ORANGE C.R.USHER

Chapter 1. Phantoms win series, play Wilkes-Barre/Scranton next.

Chapter 2. Attempted screwage by referees at Flyers games is maddening; Flyers still win.

Chapter 3. No more Iowa Stars; other random observations.

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FULL VERSION:


Last night, the Phantoms beat Albany 2-0 to advance to the division finals, which will be played against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. (We’ve been there before, haven’t we??) Walking to this game last night, I didn’t have a very good feeling about it. Perhaps I have been too pessimistic about the Phantoms since Boucher left, and perhaps I didn’t fully believe in the Phantoms in spite of their resilience during this series.

Saturday’s game was a bit of a snoozer, in spite of being played close to the vest the entire regulation-plus. It was obvious from the get-go that these boys were still dead tired, but the goalies were not going to let that lead them to any kind of mistake. A duel was in the works, and it was 0-0 at the end of regulation. And then, after Munroe made a few very nice saves, what’s-his-face MacDonald from Albany froze him and won the game and saved the River Rats’ season – for another game, at least.

I left the arena feeling annoyed with the whole series. Albany is not a very good team – seriously. I lost count of how many wide-open nets they missed, or mistimed passes that that had they only been slightly more on-target, would have led to goals. Munroe was outstanding, of course, but those times where he was out of position or his glove hand wasn’t accurate, it didn’t matter because Albany could rarely pot a goal anyway. Yet the Phantoms couldn’t take the series easily either because Leighton was just too good. Hence, we had these all-or-nothing games, games going to ridiculous OT, and near-shutouts that were simply maddening.

Mostly I was annoyed because I hated the idea of having to sit through a heart-attack of a Game 7 on Tuesday, another goalie duel that I feared Leighton would win. On the way to the game, I confessed to K. that I didn’t think the Phantoms would win. He disagreed, and went on to say that he envisioned Stefan Ruzicka simply destroying Leighton. I kind of giggled at that, seeing as Rosie had no goals to speak of so far – not that there were many to go around.

Sometimes I wonder if K. has some sort of inside track to the hockey gods. He has been known to say things such as “Prospal hasn’t impressed me since getting here” at a game only to see Prospal score/assist profusely in that game. Last night, on the very first shift, on the very first shot of the game, a mere 22 seconds in, Stefan Ruzicka blasted a top-shelf goal past Leighton and the Phantoms were very quickly in the position to win the game. It was such a pretty goal, and while I have wished every game that they were playing in the Spectrum, I was glad for the replay on the jumbotron because it was something to see a few more times. And the rest of the game was another played close to the vest, with Munroe making key saves while Albany missed open nets at other times, and Leighton simply keeping the door closed. Had he not muffed that first goal, the game would nearly have gone regulation at 0-0 again. 1-0 is not a safe lead for anyone, but it stood for another, what, 57 some minutes? Until Ryan Potulny scored an insurance goal with just under 2 to go, bringing the score to 2-0. (Another damn pretty goal.) Albany pulled Leighton after that, and even with 6 men on the ice, were not able to get anything past Munroe as the clock ticked down. The last ten or fifteen seconds were drowned out in roars as we all stood up and let the Phantoms know how much we enjoyed their evening’s success.

It was something to see Munroe and Leighton shake hands during the good-sportsmanship episode at center ice. These two made the series what it was: one for the AHL history books. In the Phantoms’ wrap-up of the game on their website, some fascinating and amazing statistics came out of this first-round series:

Together, the teams scored a mere 23 goals in 7 games [Albany 12, Phantoms 11, setting the record for fewest goals scored (and they won!?)].

513 minutes, 33 seconds of hockey was played in these 7 games (breaking the AHL record by an hour, a record that was almost 60 years old).

Munroe allowed a mere one goal in the last 235:22 of the series, stopping 102 of 103 shots in that time.

Munroe finished with a 1.29 GAA and a 0.952 save %, while Leighton finished with a 1.18 GAA and a 0.968 save %. It’s just about mind-boggling.

4 shutouts in this series, two apiece for the goalies, and another game for Leighton that was so nearly a shutout that it’s almost a shame (for him – I was glad that at least the Phantoms had not been shut out even though they lost).

I have to say that I hope the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton series coming up is a little more open. I would like to see the Phantoms score on the baby Penguins, again and again and again. None of this “fewest goals ever” business. How about “most goals ever”?? The divisional final begins Thursday at W-B/S, and the Phantoms come home for Game 3 next Monday.

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Ok, so, the Flyers. Last Saturday I was out and couldn’t watch the game live. As it happens, the restaurant where we were had the game on – but it was not audible or visible, so I wasn’t being a poor guest by having my attention divided. On the way out, B. peeked at the TV. I told him not to tell me what the score was, and then I couldn’t stand him knowing and me not knowing, so I let him tell me.

“3-1 Flyers after two,” he said.

I didn’t believe him. Why should I? So I peeked, too, and it was true. Then I was sorry to have been told (why is it that usually happens?). When I got home, I started the game from the beginning, while the DVR happily continued to record the proceedings. I love technology! And I loved that game. Even though I knew what the ultimate 2-period decision was, it was still satisfying to see how that came about. Goal #1: R. J. Umberger at 5:53. Goal #2: Jeff Carter, on the power play. Goal #3: really, probably the best goal, because it was scored by Danny Briere, who had been incessantly booed throughout the two games in Montreal (you know, because he dissed them by signing with Philly instead of the Canadiens). And the Canadiens’ goal, yeah, so what. Biron was otherwise so outstanding that my eyes boggled to see him make saves on Plekanec, Streit, seemingly point-blank and saves I swear he would not have made only a few short weeks ago. This Biron (Beeee-rawn …. BEEEEE-RAWN!!) is killing me with his awesomeness.

The third period was unknown territory. Anxiety returned when the Canadiens scored early in the period to make it 3-2, but this score held for most of the period (meaning the anxiety held for most of the period). I started to wonder if the game would end up going to overtime, and if so, if I had set the DVR to record long enough to get it. But R. J. Umberger solved that worry for me by scoring with less than three minutes left in the game to make it 4-2 Flyers, and I felt myself relax a bit. Carey Price was looking completely human, making careless mistakes – for example, on this Umberger goal, he had made a save and had the puck with his glove, and Umberger just batted it out with his stick and scored. Either he was arrogant enough to think that no one would dare to do such a thing, or he simply didn’t realize that Umberger was there and ready to do it. Whatever. Price was certainly not the dominant goaltender that I feared he would be.

I think the best part of R. J.’s scoring is that the crowd was chanting their Ole chant, and suddenly he silenced them. I don’t remember which goal it was that this happened on – only that it happened – and I laaaaaaaaaaaughed.

I felt far better with the Flyers winning that game than I had felt after Thursday’s farce. The officiating was … better. Not great, but better.

For Monday’s game, however, it was back to same-old. Forgive me, but doesn’t it seem obvious that a referee that is more or less from Montreal should not be officiating a game in which the Montreal Canadiens are playing? SERIOUSLY. Marc Joannette. Birthplace: Verdun, Quebec. Imagine the outcry had a referee from Philadelphia been calling things as horrifically in this game. Conspiracy? Nah. Deep-seated, perhaps unconscious bias? Believable. Please explain to me these few things (and I am not even going to be able to touch on them all):

1) Two minor ticky-tack penalties assessed to Philadelphia in the first period, simultaneous, leaving the Flyers two men down for two minutes. When does that happen in the regular season, let alone in the playoffs? Thanks to excellent coverage by Vs. I can’t even try to explain them to myself, having a) not seen them (they were not replayed and the first we learned of them was coming back from commercial break to find two Flyers in the box), b) not had them described by the broadcasters, who only some moments later mentioned the hooking/slashing/whatever they were penalties. Fortunately the Flyers killed off that 5-on-3 that probably need not have happened in the first place.

2) Steve Downie was heading toward the boards behind the Canadiens’ net, following the puck. As it happened, at that same time, Carey Price was behind the net also following the puck. Downie’s stick jammed toward the boards near the ice, playing the puck. His stick touched Price’s skate. Price flings himself to the ice, throwing his helmet off. A melee naturally follows, with two Canadiens teaming up to beat up Downie. Reinforcements from both sides come in. I don’t recall the referee throwing his arm up in the air on the original play, but as soon as the dust and ice chips cleared, somehow the Flyers ended up with an extra penalty: Downie got four minutes, two for roughing and two for tripping. Hatcher was in the box for roughing, too, and two Canadiens as well. I still cannot believe that Downie, who the Canadiens were making into a punching bag as officials watched, ended up with double minors. Price got a steal on that sell-job, didn’t he? The kid was clearly being rattled to the bones this series, but I still had a little respect for him, given his talent, blah blah blah, but, really, come on. Price. Throwing your helmet off? That’s laying it on just too thick, and was probably completely unnecessary since Joannette would have seen it your way anyway, since you ended up on the ice after Downie came near.

3) Danny Briere was cross-checked away from the play and nothing was called, but moments later Lasse Kukkonen was in the box for allegedly holding the stick – suuuuuuure.

4) Kimmo Timonen was kicked. KICKED.

