Flyers January 17-25 Weekly Game Thread

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The Flyers have proven themselves to be road warriors, taking three of four away from home last week. That wrapped up a stretch in which the Flyers played nine of ten games on the road, going 7-3 overall, 6-3 on their opponent's home ice. Now they'll finally get a chance to get reacquainted with old familiar surroundings, as eight of their next ten games will take place at the Wells Fargo Center. Half of that stretch will occur over the next eight days, with four of the five games being played in Philadelphia. The one road game will be a rematch of last season's Stanley Cup Final. The Flyers will only play one game next week as the All-Star break looms, so that game will be included on this thread. Here's a look at the matchups

Tuesday, January 18: Washington Capitals (7:00, Comcast SportsNet)
Thursday, January 20: Ottawa Senators (7:00, Comcast SportsNet)
Saturday, January 22: New Jersey Devils (1:00, Comcast SportsNet)
Sunday, January 23: at Chicago Blackhawks (12:30, NBC)
Tuesday, January 25: Montreal Canadiens (7:30, Versus)

This will be the first of two visits to Philadelphia for the Capitals in the regular season. The teams met in Washington twice in November, with the Capitals taking a 3-2 overtime decision on November 7 and the Flyers skating off with a 5-4 shootout victory on November 20. The season series finale will be on March 22 in Philadelphia...This will be the second of four meetings between the Flyers and Senators this season. The Flyers defeated the Senators at the Wells Fargo Center on November 15 by a 5-1 score. The remaining games in the season series will be played in Ottawa on February 26 and April 5...The Flyers and Devils are quite familiar with each other, as they'll be meeting for the fifth time this season and third time in the month of January. The Devils came away with a 2-1 shootout victory in Newark on November 27, but the Flyers have the last three meetings: 5-3 at the Wells Fargo Center on December 4, 4-2 at the Prudential Center on January 6, and 2-1 in Philadelphia on January 8. The teams won't see each other until April 1, when they'll conclude the season series in Newark...For the first time since Game 6 of last season's Stanley Cup Final in which Chicago skated away with the hockey's ultimate prize, and for the only time during the 2010-11 regular season, the Flyers and Blackhawks will face off. This game was originally scheduled to be played at 4:00, but was moved up to accommodate NBC's national telecast. That means the opening faceoff will take place shortly after 11:30 AM Central Time...The Flyers and Canadiens, who met in last season's Eastern Conference Finals, will be wrapping up their four-game regular season series. After suffering a 3-0 shutout at the Bell Centre on November 16, the Flyers have taken the last two meetings, 3-2 at the Wells Fargo Center on November 22 and 5-3 in Montreal on December 15

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Bobrovsky in net tonight. Will be interesting to see how the Flyers respond to actually being back home for a little while

[Jimmerz]

In attendance for this one plantsy.

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Underway against the Capitals

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In attendance for this one plantsy.

Nice

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SCORE! Carter skates in off a turnover, catches Neuvirth thinking shot, skates in behind the net and wraps it past Neuvirth, who was ridiculously late getting over. Unassisted goal gives the Flyers a quick lead just a minute and a half in

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Shelley and King drop the gloves

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Not exactly a rousing duel between those two

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Meszaros with a saucer pass in front, whacked at but stays out of the net

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Backstrom with some room, but opts for the dipsy doo and pass to Chimera, who fans with a lot of net to shoot at

Down the other end, Giroux looked like he had a shot but opted to pass and the puck never made it to Carter

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Knuble can't "pound it home in the slot" according to JJ

Happens to every guy, Mike

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Johansson with a golden opportunity in front, but fires high and wide

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Flyers power play coming up

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Steckel for holding

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Carle with room in the slot, but his shot is wide

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Leino with a nice setuip for JVR in front, but JVR can't quite gain control

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Ovechkin holding his face, no call forthcoming

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Leino in the slot, save Neuvirth

Leino strips Laich and banks a pass to Briere, who fires wide. Didn't have a real good angle to shoot

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The first period comes to a close. After 20 minutes, the Flyers hold a 1-0 lead

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"What do you mean insufficient funds, man?"

