hockey: Penguins fall apart against the Flyers

I don't get Versus, so I couldn't watch last night's game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. I play basketball on Tuesday nights (when I'm not at Pens games, of course), so I couldn't even listen to the second half of the game.

I think I'm glad.

The Flyers routed the Pens by a score of 8-2. Losing this game, in the grand scheme of things, wasn't that big of a deal. If the Penguins had won, they would have matched a franchise record by winning all four games on a road trip. That's a pretty tall order. They could use some more wins within their own division (the Pens' Atlantic division record now stands at 3-8-1), and will need to figure out a way to avoid going 0-8 against the Flyers in the clubs' next five games against each other.

The story today isn't about the score, or about the two hat tricks by the Flyers Joffrey Lupul and R.J. Umberger. The story today is about the out-of-control mayhem that ensued in the last half of the game (apparently shortly after I walked out the door).

156 minutes of penalties. The Pens received 81 of those in the third period alone. This mess of a game heated up even more afterward, with both teams taking stabs at each other.

The Flyers' coach John Steven was quoted as calling the Penguins "undisciplined." This from a man whose players have received 52 games worth of suspensions for dirty hits this year. I agree with Coach Therrien's response. The man's in no place to criticize.

Yes, the Penguins may have been undisciplined and frustrated last night, but overall, I don't think they're an undisciplined team. This game was out of character for them, though you always expect tempers to flare in a game against the rival Flyers. Therrien blamed the Flyers for the mess, accusing them of being disrespectful by using their fist-team power play until with a five goal lead in the third period.

Certainly, it seems the Flyers are intent on paying back the Pens for the 0-8 record against them last season. And so far, the Flyers are in control.

Box score