Thoughts: Flyers @ Penguins Gm 2

[Again apologies to Empty Netters as I'm borrowing from their very readable "live blog" style.]

Open of the Versus Broadcast

Joe Benenati's voice is played over a montage of clips of rabid fans screaming and cheering on their teams. He starts hyping this bitter rivalry, intra-state series and the pivotal Game Two about to take place. Okay, fair enough. This is typical stuff.

I was aware that the people of Philadelphia had a bit of a weight problem but there were at least a dozen people in Flyers shirts that were stretched so taut over their flabby midsections I thought they might suffocate. Either people in Philly aren't paying close attention to the care instructions on their clothes or it might be time to start considering a diet that lends itself toward living past 38.

Even a few Pens fans were looking a bit round. Maybe a few too many trips to Fatheads. But then again, who can blame someone for that? Mmm boy, Fatheads...

First Versus Commercial of the Night to Make You Shudder

I couldn't even tell you what this commercial was about--let's assume buck hunting or something else silly that Versus likes so much--but I was absolutely drawn in by the writing for it.

Whoever this dude was said, "Man versus animal, it don't get no realer than that."

Uhh.. Quint unavailable for comment.

I think there was a game going on or something though...

FIRST PERIOD

:45 - How glorious is this gem that came from the Versus announce team, "[The Flyers] went through lots of changes of underwear" in Game One. That's priceless. Couldn't have said it better myself guys.

1:45 - Ryan Malone makes a solid hit in the corner and frees up the puck. Gill tries to fling it toward the net but it deflects up into Braydon Coburn's face. First drops of blood begin to pool on the ice but a few seconds later Coburn's gloves are shown soaked in blood. Yikes. He is a hockey player though, so he should miss about a shift. Really though that's a huge blow for the Flyers. This guy is supposed to be eating up the minutes that Timonen usually would play and now they're scraping a few ounces of his blood off the ice.

2:20 - Solid work down low by Laraque-Talbot-Roberts. Won some battles and kept the puck down low.

Sometimes you think all this talk about Roberts is just funny and maybe it's all way overblown. Then you see a shot of him on the bench with that scowl etched into his face and you realize while children have nightmares.

3:49 - Wow. Tyler Kennedy just came out SWINGING. He and Scottie Upshall drop the gloves for the shenanigans at the end of Game One. An entertaining middleweight bout for sure. I'd say the win goes to Kennedy for the early flurry and to the guy picking the songs at Mellon for blasting "Walk" by Pantera.



Very nice touch.

5:25 - Pascal Dupuis just put on an impressive move to get by Richards who was covering up on defense, but he was unable to beat Biron as he flubbed the shot a bit.

8:30 - Crunch and Munch did Ruutu just get drilled against the far boards. You'd like to laugh at Derian Hatcher for being such a joke of a hockey player, but I'm too busy curled up in the fetal position hoping he doesn't hear the bad things I'm thinking about him

10:48 After a few solid chances on a power play just minutes before, the Penguins cash in on a Flyer crosscheck when Sidney Crosby scores from the bottom of the near circle. He let a wrist shot go that took a weird carom and fooled Martin Biron.

G CROSBY A GONCHAR

FLYERS 0 - PENGUINS 1

The Flyers are going to be in trouble minus Timonen and now Coburn as well. These guys were averaging 24:55 and 24:03 a game respectively. Ouch.

14:00 (or somewhere thereabouts..ish) - Hatcher hammers Malone at center ice. Scumbag or not, he certainly has to keep you honest as an opposing player.

15:19 - Hartnell spins by Gonchar who disrupted him just enough to send him to the ice where he gets off a weak backhander. That could've been something pretty incredible, but solid play by Gonchar to catch a piece of him as he went by.

16:41 - The Penguins dominate a session of 4 on 4 with some precise passing, keeping the puck in the Flyer end and generating some high-quality chances. Gonchar makes a strong move down low on Upshall and puts a backhand on net. The puck plinkos around a bit and Crosby appears to jam it home. Martin Biron, however, sweeps the puck out of the net before anything conclusive can be seen by the referee. To the War Room we go.

I was pretty sure this one was gonna count, but then again I'm rarely ever right about anything hockey-related. They say "no goal."

The NHL really should have a camera that can be blown up so you can see every single pixel at ice level. Benenati kept stammering on that you couldn't see the puck, but you could make it out through the webbing in Biron's glove.

I'm sorry but the NHL's cameras need to be able to see that. That thing should be able to spot Lindsay Lohan's underwear on the floor of a trendy LA club all the way from Toronto. If that puck was in, which I thought it was, it's inexcusable to miss that call.