5) Derian Hatcher’s penalty. Ok, even a homer has to admit that Hatcher made a stupid play by boarding what’s-his-face, but suddenly there is blood because what’s-his-face wears a visor and it cut him. Suddenly Hatcher has a 5-minute major, and, you know, for good measure, officials threw in a game misconduct. Let’s see, it’s the third period and the Canadiens are down 3-0. Carey Price blew in the second period and now what’s-his-face who backs him up (Halak) is in the net, and it’s looking pretty grim for Montreal. Here is a golden opportunity for them. Five minute never-ending power play and one of the Flyers’ best PKers has been tossed. How do you not start to wonder if something is going on behind the scenes here? Bouillon was boarded and cut but still had the wherewithal to cross-check Hatcher afterward. Was that retaliation noted? Nah. Why should it be? And at just about the same moment that Hatcher and Bouillon were having their initial altercation, Plekanec low-bridged R. J. Umberger in the corner, hitting R. J.’s thigh/knee with his ass/hip. I don’t see how that kind of action can be viewed as anything but intent to injure, but Plekanec skated away without so much as an eyebrow raised at him, while Umberger crouched by the boards in pain. Fortunately he had on a knee brace which perhaps saved his leg, and was able to come back and continue playing. I can see Plekanec wanting to take Umberger out. The dude scored yet another goal against them, in the second period; a Habs killer, might be best if he didn’t come back, right? If Hatcher could get 5 minutes and a game for Bouillon cutting himself on his visor, I don’t see how Plekanec should be allowed to skate away after that intent-to-injure play.

We had 29 Flyers penalty minutes and 10 Canadiens penalty minutes. The Canadiens were in the box for such objective infractions as delay of game (puck over glass) and too many men. I’d even go so far as to say that the two roughing calls on the dudes who mugged Downie were basically objective, since there is no way they could have not called those and staved off a riot. However, the Flyers’ calls were all subjective penalties, ones that could be let go or not. If not, then fine – just call the crap the Canadiens were pulling, too!! That is all I ask! I want to watch a game where I have a reasonable expectation of fair and just officiating and not be left with a bitter taste of bias in my mouth!!!!

So the Flyers won anyway, and I am just getting very sick of having to feel smug and spiteful and vindictive after they win in spite of the referees’ best efforts to give the Canadiens a chance. Three second period goals had the Flyers well in control of the game, because Carey Price was a shadow of himself. Upshall’s goal was pretty, but a different incarnation of Price would probably have stopped it. Richards’s shorthander was delicious, because, you know, it happened while Kukkonen was sitting in the box for that iffy holding-the-stick call; Price definitely should have had that one. And then Umberger’s goal, too, to sweeten things. In the second period, Price made four saves on seven shots. Um. At the conclusion of the period, I texted J., asking, “Who backs up Price? Halak?” I really couldn’t quite remember, though I did not actually expect that we would see whoever the backup was. Yet we did. And Halak got a poke by Richards that made me laugh (I didn’t even feel ashamed that my player would stoop to such a thing) and made two whole saves – the only two shots the Flyers got in the entire third period. I had spoken to B. as the third period was just getting underway, saying that things were going well. “3-0?” he said. “They’ve got it.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” I replied, cautiously, warningly.

“Oh, the hockey gods don’t care about me,” he said. “I can say it. They’ve got it.”

I told him I’d be soooooooo mad if he’d jinxed them, but he did not sound concerned. So I said good-bye so that I could concentrate on the mess that was only just then occurring – the “[bleeping] BS, that’s what”, as J. referred to it, that was Hatcher’s boarding call. Two minutes later the game was 3-2 and I was wondering if I was going to have to blame B. for the jinx!! Lucky for him, Biron was simply mind-blowing, and the game stayed 3-2 and the Flyers won. WON, damn it. TAKE THAT, NHL.

The Flyers are up 2-1 in this series against ALL odds, and I wince when I think about what adversity they are going to have to face again tonight. Questions: who’s refereeing? Will Halak be in? (I doubt it.) What new cheap play are we going to see? Knuble’s supposed to play tonight (woo!) – who will he replace? Can Biron continue to streak this hot? I said to J., who told me more or less to bite my tongue, that if the Flyers can bamboozle goalies the way they bamboozled Price and Biron can continue to commit major larceny on great goal scorers, then I can’t see why they don’t have a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup.

Time will tell. For now they have to win two more games. I hesitate to leap forward with unbridled optimism, but I am slowly beginning to wonder if I was really wrong earlier when I said that I expected the Canadiens to take this series. I wonder.

LET’S GO FLYERS.

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In the Des Moines Register there was an article revealing that the Iowa Stars team is finished. Dallas is pulling its affiliation out of Des Moines. However, there will still be AHL hockey in Des Moines in the upcoming seasons, though there is no official word as far as I know as to what affiliate will locate there. Rumors have it that Anaheim’s going to park themselves in central Iowa. If that’s so, then Iowans can look forward to some good hockey and a winning record, no? (And then what happens to Portland?)

All my Iowa Stars stuff is now just a bunch of relics. Alas. It doesn’t make me as sad to think that as it does to think about the Phantoms being gone after next season.

Sitting at the game last night, we were watching the side scoreboard which had results from other games. I saw none of it and have read nothing about it, but I guessed that the Pittsburgh/New York game must have been somewhat wild, since the scores kept going up and up and up. It ended up 5-3 Penguins (BAH!). K. and I are at odds as to who we want to win this series, and I can understand his viewpoint (he has loathed the Rangers for a lot longer than I have even really watched hockey), yet I cannot see it his way enough to want the Penguins to beat them. How I would love a magical comeback by the Rags to beat them after being down now 3-0. That’s a pipe dream, though, I expect. (Note: news today is that Sean Avery is “out for the remainder of the season” with a spleen issue. What, one game? Ouch.)

And Dallas – now, that’s a nice 3-0 lead that I can deal with.

Colorado / Red Wings – yet another 3-0 series, with the Avs about ready to drop out. Huh, only the Flyers/Canadiens series has any real suspense to it at this point. Won’t it be a little cool if the Flyers end up beating the Canadiens and face the Penguins, while their baby teams face each other too? Speaking of the Baby Pens, their captain was charged with indecent exposure as he streaked naked down a street. He won’t be playing for Wilkes-Bare (ha ha ha! Sorry.) on Thursday as he has been suspended one game.

BULL@$#%.

Not eloquent, but it serves. I want to point out something before I really get started:

Sure, a person might say the Flyers got lucky with a couple calls going their way in the Washington series. Of course, it was Washington that blatantly tripped Umberger a minute after blatantly tripping Kapanen and just about forcing the referee to have to make a call. Never mind that, and just say that, yeah, the Flyers were maybe lucky to get that power play.

But because the Flyers got so-called “lucky” in that series, it means they should be punished in this one with calls not going their way?

Ridiculous! Games are turned into farces when you cannot have any reasonable expectation of fair officiating. A total sham!

Ok, now I am going to get started, and these are not sour grapes. The Flyers won that game fair and square, but Toronto and the officials wouldn’t have any of it.

1) Kovalev’s completely illegal high-stick goal should never have stood. How Toronto could claim to have “CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE” that Kovalev made contact with the puck below the crossbar is so far beyond me that I feel I will grasp string theory before I grasp their conclusions. I don’t even have high-definition TV and I could perfectly clearly see that Kovalev’s goal was ILL-FREAKING-LEGAL. But what a [bleeping] shock, no? I mean, the Flyers were winning the game 2-1, beating the only Canadian team left in the playoffs. This just couldn’t be happening. Under those circumstances, was there any way that those replay judges in Toronto could possibly have ruled any differently? Kovalev might as well have soccer-ball kicked the puck into the net while chopping Biron’s head off with his stick. I doubt Toronto would have overruled that, either.

No, I do not exaggerate.

2) Officials should take an anatomy refresher so that they can, next time, distinguish between a SHOULDER and a KNEE, and perhaps not call a kneeing penalty when someone hits someone else with a shoulder. The only knee I saw involved was Kovalev’s, as he flipped himself over Mike Richards as he tried to duck Richards’s hit in open ice. I absolutely cannot believe that was called a kneeing penalty. I mean, if they’re going to make a borderline call next to the very last minute of the game, they should at least make it a god damned believable one. This ranks up there with some of the most complete BS I've seen in my life. Montreal had done nothing in the third period and were losing 3-2. Not a single penalty had been called the entire preceding ~19 minutes. The Canadiens were on the brink of losing to a team they should not be losing to, after Carey Price looked shaky, after an unlucky (but completely legal) deflection put them down 1-0, after being handed a goal that they should never have gotten – that just couldn’t be happening! So what happened? Richards hit Kovalev, the stripes’ arm went up and TWEEEET. Richards in the box, Price was pulled, Canadiens 6-on-4, Carter’s stick broke and bam. The game was tied.

As a side note, I want to also point out the ridiculousness of the play whistled dead against the boards on that penalty kill before the goal. Hatcher was busily using up time in a nice and legal fashion, and I'm not sure the puck was against the boards even three seconds before the whistle and an offensive zone faceoff. Top-notch officiating, folks. Top-notch.

