This will be his second stint with the Lightning after his second stint with the Flyers.  Since arriving, Prospal played mediocre at best.  Even placed on a line with Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell, Prospal was invisible (just as much as Briere). 

At least the Flyers don’t have to over-pay him this offseason. 

Kapanen came to South Philly in February of 2003 from Carolina for Bruno St Jacques and Pavel Brendl.  Clarke got the better of that deal.  Sami was always a tough player and will probably be remembered for playing defense during the 2004 playoffs.  After that season, he contemplated retirement, as well.  Unfortunately, the only highlight fans will remember is when Kapanen was erased by Darcy Tucker during Game 6 of the 2004 Eastern Conference Semifinals in Toronto.  That hit actually worked in the Flyers favor as Jeremy Roenick was able to score the series winner on the next shift.

This season, Kapanen was moved to the fourth line and battled some injuries in the middle of the year.  The once, ‘fastest skater in the NHL’ lost a few steps, thus seeing decreasing ice time.  He was a true Flyer with his heart and determination.  I wish him the best.

Tom McCarthy, fresh off of his stint on The Wire, will be performing his one-man-act of The Philly Fan from June 10-15.

Theatre Exile presents a return engagement of its hit show The Philly Fan by Bruce Graham, starring Tom McCarthy, and directed by Joe Canuso. A one-man tour-de-force in which two-time Barrymore Award winner Tom McCarthy takes audiences on a hilarious journey through the frustrations of the past fifty years of Philadelphia sports. This production is an in-your-face, tell-it-like-it-is romp through the memories of a hard core fan used to seeing sure-thing victories turn into “oh-my-God-they-blew-it” defeats. June 10-15 at The Playground at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom Street. Tickets are $25 - $30 ($50 for the Opening Night Gala); call (215)922-4462 or visit www.ThePhillyFan.net.

I’ve seen this show 3 times and it is updated everytime for the current fan. Check it out.

Here is a column I wrote, about 4 years ago on another blog. It was a response to another columnist from New York, who basically didn’t know what he was talking about.

Philly Fan is Misunderstood.

I have not come to bury the Philadelphia sports fan; I have come to mourn him.

The Philadelphia sports fan does not smell. It is the sweat from the brow of working hard each day, taking crap from outsiders for not conforming to the national landscape. He deserves better for his time put in. He deserves to see the sun as opposed to the grey that lights the local sports community. He doesn’t have the deep pockets of Wall Street or 5th Avenue, but he has the passion, love, and true American spirit of Broad & Pattison. And for that I’m glad to call myself a Philadelphia sports fan.

On Howard Eskin’s show on 610WIP, Homer stated that Carter returning to the team is a non-issue.

I hope he’s right.  Later in the interview, Homer said that signing Umberger maybe a little more difficult.  With his arbitration eligibility and the negotiations with his agent in previous offseasons, I can see Umberger not returning.

Yesterday, as I watched the 2007-08 Flyers get destroyed by the Pittsburgh Penguins, I did not get angry.  After Ryan Malone’s goal off of his leg in the first, I knew it was going to be one of those days.  Unlike the 7-2 beating the Buffalo Sabres gave to the Orange&Black in 2006 in end their season, I did not throw a remote control at the television.  I did not scream at the top of lungs some profanity that the saints in Heaven could hear, clearly.  Like a man, I took it.  Maybe it’s maturity, or maybe it’s realizing what I’ve (we’ve) got as a Flyers fan.  Opening day feels like a decade ago.

I thought, though, of ways to attack the Penguins organization.  Whether it was how Mario Lemieux held the NHL and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hostage to get a new arena using taxpayer money.  Or the amounts of top picks over the last 6 years, the Pens have had due to the terrible teams they’ve put on the ice, I decided not to harp on that, and just focus on the Flyers.

Unlike the 13-years from 1992-2004, where the expectations for the Flyers were astronomical, this team was different.  This team was a team.  For the first time that I can imagine, there was no newspaper drama between player and coach (JR vs Ken Hitchcock, Lindros vs Murray, Primeau vs Barber), no player upset over management (Lindros vs Bobby Clarke, John LeClair vs Clarke), but there was one major concussion (Gagne); somethings never change.

