Have any of you ever recorded or DVR'd a Flyers game because you had shit to do that day or night?
Yea, that was me around 7:00pm fourteen hours ago. I had a banquet to attend in honor of a family member receiving an award, so in the midst of me adjusting my cummerbund and shining the lens of my monocle, I was twitching like a crack addict holding an empty spoon. It was killing me knowing a game was going on as I sat in my seat, golf clapping the chap speaking at the podium.
Nevertheless, when I finally returned to the roost and pressed Play on the DVR, another overwhelming performance from Bobrovsky was cast before me.
Bob froze 33 of 35-shots on his net, but that's just a stat. Just numbers.
It doesn't tell you about the stonewall he brought down on Michael Grabner's penalty shot --
Or the confident composure he displayed between the pipes as the puck was moved around in his crease like some side-street card trick --
Then came his "HOLY SHIT" save of the evening when he robbed another "sure-goal" off the stick blade of Michael Grabner --
Grabner did everything right. He gained the puck from a turnover, crossed into the Flyers zone uncontested, and took the rubber to his backhand. When he sent it sailing 4-hole, Bob lifted his glove in mid-split and snatched the puck before it ever nested in the high twine behind him.
It was one of those moments when your brain had to reboot itself in an instant, because what you saw with your own eyes is not what your brain was capable of believing would happen.
Sergei's mind blowing acrobatics did not end in vain. Scott Hartnell deposited his 19th of the season off of Jagr's pass deep to the slot on the Flyers power play.
Wayne Simmonds' 2nd period goal sent Islanders fanatics' faces into their hands with disgust. Evgeni Nabokov allowed Wayne's centering pass to slip between his skate blade and nearside wicket. The goal caught the ageless netminder by surprise.
Late in the 3rd period, rookie sensation Sean Couturier potted his third puck in three games for his 8th goal of the season.
It's a real shame Bob couldn't manage a shutout against New York. I haven't seen a young goalie more deserving of his first goose egg than Bobrovsky. Especially because of how he's handled his game the last couple weeks while our franchise anchor in net germinates a flat ass from the team's end-bench.
If I may sidetrack a tad; Late in the 3rd period, the puck was sent blazing along the corner boards until it met up with Max Talbot in the Flyers zone. In a split second of his possession, Isles defenseman Steve Staios put a controversial hit on Talbot that left Max staggered, and Flyers nation absolutely furious --
I'm not sure about the rest of you, but at the time of the hit I wasn't sure whether Staios lifted his elbow to hit Talbot's head or not.
But more and more replays show that Steve Staois was in violation of Rule 48 in the NHL's Rulebook, which states:
48.1 Illegal Check to the Head – A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted. However, in determining whether such a hit should have been permitted, the circumstances of the hit, including whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit or the head contact on an otherwise legal body check was avoidable, can be considered.
There's nothing to consider here. Staois could of avoided raising his arm in attempt to take Max's head off. Instead, the dirty douche chose to put Talbot to the ice with injury.
“I had zero idea,” Talbot said. "I think that’s what we’re trying to stop in the NHL … shots like that, head shots. I had no time to react and I felt the point of contact was my head. I didn’t see the replay, but from what I felt it was a pretty dangerous hit.”
Well, we've seen the replays, Max. And you have every right to be pissed. Especially since Staois went back to his bench chuckling to himself (1:20 of vid) as Hartnell rang sweet-nothings in his ears from the ice. Steve's been in this league over 20-years, so you'd think he'd have more respect for the opposing player than that.
But no worries, Steve. Max will shake it off. You just go about your remaining years in the league, rotting on the roster of a bottom dwelling hockey club. I guess that's why you've got such a chapped ass to begin with. If I was on a team with that record, and I had to wear a third alternate sweater that look like a New York Knicks jersey after it passed through the colon of an elderly homeless person....I'd be one grumpy, cold blooded walking shit-stain too.