The Flyers went on to lose 48 seconds into OT – which I did not watch, because I was so thoroughly enraged after that last minute of regulation* that I could simply not stand to have anything more to do with that game. I knew the Flyers weren’t going to win in OT because the officials from the ice on up weren’t going to let that happen.

No, I don’t believe in a conspiracy. But you really have to wonder at undercurrents, and I do believe that the collective IQ of all the officials involved is a sum smaller than that possessed by a dandelion.

The Flyers won that game fair and square. They were completely robbed.

Props to Downie, playing a much better game than he did in Washington on Tuesday. Thumbs-up to Jim Dowd scoring his first of the playoffs to put the Flyers up 2-0. I don’t fault Biron much, and was impressed when he didn’t allow the one Kostitsyn to score on the penalty shot (I was on the phone with my dad, chatting about hockey, and when I saw that I said, “Yeah, the Flyers are screwed now because there is a penalty shot and Biron suuuuuuuuuuuuucks at that stuff” – I love to have Marty prove me wrong). Scottie Upshall was arguably the Flyers’ best forward last night, goading Komisarek into taking two incredibly stupid penalties and playing with an amplified version of his usual amped game. I think the Flyers sleepwalked through a few moments of the game (a few notable lethal gaffs) but in general, especially considering their recent schedule, I thought they played an excellent match. It was a good game, until the shenanigans.

Just now, an employee that I did not recognize came past my office, looking for my boss, and then paused at my door to ask me where he might be. I don’t know. But he saw the pucks on my desk and so we discussed the game last night. He asked if I was disappointed by the loss. I am not so much disappointed as I am livid.

I may not be watching Saturday’s game live – depends wholly on the going-out-for-dinner plans, whether or not they are carried through tomorrow night – but after how keyed-up I was watching last night’s game, I think my heart might just appreciate a little more time off. Of course I will record the game and only put it off a couple hours; still, a couple hours here and there may keep a few more seconds from being shaved off my life. Honestly, during that third period after Lupul scored to make it 3-2, I just thought I was in a constant state of adrenaline rush and the constant fight-or-flight sensation was difficult. Plus, you know, the rage no doubt shortened my life another handful of seconds as well.

But I guess I remember the feeling; this is playoff hockey. It’s been a while.

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In other playoff news, the Phantoms last night – OMG, as they say. The game started at 7 p.m. as usual, and concluded itself at 12:38 a.m. That is, during the fifth overtime period. FIVE OVERTIMES. It was Ryan Potulny who got the Phantoms’ third goal and put an end to the game very early this morning, scoring on the Phantoms’ 101st shot.

How bitter must that be for the losing goalie? Leighton made 98 SAVES and it still wasn’t good enough. What a freaking superhero. I have nothing but respect for Leighton, though it did kind of take a slip last weekend when I saw him fake a punch at a Phantom (Greentree?) by the net.

Jared Ross scored the other two goals for the Phantoms. This ended up being the longest game in AHL history, with what is thought to be a record number of SOGs. Munroe faced only (only) 67.

I noticed that Frederic L’Ecuyer was reffing the game – how does this guy still have a job? And it looks like he was still at his tricks – though not quite as egregiously – the Phantoms had ten penalties called to Albany’s five, and three called in the third OT. At least the Phantoms managed to win anyway. And it’s even a headline on Yahoo Sports’ NHL page.

I hope the boys can get some quality rest before their game at 1 tomorrow. I also have to say that as much as I love the Phantoms, I’m not going to be able to stay at the arena for five OT sessions, so I’m asking them to please win sooner than that. Having won the two games away in Albany, the Phantoms have a 3-2 advantage in the series, and can close it out tomorrow. That will be nice to see, if they can do it.

GO PHANTOMS!!

WOOOO!!

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While I was on the phone with my dad, it was, at first, during the Flyers’ intermission, so I flipped to the Detroit/Colorado game. My dad was watching it too. Forsberg: not playing. Huh …….. who would have thought?! Actually, I feel bad for him, because I’m sure that no one is more upset about his fragility than he is. And as much as I still wish he had signed back with Philadelphia, I can’t say that we are at all missing him or that I am at all missing the will-he-play-or-won’t-he scenarios. While I watched, chatting, the Avs went up 1-0. Before only a few more sentences were spoken, Detroit had tied it. And then scored again. And then again. When the Flyers game was back on, they scored again and it was 4-1. The Avalanche made a brave effort to come back, but in the end lost 4-3.

Tonight, while I have a rare Friday free of Phantoms or Flyers, the Rangers and Penguins start their series (booooooooooooo) and Dallas and San Jose begin theirs. The games are on TV; I may watch the first one, but I don’t know how long I will be able to stand to watch two of the teams I loathe the most battle each other. And the second will be on late, and I am a tired girl at this point. We shall see.


*I should have washed my mouth out with soap after some of the things I said when that tying goal was scored.

I’d really like to be optimistic and say that I think the Flyers will take this series in 7 games – but I think a more realistic approach is to say that the Canandiens Canadiens will take it in 6. The Flyers lost all four games to Montreal this year (and I was there for one of those losses – viciously angry, cursing Jim Vandermeer, and feeling unappreciated), but as has been pointed out, Antero Niittymaki was in net for three of those losses. I say that not to point out that Niitty sucks (you know that I don’t think so), but to point out that it is not Niitty that will be the goaltender for this series. Biron has only lost to the Canadiens once this year. And maybe he’s going to turn around that short trend, too, the way he turned around his dismal back-to-backs. Finally, look at the last series Montreal played: they had beaten Boston all eight games in the regular season, yet Boston shoved them to a Game 7 in order to have the thing decided. I think the Flyers could do similar…. I think there are some wild cards in the wings this second round, and we shall see what unfolds. I’m pretty excited about it, and will be perfectly happy to eat my doubts if necessary.

Go Flyers!

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So, Denis Gauthier has been suspended by the AHL for one game for an elbow he threw on Tuesday, a play that was not penalized during the game. Apparently the crybaby Rats objected and asked the league to review the play. Haven’t seen it; he probably did it; suspension then likely deserved, but, as a Phantoms fan, I feel obligated to “sheesh” anyway.

Tonight’s Game 5, in Albany. It would be monumental for the Phantoms to win this one and leave for home with a pair of away wins and a chance to clinch the series on Saturday afternoon. I had considered watching Phantoms away playoff games on the B2 network, but Flyers games have been directly conflicting (except for last week, when it didn’t occur to me). They will do OK without me peering at them through a computer screen. Go Phantoms! I’m looking forward to Saturday’s game. I bought a fuzzy helmet cap on Sunday, and I’m glad for the chance to get to wear it at least one more time.

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I have not been paying too much attention to the Western conference playoff situation, having focused my energies chiefly on the Flyers and to a lesser extent the other Eastern conference games (stupid Pens, stupid Sens, stupid Devils, stupid Rangers, stupid Bruins, stupid Canadiens). But a Colorado/Detroit series should be pretty exciting. I’m thrilled that Dallas ousted Anaheim, as I was not interested in Chris Pronger getting anywhere near the Stanley Cup again. As for the other Western contests, I have no comments right now. I will like the chance to see Forsberg play, as I have not watched him at all since he returned to the league – the Avs/Wings game is on TV tonight and maybe I will take a peek in between Philly/Montreal action.

I don’t feel ashamed to admit that I doubted them. I did. And you did, too.

You really can’t have scripted last night’s game better had you tried.

It was a roller coaster. In fact, the last week has been a roller coaster of hockey, enormous highs and shocking lows one right after the other. You know that I was less than cheerful about last night’s prospects, and the game itself was an up-and-down ride that went way too fast for comfort; my heart just about told me that it was going to stop beating entirely, thank you very much, until the game was over, since it was stopping every ten or fifteen seconds anyway.

The game started pretty well, I thought, until some penalties, of course, took the Flyers out. The first zooming downhill, that 5-on-3 that led to the first Washington goal. I was not surprised when the Flyers got down 1-0, yet I was still disappointed and disheartened. Imagine the whiplash when Scottie Upshall’s shot trickled through Huet into the net. I saw the shot, and I saw Huet go down to squeeze it, and the same jump of the heart that happened every time the Flyers made a shot fizzled – only to have my eyes pop out of my head as I realized what I was seeing, the puck moseying back and over the line.

Scottie is one of my favorite players for a lot of reasons – he’s feisty, he’s non-stop, he gives and takes and fights, he opens things up and makes things happen, and all of this with only a goal here and there. (He’s also, shall we say, easy on the eyes.) He hadn’t scored yet this series, though he had had many near-misses; his fight in the game last Tuesday was unexpected but rewarding in that it took Mike Green out of the mix for 5 minutes (and gave the Flyers a 2 minute man advantage); he does things game in, game out, and the last part of the season he was a man with a mission. Extremely satisfying to have him score such an important goal, tying the game at 1.

Now, to the second goal. Nine times out of ten it seems that a referee would whistle such a play and call a no-goal. Patrick Thoresen checked some Capital who then went flying into Huet, knocking him out of the crease and out of action. The puck came to Sami Kapanen, who had the entire net to shoot out. He swept it in, kind of a desperate strike that had the puck hitting the far side, barely making it. The Capitals and their fans were outraged, but face facts, people: Huet was taken out by his own man, who barreled into him after a legal check. That’s not goaltender interference. The Flyers goal stood, and it was 2-1.

