Broad Street Ballerinas Bring Own Refs, Still Spit the Bit

Bob, the Shoot Out Winner

In a unique interpretation of the hockey rules, the officials tonight repeatedly called roughing on players wearing Union Blue hitting the puck carrier.  Coach Tortorella generously called Jared Boll's hit to the sternum a late hit, but I didn't see it that way.  That's called finishing a check.  From the front.  To the chest.  With the shoulder.  And yet it is called a major for interference, which is farcical on its face, and with a game misconduct on top of it.  In addition, there are two Flyers who dropped the gloves and came in on Boll, which is the automatic ejection for the second man in, yet only a roughing minor is called.  What a flaming joke.  Is it now going to be flag hockey in the NHL, and if you yank off both of a guys flags it is roughing?

Later in the game Jenner was called for roughing for hitting the puck carrier.  What a total bunch of crpa (I typed it that way, I think I'll leave it for future reference).  Yet when Murray took a slashing penalty (legit call) with less than two minutes remaining, the Flyers quit playing.  And Steve Mason, who had looked impenetrable, gave up a goal at even strength (because the CBJ pulled the goal tender) and with 8 seconds left, Cam Atkinson scores the tying goal.

At that point, Bob went Bob on the Flyers.  In an exciting overtime period, where both teams took penalties, Bob really got dialed in.  And from there, they had no hope.  Through the overtime, through 5 shooters deep in the shootout, Bob was locked in, and finally sealed the win.

This was a weird, stupid game on a lot of fronts.  We shoulda gone ahead and lost the damn darn thing for our draft position and the Flyers got no business quitting on that game.  But there it is, a lesson about playing the whole game.  I liked Tortorella's comment that he wished this meant something, as the lesson would have been stronger.  Lesson for the Jackets, play till the whistle blows.  Lesson for the Flyers, don't be content with the refs giving it to you, go out and close the deal.   I wonder if the negative lessons are more potent at this time of year?  Well, only the Flyers can answer that, because they were the only team playing for something.

Jackets beat the Flyers 3-2 in a shoot out.  Who would have thunk it with 2:00 remaining in the game?

GO JACKETS!!!