Despite Freak Glove-Throwing Incident, Richie and Carter Outscore the Tampa Bay Former Flyers

Well there was a game that had it all. Revenge, special teams, great goaltending (yet ample scoring), fisticuffs, and a dramatic finale.

True to form, former Flyer Steve Downie was quick to make his presence known, tripping Kimmo Timonen just 2 minutes into the game (that Downie was already on the ice says a little something about the TB gameplan). Mike Richards took offense and came to Timo's defense, earning himself a roughing minor, while Downie matched that as well as his tripping call. On the ensuing penalty, Jeff Carter scored the first of his two goals on the night, both on the PP. Carter is tied with Thomas Vanek to lead the NHL with 18 markers.

Tampa answered in the first period, with another familiar face lighting the lamp. Mark Recchi scored the first of the Lightning's three goals, starting a trend for the night: Every Tampa Bay goal was scored by a former Flyer.

After a scoreless second period, Mike Richards snuck past Steve Eminger, who you'll remember was packaged with Downie to bring Matt Carle to Philly. On a shorthanded 2-on-1, Richie showed his trademark patience, waited for the defender to slide to the ice, held on a bit longer, and pegged the top left corner. Carter then put the Flyers up 3-1, but the rest of the third period was all Lightning.

Vinny Prospal was credited with a fluke goal, which deflected high in the air and landed over Marty Biron's shoulder, in the back of the net. There was some discussion as to whether the goal was actually Prospal's, or if it was perhaps last touched by Eminger, also a former Flyer. Tampa tied it later in the period—on a goal by Downie of all people.

Then things got weird. With the Flyers somewhat on the ropes but hanging in there while the seconds ticked off in regulation, Ryan Malone had a breakaway, all alone on Marty Biron. Out of nowhere, a black glove comes flying at him. In a moment of temporary batshit insanity, Scott Hartnell did the one thing that will earn a penalty shot 100% of the time—he threw a piece of equipment at a player on a breakaway.

Marty made the stop (perhaps aided by a lobbed piece of padding), and he also turned aside the Malone penalty shot.

Then, in OT, Malone had another opportunity, but he was stood up by Luca Sbisa, whom he gripped up, and subsequently skated hard into Biron, who was out playing the puck. It was an obvious goalie interference, and it cost Rick Tocchet his shot at a win. On the ensuing 4-on-3 powerplay, the Flyers passed the puck around the perimeter, waiting for an open lane, which didn't come until Timonen skated the puck in from the sideboards, waited for the triangle to pinch toward him, and zipped a behind-the-back pass to an open Richards, who once again buried the puck in the top corner.

Game.

Notes: Matt Carle was scratched just before the game with a lower-body injury, and he was missed... Former Flyer (sensing a theme here...) great and current TB coach Rick Tocchet got a nice ovation from the crowd when he was shown on the big screen, which he answered with a quick wave... Both goalies were outstanding for the most part...  The Flyers' PK unit gave up two goals tonight, ending a brilliant run. In their defense, they spent half the game killing off penalties...  Scottie Upshall was given a game misconduct and a 5-minute non-releasable penalty for boarding Evgeny Artyukhin; at most, he deserved a 2-minute minor, especially considering the boardings that haven't been called when the Flyers were on the receiving end lately... Seemingly against conventional wisdom, Hartnell started the OT period on the ice, and not the bench; after the game, Coach Stevens stated that he hadn't seen exactly what happend with Harts' glove... It was a short fight, but Aaron Asham welcomed rookie Radek Smolanek to the league with a skull pounding... Four of Richie's 10 goals this season have been on the man-down... After being nicked at all night, Danny Briere left the game and did not return; post-game word is that he reaggravated his previous injury (video showed some stick work from a Lightning player before Briere left for the last time), and he'll be re-evaluated tomorrow...

This is probably the best story we'll hear from the NHL this season:

For the record, we'd probably take Sean Avery's filthy forty-eighths, with the likes of Elisha Cuthbert and Rachel Hunter notched on his bedpost.