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Second period underway

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Richards with a steal, denied by Neuvirth

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Bobrovsky also tested early in the second, stopping a Chimera deflection

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Timonen's drive from the point draws iron, Richards with a quick turnaround shot, but Neuvirth makes a stick save. Giroux then tips a cross ice pass just wide on the next shift

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Giroux with a one-time blast, save Neuvirth

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Varlamov is in net now for Washington, not Neuvirth. Looks like he just snuck in there. JJ just noticed it was Varlamov. Jonesy and Coatsey must not have picked up on it, either. Apparently the Caps started the second period with Varlamov

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Richards with a tip in front that goes a little high

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Bobrovsky doesn't see a falling backhander by Ovechkin that deflects off Coburn's stick, but the puck fortunately hits the crossbar

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Apparently a groin injury for Neuvirth

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SCORE! Giroux gets a backhand feed from Carter, his first shot is denied by Varlamov but he gets his own rebound and jams it home to make it 2-0

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Hendricks with a shot that Bobrovsky doesn't catch cleanly, but ends up harmlessly trickling away

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Still bugs me to hear the "Let's Go Flyers" chant done the wrong way. I hope Jimmerz wasn't responsible for starting that last one

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Betts and Shelley with a 2-on-1, Powe joins late. Betts had a little trouble controlling the puck at first, and it never really amounted to anything. Not really guys you envision operating an odd man rush

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Ovechkin with a cross ice feed to Chimera, save Bobrovsky at point blank range

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Meszaros with a drive and deflection in front, but Varlamov has the answer

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Hendricks with a centering feed for Perreault, who pushes it wide

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Erskine wants a piece of Shelley

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The second period comes to a close. After 40 minutes, the Flyers have a 2-0 lead

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"Playing Wii games rocks for me"

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"When I'm not gambling, I am totally thinking about gambling"

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Third period underway

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Backstrom hits the post after a Flyers turnover early in the period. Let's not have a repeat of Sunday in the third period tonight, mmmmkay?

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Schultz to Perreault, save Bobrovsky after a deflection in front

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Backstrom to Chimera, denied by Bobrovsky

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Another shot Chimera, another save Bobrovsky. Looks like Chimera came to play tonight. Can't really say that about all of the Capitals it seems

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Timeout Flyers after icing the puck with 14:26 left. Caps have controlled the action in the last few minutes. Laviolette firm in addressing the team, but the gum does not come out

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Quick shot Ovechkin and a swing at a high rebound, Bobrovsky gets enough of both

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Richards with a sweet setup of Nodl from behind the net, Varlamov says no from point blank range. Nice save, though Nodl probably wishes he'd gotten a little more on that tap

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Johansson skates in alone off a Leino turnover, Bobrovsky makes the initial save but Knuble is able to pick up the garbage and deposits the puck in the net to make it a 2-1 game

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Flyers can't control a loose puck, Ovechkin eventually gets to it and slides it past Bobrovsky to tie it, 2-2. Not good

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Play under review

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After further review...

...GOAL

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Chimera with a side angle shot that is knocked down but not initially controlled by Bobrovsky, but he does find it and covers

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Flyers with numbers, Giroux to Carle, who sends it in front. JVR and Carter were both there, puck bounces wide

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Richards with some space, backhander is stopped by Varlamov

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Briere taken down, "NOOOO PENALTY CALLED" Not exactly "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!" but about as close as JJ gets anymore

Bobrovsky with a nice save on a deflection at the other end to keep it tied

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JVR sends the puck in front, it deflects off Green in front, but Varlamov sees it just in time

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Hartnell has Leino all alone in front, but can't complete the pass

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Ovechkin speeds in, but loses control with Meszaros and Carle defending

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Last minute of play in the third period

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Varlamov has trouble with a Zherdev shot, but Nodl can't quite put the rebound home with the clock winding down. The third period comes to a close and for the third time in three meetings this season, the Flyers and Capitals will need overtime to settle things

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Are they seriously playing "I'm Shipping Up to Boston?" Do something about that, Jimmerz

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Overtime underway

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SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Meszaros with a wicked wrister off a feed from Carle, JVR with a screen in front, puck ends up behind Varlamov and the Flyers win it, 3-2! Not deterred by blowing a 2-0 lead in the third, the Flyers start the homestand with a victory. Carter and Giroux with the other goals, Bobrovsky with 23 saves on 25 shots. Flyers are back in action on Thursday at home against the Senators

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Pronger back and another start for Bobrovsky tonight against the Senators

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Underway against the Senators

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SCORE! Briere with a blast from the wing that explodes over Elliott's glove side for the game's first goal just over two minutes in

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SCORE! Richards deflects a Coburn shot/pass from the point past Elliott and the Flyers lead 2-0 just 3:14 in. Timeout Senators

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Lou Nolan sounds like he's under the weather tonight. Couldn't they have gotten a sub? Was Keith Jones (the former Phantoms PA guy who still announces at the race track) unavailable?

