certain, the Flyers are playing with fire if they expect to comeback from 3-0 deficits every game against a team like Pittsburgh. They need to get the mentality that its okay to start slow out of their mindset. If they can bring the same intensity and performance they do when they go down and force Laviolette to call one of his famous "troop-rallying" timeouts at the start of Game 2, they very well may leave Pittsburgh with a commanding 2-0 series lead.

LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS ON THIS THRILLING VICTORY BELOW!

Breaking Down the Keystone Clash

The 5th seeded Philadelphia Flyers will open up the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the 4th seeded Pittsburgh Penguins in a building that has been thus far kind to the Flyers, the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh (the Flyers are 5-1 there since the building opened at the start of the 10'-11' season).

Go ahead and ask any member of the sports media what the most heavily anticipated 1st round match-up of the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs is. I'm willing to bet that 9 out of 10 will choose the Flyers VS. their bitter rivals, the Penguins. It's the 3rd time these two teams have met in the playoffs in the last 5 years. Analysts are practically salivating over it. Furthermore, a current poll on NHL.com has this series as the most heavily anticipated by all fans across the league.

It's easy to understand why. An already vicious rivalry boiled over this past Sunday during the Flyers 6-4 win in Pittsburgh. Brayden Schenn took exception to an unpenalized hit away from the play from Sidney Crosby. While skating back to the bench, Schenn caught up to Crosby and cross-checked the "face of the NHL" face-first into the ice. This drew the ire of the Penguins bench, who are always quick to defend their physically inept star forward. With the Flyers victory secured and just over 1 minute left on the clock, Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma sent out his 4th line players to run amok, presumably to send a message of the physical variety to the Flyers. The result was a crushing open-ice check by Penguins grinder Joe Vitale (who hadn't seen the ice in over 10 minutes) to Flyers center Danny Briere that has him out indefinetly with a back injury (Vitale was also responsible for injuring Flyers defensemen Nicklas Grossmann earlier in the game with an inadvertent knee-on-knee hit). Not only did every Flyer on the ice take exception to it, with a fight erupting instantaneously, it also sent Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette into a whirlwind of fury. Lavvy nearly climbed out of his bench and into Pittsburghs to "share his feelings" with Bylsma. He was able to barely contain himself, but still managed to break Flyers forward Maxime Talbots stick in half over the boards and throw it at the Penguins bench, while hurling expletives that would make a nun blush.

Flyers assistant coach Craig Berube, known for stirring the pot in his playing days, added more fuel to an already raging inferno with his comments on Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and the Penguins organization (comments echoed by Rangers coach John Tortorella this past Thursday night, and again by Jeremy Roenick today).

The stage is set for war on ice. The excitement in the air over the prospects of the Keystone Clash is at a fever pitch. Let's break down the match-up!.












FORWARDS

The Penguins (3.33 goals per game) and Flyers (3.17 goals per game) are the top two offenses in the NHL this season. However, the Flyers boast slightly more depth at the forward position, with 11 forwards with at least 10 goals, 8 players with at least 16 goals, and 4 players with at least 24 goals. The Penguins have 8 forwards with least 10 goals, 7 players with at least 17 goals, and 5 forwards with at least 24 goals. The Penguins are more of a "top-heavy" offense. Their top 2 forwards in goal production have combined for 89 goals (49 for Malkin, 40 for James Neal); whereas the Flyers top 2 forwards in goal production have combined for 65 goals (37 for Scott Hartnell, 28 for Claude Giroux). Spreading out the offense is a recipe for success in the playoffs, and the Flyers have the right ingredients. The absence of Crosby for the large majority of the regular season was factored in and weighed against the astounding numbers of injuries to almost every Flyers forward at some point in the season, most significantly James van Riemsdyk. The Flyers are capable of shutting-down at least one of the "two-headed monsters" and that will ultimately lend to their success.

