Our Philadelphia Flyers hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sunday's Game 3 of their QuarterFinals series, and managed to skate away with an unbelievable 8 - 4 victory, seizing the lead at 3-games to zero.
Max Talbot opened and closed the scoring with potting Philly's first and last pucks, Danny Briere and Matt Read both shoveled two each between Steel Town's pipes, Wayne Simmonds lit his first post-season lamp and Claude Giroux tallied one on the scoreboard to complete a total of 8-goals scored on the Western PA adversary.
Just a little past the midway point of the 1st, Pittsburgh had allowed three pucks past their guard while the Flyers managed to keep the Pens to one goal on their net.
In an all too familiar moment of cowardliness, Sidney Crosby began flapping his gums at Claude Giroux who just laughed the Pittsburgh Super Star off. Kimmo Timonen decided it wasn't going to end there --
(If you pause at the 1:49 mark, you can see Letang shushing the crowd, circa Max Talbot 2009)
That whole shenanigans between Timonen, Crosby then Kris Letang sparked up after Sid The Child had pushed Voracek's glove away as Jake bent down to pick it up.
Kimmo, being the awesome veteran that he is, decided he'd get in Crosby's face about it. Kris Letang and Kimmo Timonen both wound up with 5-minute majors and a game misconduct. They did not return to play for the remainder of the tilt.
So why did Sidney push Jakub's glove away like a jealous girl on the school yard?
"Because I don't like him," Crosby said --
There it is. Crosby admitting he doesn't like anyone on the Philadelphia Flyers.
I guess I'd say the same crybaby bullshit after my squad got spanked like a problem child for 60-minutes of regulation hockey.
Even WIP game announcer (and former Flyer defenseman), Chris Therien, had some choice words for the Pittsburgh captain --
(link provided by CrossingBroad.com)
The best part about Crosby and the rest of his invertebrate mates is that this contest was nationally televised.
All at once, North America witnessed just how much of a yellow-bellied team this is, captained by the biggest chicken shit prick of them all.
Do I respect Sidney's talent?
Without a doubt. It's raw, it's great, it's probably the best in the NHL. But, far and away, Crosby is just a wet stack of tear-soaked Kleenexes who runs from the conflicts to hide behind officials and/or larger teammates, or tries to start a brouhaha with skaters like Kimmo Timonen, of all players.
Sidney Crosby should be embarrassed for himself and the image he's created who so many infant suckers look up to and praise. He can't call himself a man.
Not today.
Today he's just another dog with his tail between his legs. A defeated schmuck who can't even lose with dignity, grace and respect.
And that goes double for Arron Asham --
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Brayden Schenn's delivered hit on Paul Martin was no more intense or ferocious than any other hits throughout this series, yet the thuggish Arron Asham skated in and cross-checked Brayden's throat as retaliation.
You read that correctly.
Asham -- a former Philadelphia Flyer -- deemed it necessary to take his stick and crush it into Schenn's adam's apple -- a move that could not only injure a man, but could potentially kill him.
And what does Arron do next? Thunders down a couple right hooks on the back of Brayden's skull while he laid there defenseless.
Takes a true miscreant to do such a thing. Even if the game of hockey is heated.
Like a boss, Brayden soon recovered and returned to the ice where he tallied his second assist of the match on one of Matt Read's goals.
The cheap shots don't stop there.
As the 3rd period was coming to a close and the Penguins were on the brink of handing out their third consecutive loss of the series, James Neal -- who had dominated all game long with his two goals and assist -- was just another Penguin player who couldn't accept the defeat with courtliness --
That's not just interference, but that's a shot to the head. Neal's skates had also left the ice classifying this as a charging penalty according to Rule 42.1 of the NHL Rulebook.
42.1 Charging - A minor or major penalty shall be imposed on a player who skates or jumps into, or charges an opponent in any manner.
Charging shall mean the actions of a player who, as a result of distance traveled, shall violently check an opponent in any manner. A “charge” may be the result of a check into the boards, into the goal frame or in open ice.
If deemed appropriate, supplementary discipline can be applied by the Commissioner at his discretion, according to Rule 28. And as DefendingBigD.com (Dallas Stars blog) points out, James has a history of head hunting.
But who we kidding?
If Shea Weber wasn't suspended for using Henrik Zetterberg's head and face as a wood-block, how on earth can we expect Brendan Shanahan to give Neal 1 - 2 games?
James sought after Couturier on purpose, and delivered a high shot to Sean's head and neck area while the puck and play weren't even in the vicinity of the infraction. It was a dirty, dirty move. End of story. An act of cowardly disrespect for everything this game of hockey stands for.
And just minutes after this episode, James had gone after Claude Giroux.
Neal swung his stick and hit the top of Claude's head, leaving Giroux very shaken up on the ice. In fact, "G" wobbled around like a newborn giraffe for a few seconds.
But considering Claude and Cooter seemed perfectly alright in their post-game interviews, I think it's safe to say both of our guys are alright. I wouldn't count on their assailant getting a phone call from our League's Head Disciplinarian because he's an inconsistent, incompetent fucking joke.
Knowing this, Braydon Coburn took it upon himself to hunt after James Neal to show his displeasure. When the drama caught fire, it was Scott Hartnell and Craig Adams who threw down --
Hair pulling? Has this what it's come to? Adams can't get any real angle or torque, so he lowers himself to pulling the locks of Scott's head?
And that was only after Hartnell had a chance to turn and fight while Craig threw punches at the back of a defenseless #19.
What about Crosby? Tough enough to jab Schenn in the face with his gloves on, talk shit, but won't drop 'em? WHAAAAAAAAAAT a disgrace. That whole team.
A disgrace.
It was Mario Lemieux -- NHL legend & current owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins who once announced,
Well, Mario.....if you and your program haven't come off as the biggest hypocrites today, then I dunno who or what have.
And one more thing, Mario. Even your fans feel the same way --
Good night. What a game.
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