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Flyers with two goals on their first three shots tonight

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Winchester with a low wrister, save Bobrovsky. Not too much trouble there

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I've been informed that Preston and Steve have requested for JJ to work the word "Holla" into the telecast at some point tonight

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Carter with a redirection through traffic that Elliott is able to handle

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Smith skates in, save Bobrovsky but a penalty coming up on Pronger. Smith slow getting up

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Hooking is the call on Pronger

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Powe nearly gets himself a shorthanded breakaway, but Campoli is able to recover

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Coburn with a drive, save Elliot, who leaves a rebound but Leino can't quite corral it

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Briere sets up Hartnell in front, save Elliott

Zherdev with a wrister from the wing, Elliott makes the save and covers before Nodl can get to the rebound

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Flyers with numbers, Richards finds Nodl but his shot is blocked

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The first period comes to a close. After 20 minutes, the Flyers have a 2-0 lead

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Second period underway

[Jimmerz]

Lou Nolan sounds like he's under the weather tonight. Couldn't they have gotten a sub? Was Keith Jones (the former Phantoms PA guy who still announces at the race track) unavailable?

It's your job to stay home if you have the flu, Lou

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"Turn up the radio, blast your stereo right..."

[Jimmerz]

Chris Neil is one of my most hated players in the league still, up there with Avery.

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What would Bob Kelly and Bernie Parent be doing right now if it wasn't for token gladhanding positions with the Flyers?

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Meszaros got dinged up a little, but looks OK now

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Senators power play coming up, JVR heads to the box for interference

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Laviolette looked a little tempted to remove the gum from his mouth

[Jimmerz]

Senators power play coming up, JVR heads to the box for interference

horseshit call

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Powe gets called for high sticking, two-man advantage for the Sens

[Jimmerz]

Laviolette looked a little tempted to remove the gum from his mouth

I wonder if his gum loses flavor quick.. like Bazooka Joe.

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Richards with a wraparound attempt two men shorthanded, but Elliott gets there just in time

[Jimmerz]

.. hence repeated removal of said gum

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Karlsson winds and fires, glove save Bobrovsky

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.. hence repeated removal of said gum

He chews the gum pretty fast. Wonder if that could have some kind of affect

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Kuba with a shot off the post

Sens put one in the net, waved off due to being played with a high stick. Under review

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Not reviewable due to a high stick pass. Philadelphia will not be charged with a timeout

[Jimmerz]

Yeah Lou should announce what the call was. The flu is really impacting his job.

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Just heard that Tomas Fleischmann of the Avalanche will miss the remainder of the season with blood clots in his lung. Hope all turns out well for him. Scary stuff

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Yeah Lou should announce what the call was. The flu is really impacting his job.

Wonder what Dan Baker is up to tonight

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Michalek literally falls head over heels for Giroux

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Timeout Flyers with 7:02 remaining in the second period

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The gum did come out for that one

[Jimmerz]

Lavy means business

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Senators with a 2-on-1, Shannon's shot rings off the post

[Jimmerz]

Another post for the Sens..

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Giroux tripped up, penalty

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Michalek for tripping. First power play of the night for the Flyers. JJ amused by Lou Nolan's attempt at saying "PECOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO POWER PLAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY"

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Two-man advantage coming up for the Flyers. Giroux draws a slashing call on Winchester

[Jimmerz]

Got to score here plantsy

[Jimmerz]

thank you

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SCORE! Richards slides one towards the net, it ends up getting past Elliott and in to make it 3-0

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Flyers turn it over, Michalek gets a shorthanded breakaway and cashes in. Senators get on the board, it's now a 3-1 game

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Powe misses from in tight with a good bit of net to shoot at

[Jimmerz]

what the mother ****!!!