ADVANTAGE: FLYERS

DEFENSE

The Penguins (17th ranked defense) and Flyers (20th ranked defense) have had their fair share of issues keeping pucks out of their net this season. However, with the Flyers defensive additions at the trade deadline (especially Grossmann) and the improved play of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, the Flyers are trending in the right direction. Since the start of March, the Flyers have allowed just 43 goals in 20 games, compared to the Penguins who have allowed 61 goals in 19 games. Kris Letang does provide more firepower from their blueline than any Flyer. Philly will also be without one of their most complete defensemen, Andrej Meszaros, for at least the 1st round.

ADVANTAGE: DRAW

GOALTENDING

Statiscally speaking, Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (.913 Save Percentage, 2.36 GAA.) had a better season than Bryzgalov (.909 Save Percentage, 2.48 GAA.). However, Bryzgalov has been better of late, winning the NHL Player of the Month award for March after posting an otherworldy 1.43 GAA. and .947 Save Percentage. His 4 shut-outs in March were 1 more than Fleury has all season. You want your goaltender on a roll heading into the playoffs, and Bryzgalov is on some kind of roll. That being said, Fleury has a wealth of playoff experience, is 2-0 against the Flyers in playoff series', and took home the ultimate prize as the starting goalie in the Penguins 2009 championship run. Bryzgalov was spectacular spelling an injured Jean-Sebastien Giguere for 11 games during the Anaheim Ducks championship run in 2007, but has was relegated to back-up for the Finals once Giguere was healthy. Both netminders Save Percentages have gone down in each of their last 4 playoff appearances, but Fleury's experience and penchant for making clutch saves cannot be overlooked.

ADVANTAGE: PENGUINS

INTANGIBLES

The Flyers reputation may always be tarnished thanks to the Broad Street Bullies of the 70's, but it's the character of the Penguins that has been called in to question this past week. There is no shortage of character on this Flyers team. What they lack in experience, they make up for in sheer determination. There have been very few times this season where this team gave up in a game, despite being plagued by poor 1st periods, injuries, and large deficits. Pittsburgh gets the slight advantage in special teams and faceoffs, two important aspects of winning playoff games, but they'll have to deal with a Flyers team that doesn't give up leads often once they have one but is just as comfortable chasing the game. They seem to thrive off of the challenge of coming back, and it appears as though they have adopted and embraced the "under-dog" status. These teams are about as evenly matched as any of the 1st round match-ups, but the Orange & Black have won 4 of the 5 meaningful games against Pittsburgh this season and seem to have found the formula for beating the NHL's "model franchise." I may be biased here, but i'm allowed to be.

ADVANTAGE: FLYERS

SERIES PREDICTION: FLYERS WIN IT IN 6 GAMES

PLEASE RESPOND WITH YOUR THOUGHTS AND PREDICTIONS BELOW!



Flyers Overcoming Adversity

 Adversity : a state, condition, or instance of serious or continued difficulty or adverse fortune.

   The latest edition of the Philadelphia Flyers have stared down adversity of all shapes and sizes since before this season even began. The players once considered the cornerstones of the franchise, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, were traded on the same day in what many called an unprecedented organizational face-lift. Who would replace their combined production of 59 goals and 132 points? Seven other players departed and fans were left to wonder whether or not this team was rebuidling, or retooling. Last years team averaged 3.12 goals per game at season end; good for 3rd in the league. This years team is averaging 3.12 goals per game, good for 3rd in the league. Suffice to say, the moves made by Paul Holmgren have payed off so far. The production that left has easily been replaced by younger and hungrier players, whether it be "Rookie of the Year" candidate Matt Read or a veteran player acquired in the offseason trades like Wayne Simmonds. Just 4 points out of home-ice advantage in the 1st round of the playoffs with 6 games to go (2 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who they are chasing), what GM Paul Holmgren has managed to do is the definition of retooling.

