Thats cause Grossmann is a monster. Two knee braces and still getting the job done. Would like to see the Flyers close this thing out and let some guys rest up and maybe get back some players from injury as well.
- stveshdy

That would be the best thing for sure. Just ask the old Oiler teams. They openly admitted to benefiting from closing out series in 4-5 games and taking some days to heal.

Assuming that Asham and Neal are out who stand to be their replacements? Tell me the Pens are out of goons.

Totally agree, they could get about a week off if they end the series on Wednesday. Hopefully no injuries because in round 2 it looks like JVR will be back.
Nothing like a 4th line of JVR-Read-Voracek, that is pretty ridiculous.

Totally agree, they could get about a week off if they end the series on Wednesday. Hopefully no injuries because in round 2 it looks like JVR will be back.
Nothing like a 4th line of JVR-Read-Voracek, that is pretty ridiculous.
- ravishingone

Assuming the Flyers advance would like to see them get off to better starts. Defensively along with Goaltending will need to be much better next round shall they win this series.

Assuming that Asham and Neal are out who stand to be their replacements? Tell me the Pens are out of goons.
- hereticpride

There's still MacIntyre. So no, plenty of goons left for Mario's hypocrites.

Assuming the Flyers advance would like to see them get off to better starts. Defensively along with Goaltending will need to be much better next round shall they win this series.
- stveshdy

I don't think there is another team left who has near the offensive ability of the Pens. Bryz has to avoid giving up the soft goal, but no other team really is that close in having the firepower of the Pens. Right now, I would just like to hold off playing the Rangers as long as possible, that is the main threat in my opinion in the East after the Pens.

Just in-case anybody is curious, timonen didn't fight he was jumped... twice. I kinda stood p for Crosby a few weeks ago and i feel like i should hand out all of my flyers jerseys because i feel like a disgrace to the team. Timonen didn't do poop to him and he was grabbed and punched. Crosby should of been handed the 10 game misconduct over anyone else. Here are 4 still frames highlighting it, they aren't re-ordered or Photoshopped, don't believe me you can sit through the video, thought i would just save some time for all you guys.









okay yes timonen did smack his stick sorry i forgot to add that still shot.. however, looking at it, I am more surprised crosby didn't play dead again like when Jason Smith slashed his stick in the playoffs the one year and he fell down like the "Excalibur" took off both of his legs =P

Just in-case anybody is curious, timonen didn't fight he was jumped... twice. I kinda stood p for Crosby a few weeks ago and i feel like i should hand out all of my flyers jerseys because i feel like a disgrace to the team. Timonen didn't do poop to him and he was grabbed and punched. Crosby should of been handed the 10 game misconduct over anyone else. Here are 4 still frames highlighting it, they aren't re-ordered or Photoshopped, don't believe me you can sit through the video, thought i would just save some time for all you guys.


- fivedollarsheep

Appreciate the effort, but you have now killed the edges of this thead

EDIT: And Timonen smacked Crosbys stick..
EDIT2: His stick is nicknamed Excalibur
EDIT3: W/O his stick he has no super powers.
EDIT4: Although he didnt have super powers even when he had his stick...

Watching the broadcast yesterday, was it my imagination or did the following occur:

Laviolette and Berube confer

Berube pulls Simmonds aside and says "No BS just fight him, ok?"
Simmonds nods "Yeah, I got him"

Simmonds then goes out and tries to goad Neal, who was not willing...
- TimB

This is the way it should be done. Get it over with. Instead you have the disgrace of the game that was yesterday. The refs should have thrown out Neal (I know they missed the call). It is my opinion that the refs can "funnel" the game towards settling things the right way. Once they let the cheap shots go, all hell breaks loose. No different than anything else - you hit me, I hit your friend, my friend hits the first guy...never ends. That is why a Simmonds / Neal fight would have been appropriate. Get it out and let it end.

If that is true that Neal backed down from Simmonds than he is a disgrace to himself, his future kids, his parents, and future generations that share his name.

Appreciate the effort, but you have now killed the edges of this thead

EDIT: And Timonen smacked Crosbys stick..
EDIT2: His stick is nicknamed Excalibur
EDIT3: W/O his stick he has no super powers.
EDIT4: Although he didnt have super powers even when he had his stick...
- jak521

I wouldnt of had any problems with the Pens yesterday if they were fighting back with some honor. However they chose to take runs and hit people from behind. If your frustrated and want to set a tone do it the right way. Fight people one on one. Hit people who actually have the puck. Dont head hunt players or cross check a guy in the throat.
- stveshdy

Exactly!

http://sportsillustrated....flyers.fights/?xid=cnnbin
good read here

This is the way it should be done. Get it over with. Instead you have the disgrace of the game that was yesterday. The refs should have thrown out Neal (I know they missed the call). It is my opinion that the refs can "funnel" the game towards settling things the right way. Once they let the cheap shots go, all hell breaks loose. No different than anything else - you hit me, I hit your friend, my friend hits the first guy...never ends. That is why a Simmonds / Neal fight would have been appropriate. Get it out and let it end.

If that is true that Neal backed down from Simmonds than he is a disgrace to himself, his future kids, his parents, and future generations that share his name.
- Daman

Again, this is the type of situation where a linesman, while not allowed to blow it dead, can confer with the ref after the play and give him his perspective allowing the proper call to be made. Cooter's hit wasn't behind the play. It was in the middle of the action. However, it wasn't called. But that's beside the point.