Granted, there were members of this team that have superstar contracts, but there are no All World superstars on this roster.  Like the great Ivy League basketball teams, they worked as a single unit, without the major name, and succeeded.  You can’t get mad at that.  You can be sad that the season is over, but not mad.

My only fear this offseason, besides getting 3rd degree sunburn down in Sea Isle, is that the contract negotiations with RJ Umberger and Jeff Carter don’t go smoothly.  Thus riffs between the organizations and the player are created.  Also, I don’t want to experience a ’sophomore slump’ next season either.  Don’t go from where they are today, to then getting bounced in the first round next year.

It was a wild ride, and I hope everyone visits during the summer for I’ll be keeping everyone up to date on new signings and other fun stuff. 

Along with a lot better skating, the Flyers actually shot the puck, tallying 34 total shots.  If it wasn’t for the great play of Pens netminder, Marc-Andre Fluery, this game could’ve been a rout.  The save of the game occured when Fluery stacked the pads on a Danny Briere shot in the second.  Alone to the right of the net, Briere had a clear shot until, Fluery, moving east-to-west lifted his left leg to steal one from #48.

This has been Briere’s best game of the series - with his one goal, he earned the 1st Star.  It was a workman’s goal, unlike Briere, as he travel across the crease to slam home a rebound.  Moving to the wing, the $10-million man seemed to have more room on the ice and was able to create. 

The credit goes to coach John Stevens for shaking up his top two lines.  The combo of Briere and Mike Richards on the top line, complemented with the grunt work of Scott Hartnell provided a ton of offensive chances and a lot of energy for the rest of the team.

Demoted to the second line, Vinny Prospal had his best game of the series, it might not of showed on the scoring sheet, but his work set up room for Jeff Carter and RJ Umberger. Also, the fourth line of Sami Kapanen, Pat Thoresen, and Jersey’s own, Jimmy Dowd injected a lot of energy in the play of the Flyers. Dowd won a couple of face-off in the Flyers zone that were key to keeping the lead.

For the Pens, Jordan Staal capitalized on a couple of defensive mistakes and tallied 2 goals.  Both were in the third period and made the game too interesting, but like in the Capitals and Canadiens series, Martin Biron was able to shut the door on any type of comeback.  The Flyers were able to keep Evgeni Malkin, Marian Hossa and Sidney Crosby off the scorer’s sheet.  It’s a daunting task but it’s possible.

The best news of the night, was not the final tally, but that defenseman Kimmo Timonen has been cleared to skate.  This will be a great boost to a defensive crew that has been earning their loot in this Eastern Conference finals.  Also, depending on the swelling, Braydon Coburn could return as well.  The extra day off will definitely help their cause.

I’m a fan of the scrums - whether it’s after a play, a face-off, I love’em, no discrimination here.  For the entire Canadiens series, the Flyers were always hit after the whistle and I couldn’t why they didn’t retaliate.  In game 4, the scrums were a plenty, and I hope this carries into the next game; for it’s probably one of the only ways the Flyers can get back into this.

Remember, this is the same team that was 2-points from being the leader in the Eastern Conference but decided to go on a 10-game losing skid.  This is the same team that has given up at least 5 wins this season to goals late in the third period.  These are growing pains.

Tonight for the Flyers to send the series back to Pittsburgh, the first goal has to be scored by the Orange&Black.  Too many times this series, the Flyers got down early and chased the puck for a period and a half.  Philly has to stop playing prevent defense and pinch along the Pens blueline. 

The heralded depth of the Flyers forwards has to show up tonight.  Vinny Prospal has been moved to the second line as Mike Richards is bumped to the top line.  Hopefully this gives a spark to Danny Briere, who’s been shut out by the Pens good defense. 

It looks as if Steve Downie may sit this one out as Patrick Thoresen’s speed will help the fourth line’s forecheck. 

What ever the outcome is in the series, it’s been a great ride.

I’m not going to blame Steve Downie for the loss, nor am I going to complain about the officiating.  I was glad though, the whistles were put in their pockets after two phantom hooking calls on Danny Briere and Pitt’s Marian Hossa.  You know the history, though: Only two NHL teams have ever climbed back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.  Will history repeat itself, I doubt it.