I was on the edge of the couch, gnawing my lip, unable to stand the drama. And my pessimism was rewarded when Ovechkin scored, making it 2-2. I swore at the TV; I swore at Biron, who was completely frozen and didn’t move at all. I swore at Jason Smith for a bad play. I swore, and I wanted to cry. Thank god for Sami’s goal, I thought. It’s not over yet.

And after that moment of sleep, Biron was on fire. Thanks to him, the game stayed tied at 2. No help from the Flyers, who couldn’t score on a two minute 5-on-3; Lupul had the whole net and missed. Un[bleeping]believable, I cried. How the hell does the team with such a potent power play manage to screw up so many power plays lately? I’d give Huet some credit, but he was out of the way for the one Lupul missed. It was like eating ashes, watching that. But Biron was everywhere he needed to be, with nothing fancy, just solid and amazing goaltending that allowed the game to go to overtime.

I took a deep breath, wanting to believe that it was a new start, that the Flyers would put away the last three periods and come out like it was a new game, with renewed effort, new fire, new urgency, new everything. Of course, the Capitals would come out like that too, I knew, and I tried to be positive. But look at what the Flyers had done to me lately. They made me think they could handle the Caps easily by going up 3 games to 1, only to piss it away. Then they made me think they could win this game in regulation, going up 2-1, only to let Ovechkin in and tie it. These men were bent on breaking my heart. Yet was I not begging for it, staying on the couch, watching with bated breath, my lip between my teeth?

In the OT session, Sami Kapanen was tripped. You can’t get more blatant than that. I was incensed, but the referee was more interested in letting them play than in calling that. It was overtime in a game seven, you know. I can see that. But it was my team that wasn’t getting the break, so I frothed. A minute later, Umberger was hauled down the same way. This time, the referee didn’t let it slide. I’m sure he wanted to. I’m sure he debated whether or not he wanted to be that referee, the one who decided the game seven by a penalty called. But it was so clearly an infraction, that if it had been a Flyer doing it, I couldn’t have argued it. I would not have liked it, but I couldn’t have made a single case against it. And so the Flyers were gifted with a 2-minute power play in the first overtime session.

I sat up and dared to think the following:

The Flyers can win this game now, if only they pounce on this chance.

But would they pounce on the chance? So many times in the last several games I watched the Flyers fail to take the game by the throat when they had more than adequate chance to do so. Heck, I’d seen it in this very game. But the Flyers, they can have a lethal power play, if only they would execute it properly.

I watched them fritter it away, my heart frantic, and then – the miracle.

The power play was winding down, the last handful of seconds. A Flyer shot the puck and it rebounded off Huet, who could not control it. It went past the next Flyer in the vicinity – Briere? – and Kimmo Timonen got it. He didn’t hesitate and fired it on net. Huet blocked it, and again, couldn’t control the rebound. Lupul, who had whiffed so miserably earlier in the game and had garnered my momentary derision, was right there. He took a backhanded whack at the puck. Huet was looking completely the other direction; he was never going to stop this. Lupul had half the net yawning, screaming for him to put the puck in.

So he did.

While he threw his stick in the air in jubilation, his arms held high as he jumped and celebrated, I leapt from the couch, my own arms high, and I shouted in joy. YEAH! YEAH! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! YEAH!!!

I had tears in my eyes. (I just watched it again, and my eyes prickled – again.)

So, like I said, you can’t have scripted this game any more beautifully. Capitals go up by one, introducing more doubt into the heart of Flyers fans; then two lucky goals in a row by unexpected players, Upshall and Kapanen to put the Flyers in position to win; only to be deflated again by that so-called MVP, the Capitals’ savior, Alex Ovechkin. (Who else?) And then, in dramatic fashion, the Capitals made one last gamble by tripping Umberger and didn’t get away with it; and then the game was won, by the Flyer who could have scored in regulation, a Flyer who had not scored yet all series.

I couldn’t stand a single second of it, yet I didn’t miss a thing.

Now. The Capitals are behind and we know that the Flyers can play when the chips are down (it would be easier if they would just play so that it didn’t have to get so desperate). They will need every bit of confidence in themselves and every last scrap of energy, effort, skill, and talent when they face Montreal tomorrow night.

I have doubts again, because I have seen how the Flyers played against Montreal this year. And Montreal is sooooooooooo not the Washington Capitals. You want a test? This is going to be a test. But I have to tell you right now that I won’t be nearly so disappointed if the Flyers don’t make it past these Canadiens. I knew the Flyers should beat Washington (even if it took seven games); they were simply the deeper, better team. I don’t think they match up against Montreal. They’ve made a complete turnaround from last year, out of round one, and I am cool with this. If they manage an upset and win the best-of series against Montreal, I will be overjoyed – but if they don’t, I won’t be mad at them, with one caveat: they have to give it their best, every minute of every game that they play against the Canadiens. I don’t want to see them leaving anything out. Because they won’t be able to afford it. If it’s not enough, then it’s not enough. I’ll look to next year, when I think they will definitely have it, and call this season a resounding success.

I love the Flyers. I hated them and loved them in equal quantities last night – indeed, over this entire last week and season for good measure – but I’ve never loved them so much as I do right now.

GO FLYERS

P.S. The Phantoms beat Albany last night 2-1, with goals from Matsumoto and Greentree (the game-winner), which means that there will be a game Saturday. It has been moved to 1 p.m. to accommodate the fact that the Flyers play Saturday night. Saturday will be occupied entirely by hockey, then. Excellent.

UNBELIEVABLE.

That is all for now.

Dear Flyers,

Where did you go after the first period?

Love,
Crusher

I sulked all night. I'm sulky now. I'm scared about tonight's game. J. said men always break your heart. Halfway to broken now, boys. DON'T DO IT.

I really have no other analysis from last night's game. The Flyers had it in hand after going up 2-0, and then the Capitals flipped it around and the hunters became the hunted. I wanted to cry because I was watching some dudes in black unable to pass, unable to get the puck out of their zone, running into each other, and not getting shots on goal. I really had thought we'd left those days behind, but these last two games have me wondering if the gremlin is back. You know how Biron is in back-to-backs; don't tell me you're not worried about tonight, too.

LET'S GO FLYERS. I have a shred of optimism left. I'll use it now. LET'S GO FLYERS.

[P.S. Phantoms play tonight in Albany. I consider their games must-wins as well, even though tonight, if they don't win, they still have a chance. It will only be harder to dig out of the 3-1 deficit (though Washington seems to have done a good job of it. BAH!). LET'S GO PHANTOMS!]

I am pretty sure I haven’t been this busy since I got to Delaware a year ago (and probably even long before that). I promise you that I have a Real Post^TM in progress, but in the meantime I will leave you with these teasers:

Last Tuesday’s home playoff game (viewed in person): Flyers won in spite of refereeing, and it was Teh Awesome an extremely rewarding hockey experience that left me with a little bit of a sore throat. I’ve never cheered so loud. My poor ears, too.

Last Thursday’s home playoff game (viewed on TV): Flyers didn’t really deserve to win, but the tying goal leading to two overtimes was Teh Awesome an example of fate reversal that must have been difficult for Caps fans to take. Mike Knuble’s expression after scoring the game-winner in the second OT was classic – an image for Flyers hockey for the ages.

Last Friday’s first home playoff game for the Phantoms: after losing 4-0 in Albany (I dislike this 1-2-2-2 schedule quite a lot, by the way), the Phantoms handled the River Rats and Mike Leighton quite nicely, winning 3-0. Apparently, it would be all or nothing with these guys. Munroe was solid. It took me a while to get into the game, as it was sadly rather empty in the Wachovia Center (considering the jam-packed atmosphere from Tuesday) and every word spoken on the ice seemed audible, and also at first it seemed that the guys were more interested in hitting each other as paybacks for Wednesday than in playing hockey. But the result I wanted was what I got. A tied series and some Phantoms domination. (Plus some major laughage, but you will get that in the Full Report that I am working on.)

Saturday’s Flyers Game 5 (viewed on TV): the Flyers didn’t deserve that one, either, and this time didn’t quite manage the steal. Penalties killed them, as the first Caps goal was scored on a 5-on-3, and another goal was a PP goal for Washington. End score was 3-2. I did so want the Flyers to put the series away, so that I could breathe easier, but it was not to be. Tonight’s the Game 6, back in Philly. Winning at home will be sweet, but of course, sweetness will require a win, and Knuble got hurt on Saturday. Who will be in the office?

Sunday’s Phantoms home game #2: Definitely a poor showing. Albany’s not that good a team, and Leighton is obviously beatable (see Friday night). Losing 4-1 is unacceptable. The only positive is that the Phantoms didn’t allow Leighton to collect another goose egg. If the Phantoms don’t split in Albany these next two games, it will have been my last Phantoms game this season, and I really, really don’t want that to have been the last I see of them this year.

Now, back to working on defoamers. More in-depth blah-blah-blah upcoming. I PROMISE.