   Alas, major changes were just the first dose of adversity. The second came in the form of a tidal wave of injuries. The suddenly red-hot Ilya Bryzgalov is just the latest in a long-list of battered combatants. It's unclear as to how Bryzgalov chipped a bone in his foot or how much time he will miss. It may have been from kicking defensemen Matt Carle in his posterior after his costly turnover in the 3rd period of Monday's game against Tampa Bay led to the deciding goal. Andrej Meszaros, the reigning Barry Ashbee Trophy winner (best Flyers defensemen as voted upon by the team) will miss another 5-7 weeks following his back surgery last week. Lest we forget about veteran defensemen and defacto leader Chris Pronger, who replaced Richards as Flyers captain. Just 13 games into his tenure, Pronger suffered a season-ending concussion. His presence was dearly missed for much of the middle of the season. The Flyers fell as low as 26th overall in goals against per game. General Manager Paul Holmgren didn't sit on his hands though. Instead, he went out and acquired Nicklas Grossmann and Pavel Kubina to shore up the defense in Prongers absence. Since then, The Flyers have allowed just 24 goals in 15 games, moving up to 20th overall in GAPG. Blossoming power-forward James van Riemsdyk, fresh off of a dominating performance in the playoffs, was awarded a big contract extension, and promptly suffered injury after injury, limiting him to just 43 of the teams 76 games thus far. 

   Concussions have been the hot-button topic yet again this season around the NHL. You want concussions? We've got concussions; six different Flyers to be exact. You'd be better off asking which players haven't yet suffered a serious injury this season.

Flyers Total Man-Games Lost to Injury:

• Laperriere 76
• Betts 73
• Pronger 62
• van Riemsdyk 32
• Gustafsson 21
• Schenn 20
• Sestito 19
• Lilja 13
• Briere 9
• Jagr 9
• Meszaros 12
• Couturier 5
• Timonen 5
• Kubina 6
• Giroux 4
• Rinaldo 4
• Read 3
• Voracek 3
• Bryzgalov 2
• Coburn 1
• Talbot 1

   If you exclude Laperriere and Betts, who were never in the Flyers plans for this season, you get a grand total of 229 Man-Games Lost to Injury, 11th most in the league. The only teams likely to make the playoffs ahead of the Flyers in this dubious category are Pittsburgh, Florida, and St. Louis.

   Turnover in personnel and injuries haven't been the only sources of adversity for the Orange & Black. For the first 5 months of the season, they had to overcome the wildly inconsistent goaltending from Ilya Bryzgalov and Sergei Bobrovsky and the media frenzy that exacerbated it. Not only that, but they have been notorious for starting off slowly in games. No matter. They have the 3rd highest winning percentage when being scored upon first.

   The Flyers have found a way to score and more importantly, they have found a way to win. After the dramatic maneuvering of Paul Holmgren left fans and "experts" wondering if they would even be a playoff team this season, the Flyers have silenced all critics and are one of only 5 teams to have already clinched their spot in the post-season dance. Head coach Peter Laviolette deserves a lot of the credit for his ability to seamlessly integrate new players, a lot of which have been rookies, into his existing system. Adversity faced? Check. Adversity overcome? Check. They say overcoming adversity can turn a good team into a great team. Only time will tell.

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Flyers Need To Play With Consistent "Jam"

   If there's one thing we learned about Philadelphia Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette from HBO's "24/7: Road to the NHL Winter Classic" documentary, it's that Lavvy is constantly professing the necessity to play with "jam."

   Now, he's not talking about the kind of jam you pair up with some of Jaromir Jagr's Creamy Peanut Butter for an afternoon snack. Lavvy's talking about winning battles and wearing the opponents defense down. He's talking about that extra vigor that was present over the weekend while facing rival opponents Boston and Pittsburgh, but was missing on Tuesday night at home vs. Florida. When the Flyers play with "jam," they are quickly on top of defensemen on the forecheck, pounding pucks loose and creating not just one scoring chance, but two and three good looks at the net. When their not playing with "jam," they are opting for a brand of hockey that can best be described as "too cute." They pass up open shot opportunities and look for the perfect goal, rather than the ugly one (a Wayne Simmonds goal) Sure, they may have out-shot Florida 36-13, completely stifling them defensively, but the physical presence and second chance opportunities were not there in Floridas end. Save for the last 5 minutes, it may have been the quietest 36 shots of the season, and because the Flyers failed to wear down the Panthers defense, they were able to hold off the late surge for the 2-1 victory.