Comments

[Andy]

I might be crazy, but I loved the glove throw. Coming from a guy whose effort has been questioned at times this year, it was good to see him goin all out. I think.

[Devil's Advocate]

At first I was amazed at the stupidity of Hartnell's glove toss. However, after further analysis, maybe this creative display of defense disrupted Malone's concentration just enough and saved a goal, enabling a Flyers win.

You say batshit insanity, I say calculated genius.

[Nick B.]

I don't know if that's really something you want to call effort? If Malone scores on the penalty we're not saying effort, we're destroying him. He owes Biron a couple drinks for saving his ass.

Sean Avery, wow. I'm sorta surprised the NHL suspended him. I could see the team doing it but the league moved pretty quick.

[doubleh]

I will say this: as a woman the only thing that offends me about this whole Avery thing is how seriously bad Cuthbert and Hunter's taste in men is.

I think suspension is a bit harsh, but he should be fined. And I think they should force Avery to play without pads and a jock.

[Mike H.]

This was a really good game and done so in the old school unis, no less.

I think the Internets can come up with about 300-400 notches on the Steve Avery bedpost. With pictures, too...

[BFisch]

Hartenll threw his glove and I was like-BEST DEFENSIVE PLAY EVER!
Marty B and Mike Smith were absolutely tremendous. If TB isnt contending come deadline Smith might be on the move.
First win in the 3rd Jerseys, feels very good. Richards-Carter=deadly combo.
FLYERS!

[BFisch]

oh and avery is an asshole.

[Estebomb]

I have definitely pulled the glove through before, but I was throwing a baseball glove at a baseball. Good times, I got a good laugh out of that (thankfully it didn't cost the Flyers the game either).

On a side note, Carter and Richards are simply phenomenal!

[Loqiel]

Marty could have done anything he wanted in celebration after that penalty stop and I would have been okay with it: Mutumbo's finger-wag, Garnett's chest-pounding bellow, whatever. He could have pranced down the ice doing Sam Cassell's "I have enormous balls" dance and I'd have been like "yep". That literally saved the game, not to mention saving Hartnell from getting positively SMOKED by the fans and the press.

[Estebomb]

Glove THROW. Ugh, must be tired with a stupid spelling mistake like that. Go Flyers!

[Dan]

Anyone hear Doc Emrick say that Biron had "stopped six out of ten in-game penalty shots"?

As opposed to ones in the concourse, in the parking lot, across a not-really-frozen Delaware, etc.

Okay, maybe he meant in regulation, as opposed to overtime? Dunno.

[Paul]

Possibly he holds the opinion many other NHL purists do that, in that the shootout is a sideshow and a joke, and shouldn't count as part of the game.

[MikeY]

@ Dan:

I'm pretty sure he meant in-game penalty shots as opposed to ones in the shoot-out after overtime.

I guess it's meaning wasn't as obvious as I thought it was.

[DLo34]

I've played a lot of ice hockey in my life and I have always wanted to do what Scott Hartnell did last night; I just never did it!

[JD]

i'm getting tired of the inherent weakness in the NHL. upshall's penalty was 2 minutes at most, and the hit wasn't even that bad.

also, i would have let avery play. let the calgary players deal with him.

this used to be a league with balls.

[phloridaphilsphan]

Perhaps the NHL was looking for a reason to suspend the douchebag? I certainly have no objection to him not being allowed to play, but I think if they had sat back and waited, they may have found a more legitimate reason to bench the ass bucket.

[jess]

i was at the game last night and was pissed at the glove toss but now today i think it's hilarious. and seriously thank you sean avery, because of you, a glove toss to break up a break away still isn't the dumbest move in the nhl this week. thank you sir for being a complete ass.

LET'S GO FLYERS

[GeoEnvi]

The Upshall penalty was a joke. The Hartnell glove defense (lookie hear, OJ!) was comical. Avery's press conference was hilarious.

Best 3 hour comedy show I've seen ever.

[Rick Sanganoski]

@JD............I agree 100% with you, since the league adopted its "Ice Capade" format, guys like Avery, and not only because of his comments yesterday but his trash talk, would've been handled on the ice with no chance of an appeal!