It’s been another busy weekend / weekstart in the land of Crusher, but right now things have cooled off enough for me to spend a little time sketching in a Hockey Report of sorts. And a lot of hockey has been going on. Though the season opening challenges (mainly because it doesn’t matter who your team is, you’re playing, unlike playoff time), April is the Most Wonderful Time of the Hockey Year.

Friday was a double deal Flyers/Capitals organization night. The Flyers opened their first playoff series since 2006 (which I’d just as soon let slide into distant, fading memory as I let last season’s playoff miss slide) in D.C. against the Capitals. I was unable to watch the game, as I was instead sitting in section 201 row 9 in the Wachovia Spectrum, watching the Phantoms vs. Bears. We received updates on the action south of town, but most of my attention was focused on what was happening in front of me.

It was a tough and tense game that the Phantoms mostly controlled. They scored first, then Hershey tied it; the Phantoms went up 2-1 when Potulny put a trickler past Cassivi, and this score held to the third period. In the third, the Phantoms went down two men (Guenin for something unsportsmanlike, Greentree for a make-believe high stick) and naturally Hershey scored to tie it. The Bears then went ahead a goal on a deflection; Teslak was simply out of position to stop it. The fourth and final Bears goal was on an empty net. 4-2 was the final, and that makes it sound much less close than it was. I was very disappointed at the outcome, but the game itself was good hockey. It is very galling to have to listen to Bears fans roaring obnoxiously outside the arena though. I absolutely despise that kind of fan. Had the Flyers won the game in Newark on my birthday, I would have been overjoyed, but my celebration would have been contained. I’m not interested in making a jackass of myself by pissing off the locals.

Of course, I am not a very big person, and sometimes for us the best defense is not to start anything in the first place.

The first announcement of the Flyers’ progress was that after having gone down a goal to Donald Brashear (Donald Freaking Brashear?? Come on, guys.), Vinny Prospal had scored to tie the game. Nice! K. had once mentioned that Prospal had not been impressing him since his acquisition – only to go on to score and be impressive. K. thought about it for a moment, after this announcement, and said, “Briere hasn’t been impressing me much lately, either.”

A later announcement (via both text message from J. and the jumbotron) was that the Flyers had gone down another goal, only to have done some scoring – namely, Briere to tie it, Prospal again to go ahead only half a minute later. The Flyers went up 4-2 when Briere scored again. That gave Briere and his line a monstrous multi-point night.

Cripes! Maybe K. really should select some player every game that he thinks has not been impressive.

But the next message I got was that the Caps had tied the game at 4-4. What the? And then the worst message: Ovechkin (of course?) scored his first of the playoffs to make the game 5-4 Capitals and that is the way it ended.

I have only watched the game through Prospal’s second goal, but at least through that point the Flyers seemed to have the game well in their sights. A 4-2 lead is something that should be held regardless of the time of year or season or of game importance. But we have seen far too many times how the Flyers handle such leads – nothing is ever, ever safe enough. It’s disheartening to see a third period meltdown, so I just didn’t watch the meltdown. Still, in spite of the discouraging loss, it was encouraging that the Flyers weren’t completely manhandled by Washington and that dude Ovechkin. It wasn’t looking anything like that last playoff venture. (Wait, I was going to let that slide into distant memory, fading like fog. Forget I said anything just now.)

I watched some non-Philadelphia hockey over the weekend, lounging around before going running on Saturday while the Red Wings/Predators game was on. I have no strong feelings either way there, but am leaning toward the Preds simply because Dan Ellis is their goalie. What a difference a year makes in Dan Ellis’s life, no? Last year this time, he was with Iowa experiencing a second-round Calder Cup playoff exit, with no extra life in Iowa in sight; this year, he’s starting for Nashville in the Stanley Freaking Cup Playoffs. He’s doing all right, though the Preds are down two games to one right now (they won last night 5-3!). I watched Ellis wander out of the crease, and had fond memories of throwing my arms up in the air in the Wells Fargo Arena, wondering what the hell he was thinking. It is interesting to me to see the boys I watched in Des Moines play on TV, for different clubs, to see how they have changed, or, in this case, to see how they have stayed the same. I have to say though that I don’t much like Jordin Tootoo, but that should not be new news to you. (GAH!)

I did not see it, but read plenty about it later: the Phantoms lost in Hershey Saturday night. This meant that they ended up second in the division, and this was depressing given that they led the East until only very recently (and that it was Wilkes-Barre/Scranton that took the lead away). They are paired with Albany for the first round – and a preview of that series was coming up Sunday. Anyway, at this game in Hershey, there was some absolute madness. The rap sheet is a mile long [and I saw the YouTube of the third-period “donnybrook” in which many of these offenses were incurred. I am recently filtered from some of my favorite sites at this time (a new situation here at work!) so I can’t come up with those links right now, but remind me and I will get them later]. One hundred and seventy freaking two penalty minutes for the game – 100 for Philly, 72 for Hershey. In the third, we had the following:

Jesse Boulerice – 27 minutes of penalties (2 for instigating, 5 for fighting, and two 10s for a pair of misconducts: instigator and aggressor). In the YouTube, you don’t see the goalie Machesney mess with him, all you see is Machesney down after Boulerice went back to make him pay for it. And then the mayhem breaks loose.

Freddy Cabana, Tristan Grant – each 15 minutes of penalties (5 for fighting, 10 for a misconduct – secondary altercation).

Martin Houle – 17 minutes of penalties (2 for leaving the crease, 5 for fighting, and a secondary altercation misconduct for 10 minutes). This was quite amusing, actually. The referee had basically tossed Machesney to the ice after dragging him away from the melee, and then Houle was there on top of Machesney, apparently yanking at his mask and whaling away. As I recall, the referee sort of pulled at Houle and then moved away, seemingly at a loss, as there was just so much happening. Houle was ejected, though somehow Machesney was not, collecting only leaving-the-crease and fighting penalties. Explain?

There were additional fighting and misconduct penalties for Hershey during that insanity, and while Boulerice was skating off the ice, Hershey’s Flinn threw a water bottle at him. It sounds like this was Flynn’s second egregious action in the game (the first being some kind of stick swing at someone?) yet Flinn was never ejected, either. Explain?

Anyway the Phantoms ended up losing 5-2, with Andreas Nodl scoring his first professional goal in that game. We had seen him play Friday and he looked pretty decent, having just come from college hockey. We saw a few other new guys Friday, too – Ratchuk on defense, I remember thinking I was reasonably impressed by him. Not bad additions at all.

And then we have Sunday, where the Flyers were up for Game 2 in D.C. and the Phantoms faced Albany in that first-round preview I mentioned. The Flyers game started at 2, so I was able to watch a period before I had to leave for the last regular-season Phantoms game. The Flyers were playing exactly the kind of hockey that is fun to watch (when it is your team that is taking control of the game). The Capitals simply couldn’t get anything to go their way, as the Flyers hit and forced and kept them in check. Biron was outfreakingstanding, too, making several point-blank saves that make your heart stop. I got to see the only two goals that were scored – the first by R.J. Umberger, who had complained rather publicly about having been stuck on the fourth line for Friday’s game. (Patrick Thoresen blocked a shot with, well, let’s just say a very sensitive region and while not requiring surgery as they had feared he may, was certainly unable to be in the lineup Sunday – leaving a spot to be filled, so R.J. moved on up.) He was coming out of the box, and Coburn threaded a homerun pass to him. Umberger was slightly harassed by the Caps’ defense but he got the puck in past Huet to put the Flyers up 1-0. On replays it almost looks like it was a lucky goal. The puck seems slightly out of control. Which may be why Huet missed it, expecting something else. But who cares? It went in.

The second goal was by Jeff Carter, taking a nice rebound of a Knuble shot. Huet slapped his stick on the ice after that one, clearly annoyed. Huet seems rather easily rattled, from what I saw in that game. Scott Hartnell fell on him in the crease in the first period – probably initially incidental, but Scottie sure didn’t rush to get up again. He squashed Huet flat, and, in the words of a Philly-area sports writer, “whispered sweet nothings in his ear as he laid on top of him and pushed the goalie's head into the ice.” The commentators seemed willing (if reluctantly) to give Hartnell a pass about it being incidental goalie interference, but Pierre Maguire was not feeling so generous. He said something along the lines of “If it were any other player,” he’d be inclined to think so, but it being Scott Hartnell – no way. J. texted me asking if Pierre [bleeping] Maguire had just said that it was Scott Hartnell’s job to play dirty. That is more or less what I heard. Maybe Maguire should take off his anti-Flyers glasses and realize that there is a difference between dirty play and opportunitistic getting-under-opponents’-skins. I mean, even Eddie Olczyk was saying good things about the Flyers on Sunday. How not? They were playing awesomely. But Maguire just has to find something to be a snit about. The Flyers can’t just be playing well. Scott Hartnell has to be dirtily crashing the goalie. (And the Caps can do no wrong, right, Maguire? I suppose since the Pens weren’t playing, he had to fawn over someone.)

