NYR at PHI 3/2/06

[Mel]

Embarassing to say the least. 6-1 final. I understand the Flyers have injury problems, but that's not what caught my attention. The Rangers had a lot of tired players trying to get their game legs back and it showed in the first period. The Flyers dominated but couldn't convert.

Brashear - if he can't do his usual hugging, he pulls.... as in pulling Kasparitis hair, LOL! leads to a penalty which leads to a goal (4 PP goals on the night for NYR against the 5th worst PK in the NHL)

Brashear also sucker punched Kasparitis in the final 5 minutes drawing the instigator. That will cost him a game, and cost Ken Hitchcock $10,000. That led to a yet another goal. Good job Brash. Singlehandedly sunk your team tonight, or at least contributed greatly to the embarassing loss which had the home town fans booing loudly. :thumb:

I hope Huggie sucker punches the Rangers every game.

[wildboy26]

The Flyers dominated alot of the play yet lost 6-1, it sounds like the World junior hockey final where Russia dominated play early and still ended up down 3-0 then went into the tank and lost 5-0. Good performance by the team.

[charlio lemieux]

What is up with Team Czech Republic,...I mean The NY Rangers?:wicked:
Are they trying to get the Presidents trophy or something? :D

It will be interesting to see if they can maintain these winning ways in the Playoffs. They manhandled Ottawa before the Olympic break too.
I don't know? They could be a force in the playoffs.

[swflyers25]

Kaspy is piece of garbage. He loves to nail people and injure them but yet he turtles when someone wants to get him back for it. Like he thinks that it won't happen.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20060303/capt.8e164a7d8f14483f8bbe7e20d2142ff5.rangers_flye rs_hockey_pxc105.jpg
He's worse than Brashear.

[Mel]

Really? who did Kaspar injure last night?

You take Brashear's hair-pulling and sucker-punching.

I'll take the 6-1 win and a precious 2 more points away from the Flyers.

Kaspar plays it rough, he always has - he will hit anybody and does not discriminate. If you need proof look no further than the injury to his own teammate Jagr - it came from a Kasparitis hit during the Olympics.

He's not a fighter, never once pretended to be in his career.

[Mel]

They could be a force in the playoffs.
Remains to be seen. They're hot now, but that can change.

If they do make the playoffs, or even get deep into the playoffs... it will all just be bonus when you think back to pre-season expectations.

[charlio lemieux]

Remains to be seen. They're hot now, but that can change.

If they do make the playoffs, or even get deep into the playoffs... it will all just be bonus when you think back to pre-season expectations.

IF? It's too late to jinx them now Mel. :D They are going to make it. But ya, compared to where everyone had them pegged at the start of the year, it has been beyond a total success. If Lundqvist keeps up his play the second or even third round is a realistic possibility.

[Mel]

IF? It's too late to jinx them now Mel. :D

After 7 years of shear misery, I take nothing for granted.

[swflyers25]

Really? who did Kaspar injure last night?

He almost injured Forsberg.

You take Brashear's hair-pulling and sucker-punching.

I don't want it! :D I'd waive the idiot, that's just me.

However, Kaspar has always played that way and it blows my mind that he seems to think that he isn't going to get run for the crap he pulls. I wouldn't have a problem with the questionable hits if the coward actually backed it up. He's being a coward..plain and simple. The loss was bad, just going back to the way it was before the break. Something needs to change, someone needs to shake up this team so expect a trade soon. ;)

[KB in Kelowna]

All I can say is the league did the right thing by suspending Brash for a game and fining Hitch. Why an enforcer is out in the last two minutes of a blow out is beyond me.

[Mel]

almost injured? Forsberg is always injured. This is the NHL and hitting is allowed. Everybody is one play away from being injured. Jagr played that game with an injury. Kasparitis is playing with a broken toe. Who even complains about getting "almost injured"? Sounds like pointless whining to me.

However, Kaspar has always played that way and it blows my mind that he seems to think that he isn't going to get run for the crap he pulls. I wouldn't have a problem with the questionable hits if the coward actually backed it up. He's being a coward..plain and simple.

Your mind is being needlessly blown, because he does fully expect to get run, and he takes a ton of punishment - both legal and dirty - I see it every game. You just never hear about it because there's nobody whining in the post game interviews.

If calling him a coward makes you feel better about the loss, hey - whatever works for you. But the truth is that Brashear's antics led directly to the Flyers getting thumped in a key divisional game. If you recall they had the momentum early... things went south when Brashear started acting stupid. Hair-pulling for christ sake. As far as designated fighters go, Brashear is just about my least favorite in the league.

Bottom line : We'll take this every time. Hitch can send Brashear all over the ice chasing after some lunatic Russian, while we concentrate on running up the score.

Change? A good start would be for Hitch to get his mind off Darius Kasparitis, and practice killing penalties. You don't need a trade.

"That is why things happen to him," Brashear said of Kasparaitis. "That is why he has to take a punch every once in a while. He is lucky I didn't drop my gloves and [punch him] harder. It was just a little reminder, and the next time, if he keeps going, maybe it will be worse."

Atta boy Donald, keep those power plays coming! LOL :thumb:

[Madferret]

Kasparitus is a hell of hockey player. He's probably the toughest nut in the game today, he's Russia's answer to Scott Stevens IMO.
Brashear, well he pulls hair and chases after smaller players. Brashear should send Kasper a 'Thank-You Card' for all the attention he's getting because of him..

[Amoroq]

I don't really want to defend Brashear but the NHL rules clearly stipulate that any fight instigated in the last 5 minutes of a game comes with an automatic 1 game suspension and the coach getting fined 10 grand and no appeals are allowed. Ok fine I agree, and the right punishment was handed down, but why wasn't the same punishment handed down when earlier in the season Shane Doan started a fight in the last 5 minutes of a game, and why wasn't Coach Gretzky fined 10 grand?

The NHL lacks consistancy. I agree with the rule, but it MUST be the same across the board for any player and coach. There should be NO grey area, you either follow the book or you re-write it.