First off, check out today's game stories in the Philly Inquirer and the Philly Daily News.
Yes, the Derek Roy goal early in the third period Tuesday should have been a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty. The Sabres were still chuckling about it this morning. The officials blew it. It happens.
In a warped way, maybe there was some justice there. Because how could Scottie Upshall's hit from behind on Henrik Tallinder not even get a minor? I thought the league warned the Flyers about blatant hits like this earlier in the season. This was a suspendable infraction and now it's not even two minutes? How many games is Tallinder going to miss because of a cheap shot that's not even called a penalty?
Lindy Ruff had an even better take-that to Philly coach John Stevens this morning. Remember when the Flyers were here last week and Jason Pominville got a delay of game penalty with 7:31 left in the third period for flipping the puck over the glass when it actually struck the board and ricocheted out? The Sabres haven't forgotten. The Flyers scored the game-tying goal on the power play 16 seconds later and handed Buffalo a killer loss in a shootout.
"I realized that Derek left early," Ruff said this morning. "There was no doubt. We all knew on the bench. But the whining and complaining about that is no different than Jason Pominville hitting the glass in our building against Philly and giving them a power play goal. If we're going to go back and whine about a play changed the game, I can find something to whine about every night. That play in our building changed the complexion of that game too."
Translation: Get over it, Philly. The Sabres are a man down tonight. You're lucky you're not too.
---Mike Harrington
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