It should have been clear from the get-go, as the Isles broadcast started, that if Deb Kaufman is interviewing someone from the opposing team, it is likely that that player will then turnaround and torch the Isles. Mike Modano, in his 18 year in the league, and with a terrible start to this season, showed last night that he still has it scoring two goals. His final coup de grace being an goal in OT to give Dallas ANOTHER win. Dallas has not lost since firing their GM, and replacing him with Modano's buddy, Brett Hull.
Another bad hit with bad intentions from a Flyers player . . .
ANGLE 1:
Last time Boston and the Flyers met, Patrice Bergeron was clobbered by Randy Jones, completing a trifecta of questionable dirty hits by the Flyers this preseason and season. Jones, not a usual suspect, escapes any longterm implications as the NHL chose to ignore indications that something was terribly wrong in Flyerland.
Colin Campbell, instead, adopted a MAD magazine "What Me Worry?" mantra as he indicated that players need to protect themself more. This statement was a stunning hypocrisy by a league who has attempted unabashedly to make this game more fast, more freewheeling, and more exciting. Players have less and less time to protect oneself when rules are altered to keep the game fast. But Colin was never a Mensa candidate, and instead, what effused from his mouth was a lawyeresque tagline. Something to protect them and perhaps teams, when the eventual will happen . . .a player unable to walk away from a hit, and having horrific damage.
Last night, in that new meeting between Boston and the Flyers, Scott Hartnell added one more debacle to the mix and to the discussion, smashing Andrew Alberts into the boards as Alberts was helpless on his knees. Even more excruciating than the hit itself is the amount of time that Hartnell had to change his direction or actually have a coherent thought trail through his synapses before hitting into him. Hartnell's elbow and shoulder careened into Albert's head, which them pressed both into the boards. Subsequently, Alberts lay on the ice for several minutes, and was eventually lifted to his feet and escorted to the locker room. A escort, by the way, to a chorus of boos from Philly fans. Ablerts is to be evaluated today.
This is not the first time for Hartnell either. Jonathan Cheechoo took a knee-to-knee hit back when Hartnell was on Nashville prompting the following statement:
"It's a dirty hit from a dirty player,"
- Patrick Rismiller, San Jose Sharks forward
And this time, empty words about protecting oneself is simply not enough from the league. There is a problem in Flyerland, and a problem in this "NEW" and "IMPROVED" NHL, where the tweaks to the game plus a clear disregard for player safety will lead some something around the corner that we will all have a bitter taste in our mouth over.
Unless someone does something about it and actually metes out punishments instead of excuses that smack of three wise monkey's: "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil".
Something must be done.
The league and GMs altered rules to pad the dwindled coffers to make hockey a more entertaining game. What it has also done is make the snap decisions occur much faster, as players now must play faster. Welcome to cause and effect, boys.
Moreover, there needs to be pressure applied to the Flyers organization. 4 times now. Will it take the unthinkable to spur the league and the Flyers into action? The Flyers are having an absolute renaissance this season. People being blasted into boards and dirty hits shouldn't be the constant topic of conversation.
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