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Another Flyers turnover, Alfredsson sets up Fisher, shot deflected but Foligno gets the rebound and stuffs it past Bobrovsky. Just like that it's 3-2

[Jimmerz]

Powe misses from in tight with a good bit of net to shoot at

would have iced it

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This habit of letting teams hang around is quickly getting old

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Neil pushes Carter into Bobrovsky with the second period winding down. Bob slow getting up, but does skate off. The second period ends with the Flyers up 3-2 after 40 minutes

[Jimmerz]

Lavy will not be happy

http://www.pollsb.com/photos/60/374862-u_put_ur_gum_ur_desk_chair.jpg

[Jimmerz]

you hate to see that

http://www.mediabistro.com/agencyspy/files/original/pd_chewing_gum_070914_ms.jpg

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"Anything you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you..."

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"I don't have a gambling problem. I have a money problem and winning is the solution"

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Third period underway

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Cory Clouston looks like someone, but I can't quite put my finger on who it is

[Jimmerz]

"Anything you can do I can do better, I can do anything better than you..."

No you can't!

[Jimmerz]

"I don't have a gambling problem. I have a money problem and winning is the solution"

seems reasonable to me..

[Jimmerz]

Powe can't buy a bucket

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SCORE! Briere finds Hartnell in front, his first shot is denied but he stuffs the second one home and the Flyers have some breathing room again, 4-2

[Jimmerz]

Hartnell from Briere.. GOLD JERRY!!

4-2 good guys

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Lou Nolan hopes there are no more goals or penalties the rest of the way

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Bobrovsky with a pad save on Alfredsson

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Meszaros wants somebody to shove

[Jimmerz]

"Last minute to play in *cough*, ah **** it"

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SCORE! JVR off a fat rebound from a Richards shot and it's 5-2

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Giroux with a big hit on Winchester, Neil jumps Giroux and here we go

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Carter and Winchester drop the gloves

[Jimmerz]

What did I tell you about Chris Neil..

[Jimmerz]

Carcillo is scratched right?

[Jimmerz]

I WANT BLOOD!!

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Carcillo is scratched right?

Correct

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I never really got used to those orange and metallic silver alternates

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Flyers get a power play out of this

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SCORE! Giroux's shot gets blocked in front, Meszaros gets to the loose puck and fires it on past Elliott and it's 6-2

[Jimmerz]

slowest goalie ever!

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Elliott's night is done, Brodeur comes in. Mike Brodeur, not Martin

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Lou Nolan hates the world right now

[Jimmerz]

run it up fellas

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Carkner wants some of Shelley and drops a glove. Shelley says smell ya later and draws a penalty

[Jimmerz]

Serious question. It's 6-2 so why isn't Shelley dropping the gloves? What the hell is he on the team for?

[Jimmerz]

The only acceptable answer is that he is waiting to kill Neil, btw

[Jimmerz]

who probably wont drop the gloves either :(

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Leino slides one through the crease, but not in

Briere and Shannon with some words. Some gloves on the ice

[Jimmerz]

Lol Briere is sneaky

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Giroux and Foligno go at it

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Nice tackle by Giroux

[Jimmerz]

Giroux manned up.. !

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Shelley and Neil drop 'em, as do Hartnell and Ruutuu. O'Donnell and Carkner also converge

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Good recovery by Shelley

[Jimmerz]

Thank you Shelley

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And there's JJ with "HOLLA!"

[Jimmerz]

Lol @ Lou Nolan

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Last minute of play in the third period

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THE HORN SOUNDS! Flyers pull away in the third period, then let their fists do the talking in a 6-2 win over the Senators. That's four wins in a row for the Orange and Black. Richards with two goals and two assists, Briere, Hartnell, JVR, and Meszaros also scored. Bobrovsky with 25 saves. Flyers are back at it on Saturday afternoon at home against the Devils

[Jimmerz]

How can anyone not enjoy hockey after a game like that?

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Amy Fadool asked Pronger about getting his legs back under him. I would imagine the answer he gave was different from the one he had in mind

[terilyns]

Helloooooo

[Jimmerz]

who goes there!

[Jimmerz]

Habs suck :)