The Flyers edged out the Calgary Flames on Thursday by the score of 4-3. If you missed
this one, don’t worry, at least the Flyers won. Both teams played the opposite type of
games as their records represented. And the goaltending was horrific. Many Flyer’s fans
are not happy, myself included, with Coach Cashman’s decision to start Garth Snow
instead of Ronny. You couldn’t ask for a more physical game as both teams combined for
67 hits.
If you wanted a physical game, you got it in the first period as both teams combined for 29
hits. There were also 2 fights in the period. By the offense was not an absence. Only 5:59
into the first period, Gratton found Brind’Amour breaking into the zone. He slid the puck
between Calgary goalie, Dwayne Roloson’s legs putting the Flyers up 1-0. The physical
aspect was back in full swing only a few seconds after the goal as Kordic dropped the
gloves against tough guy, Sandy McCarthy. The fight was short, but sweet with both
players (more Kordic, though) getting in their share of shots. After the scuffle, the next
10 minutes was dump and chase hockey that went nowhere, except back and forth.
The only excitement was a ruckus stirred up by Luke Richardson, and former Devil, Mike
Peluso. Both players, again, landed only 1 solid shot. It ended with Peluso falling on top
of Luke and both of them were given 5 for fighting and 10 for unsportsmanlike-conduct.
Unfortunately, the Flyers couldn’t hold their lead, but that didn’t happen much this game
anyway. With just over 5 minutes left in the period, little Theoren Fleury put the puck by
Snow, but the goal went under review. The goal stood to tie up the game at 1. I
expected not much goaltending this game by this point. Which explains the rest of the
period. Not even two minutes later, Marty Mcinnis put his team up by one with an ugly
goal that was poked in on a rebound. But, rookie Colin Forbes came to the rescue to tie it
up with his first goal of the year. Forbes was assisted by Gratton and Brind’Amour, who
both racked up their second points of the game. Thankfully, that period ended tied at 2.
The Flyers were expected to devastate the Flames and, at this point, it wasn’t happening.
The second period was the same thing. The Flyers, again, came out and played sluggish.
This period was the strongest for goalies. Only 2 goals found there way in. Not many
penalties either, but the hitting was still there. Early into the period, Trent Klatt scored off
a pass from Shjohn Podien. Marty Mcinnis also picked up his second goal of the game.
Theo Fleury had an assist on this one too, giving him a point on every Calgary goal this
game. The scoring was nowhere to be found until late in the 3rd period.
The third was a different period. The hitting picked up even more and the goaltending got
worse. Even though only one puck found it’s way in the net only once, the goalies made
bad decisions playing the puck and making saves that just trickled wide. The whole period
was this way until the final 2 minutes. The Flyers brought it in and put big pressure on
Roloson. Stickless, Roloson dove after a loose puck in the slot, but he couldn’t reach it.
LeClair swiped it from him and put it in the empty net. The Center let out a sigh of relief.
The final minute was probably the most exciting part. The Flames pulled their goaltender
in a desperate attempt to tie it up. LeClair could have easily put it in the empty net, but
unselfishly gave it to Prospal, who barley missed the pass. Vaclav later came into the zone
on a 2 on 1 with Eric, but was just offsides. The final buzzer sounded ending this one at a
score of 4-3 in favor of the Flyers.
The game was, as I said, a lucky win. The Flyers couldn’t pick it up when they needed it
almost losing to Calgary. Cash said in the post-game conference that the Flames have
played alot better than their record shows. He was happy with the Flyers performance
tonight. At least someone was.
Interested in writing some Game Recaps? Send all inquiries here.
Scoring Summary 1st 2nd 3rd TOTAL Calgary 2 1 0 3 Philadelphia 2 1 1 4 Scoring and Penalty Summary First Period Scoring: 1, Philadelphia, R Brindamour 3 (Gratton, Therien), 5:59. 2, Calgary, Fleury 3 (Morris, Stillman), 14:06. 3, Calgary, Mcinnis 3 (power play) (Hulse, Fleury), 16:33. 4, Philadelphia, Forbes 1 (Gratton, R Brindamour), 17:17. Penalties: Begin, Cgy (interference), 0:56; S Mccarthy, Cgy (fighting major), 6:59; Kordic, Phi (fighting major), 6:59; R Brindamour, Phi (holding), 9:15; Peluso, Cgy (unsportsmanlike conduct), 12:28; Richardson, Phi (unsportsmanlike conduct), 12:28; Peluso, Cgy (fighting major, misconduct), 14:33; Richardson, Phi (fighting major, misconduct), 14:33; Lindros, Phi (Obstr hooking), 16:02; Zalapski, Cgy holding), 18:47. Second Period Scoring: 5, Philadelphia, Klatt 2 (Podein), 2:40. 6, Calgary, Mcinnis 4 (Stillman, Fleury), 3:10. Penalties: Fleury, Cgy (roughing), 3:10; Zalapski, Cgy (holding), 6:13; S Mccarthy, Cgy (roughing), 9:50; Mcinnis, Cgy (holding), 13:32; Cassels, Cgy (slashing, misconduct), 20:00. Third Period Scoring: 7, Philadelphia, Leclair 9 (Prospal, Lindros), 18:07. Shot Summary 1st 2nd 3rd TOTAL Calgary 10 5 8 23 Philadelphia 11 12 11 34 Goaltending Calgary: Roloson saved 30 of 34 (0-2-1) Philadelphia: Snow saved 20 of 23 (2-3-0) Power Play Calgary - 1 of 2 Philadelphia - 0 of 5 Officials Referee Faucette Linesmen Mccourt, Nowak
1st- Rod Brind'Amour (Flyers) 2nd- Theoren Fleury (Calgary) 3rd- John LeClair (Flyers)