It was dangerous, intentional, and with total disregard for a players well being.

And that's the thing that disturbed me most. Wondering whether the career of a promising 19 year old would be unnecessarily shortened because of senseless act.

We'll see if the league feels the same way.

You know just as well as I that Flyer fans and the rest of the fans around the league have been waiting for this opportunity to go lock stock and barrel on Crosby. All we can do is sit back and laugh Jsaq! It's kind of a mob mentality but hey Crosby had a hand in getting the lynch mob riled up.
- JoeRussomanno

I've never heard a worse display of sportsmanship than from Crosby yesterday. There might be others as bad regarding his explanation for his on-ice actions, but none are worse.

The epitome of Whine.

Again, this is the type of situation where a linesman, while not allowed to blow it dead, can confer with the ref after the play and give him his perspective allowing the proper call to be made. Cooter's hit wasn't behind the play. It was in the middle of the action. However, it wasn't called. But that's beside the point.

It was dangerous, intentional, and with total disregard for a players well being.

And that's the thing that disturbed me most. Wondering whether the career of a promising 19 year old would be unnecessarily shortened because of senseless act.

We'll see if the league feels the same way.
- 77rams

C'mon, Neal said it was completely accidental. He didn't see Couturier. As he took an angle and had to turn to meet Couturier, was looking directly at him well before the hit. And left his feet and jumped into the hit. All a total accident.

Well looks like Neal is going to be suspended. I'm so glad I was wrong about that.

If that is true that Neal backed down from Simmonds than he is a disgrace to himself, his future kids, his parents, and future generations that share his name.
- Daman

Absolutely no doubt he backed down. Simmonds was in his face challenging him, but Simmonds would have been stupid to drop the gloves first and get things going, and Neal showed he is honorless and spineless by not dropping them and owning up for the poop he pulled.

and to think...with all the fighting and cheap shots...both teams have to shake hands at the end of the series...

i think the league needs to warn the pens prior to game 4 that if they do anything to cause another powder keg or take a run at any player on the flyers, even rinaldo major fines and suspensions are coming. they should let their brass know if anything happens the team and its executive will be heavily fined
- flyerscup2011

No, the League needs to warn both teams equally.

I've never heard a worse display of sportsmanship than from Crosby yesterday. There might be others as bad regarding his explanation for his on-ice actions, but none are worse.

The epitome of Whine.
- wolfhounds

Yup. It's not the worst thing I've seen on ice, but when you're touted as the face of the league and that's how you choose to play its easily up there as one of the biggest meltdowns I've ever seen in pro sports.

Regardless of the score they basically got laughed out of the building and his post game goes to show the guy just doesn't get it. I swear at one point he basically said "yeah, we played dirty but so did they." Oh really Sid? What did we do? Please do tell. The Grossmann knee to Neil? Yeah. So? We didnt flip out when Vitale did that to Grossmann two weeks ago. What else did we do that ranked up against pulling hair, cross checking guys in the throat, punching guys in the head from behind, running star players? This guy is a joke.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/adrian_dater/04/15/penguins.flyers.fights/?xid=cnnbin
good read here
- JoeRussomanno

I didn't like the Grossmann penalty, either. It looks suspicious because Nick was victimized by a knee-to-knee in that game in Pittsburgh a couple weeks ago. However, considering Grossmann has a bad left knee and is playing through the injury in the other knee now -- he wears heavy knee braces on both legs right now, had had one knee brace all season in Dallas and Philly-- I'd think the last thing he wants right now is any sort of knee-to-knee contact because of his own risk of reinjury.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/adrian_dater/04/15/penguins.flyers.fights/?xid=cnnbin
good read here
- JoeRussomanno

AD's favorite"no-name plugger" has eight points in the last two games .

No, the League needs to warn both teams equally.
- MJL

How do you work that out? What have the Flyers done in comparison?

I didn't like the Grossmann penalty, either. It looks suspicious because Nick was victimized by a knee-to-knee in that game in Pittsburgh a couple weeks ago. However, considering Grossmann has a bad left knee and is playing through the injury in the other knee now -- he wears heavy knee braces on both legs right now, had had one knee brace all season in Dallas and Philly-- I'd think the last thing he wants right now is any sort of knee-to-knee contact because of his own risk of reinjury.
- bmeltzer

Looking back I kinda agreed when you said it's hard to judge intent, but looking how things have played out, I have no doubt in my mind that knee to knee on Grossmann was intentional. At least Bylsma had the sense to bench that jackass Vitale.

Edit: went back and read what he wrote, I think he's grasping there in an attempt to look objective. I seriously doubt too that Grossmann who is wearing two knee braces is trying to use that part of his body in such a manner.

I didn't like the Grossmann penalty, either. It looks suspicious because Nick was victimized by a knee-to-knee in that game in Pittsburgh a couple weeks ago. However, considering Grossmann has a bad left knee and is playing through the injury in the other knee now -- he wears heavy knee braces on both legs right now, had had one knee brace all season in Dallas and Philly-- I'd think the last thing he wants right now is any sort of knee-to-knee contact because of his own risk of reinjury.
- bmeltzer

Exactly. But that's the kind of information that is of no use to someone trying to stir the pot or even the score, or whatever.