Faceoff Factor

Hypocritical Flyers Look For Something, Anything To Get An Edge

Matt Bodenschatz | National Hockey League

May 13, 08:22 AM | Hype this story!

On December 3, 2007, I wrote a story about Riley Cote’s three-game suspension for his elbow to the head of Dallas Stars rookie defenseman Matt Niskanen.

Cote become the fifth Philadelphia Flyer skater to be suspended in the first half of the season, prompting NHL officials and Commissioner Gary Bettman to issue a stern warning to the organization known for its on-ice antics and pugilism.

The team response issued by general manager Paul Holmgrem: “Obviously, we’re under watch, I guess. Whether it’s fair or not it’s out there. We need to take a look at it and discuss it and we will.”

So when the Flyers cried foul over an elbow to Daniel Briere’s head handed out by Evgeni Malkin, it was hypocrisy at its best.

Then, when word broke on HockeyBuzz.com that the Flyers have contacted the NHL seeking suspension for Malkin, it became a joke.

According to HockeyBuzz writer Eklund, “The Flyers ask league to look at Malkin hit on Briere last night. The hit happened away from the play and along the near boards to me last night, but I talked to a few people today who said they felt it should have been a match penalty.”

While I certainly agree that the hit was uncalled for and, at the very least, was worth a penalty — if not a brief suspension — I find it quite ironic that the undisputed dirtiest team in the NHL is looking for some sort of break by the officials.

When a player or team has the reputation of playing dirty, the calls often don’t go in their favor.

Jarkko Ruutu can attest to this. After falling to the ground as a result of a punch to the face during Sunday’s game, Ruutu was issued an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for diving. Had he been any other player, it likely would have resulted in a Penguin power play.

But Ruutu knows his agitator role won’t serve as a foundation for solid relationships with the referees, and as a result, he doesn’t complain when a call doesn’t go his way.

Even Penguins coach Michel Therrien understands that not every call is made, especially when the benefit of the doubt has not been earned.

“You know, I read some comments about John Stevens, about how he’s disappointed about some calls,” Therrien said in an interview at Kukla’s Korner. “But at the same time, we’re disappointed about some calls as well. Jarkko Ruutu got punched in the face, by Hartnell, we should have been a five-on-three, and that could have been a turning point in the game. We didn’t get those calls. So that’s playoffs. There are times you’re going to get a call, there’s times you’re not going to get a call.

“It’s not about complaining. It’s about playing the game. You hope to get the calls. It doesn’t happen all the time, and what are you going to do?” ... “There is time he spent time in the penalty box, I don’t know why. Like yesterday he got punched twice, and he spent some time in the box and it’s not his fault. So what are you going to do?

“You’ve got to move on, and hopefully if he keeps playing the same way, he’ll get rewarded. But it’s not about complaining. They’re complaining. We could complain as well.”

Daniel Briere’s reponse to the whole ordeal:

“I’ve never considered myself a superstar,” Briere said to the Canadien Press, according to TSN.ca. “Obviously, they might get protected a little bit more. That’s understandable, but when they do some of the cheap shots that they’re doing I think it would be fair for everybody that they get the same treatment in that regard.”

When it all boils down, what we are seeing is two teams in polar opposite states.

The Penguins are in prime position to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals and have lost just one game so far in the playoffs, leaving their confidence sky high.

They don’t need to question the officiating or play mind games with the opponent to get motivated for games.

Conversely, the Flyers are two games from elimination and, without their top two defensemen, their chances of advancing grow slimmer by the minute.

They are grasping at straws, searching for something, anything to give them a physical or mental edge against the more talented Penguins.

This is the sign of a desperate team that knows its fate.

Watching the Flyers squirm off the ice is nearly as fun as it watching them squirm on the ice.