Very nice - Flyers 5, Crosbies 2

(AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)


I really like this Flyers team. No, I mean really like. Last year's team would've be both awestruck by Malkin and Crosby and pushed around by the Penguins' heavyweights, if there were any. Now, they're the ones doing to the pushing, just like the old days. Well, not exactly the old days. Anyone comparing this team to the 1972-76 Broad Street Bullies era is wrong. That team, while good enough talent-wise to win two Stanley Cups, was ten times rougher than the Flyers today. Of course, the league was rougher back then as well. Everyone loves to bring up the Bullies, but no one seems to remember that the Flyers built that team to respond to the Big Bad Bruins who pushed everyone around, including the Flyers. I certainly don't condone the Downie and Boulerice incidents, and I don't believe for a second that Stevens or Holmgren are actively encouraging their players to injure someone. Both of them have been around this game long enough to know that it will come back on you one day, and with Simon Gagne out with concussion-like symptoms already, that's not a chance I think they would take.

Anyway, here's the recap from last night's game. I wasn't able to see it, of course, but thank goodness NHL.com radio is still free. The best part of the broadcast was hearing the Flyers' announcers calling out Crosby after Smith slashed him. They did bring up a good point, however - because Crosby falls down and complains constantly, how can the refs honestly know when he's hurt? It sounded like he went to the bench to get ice for his wrist, then was back out there a few minutes later. Well, are you hurt or not? What also surprised me was the way the Penguins did absolutely nothing to retaliate for their star player getting smacked around. If that was Briere, the Flyers would respond. If it was Daniel Alfredsson, the Senators would respond. Jagr, the Rangers would fight back, and so on. Maybe Crosby's own teammates are getting sick of his antics, who knows. But hey, it's not my team. We got the win. That's what matters in the end.

In other news, congratulations to former Flyer Jeremy Roenick for scoring his 500th goal in his career last night. Only the third American-born player to do in the league. I can't say I remember all of his goals, but I do remember this one:

Apologies to all you Maple Leafs fans out there. I'm surprised I didn't get written up for a noise violation when he scored that goal.

For the first time in a while, I'm indifferent on the game today between the Eagles and Redskins. There's talk in town of replacing Donovan McNabb, but that's been going around for a while now, so nothing new there. Oh well. Flyers won, Maryland beat Boston College, Arsenal (lest I forget) is going to the second round of the Champions' League, and after five days of gloom, the sun is shining in southeastern PA. All good here.