So the game was 2-0 when I went up to Philadelphia for an exciting and extremely entertaining game against Albany. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much at a hockey game. It started when the Albany backup goaltender, whose last name is Peters, came out. I merely looked at K., who met my eye and then choked up trying not to burst out laughing. For those of you who are not on the same wavelength – and why would you necessarily be, you are probably more mature than we are – try the standard “YOU SUCK, [insert player’s name here]” heckle. It continued when K. finally shouted it, though he didn’t take the comma out – there are kids around, after all. And then when someone got called for hooking, the little girl behind us – oh my, she was unintentionally hilarious all game long – referred to the Albany player later as a “hooker.” K. then called them “dirty ladies of the night.” And then braved up enough to take out the comma in the YOU SUCK, PETERS shout.

I think the kicker was when some other kid screamed that so-and-so River Rat was a homo, and the little girl behind us said, “Just like my brother!” I don’t know how old she was – 7 or 8, max? – and no doubt had no idea what she had just said, and her dad scolded her (though helplessly laughing at the same time), but I was bent double laughing.

Later in the game, I commented loudly that #14 was a big, ugly dude. I meant the Rats’ #14, but Ruzicka was out there, too, so I amended it, “Not you, Rosie.” But the guy in front of me, wearing a Boucher jersey, turned and said, “Not that he’s very good-looking either.” Now, that’s not too nice, is it? Their #14 completely outclassed Ruzicka in the scary-looks department. But I still bent double laughing again.

During the first intermission, they threw out t-shirts and random socks that players had worn throughout the season. (Clean, fortunately.) K. caught a purple one and gave it to me (what a nice guy). It had a hole sewed closed on it. It’s not a very tall sock, so I like to think it’s Rossco’s. I put it on over my pants, amusing at least myself. In the second intermission, a second purple one came nearby, but someone a few seats over grabbed it. No matching set for me! It is the only prize I won at Fan Appreciation night. Apparently, I am not very appreciated, in spite of not missing very many games at all. I didn’t even win tickets to the circus, let alone a jersey. That reminds me, we stayed for the shirts off their backs ceremony, and it’s really quite comical how small goalies are in side their equipment. The guys had taken off their upper pads, and the goalie shorts are simply enormous. Teslak looks like a rail inside them, skinny and tall. Munroe didn’t have much more meat on his bones. The upside to not winning a jersey off their backs is that I didn’t have to take home something that probably smelled really bad, though I could have won Ross’s jersey and that would have been spring fresh and clean, seeing as he didn’t play …..

Ok, enough of the hilarity. The game was good. A lot of Phantoms were not dressed for the game, including Ross, Grant, and a host of others who sat in the press box behind us. On the other hand, Munroe dressed and played. When I saw him out during the warmups, my heart lifted a lot. I can’t tell you how I have worried about the goalie situation, first with watching Teslak not be that great, then feeling ashamed that I have to be glad when Houle is in net. Houle is … not bad. But Calder Cups are seldom won with the Martin Houles of the world. Calder Cups are won with Niittymaki; they are won with Cassivi; they are won with Carey Price. (Speaking of Cassivi, I recall thinking, Friday night, that he looked like a goaltender. In unfavorable comparison, Teslak looks like … I don’t know what.) Calder Cups might be won with Munroe. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Phantoms had to get through this last regular season game before they can really start looking ahead to Calder Cups. And the Phantoms won. There were lots of penalties again, and lots of hard hits, and a fight or two. But the best part of the night, all the jokes and giggling notwithstanding, was Michael Ratchuk’s first professional goal. It started with three Phantoms screwing around in their defensive zone, bumping into each other and not knowing what to do with the puck. Ratchuk finally took it behind the net and started up the ice. He burned his way through center, split the red Rats like Moses and the sea, and BOOM – scored. End to end, all on his own, a freight train rushing in. Absolutely one of the best hockey moments I’ve seen all year, and definitely something to write home about. There is a YouTube of that, too – I am not sure who is doing the announcing, but he is a complete riot, too. He said something about a shake-n-bake, and “that piece of chicken is in the back of the net!” If you can find that YouTube (since I cannot graciously link it for you right now), I highly recommend seeing it. Just an excellent, excellent highlight-reel type of goal. For that and an assist, Ratchuk was named the game’s first star.

Albany’s two goals were pathetic, and probably products mainly of Munroe’s rustiness; they came on shots that were stopped, but then slowly found their way past or through across the line, slow-motion types of goals that break your heart. Otherwise, Munroe played solidly and I very much enjoyed how it feels to actually have some confidence in your goaltender. I hate to get down on Teslak and Houle, but that’s just the way it is. They have a lot of holes in their games, and there’s no getting around that. Peters was not a good goalie Sunday night, but you can bet it won’t be Peters that the Phantoms will be facing come Friday’s Calder Cup divisional semifinal game 1 against the Rats. It will be Michael Leighton. Goals will not be as easy to come by. The Phantoms will need a comparable goalie themselves. Right now, Leighton is ranked third, with Munroe ranked ninth. Munroe has been in the top ten most of the season. As much as I miss Boucher and wish he had not gone to San Jose to play three whole games and ride the playoff pine, I feel good about Munroe. I just hope he can stand up to starting in a grueling playoff run, especially since he’s just coming back from injury.

It’s going to be an interesting AHL playoff season.

So the Flyers ended up winning 2-0, with Biron getting his third shutout in four games, and the Capitals were completely neutralized throughout the game. You can be sure they will have learned from whatever mistakes they made on Sunday – I have not watched the remaining two periods – and tonight – TONIGHT! IN PHILADELPHIA – they will come out a different team. But I think the Flyers have learned from Friday how to play against this team, and I really think they have every shot in the world of taking this series. It might take seven games, but I feel optimistic.

Oh my god. I feel optimistic?

Well, did you see how they played? Sure, you can argue that they are not a consistent team, often playing outrageously well for a game or two only to then bag a few clunkers (which will kill them in a playoff series), but they have become hot at just the right time. I think they can ride this, this time. Are you with me? Do you think we’re looking at at least another round? I really think they have a good chance of it.

So tonight’s game – I’m going. Last week I talked my coworkers into getting tickets with me (it wasn’t difficult), and so I secured us seats in section 124, row 13, not too far from where we four sat for the Tampa Bay game in early March. It was expensive, but given that I am not going to Thursday’s game as I had hoped, and am also not likely to go to the possible game 6 next week, I don’t feel that guilty about shelling out the cash. (Do I ever? If there is a second round, I will probably shell it out again.) I am thrilled about this game, more than almost any other game I’ve been to (not counting home openers, which are thrilling but in a different way). I think it’s going to be the loudest, most exciting game I’ve ever seen – as long as the Flyers don’t crumple. And I no longer believe that I am a jinx, so I’m expecting that I will see nothing short of a great, great game. And while I am no Caps fan by any stretch, I have to say that I am very much looking forward to seeing Alex Ovechkin play, though I’d prefer that he not be given room or chance to do what makes him so awesome. I guess that is to say that I am looking forward to Kimmo Timonen and Mike Richards nullifying him. It’s going to be a long day, because I’m so excited about this evening.

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A last few observations about the other playoff series!

Sean Avery is a dirtbag and I wish that he will never score another goal in his life. I hate the Devils, but I hate the Rangers more. I hate Sean Avery. I hate Ryan Hollweg. I hate Colton Orr. I hate Jaromir Jagr. I don’t hate Henrik Lundqvist, but I don’t like him enough to undo all that other hate. I want the Rangers to get a sniff of playoff victory, only to have the Devils take it away, with hearty and cruel laughs. I hate Brodeur, but I respect him. I don’t respect any of those Rangers players that I hate so much. And I hate the other Devils, too, but it’s more a general you-play-for-the-Devils kind of hate, impersonal, generic. Time will come when I will be rooting against them again, but for now, I’d really like them to figure out how to score and beat those Blueshirt jackasses. I wish Brodeur had just clocked Avery while Avery clowned it up in front of him the other night (ensuring that the NHL issued an immediate interpretation of the unsportsmanlike conduct rule to include harassing a goalie this way). This is not the NBA and waving your arms and stick in front of the goalie’s face is no way to play hockey, you idiot. Brodeur should have Thoresened Avery with the butt-end of his stick. Or justice might have taken Avery out of the game with a slapshot to the spine. Alas, he got away with it, but won’t again.

Also, the Senators are sad. I am not sure there is anything more to be said about that, but my hopes that they would suddenly get it together and knock the Pens out of Round 1 seem extremely unlikely to come to fruition. Ottawa’s down three games to none, and … well, I think the writing on the wall is becoming quite clear. Nothing is certain, but some things do appear to be inevitable in this life.

The Dallas Stars have taken two games on Anaheim (winning in Anaheim!) which is pleasing to me. While I am not a big Dallas fan, there are boys playing there that I did like while they were in Iowa, so I figure that out of the teams in the West, I’d most like them to do well (along with Colorado, because of you-know-who). Plus, I really don’t like the Ducks and I don’t want Chris Pronger anywhere near the Stanley Cup this year – so the Stars taking a commanding lead on last year’s Cup winners is a nice thing to see.

