Doesn't get much better than a weekend home-and-home in the waning season between two teams who are rivals in every way. On ice and off, we hate 'em up good.
Game 1 starts this afternoon in Philly, where a lot of the fans are still dusting off the crust after last night's party at the Spectrum. It's also the end of Philadelphia Beer Week, which meant four bottles of various Chimay for yours truly on a Friday evening that saw my alma mater take down Xavier. (If any TU kids want to send in some thoughts from last night's game or anything from before or after tonight's, feel free to e-mail me.) But I digress.
Sure, we're looking for more than fisticuffs today, but as the title suggests, we wouldn't mind seeing new Flyer Dan Carcillo make his mark by taking on the guy he's often been compared to, Sean Avery. I'm certain Avery needs no introduction here, after all, he claims to have devirginated Elisha Cuthbert (at least among NHLers). I was pretty surprised by the reaction the "sloppy seconds" remark. Half the league started acting like they played a game in which fighting wasn't condoned (or encouraged), and making someone bleed only adds two minutes to a penalty. The hilariously ironic moment in the leaguewide overblown reaction came from John Tortorella, who wasn't coaching at the time.
"The league stepped up here and I think they did the right thing.
Enough is enough," said Tortorella. "He's embarrassed himself, he's
embarrassed the organization, he's embarrassed the league and he's
embarrassed his teammates, who have to look out for him. Send him home.
He doesn't belong in the league."
Oh please. He made a remark about another player and his ex-girlfriend. Please, save the league! Send Sean home where he can do no further evil!
Well Torts is coaching now—coaching the Rangers, who signed Avery. There's no love lost between Philly and Tortorella either, so you can bet he'll be hearing it from behind the bench, as will Avery. We can only hope it all boils over...
But obviously this game is about more than a fight that's unlikely to happen.
We should be in for at least 60 minutes of kick-ass, end-to-end hockey today. The Rangers have slid-den down the standings and are currently just one point ahead of the 9th place Panthers. From here on out, they're playing for their postseason lives, and the Flyers should be too. Only four points separate the two teams, who play each other twice this weekend before the Flyers head to Detroit. The Rangers have won three out of four March contests, and Rangerland tells us that the Torts is starting to get comfortable in New York.
Marty Biron will get the start for the home team. We should be Cover-ing It Live, so check back just before game time.
Original Story:
http://www.the700level.com/2009/03/in...