Just like this previous Eagles season, it was the offense that lost the game (and series) for the Orange&Black, not the defense.  Yes, the Philly blueline is depleted, but it was the forwards who didn’t sustain any offensive presence in the Pittsburgh zone.  Standing around, like their waiting for the PATCO to Collingswood, the Flyers let a very confident Pens defense dictate the play, which subsequently led to fast breaks into the neutral zone.

As the Flyer forwards cross the blueline, the Pens defense is just standing them up - not letting any penetration.  There is no pinching by the Flyers defense and the Pens are allowing them to make their own mistakes, thus tiring them out. 

On a contract year, I would’ve thought Vinny Prospal would be a mad-man, generating scoring chances and overall be more aggressive.  Even if he wasn’t going to re-sign with the Flyers, at least show some hustle.

The Daily News’ Sam Donnellon wrote today that, “[The Flyers] fun little run has run out of legs.”  This maybe be true, and could be the consequence of being the 6th seed.  You don’t want to but you have to bring up the losing streaks the Flyers had during the season.  It really hurt them in the long run, to climb back and be in “playoff mode” since March. 

To win the Stanley Cup is not easy unless you’re playing shells of teams like Ottawa and Philly.  I hate to do this, but you have to give the Pens some credit on capitalizing on mistakes and having the maturity to just wear opposing teams down. 

Throughout the night, the Flyers passes by any forward were either one of two things: three strides ahead of the intent-ed targert, or too hot to handle on the tape, thus leading to a turnover.  That’s nerves, and maybe the Flyers weren’t ready for primetime.

One of the only bright spots in this series is the play of Mike Richards who accounts for 3 of the 5 goals scored by the Flyers in the conference finals.  He’s out front with the media and is now a face of a franchise that’s been looking for that type of character since 1999. 

If I didn’t know that Jason Smith was the captain of this team, you would’ve thought Kimmo Timonen or Richards wore the ‘C.’  I’ve never seen Smith interviewed once, nor take the podium after the game.  Rumor has it, that he’s going to sign with New Jersey in the off-season.

Both are freaky, fluke injuries that can have you question the hockey-gods as to their motives.  I understand the rationale for those who are pushing for visors to be worn by everyone, but I see the visor as an accomplice to the instigator-rule.  Granted, the visor could’ve prevented the serious injury to Coburn’s face, but worn by others, they’re more likely to take a run at another player without consequences.

Ryan Parent will take the ice in place of Coburn and will probably be teamed up with veteran Jason Smith.  The Flyers aren’t asking the world of Parent, just limit the turnovers and make good passes out of the defensive zone.

The last time the Flyers and Pens faced each-other in the playoffs was in 2000.  The Pens had a 2-0 series lead, before losing the next four.  It was a different time and era.  Keith Primeau’s 5thOT goal is ancient history, but the Flyers issues on the blueline are just as present today.

For the Flyers to win tonight:

- Danny Briere, Vinny Prospal, and Scott Hartnell are going to get on the score sheet - in a good way.  Hartnell has to create room for Prospal and Briere, and #48 can’t worry about “non-calls,” etc.  Play the game.

-  RJ Umberger has to finish.  He’s had many opportunities in games 1 & 2, it’s time to go back to basics.

-  Stay out of the penalty box; ’nuff said.

- The Flyers can’t allow the Pens to dictate their own powerplay.  For most of Game 2, on their powerplay, the Orange&Black just dumped the puck, hoping something good will happen in the Pens zone.  They’re still waiting.

All I know is that the crowd at the Wachovia Center is going to be loud, but if the Pens jump out to a quick, early lead, you’ll see most of them at AT&T Pavillion drowning their sorrows.

Here’s a little rockn’roll with some rock’em sock’em hockey for you, courtesy of our friends at Broadstreetbully.com:

Esche was mediocre, at best, but rose to popularity after is tremendous play during the 2004 playoffs, but lost in 7-games in the Conference Final.  Sound familiar?

Today, Esche is playing for Team USA in the 2008 IIHF World Championship.  After playing like it’s 2004, Esche and the rest of the Red, White, & Blue lost to Finland 3-2 on a controversial goal.  The puck clearly entered the side of the net, and after review, the call was upheld.  The same thing happened to Buffalo’s Dominik Hasek, when John LeClair put the puck through a hole in the net during the playoffs.

If Robert Esche can revive his career with the US National team, the Flyers can come back from a 2-0 series deficit.