K. called me late two nights ago to ask if I was watching the Flames/Sharks game. I was not (I was sleeping) but I did very much enjoy his report that Kiprusoff had just been pulled after, what, three minutes and three goals (in five shots) and that Jim Vandermeer got beat on most of those Sharks goals (finishing the game a -2). Cujo had to take the net. (Cujo is still alive?) At the Phantoms game, one of the Fan Appreciation prizes had been a Vandermeer-signed puck, and pretty much everyone around us (including us) roared in laughter. I’d have given that as a booby prize to the fan they appreciated the least, myself.

Ok, that’s all the blah blah blah for now. I will take pictures tonight and see what I can post this week!! GOOOOOOOOOOO FLYERSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ve had a few thoughts brewing since last weekend’s excellence in hockey.

It seemed a wonderful way to bookend the season series against the Devils: open it by winning 4-0, end it by winning 3-0. I was so nervous watching that game last Friday that I felt a little sick to my stomach. It was similar to the feeling I get before running a race (in spite of knowing that 95% of the time, I have no hope whatsoever of winning it) – gnawing on my lower lip, trying not to chew off my fingernails, and a horde of migrating monarchs flapping around in my tummy. The Flyers hit everything that moved on the ice, and the reversal of roles being played was fantastic. It was awesome to see that it was the other team that couldn’t make a pass out of the defensive zone to save its life; the other team that served up the hot poppin’ fresh turnovers; the other team that was completely disorganized and incapable of the simplest play. If not for Marty Brodeur (poke him in the belly: “heehee!”) that game would have been 10-0; his play was, as usual, stellar – yet somehow he still got pulled. That’s right, he faced 30-some odd shots, had let in three, and was yanked. Perhaps it was the fact that two of those goals came less than a minute apart.

My nerves didn’t go away until the last couple minutes of the game. 1-0 is a terrible place for the Flyers to be; I have no faith in that kind of lead. Even when Scottie Upshall tucked an awesome goal past Brodeur in the third, and it was 2-0, I didn’t relax (though I did jump up off the couch and gleefully run around the coffee table). I called J., who was wary and uncertain as to the reason I had called her. Apparently, her feed on Yahoo was about 30 seconds behind me, so she had not yet seen Scottie’s goal. And just about the time she was seeing Scottie’s goal, I was seeing Lupul’s goal. 3-0, but with something like 8 minutes left to play? It’s insurance, but it’s not sure. I only became more nervous.

What a game.

All throughout, updates from the FLA/CAR game were coming through – FLA led, and CAR would sort of catch up, but in regulation CAR lost, securing the Flyers a playoff berth. After some jubilation, I could finally relax – I need not worry about what would happen on Sunday, because if the Flyers ended up losing, it didn’t matter all that much. There will be playoffs games in Philadelphia this year.

And I am here to see them.

On Sunday, I got to watch only a few minutes of the game against the Pens. I had a Phantoms game to go to. It was the Phantoms’ final meeting against Bridgeport. They had lost on Friday night to the Sound Tigers in OT, 5-6. Sunday, the Phantoms played most of the game as though they were the only ones on the ice. They controlled nearly every aspect of the game and scored some of the absolute prettiest goals I have ever seen. Unfortunately, the Phantoms website doesn’t have any video of them! The goal scored by Darren Reid was so beautiful my jaw dropped. Ruzicka and Reid were two-on-one and Ruzicka, rather than taking the shot himself, made a pass that for a fraction of a second looked like it was just going to sail on wide, but Reid’s stick was suddenly there, and the puck ricocheted off and into the net, a hundred miles an hour. Even Chad Anderson scored, on the PP, from between the points, sailing through a traffic jam and somehow making it in. After the first period, the score was 3-1. This lasted until the third, when Greentree and Ross both scored. (I had mentioned to K. that Ross was probably my favorite player – supplanting Greentree – and he said that Greentree was still his boy. When Greentree scored, K. gave me a smug look. When Ross subsequently scored, I gave him a smug look.) 5-1 is a solid lead, one that even I felt comfortable with going into the rest of the third with just under ten to go.

But a couple minutes later, Martin Grenier took a stupid penalty – though I had a hard time being mad about it, in spite of the flurry of goals that resulted. Greentree’s stick was held for what seemed like a minute, right in front of the ref, with no call. Greentree took exception and started roughing up Bridgeport’s Pascal Morency. They shoved at each other for a bit, and then Grenier came over. Now, Grenier is a big guy. He was probably the biggest guy out there, looking like a tower. He laid one punch down onto Morency. It came from overhead, BAM. And Morency went to his knees and milked it for all that he could possibly milk it for. He might have even cried. Grenier was tossed with a match penalty, a 5-minute “deliberate injury” penalty that put the Phantoms down on one of those never-ending man-down situations. Morency left the ice, what a baby – but came back, so it must not have hurt that much after all, huh? On their gift PP, Bridgeport scored twice, and then a third time just as the PP ended. The game was suddenly 5-4. I was pretty disgusted, but I was conflicted about that penalty. I didn’t mind much seeing Morency get flattened by Grenier, but it was a pretty costly move.

The Phantoms held on to win.

It was the first time I’d seen the new goalie Teslak play. He tries too hard. He overplays things. Perhaps it was nerves; whatever. I have to say 1) I would feel better with Houle in goal and 2) please, please get healthy again, Munroe!!!

I didn’t bother to watch the rest of the Flyers game when I got back because I knew they had won 2-0 (a nice double shutout weekend for Biron) but it sounds like it was a totally boring game with the Pens not trying very hard. You know, so they could avoid having to play the Flyers in the first round. I’d much rather face the slip-sliding Ottawa Senators than us, too. Pens … LOL. I hope Ottawa stuns them in the first round and they’re out … though the possibly of facing them later and demolishing their Cup dreams when they are closer to it is sweet, too.

Of course, the Flyers have to get to that point. I think they can do it. They fared reasonably well against the Caps this year, though they have not really had to face them lately. Ovechkin’s going to be difficult, but he is not exactly a Flyer killer. I hope they don’t give him a start on becoming one, either. The Flyers/Capitals series starts on Friday in Washington. They come back to Philadelphia next Tuesday.

I have tickets. It’s going to be a very expensive week, as I intend to go to Thursday’s game as well. I could perhaps do something more practical with those several hundreds of dollars, but there isn’t much else I want to do with them. This is the first time that going to a Flyers playoff game is a possibility for me. In 2004, when I lived in PA, I wasn’t a Flyers fan to the point that I would have at all considered a game; in 2005, they weren’t playing (and I spent a lot of money on the Phantoms’ playoffs instead); in 2006, I was in Iowa and couldn’t make it out to see the Flyers crash and burn against Buffalo in person. Last year, though I was in the area again – well, let’s just let last year slide. THIS YEAR, here I am, and here they are.

I am so excited. Giddy, even.

The Phantoms secured home ice advantage in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs. Friday night was an interesting night for Philadelphia sports: the Flyers clinched a spot, the Sixers clinched a spot, and with the single point from OT, the Phantoms clinched a spot, too. Winning Sunday gave them points enough to ensure that Albany cannot catch them in the standings, and the Phantoms have the home ice. Who they will play is still a question, though. The damned baby Pens won in OT (they were losing throughout the night – we all cheered their goal deficit when it was shown twice on the scoreboard), so Philly and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton still are tied in points with W-B/S having the tiebreaking edge in wins (46 to Philly’s 45). There are three games left: Friday night vs. Hershey, Saturday night vs. Hershey, and Sunday vs. Albany. Two are home games. It’s a little hard to believe that there are only two home games left this regular season. I have seen a lot of hockey this year.

Speaking of seeing hockey, on Monday night, I realized there was no hockey on TV. J. realized it to, and we both felt a bit at a loss. I ended up watching basketball instead – BASKETBALL. What am I coming to? Last night, I saw no hockey, but the understanding that it would be back on TV tonight got me through. On the phone last night, I wondered what in the hell I will do, come June, and the Stanley Cup playoffs are done. What did I do, last year?

Oh well – I will persevere. October always comes back.

Anyway -- GO FLYERS. I know people do not consider you actual Cup contenders, but I can’t see any real reason why you can’t do it. The playoffs are not the regular season. Strange things are known to occur.

That's right, I was wrong. I admit it. The Flyers handled the Devils tonight and won 3-0 ......... and then the Panthers beat the Hurricanes.

The Flyers are in.

The Devils are still not playing great hockey lately (5-4-1 in the last 10) and the Flyers did nearly win a game against them last week. (“Nearly” being the operative word.) Perhaps Sheldon Brookbank can work some of his mojo and help the Flyers out in this game. I mean, he’s pretty good at that. Take these instance for example:

“A pass by Chris Drury, who assisted on every New York goal, hit the skate of Devils defenseman Sheldon Brookbank and caromed in on Brodeur. He steered the puck into the onrushing Dawes, on the ice after being knocked down by Travis Zajac. Both players barreled into the crease, with Dawes pushing the puck over the line with his shoulder with 3:06 left."

I booed Brookbank pretty heavily when he played for Milwaukee last year. But I’ll cheer for him to help out the Flyers if I must.

