Historically, the Philadelphia
Flyers have been known as a hard
hitting, physical team.
In the early 1970s the team
became known throughout the
hockey world as the “Broad Street
Bullies,” because of their physical
play.
Last year’s Flyers team lacked
that tenacity, that intensity that the
team has always been known for.
Flyers former Coach Ken Hitchcock,
was sent packing after a miserable
start and the Flyers’ lack of
spirit landed them dead last in the
Eastern Conference.
The lame duck Flyers had hit a
low point in the teams’history with
only 51 points.
As any fan can agree, there was
something missing last year.
The talent was there, but seemed
as though they lacked the intensity
or will to win games.
In hockey, when a player takes a
big hit, a teammate will usually
back him up and come to his aid.
That just wasn’t the case for the
Flyers’team last year.
This year, the Flyers and General
Manager Paul Holmgren looked
to both Free Agency and trades to
bring a renewed sense of spirit to
the locker room.
The additions of center man
Daniel Briere and the acquisitions
of winger Scott Hartnell and
defenseman Kimmo Timonen,
among others, have certainly
helped the Flyers with a change of
philosophy. Not to mention the
incredible talent they bring to the
table.
The Flyers’ motto this year,
“Back with a Vengeance,” came to
fruition with recent hits and supposed
“cheap shots” that rendered
other teams stupefied at their brutality.
These hits have proved to the rest
of the NHL that the Flyers are not
the same team as they were last
year.
The Flyers have suffered three
player suspensions so far this season
as a result of big hits on opponents.
Showcasing his fierce ability to
level a player, Flyers’ forward
Steve Downie lowered his head
and landed a huge hit Ottawa Senator’s
Dean McAmmond, sending
McAmmond to the hospital.
Unfortunately, Downie left his
feet during the hit, which in draws
a huge red flag from officials usually
resulting in a game misconduct
penalty. Game misconduct
penalties take players out of individual
games.
Downie did receive a game misconduct
for the hit, and was
promptly given a 20 game suspension
by the league. He is now on the
Flyers’ affiliate team, the Phantoms.
The second suspension was
given to Flyers forward Jesse
Boulerice, who apparently took
the new team motto to heart.
Boulerice was out for a
vengeance as he barreled down on
the Vancouver Canucks’ Ryan
Kesler, cross checking him and
taking him out of the game.
Although Kesler wasn’t seriously
injured, Boulerice received a 25-
game suspension from play.
The third was a less severe, twogame
suspension.
It all started when the Boston
Bruins’ Patrice Bergeron was
chasing a puck into the corner
boards. Flyers defenseman Randy
Jones flew in to the corner and
knocked Bergeron’s face into the
boards. Bergeron laid motionless
on the ice. He was eventually taken
off the ice on a stretcher, he suffered
both a concussion and a broken
nose
Some of these suspensions seem
a bit questionable in severity, but
for the Flyers it is all part of making
a comeback with flair and a strong
will to win.
The Flyers have started this season
with seven wins in 11 games
(as of Nov 2), and are doing things
the way winning hockey teams do.
They have gotten tenacious.
They have gotten physical.
Most importantly, they have
gotten back their will to win.