“This is why you keep Jody Shelley on the ice.”
That was Keith Jones, speaking about Shelley’s physical presence on the powerplay in the last five minutes of tonight’s 6-2 stomping of the Ottawa Senators.
The Flyers had let the Senators get back into the game at the end of the second period, which revitalized the bottom feeders from the North. By the time the Flyers began taking back a commanding lead in the third period, the Senators were less than thrilled.
As a result, there were scraps and fights about every minute and a half for the last ten minutes of the game. Jeff Carter got into his second career fight with Jesse Winchester, jumping into to defend Claude Giroux after he was hit hard into the boards by two Senators. It didn’t look like fighting was initially what he had in mind, but Winchester didn’t completely dominate him.
In the next few minutes, the Flyers began to further anger the Senators when Jody Shelley drew Matt Carkner into dropping his gloves, and then skated away (which is what started the powerplay). Early on the powerplay, Danny Briere took a clean hit to the board and followed it with a slash to the leg of Ryan Shannon, and followed it with punching him in the head while he was down on the ice in the crease.
Smith came after Briere, but was stopped by the referees. Briere was given a holding penalty while Smith was given a game misconduct.
Less than a minute later, Giroux fought Nick Foligno, who got the better of him. Shelley finally threw the gloves with Chris Neil, which also sparked Scott Hartnell to throw down with Jarkko Ruutu and Sean O’Donnell with Matt Carkner (well, for about three seconds).
Talk about déjà vu.
In March 2004, both clubs set the record for the most penalty minutes in a single game with 419. Tonight’s 126 don’t even come close to that, but the prospect of another benches clearing brawl certainly had everyone on their toes. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky does not like to fight, so there would not likely be a match-up of the Robert Esche-Patrick Lalime variety.
Still, it’s not uncommon for Mike Richards, Darroll Powe, or Nikolay Zherdev to step up if the bell is rung.
The slugfests aside, the Flyers have let their opponents come back for the third game in a row. It’s not all that alarming, as they’ve still managed to play tough enough to earn the win. One just has to be concerned that they aren’t becoming too confident in their abilities. Just ask the Washington Capitals how well you can do in the playoffs when you are expecting to win.
The Flyers welcome back the New Jersey Devils back for yet another matinee game on Saturday. The Devils shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight, which will the Flyers further their lead against their Atlantic Division rivals.
Not uncommon for Nikolay Zherdev to answer the bell? Really? I must be thinking of a different player…
Sometimes it looks like they get bored with a lead and want to make it more interesting to see if they can win twice in the same night.
Zherdev isn’t a “fighter” but he gets feisty when he’s frustrated. I could see him responding if he was challenged, though I suppose he still doesn’t fit that list as well as Richie and Powe.
Zherdev has one career fight. I wouldn’t say he is there to answer the bell. Richards and Powe yes, Zherdev no. Also, who is to say Bobrovsky doesn’t like to fight? He said last night through his translator “If I had to fight, I would have fought.”
All around very impressive 3rd period. They may have let the Sens back into the game but that was erased quickly in the 3rd.
Major points for Jeff Carter for fighting. He came to the aid of Giroux and held his own. This is a true team. Good to see a win like that.
Let’s jump on Josh for the Zherdev reference!!!! Roooooaaaarrrrrrrrr
Watching the match on Gamecenter and listening to the Sens announcers was really pissing me off. Talking about how Flyers and Philly are “supposed” to be tough and we weren’t engaging. Flyers haven’t been a brawling team since the lockout.
I agree, Boyer. I heard everyone calling this team a bunch of cowards because we wouldn’t engage. Calling Shelley out for not fighting Carkner and fighting Neil instead.
Shelley did the correct thing. What is the point in fighting Carkner when Neil was the one taking cheap shots at players? Shelley did the right thing in waiting for Neil. Very smart hockey move on his behalf.
And I would much rather watch the team hoist a Stanley Cup then get into a brawl.
Backing off of to wait for Neil was the right move for Shelley, and getting the powerplay was icing on the cake. As far as Bob goes, I could see him standing up for the team the way that Jeff Carter did, but he’s a very calm person who isn’t the type to engage if he can avoid it. As I recall, in the October game against the Islanders where everyone just started going insane, Rick DiPietro was trying to start a fight with whoever would go. Bob was asked after the game if he’d have gone up against him, and he very quickly (and with a laugh) said no.