SECOND PERIOD

:10 - This isn't all too relevant but I was amused. Randy Jones' stick just flew around the boards like a bobsled team taking a turn after challenging a Penguin for a puck. Look at it go teehee!

:34 - After a nice feed from Malkin, Hossa looks skyward after failing to bury a chance fromt he bottom of the circle.

2:48 - Dupuis with a great pass to send out Hossa who then feeds Crosby on the far wall. His initial bid is denied by a sprawling defender and the rebound is kept out with a sparkling save from an impossibly close area.

5:46 - Joffrey Lupul finds Jeff Carter out in front who beats Marc-Andre Fleury on the far side.

G Carter A Lupul A Modry

FLYERS 1 - PENGUINS 1

It doesn't happen often, but an in-game interview was kind of amusing. Chris Simpson talked to Braves pitcher Tom Glavine who was at the game tonight because those same Braves were in town to play the Pirates.

On his being a part of the 1984 NHL Draft Class: "Knowing I was drafted ahead of guys like Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille, I know that obviously I would have been a Hall-of-Fame hockey player."

On his style as a hockey player: "I tried to stay out of the corners as much as I could."

Funny stuff...

7:45 - Jordan Staal lugged the puck in behind and finds Tyler Kennedy wide open in front. He's stymied trying to beat Biron five-hole.

13:34 - A weak call--though to a usually deserving culprit--on Derian Hatcher for hooking. The guy has his stick in a good position and is trying to make a physical play on Malkin, but his stick gets caught up between Malkin's legs. Hatcher goes off for hooking and the Flyers immediately pay.

13:43 - Hossa chips a rebound of a point shot past Martin Biron.

G Hossa A Malone A Gonchar

FLYERS 1 - PENGUINS 2

Some time around this time of the gameBenanati starts to say, "It's 2-1 against the villai...the visitors from the City of Brotherly Love." He had it right the first time.

15:40 The puck ramps up off Letang's stick on Richards' backhand attempt and forces Fleury to make a tough save. Is it just me or has he not had to make many of them in this series so far?

17:40 Malkin absorbs two big hits, one by Richards that he tried to duck and one by Downie that sat him down after a dump-in. It's not hard to see what the Flyers gameplan is here.

19:17 - Hatcher crosschecks Staal in the back of the neck and the Lady Byng Finalist makes his way to the box.

19:37 - A telegraphed pass is picked off by Mike Richards who's alone on Fleury from the red line in. No games or second guessing here, he bears down on the goal and snaps one high into the twine.

G Richards (SH)

FLYERS 2 - PENGUINS 2

THIRD PERIOD

:18 - "Waiting Room" - Fugazi. Again very nice.



:30 - Hatcher smashes Malkin into the glass behind the net. Malkin proceeds to get up and playmake. I would have been checked into intensive care.

1:50 (around there at least) Briere tries a wraparound, solid save by Fleury. Welcome to the 3rd Round Party Danny, the punch is over there and you can leave your coat in the penalty box because you're heading off for clocking Fleury in the head with your stick. Nice of you to show up though.

5:00 - If the Penguins do pull this series out, they're not going to do so without their fair share of bruises. Derian Hatcher crunches Tyler Kennedy deep in the Flyer end.

5:21 - Biron goes Billy Smith on Ruutu with a stick up high after Hatcher shoved him into the crease. Both get hit with penalties.

8:51 - Tremendous keep at the line by Talbot after a solid job of clearing the zone is done by Steve Downie and Derian Hatcher. The puck comes to Georges Laraque who fires wide, but Gary Roberts swoops in and zips a breathtaking pass into the slot for Maxime Talbot. Tape-to-tape and Talbot drills it into the net.

G Talbot A Roberts A Laraque

FLYERS 2 - PENGUINS 3

15:50 Biron nearly wets the bed with an ill-conceived pass up the middle that's picked off by Crosby. He skates in and only a sprawling effort by Marty keeps the puck out.

18:00 A scare for the Pens as Scottie Upshall streaks in with some speed and puts a shot on goal. The original shot and the rebound are kept out by Fleury and Carter skated by the rebound. He recollects the puck and rips it wide. Crisis averted for the guys in black and Vegas gold.

19:17 Appropriately enough, Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is playing in the background as the outcome of this game is becoming more and more clear.

19:32 That'll just about do it.

G Staal A Crosby A Gonchar (EN)

FLYERS 2 - PENGUINS 4

Ball game... Drive home safely

Thoughts tomorrow...