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

that irked me

Neal's likely suspension means that local boy Eric Tangradi gets into the lineup for Game 4 on Wed. He's a capable player in his own right, but obviously nowhere close to Neal.

Neal's likely suspension means that local boy Eric Tangradi gets into the lineup for Game 4 on Wed. He's a capable player in his own right, but obviously nowhere close to Neal.
- bmeltzer

Yeah, it's gonna be hard to replace that vertical reach of Neal.

Neal's likely suspension means that local boy Eric Tangradi gets into the lineup for Game 4 on Wed. He's a capable player in his own right, but obviously nowhere close to Neal.
- bmeltzer

Neal has developed into more of a sniper with Pittsburgh, especially on the PP. He will be missed, but it's his own fault. He was a bigger disgrace than Sidney.

Neal has developed into more of a sniper with Pittsburgh, especially on the PP. He will be missed, but it's his own fault. He was a bigger disgrace than Sidney.
- LordStanley88

worst part was when he was headed to the box and was asking the ref why.

Here come the Black Aces. Leighton on recall waivers, per Bob McKenzie

Since we are pretty much beating the Pens to death here, I thought I would try to see it from the other side. What are the things that could be objectionable from the other side?
1. Grossmann's k-2-k did seem intentional and potentially dirty.
2. Talbot is practically wrestled away by Niskanen (but scores anyway). Given that Niskanen had pretty much failed in whatever he was trying to do and there was no attempt to injure, I thought the venom with which Giroux jumped Niskanen was a little surprising.
3. I said yesterday that Schenn did not leave his feet. I was wrong. That seemed gratuitous to me, and could have well resulted in a major.
4. Asham went for the face, and Schenn threw his head back and so the cross-check actually made contact with the neck area not above. (still horrific)
5. Crosby challenged Schenn to dance several times in the last scrum. You can read his lips as he says "you wanna go" 2 times that I could see. Schenn declines.
6. Several penalties called on the Pens in the 2nd were ticky-tacky, probably a function of the refs trying to get the game back in hand.


Thats all I got.

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

thats what i thought the moment that was called, however it did look like he stuck it out on replay

Here come the Black Aces. Leighton on recall waivers, per Bob McKenzie
- Jsaquella

Bryz injured?

Bryz injured?
- Deasr1

Yeah, he died laughing at Crosby this morning.

The Phantoms season is over, so they Flyers are calling up their Black Aces AKA spare bodies for practices and injury purposes.

Neal's likely suspension means that local boy Eric Tangradi gets into the lineup for Game 4 on Wed. He's a capable player in his own right, but obviously nowhere close to Neal.
- bmeltzer

There you go JAk. His sister will have mixed feelings, no doubt.

Yeah, he died laughing at Crosby this morning.

The Phantoms season is over, so they Flyers are calling up their Black Aces AKA spare bodies for practices and injury purposes.
- Jsaquella

Is it just to have him practicing and "in case?"

I don't mind him sitting on the bench and opening the door. But that's it.

BTW: Any report on Giroux he seemed pretty dazzed by that Neal hit?

Dave Isaac ‏ @davegisaac

And assuming Leighton clears, Bacashihua would go ahead of him anyway, barring catastrophic disaster. This was decided way back in October.

Interesting

Is it just to have him practicing and "in case?"

I don't mind him sitting on the bench and opening the door. But that's it.

BTW: Any report on Giroux he seemed pretty dazzed by that Neal hit?
- coffee junkie

Basically. Giroux is fine. I haven't heard anything.

Dave Isaac ‏ @davegisaac

And assuming Leighton clears, Bacashihua would go ahead of him anyway, barring catastrophic disaster. This was decided way back in October.

Interesting
- Jsaquella

like issac, but that doesn't seem right to me.

like issac, but that doesn't seem right to me.
- OrangeBlack27

If he's right, it likely means that Leighton did take a powder last year after his game six debacle

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=393346

good breakdown of what transpired at the end by Kerry Fraser

FRASER: LOOKING BACK AT THE MELEE-FILLED GAME IN PHILLY

The main event (video link) might have started when Sid knocked Jake's glove away, but the preliminary bout happened a minute or so earlier when Crosby chopped at another Flyer player's glove (at 1:08 of this video) and wasn't penalized for it.

The absence of a swift and firm response by the referees to Sidney Crosby's repeated slash to the glove hand of Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov prior to the fisticuffs became an officiating turning point in the game. This spark ignited the ever-present combustible fuel that exists when these two teams meet and caused player hostilities to boil over and continue throughout most of the game. The officials had to continually battle back from this early incident in an
attempt to exert and maintain control.

More: http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=393346

More: http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=393346
- wolfhounds

it's a good read.
onto Game 4. Time to rest and regroup and bury them on Wednesday.

If he's right, it likely means that Leighton did take a powder last year after his game six debacle
- Jsaquella

good call.

Fraser gets it. Neal should have never been on the ice to go after Giroux after launching himself at Coots.

Further, I didn't realize Neal wasn't immediately penalized after going after Giroux. That's f'n pathetic.

Penguins Bias. Nah, no evidence of that to be seen.

Andrew and Jason, you have asked about the late, high hit that James Neal threw on Claude Giroux. I am going to back up a shift or two and provide you with another game temperature check. This one occurred when Neal left his feet and leveled Sean Couturier as the Flyer was turning in the neutral zone without the puck and unaware of impending contact.

The fact James Neal left his feet and moved slightly right into Couturier prior to impact eliminates any free pass I might have given the Pens star that this was just an accidental collision. James Neal saw Sean Couturier on the road ahead and in his lane. This should have been identified as interference or charging and James Neal placed in the penalty box. Player hostilities intensified on the Flyers bench as Couturier was lifted from the ice and helped to the dressing room.

James Neal subsequently tracked Claude Giroux from behind and delivered a high open ice hit that threw gasoline on a fire that was already burning. Giroux stumbled like a wounded deer following the contact. There was no apparent response by the referees as you suggest on this play to identify the infraction and in an attempt to bring the temperature down. The players then took matters into their own hands.

Jakub Voracek once again led the charge and was the first to chase James Neal to the Pittsburgh players' bench followed closely by Scott Hartnell and Wayne Simmonds. Crosby grabbed Hartnell from behind and the captain's involvement became the catalyst for Craig Adams to unload on the back of Hartnell's head.
James Neal was already on the Pittsburgh bench when the scrum ensued. The Flyers players were attempting to get at him in retaliation. Once the dust settled a discussion between all the officials resulted to sort out the penalties. Hindsight being 20-20, it was likely determined that a charging penalty needed to be assessed to James Neal as the cause of the altercation.

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

Couldnt agree more Bill.. the first thing I thought was that he was trying to make a jump on the puck.. then they showed the replays, and again it looked as though he was playing the puck...

Fraser gets it. Neal should have never been on the ice to go after Giroux after launching himself at Coots.

Further, I didn't realize Neal wasn't immediately penalized after going after Giroux. That's f'n pathetic.

Penguins Bias. Nah, no evidence of that to be seen.




- wolfhounds

I said this earlier.. That charging call was made in retrospect

it's a good read.
onto Game 4. Time to rest and regroup and bury them on Wednesday.
- phi1671

Agreed, I think Lava and the vets will keep the team focused on the prize, which is to end this series and move onto the next round. They can always extract their pound of flesh in the first matchup of next year.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=393346

good breakdown of what transpired at the end by Kerry Fraser
- jimlahey18

I wish he was the league disciplanarian. He's certainly more level headed than ay former player would be.