   We've seen this from the Flyers (and other teams for that matter) before. They have a tendency to elevate their emotional level against rival opponents, before letting it drop against the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers of the league. Obviously, points against rivals count just the same as points against the rest of the league.

   The loss on Tuesday night at home vs. the Panthers may have been the final nail in the coffin on the Flyers attempt to win the Atlantic Divison, and ultimately the Eastern Conference. They now sit 7 points back of the Division and Conference leading New York Rangers with 9 remaining. The 5 losses in 5 games vs. the Rangers this season and their inadequacy in shoot-outs (3-6 record) may be the main culprit, but crucial losses to Florida, Long Island, Edmonton and Winnipeg over the last couple of months may prove to be just as costly. Nevertheless, the Flyers can still catch the Penguins and secure home-ice advantage in the 1st round. They are just 4 points back with 2 games against them.

   There are fans that are of the opinion that since the Flyers have been such a good road team this season (4 more wins on the road than at home thus far), home-ice advantage is not essential. I disagree. Having the best fans in hockey behind you to kick off the playoffs has always been, and will always be an advantage for the Orange & Black. Regardless of who they play in the 1st round or what city the series beings in, they can beat any team they face..as long as they play with "jam."

CAN THE FLYERS BEAT ANY TEAM THEY FACE IN THE 1ST ROUND? IS HOME ICE ADVANTAGE A NECESSITY OR A LUXURY? LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS BELOW!

Back to Bryzness



Bryzgalov with 1 of his 17 saves in 3-0 shut-out win over New Jersey.

   I'm sure we're all familiar with the phrase, "The universe has a way of correcting itself." What we never could have imagined was that a phrase as deep as space itself could draw such a parallel to the roller-coaster season of enigmatic Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.

   On Tuesday night in Philadelphia vs. the New Jersey Devils, "Universe," a nickname Bryzgalov earned during his interview on HBO's documentary '24/7: Road to the NHL Winter Classic' after his musings on how "humangous big" the universe is and how we shouldn't sweat the small things in life, earned his 3rd consecutive shut-out and 4th in 5 starts. In the processs, he was named 1st star of the game for his 5th consecutive start. Get on the bandwagon while the gettin' is good.

   This is the goaltender Paul Holmgren went out and signed to a nine year, $51 million dollar contract this past offseason. This is the goaltender who posted a Save Percentage of at least .920 in 3 of the last 4 seasons in Phoenix and was nominated for a Vezina Trophy as leagues best goalie. You know, the man who was supposed to put an end to the 20 years the Flyers have gone without a stable, long-term #1 netminder. The goaltender who had a Save Percentage as low as .890 just a few months ago, well below an NHL netminders "mendoza line" of .900 and good for 63rd in the league at the time, is now a distant memory. He has climbed 30 spots already to 33rd in Save Percentage (.908) and his 6 shut-outs are 3rd most in the NHL and 6 more than the Flyers goaltending combined for all of last season.

   How, when, where and why this dramatic turn-around occured for the man nicknamed "Universe" may be a mystery on the scale of the actual universe. Did it start on a frigid night in Calgary where Bryz finally got the shoot-out monkey off his back, stopping 4 of 5 shots in a thrilling triumph? That's irrelevant. What is relevant is that if this superb play between the pipes continues, the Flyers look like a legitimate threat to come out of the Eastern Conference. For now, It appears as though Bryz has found that "peace in his soul to play in this city" he alluded to less than one month ago. Cue the cautious optimism Flyers faithful. 

