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ONE FLYERS-RELATED WEBCAST TODAY (START TIME IN EDT)
After a jam-packed weekend of Flyers player- and prospect-related games in North America and Europe, there is the usual Monday lull today. There is only one match on tap:
In KHL action, Ruslan Fedotenko and HC Donbass Donetsk host Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Game time is at noon. A free webcast is available.
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GIROUX AND BRIERE CONTINUE DEL DOMINATION
The O2 World Arena in Berlin was rollicking on Sunday, as a packed house of over 14,100 singing, chanting and flag-waving fans saw the home side explode for seven third period goals in a 7-1 roasting of the Iserlohn Roosters.
Every time the Polar Bears score a goal at their home arena, can-can music plays over the public address system. There were several junctures in the final period where the can-can from the previous goal hadn't even ended before yet another Eisbären tally made it start up all over again.
Not surprisingly, Claude Giroux was one of the major catalysts in the third period outburst. After two scoreless periods, Giroux notched the game's first goal by putting a vicious shift on much-traveled former NHL goalie Sebastien Caron (who was very briefly a Flyers backup goaltender late in the 2009-10 season but never got into a game).
Later in the period, Giroux blew by a helpless Iserlohn defenseman and made a no-look pass to linemate T.J. Mulock for the third Eisbären goal; the tally came on the next shift after Matt Foy's first of two goals.
After spending the first three games as linemates, Giroux and Danny Briere played on different lines for most of Sunday's match. Briere, who had 10 points in his first three games, ran into some tough luck in this game. He could easily have had multiple assists on excellent scoring chances he set up, and narrowly missed a goal on a play where he split the defense and went in alone on Caron.
Finally, late of the third period, Briere got onto the scoresheet. He set up shop behind the Roosters' net. With all the defenders' eyes on Briere, Barry Tallackson went to the net unimpeded, received a tape-to-tape pass, and ripped it home for the seventh and final Eisbären goal of the game.
Eisbären sported pink uniforms for this game as part of Breast Cancer Awareness month. The club's home uniforms are typically dark blue.
Eisbären will now take a break from its DEL schedule until Friday. On Tuesday, the team travels to Sweden for a European Trophy tournament game against Elitserien club Luleå HF Bears (yes, the game pits the Polar Bears against the Bears).
Luleå is one of European hockey's most defensively stingy teams, and has only yielded 22 goals in 14 regular season games to date. So that game should be a good challenge for Giroux and Briere, because they probably won't find nearly as much open ice as they've found in the DEL games.
Side note: Eisbären has apparently been inundated with Giroux and Briere related merchandize requests, both within and outside Germany. In response to the demand, the team has added to the fan shop section of its official site a Giroux and Briere apparel ordering page in English.
For those interested, be aware that the prices are very steep. The prices on the Eisbären site are listed in Euros, so they are more expensive in dollars, and the shipping costs add an outrageous $45 in U.S. dollars to the total cost.
For example, a replica Giroux or Briere jersey would cost $125 plus $45 shipping. An official-weight, stitched jersey would be $338 even before the shipping. Want a Giroux or Briere Eisbären t-shirt or scarf instead? The shipping is still $45!
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SIMMONDS SAYS GOODBYE IN STYLE
In his final game for German Budesliga (minor league) club Eispiraten Crimmitschau, Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds gave his soon-to-be former team a nice little going away present. Simmonds racked up four points -- one goal and three assists -- in a 5-1 home romp against Star Bulls Rosenheim. Simmonds' buddy, St. Louis Blues forward Chris Stewart, also scored a goal.
Simmonds and Stewart have elected not to renew their 30-day contracts with Eispiraten, although the club wanted them to stay. Instead, the players hope to sign in tandem with an unspecified Czech Extraliga team; rumored but not confirmed to be struggling HC Bili Tygri Liberec, for whom the attack this season has pretty much consisted of ageless former Flyers forward Petr Nedved and little else.
Simmonds and Stewart will leave Germany later today. Simmonds concluded his nine-game stay with the Ice Pirates with 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists) and 35 penalty minutes, including one lopsided fight win. Stewart finished with 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists).
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SESTITO RECEIVES MATCH PENALTY, FACES 3-GAME SUSPENSION
Flyers tough guy forward Tom Sestito tallied points in each of his first four EIHL games for the Sheffield Steelers. Unfortunately for the player and for his team, he didn't last too long in Sunday's game. Early in the second period of a home game against the Hull Stingrays, Sestito was given a match penalty and ejected from the game.
The play in question happened at 3:19 of the second period. Sestito lined up Hull defenseman Andy Ward for a body check and, with his shoulder tucked in, the 6-foot-5 forward delivered a hit that connected with his smaller, crouching opponent's head. Ward had to be carried off the ice, but is reportedly doing OK now.
Hull's Ryan Hand went directly after Sestito, who immediately obliged him with a fight. Hand drew an additional instigation minor for starting the fight, while Sestito got a major and match penalty for the hit on Ward plus a fighting major.
As a result of the 30 penalty minutes Sestito racked up in the span of a few seconds, he now has 54 penalty minutes in his five games played for Sheffield. He also has six points (three goals and three assists).
On the Sheffield team Web site, Steelers head coach Ryan Finnerty said that he was disappointed in the officials' decision to assess a match penalty to Sestito. The coach claimed that his player attempted to ease up on the hit just before he finished the check, and the decision to eject Sestito appeared to be based more on the unfortunate result of the play than the viciousness of the actual check on Ward.
Sheffield won the game, 4-2, and has won each of its last three matches. The team returns to action on Friday, when it travels to Northern Ireland to take on the Belfast Giants in a rematch of last Friday's tilt in Sheffield. Sestito's match penalty carries an automatic three-game suspension but will first be reviewed by the league.
* Nick Cousins and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds had a forgettable night against the Guelph Storm. The Soo came out on the wrong end of a 7-1 blowout. Cousins, who now has 19 points in 13 games, assisted on the lone Greyhounds goal. He also took three minor penalties in the game but twice took Guelph players off with him. Cousins was out for two of the Guelph goals and his assist came on a shorthanded goal for the Soo.
* Defenseman Colin Suellentrop scored his second goal of the season for the Oshawa Generals in a 4-2 loss to the Plymouth Whalers. Suellentrop's second-period power play goal briefly tied the score at 1-1. Suellentrop finished minus-two in the game. Meanwhile, Scott Laughton did not record a point in the game. He took a third-period holding penalty and was minus-one for the game.
* Defenseman Fredric Larsson was plus-one in Brynäs J20's 4-3 win over Mora in SuperElit action on Sunday. Larsson did not record a point or receive any penalties.
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