However, I must be honest here. I see the Flyers losing tonight, and not making the playoffs. Call me a negative nancy if you must, but the chances are good that I am right. While stats don’t tell the whole story, the weight of 6 losses to 1 win vs. the Devils this season (with that win happening so long ago that it almost feels like last season) is pretty heavy. And if they don’t win tonight, stars will have to align themselves appropriately for Sunday’s final rematch with the Pens to matter.

I find it incredible that the Flyers’ playoff chances have come down to a matter of one, two points. Think of all those games that were blown in the last seconds that could have made such a difference now.

Anyway, I have my fingers crossed, but I am not able to walk around in orange and black la la land.

By the way, have I ever mentioned how little I like Jarkko Ruutu? He is as dirty as they come. Briere is merely “probable” for tonight’s game because of a knee-on-knee hit in the Pens game on Wednesday. This sort of play is par for the course with Ruutu, and I think it would be sweet (if ill-spirited of me) if someday he would really get what’s coming to him (Simon’s skate-stomp apparently not being it). The fact that he plays for the Penguins only makes him that much more hateful. In the 2006 Olympics, I wanted Finland to win the gold medal (alas, only silver) but I disliked the idea that he would have anything to do with it.

Let’s go, Flyers. Prove me wrong. Make the playoffs.

P.S. Phantoms, please beat Bridgeport. And Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, please lose to Springfield. You know how the standings in the East are supposed to be. Put them aright. Also, if the Phantoms win or go to OT, they clinch a playoff spot (the need only one point, according to their website).

P.P.S. Iowa – you are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs this season, for the first time in your three-year life. This is a shame; I had hoped, at the beginning of the season, that your playoff march might continue its trend (season one: one round; season two: two rounds; thus, season three: three rounds). But I still hope you beat Peoria tonight, at home. I wish I could have seen more than one game this season (and I wish you hadn’t played so crappily, against Peoria, while I was there).

The only reason that the Phantoms didn't crush the Norfolk Admirals last night was that Marc Denis decided to play a little bit more like he once did for Tampa Bay and less like a mediocre AHL goalie. He had some great saves and made 38 overall. Martin Houle was solid in net, also making some great saves, though he had much less work. He was first star of the game, and in our grand tradition of putting words into first stars' mouths as we leave the arena, we answered the question that was something like "To what do you credit this shutout?"

"Well, staying conscious; you know, it was hard not to fall asleep back there tonight, since I only had to make 23 saves."

(And seven of those came on a power play that the Phantoms killed off in excellent fashion.)

Nice job on the win, Phantoms -- 1-0 and now 92 points. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton lost in a shootout last night -- that one point has them at 92 and up on the Phantoms due to wins.

Less nice job last night by the Flyers. I listened to the third period on the way home last night, and it was 3-2 at that time. It was 4-2 when I turned it off. Since this evening's plans have evaporated, I intend to sit down in the living room to watch the full horror that unfolded during the second period. I didn't get enough referee rage last night at the Phantoms game, so in order to fulfill the daily recommended allowance I will watch the thing, though from what I have read it sounds like the night might be more pleasantly spent, say, tweezing my legs.

Nothing like taking things to the wire, huh? Still too many making the playoffs/not making the playoffs scenarios to consider. Too scary.

Too many possibilities to consider for making/not making the playoffs, so I'm just going to focus on what the Flyers need to do tonight:

Crush the Penguins and get two points.

I will be at a Phantoms game -- I hope watching them beat up on Norfolk one last time. Boyd "Captain Penalty" Kane was suspended a game by the AHL for whatever happened on Sunday -- what, verbally abusing the referee is a suspendable offense? Then I suppose half the crowd won't be allowed in either.

One last plea: Munroe, get healthy.

Dear Hamilton Bulldogs,

You were in Philadelphia on Sunday to play the Phantoms. You left with two points, forcing the Phantoms out of first place in their division for the first time this season (given that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won on Saturday). When the game’s final horn sounded, you threw your hands up in jubilation and your pathetic goalie stood in net with his arms and legs wide, as though you had all just won the Calder Cup. According to the standings, those two points mean your winless drought is over, but I am writing to tell you that you did not win that game. It is not winning when the referee hands the points to you on a bed of roses. The Phantoms crushed you every chance they got. You are not a good team. You were physically dominated, and in spite of the referee’s best efforts, the Phantoms still nearly tied the game in the waning minutes. Let me repeat: you are not a good team. I don’t care that you won the Calder Cup last year. This year you won’t even make the playoffs because San Antonio -- San Freaking Antonio -- are killing you, points-wise. You are not a good team. Chris Bourque scored four goals on you the night before. The Iowa Stars, last in the West division, have more wins than you do. What does that tell you?

It is easy to take two points when Frederic L’Ecuyer turns a blind eye when you run our goalie, when you drag our players down, when you blatantly interfere, and collect a mere 14 minutes in minor penalties overall, while the Phantoms get called for ticky-tacky hooks, imaginary holding, and an elbow that was retaliation for an outrageous incident of goalie interference. The Phantoms had 8 minutes in the third period alone. Yet they persevered as best they could under constant short-handed conditions. A shorthanded goal when they were slapped with a confusing and ridiculous 7-minute never-ending penalty in the second was satisfying, and indicative of how bad a team you really are. And in spite of L’Ecuyer’s disgustingly fast whistle, the Phantoms scored a goal late in the third and it was 4-3. It would have been 4-4 but your friend L’Ecuyer blew the play dead prematurely. It is easy to take two points when the referee is wearing your jersey under his stripes.

So enjoy your 5-3 “victory” for a little while, and then let me know when you realize that you didn’t win that game on your ability whatsoever. You are not a good team.

Yours truly,
Crusher

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Dear Mr. L’Ecuyer,

I recall watching games, in the past, where Harry Dumas officiated, and thought I would never see anything worse. He seemed to me to exemplify ridiculous refereeing, and was perhaps born with a whistle in his throat, because it seemed so easy for him to blow it. And only a couple weeks ago, Mike McGeough was a second (and completely superfluous) referee at a Phantoms game, and there were an unbelievable 25 penalties called over the match. To be blunt, I had thought I had seen the worst there was to see in refereeing, until Sunday, when I couldn’t believe my eyes. You were, hands down, no question about it, the absolute worst spectacle of officiating I have ever seen. You laughed when you skated by the penalty box and the fans chanted “You suck, ref!” each and every time. Sir, it wasn’t funny. You were pathetic. I can’t believe that the AHL would pay you for your extremely biased and enormously bad decisions. Had you officiated a Flyers game that poorly, that blatantly badly, the Asshole Chant would have droned the entire third period. The only thing that kept me from frothing obscenities at you was the little pitcher with big ears sitting in front of me. You made me sick. I never want to see you refereeing a game I am watching again.

Is it merely a coincidence that you, presumably French-Canadian, seemed to favor the Montreal Canadiens’ farm team? They aren’t that good, anyway. The two points you took from the Phantoms are completely wasted on them. Your jackassery allowed the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to take the division lead.

Because of you, the better team never had a chance Sunday. You are a prime example of refereeing deciding the game, rather than the players. Have some self-respect and never don the stripes again.

Sincerely,
Crusher

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At the game on Sunday, there was a dad and a kid behind us. The kid noted that Hamilton's #34, Mathieu Biron*, was quite tall. (K. and I generally refer to tall players on other teams as oafs, so he was Oaf #34. Actually, I think he was Lanky Oaf #34.) "Why doesn't he play basketball?" the kid asked. "Maybe he wasn't very good at basketball," the dad replied. After half a second, the kid said, "He's not very good at hockey, either."

From the mouths of babes, no?

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I love the Flyers. I love that they made a game of it Friday against the Devils. I expected them to lose, and they did, but I did not expect them to make a game of it and take them to a shootout. Saturday, I watched and hated that a couple Islanders’ softies put them down early, but, in the immortal words of Chumbawumba, they got back up again – you’re never gonna keep them down. I know that the Islanders put nobodies out to shoot in the shootout, but Niittymaki was solid. I love Danny Briere sneaking his shootout shot in at the very corner. I love taking three points out of four on the weekend.

Four points and the Flyers are in. I’m nervous and excited. The Penguins are up twice this week, and the Debbies once more on Friday. Everything is still up for grabs, but I have a good feeling. I hope it’s justified.

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Sunday, the Pens and Rags were on TV. I had myself all discombobulated about it. You know my feelings about both teams. The Penguins are the more hated of the two, yet I did not want the Rangers to win. Penguins having two more points isn’t going to have anything to do with the Flyers; but if the Rangers can’t pick up any more points, the Flyers have a better chance of catching them and improving their playoff position. I had to keep reminding myself that the Penguins’ scoring was a good thing. I felt queasy and dirty being glad that they won Sunday, and being annoyed that the Rangers won last night. I ease my conscience knowing that it’s all about points, and nothing else. Go Flyers!

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*There were three Bulldogs with Flyers names: Biron, Cote**, and Desjardins. If only the Flyers had Desjardins (in his prime).

**At the last Flyers game I was at (vs. Isles), a guy nearby kept shouting that they should put "Cotes" in. (Pronounced "Co-tayz.") This corpsed us. I said, "What, two or three of him?" but I don't think he heard me.