How confident are you that Bryzgalov has officially turned it around? Leave your thoughts below and don't forget to Follow my blog by clicking the icon on the right!

Where Is the Suspension for Kronwall?



Kronwall targeting Voracek's head



   Let me start off by saying that when it comes to physical play in the NHL, I am far from a pacifist. I love clean, bone-crunching hits just as much as I love top-shelf slap-shots off the cross-bar and in. That being said, what Niklas Kronwall did to Jakub Voracek on Tuesday night was illegal and should have resulted in a suspension of at least 2 games.

  Jakub Voracek attempted to get a head start on moving the puck up ice by beginning to skate forward while reaching backwards to retrieve the puck. When he turned around, he was immediately and maliciously greeted by Niklas Kronwall's shoulder right to the mouth, sending him flying backwards to the ice and leaving him dazed for a half a minute. Play carried on until the Flyers regained possesion and although Brayden Schenn offered to engage Kronwall in fistacuffs, Kronwall declined (no surprise considering he has never once answered the bell in his career), and there was never any revenge issued (an issue for another post).



   We saw a lot of this type of hit in the 90s. New Jersey Devils Hall of Fame defensemen Scott Stevens was the poster child for it. It was within the parameters of the rules the league had in place. You could target the opponents head as long as you made contact with your shoulder and kept your elbow tucked in at your side. Stevens leveled many an unsuspecting player with the same type of hit. Paul Kariya, Slava Kozlov, Shane Willis; the list goes on and on. Were some of these hits an attempt to injure? Absolutely. Were they legal? Sure, so I had no problem with them. Even when he ended Lindros' career as a Flyer in game 6 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals by olbiterating "The Big E" as he manuvered through the neutral zone with his head down, I never complained.

   Then the league changed the rule to this:

48.1 Illegal Check To The Head – A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted. However, in determining whether such a hit should have been permitted, the circumstances of the hit, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit or the head contact on an otherwise legal body check was unavoidable, can be considered

   The first highlighted line explains why it was illegal and the second explains why i'm assuming the NHLs lead disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan interpreted it as legal. However, It is clear in the replay that Kronwall targeted Voracek's head. He had the time and opportunity to target the chest, and actually raised his trajectory at the last second to the point where his skates almost left the ice surface to deliberately make the head the principal point of contact. Contact with the head was not unavoidable. No penalty was assessed on the play, and no subsequental discipline was given to Kronwall. Even after the rule change handcuffed every other player, he continues on his path of predatory head-hunting without repercussions.

  In a league where concussions and player safety in general have become a major cause for concern, Shanahan dropped the ball by not disciplining this hit. It is the second time in two weeks that a questionable hit, that we have seen result in a suspension in other instances, occured against a Flyer and was not dealt with (San Jose Sharks defensemen Marc-Edouard Vlasic check from behind on Danny Briere). Flyers forward and pugilist Zac Rinaldo's hit on Detroit defensemen Jonathan Ericsson was a clean shoulder to the chest and far less dangerous hit and he was suspended for 2 games. How badly does someone have to be injured by Kronwall before the NHL puts a stop to him? All we are asking for is a little consistency from the league. Is that so much to ask?

OFF THE POST: Do you agree with the NHLs decision to not suspend Niklas Kronwall for this hit? If so, why? Leave your thoughts below!

 

Howe's Honor Long Overdue

Mark Howe and Ron Hextall

   Mark Howe is the best defensemen in the history of the Philadelphia Flyers. On Tuesday night, with the Detroit Red Wings in town, Mark finally had his number '2' raised to the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center, joining Bobby Clarkes '16', Bill Barbers '7', Bernie Parents '1', and Barry Ashbees '4'. He is the first of the post-Stanley Cup era Flyers to receive this honorary distinction. It was a classy move on the organizations part to have the ceremony while the Red Wings were in town. Afterall, he played his final three seasons there and his legendary father, Gordie Howe, led the franchise to four Stanley Cups. 


   Author Jay Greenberg said it best in his book 'Full Spectrum (an essential read for all those who bleed Orange & Black)' - "Few players with a skill level as high as Mark Howe's have ever subverted their egos so for the good of their teams. He failed to score more than 480 points in his 594 regular season games only because the Flyers were ahead too often to need more goals."

   The question is, why did it take so long? Why did the Flyers feel it was necessary to wait until the NHL finally inducted him into the Hockey Hall of Fame before they could honor the son of "Mr. Hockey" themselves? Sure It's absolutely ridiculous that it took the NHL seventeen years to induct him into the Hall of Fame, but it's even more absurd that the Flyers organization felt it was necessary to wait until after that happened to retire his number. Did not yet being a member of the HOF change the fact that he was the anchor of their defense for an entire decade, nearly winning Stanley Cups in 1985 and 1987? No. Did it change the fact that he is the franchises all-time leading scorer in goals, assists, and points for a defensemen? Not-uh. His astounding +85 rating in the 1985-1986 season (the seventh best single-season +/- by an individual in the history of the NHL) alone should have been enough to have his number retired. Well, not really, but you get the idea. Howe was a legend, underrated by even the team he played for with such a rare combination of class and skill. He is widely considered "the best defensemen to never win the Norris Trophy (awarded to the NHLs best defensemen after each season)", finishing as a runner-up three times. He played in the highest-scoring era in league history, and made it look easy. Hopefully the next Flyers legend doesn't have to wait until the NHL honors their accomplishments before they do.

    Its been long overdue to see Mark Howe finally thrust back into the spotlight of hockey fans everywhere with his HOF induction, alumni game penalty-shot goal, and number retirement cermony. In a sad twist of fate, these moments all occured in the wake of dear friend and long-time defensive partner Brad McCrimmons passing in last years tragic Lokomotiv Ice Hockey team plane crash. If there is any one player Mark would have wanted to share these moments with, it would have been "the Beast."







OFF THE POST: It's been 22 years since the Flyers last retired a number. How long will it be before they retired another one? Will 'The Big E' or another member of the 90s teams that came ever so close to winning the Cup ever have their number retired? If Claude Giroux keeps doing what hes doing for the next decade or more, will it be the his '28'? Comment with your thoughts below!

Jaromir Jagr Loves Peanut Butter

   There may only be one thing that Jaromir Jagr, the eighth leading scorer in NHL history, loves more than doing his famous salute to the crowd after scoring a goal. This thing he loves is a creamy (and sometimes crunchy, but he's not into anything that perverse) spread that has been a staple of American households for generations and calls jelly its best friend. If you guessed peanut butter (or if you simply read the title of this post), you would be correct. It makes sense. Jagr in his prime may have been the smoothest player to ever lace up skates. Creamy even. Let's face it, they're a match made in heaven, or on Wonderbread with the crusts cut off.

  Jagr's fascinating and protein-rich condiment first hit store shelves in 1996. Jagr was a superstar at the time, one year removed from his first of five Art Ross trophies for leading scorer in the NHL. Naturally, endorsements were flying his way. Michael Jordan chose sneakers. Jaromir Jagr chose peanut butter. I think we all know who made the right choice. You can't eat sneakers, but if you could, I bet they'd taste better with 'Jagr's Creamy Peanut Butter' on them.

   The only thing better than 'Jagrs Creamy Peanut Butter' might be the shirt he's sporting in the picture to the right. The only thing better than his shirt might be his mullet. It makes the "business in the front, party in the back" look the 93' Phillies proudly displayed look like "high and tight" military fades by comparison.

   If you're a fan of collecting bizarre sports memorabilia, or just want to live dangerously and see how your body reacts to eating expired peanut butter (not recommended), you can purchase Jagr's Creamy Peanut Butter on eBay right now! Starting bid is just $10.00. STEAL OF THE CENTURY.

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