Defending Cup Champs

New York Rangers v Philadelphia Flyers, January 13, 1995

The Spectrum, Sec D Row 20

When the Rangers are in town, things tend to be kicked up a notch. The Rangers were the defending Stanley Cup champs. Goaltender Mike Richter is a local boy. The Flyers are coming on strong. I had season tickets but this game was not part of my package. I got this set from a girl at work. It was an afternoon game, which always felt more special to me for some reason.

It just had a big game feel. We had a number of Ranger jersey wearing fans near us. I was ready for some hockey. One team definatly showed up ready to play, the visitors. Nothing is worse then a home team morgue of a sporting venue. Usually when you can hear the swoshing of the skates and the puck hitting a stick on a pass, it is a sign the crowd is lost. It was one of those afternoons.

Mark Messier scored the game's first goal before we reached our seats. I already felt cheated.
In the opening minute, at the :52 mark, Messier scored his 30th goal of the season, unassisted.
Later in the period with the Flyers Aris Brimarius in the box for hooking, Adam Graves scored with Messier and Bruce Driver getting credit for the assists. The home team was down 2-0.

The 2nd period had a number of petty penalty calls with no scoring until the 19:44 mark. Anytime a team scores in the opening minute of a period or the last minute, it is an incredible boost, or gut kick, depending on your prospective. The Rangers now scored once in the opening minute (of the game) and in the closing minute of a period. Messier netted his 2nd of the game with assists going to Brian Leetch and Alexander Karprotsev.

The Flyers had a daunting task in the 3rd to come back from a 3-0 deficit. And they did nothing to close the scoring gap. The Rangers added another late in the period on a power play when Pat Verbeek scored with Messier and Karprotsev assisting.

Cap Continue Dominance Over Islanders

New York Islanders v Washington Capitals, January 13, 2003

MCI Center, Sec 104 Row Q

Since being named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team, Jaromir Jagr has played like he wants to prove he deserves the honor.

Jagr had two goals, including the game-winner with 36 seconds left in overtime, and two assists as the Washington Capitals edged the New York Islanders, 4-3, for their third straight win.

"I've scored a lot of points the last two games, but before that, the third line carried us for about 10 games," said Jagr, who collected a hat trick and four assists in Saturday's 12-2 rout of Florida. "Every game somebody comes up and scores a lot of goals and that's why we're winning hockey games."

After the Capitals squandered a two-goal lead, Jagr got a pass on the right side from Robert Lang, who was skating away from the net, then blasted a slap shot past goaltender Chris Osgood for a power-play goal.

It was the 23rd goal of the season and seventh game-winner for Jagr.

Washington fell behind early, but Jagr helped set up the tying goal, a slap shot by defenseman Sergei Gonchar that found space between Osgood's pads on the power play 6:37 into the game.

"Obviously, we're going to feed off him," Gonchar said. "When you have a guy like that playing like this, everyone else plays better. He's not the kind of player who's only going to score a goal and get a point. He's always going to pass the puck and get someone else involved. He makes everyone else better."

Jagr put the Capitals in front with 3:58 left in the first period when he muscled his way around right wing Arron Asham, maintained possession of the puck and fired a wrist shot into the top right corner of the net.

Just under two minutes later, Jagr threw a changeup, gently sliding the puck from the right side to the left post. When Osgood committed to the potential shot, it gave Kip Miller an easy tap-in for his seventh goal and a 3-1 lead.

"Jagr, he was tough out there," Islanders coach Peter Laviolette said. "He is tough to stop. But I liked our game in the first period. I thought we cycled the puck well and played some tight defense, with the exception of Jagr."

After the first period, the Islanders were able to fend off Jagr long enough to force to overtime and earn a point for the ninth time in 10 games.

"All points are big points right now," Laviolette said. "We needed to get points and we got one. We needed two, so I am disappointed."

Oleg Kvasha scored his fourth goal of the season and third in four games to get New York within 3-2 in the second period and Michael Peca tied it with 4:17 left in the third, beating Olaf Kolzig from the left side of the slot.

Islanders defenseman Kenny Jonsson was penalized for holding the stick with 1:53 left in overtime to set up the winning goal.

"The refereeing seems to be dictated by emotion at times, trying to teach you a lesson with no regard for the rule book," said Peca, New York's captain. "It's frustrating. It becomes a case of they want you to shut up and if you are going to complain then you aren't going to get the calls.

"I know that it has been an unwritten rule for some time, but it doesn't make it any better. There were some calls throughout the game that frustrated us and we were looking for explanations and weren't getting any."

New York is winless in its last 13 visits to Washington and has just one victory in 26 meetings with the Capitals since April 12, 1997.

Boston Garden Hockey

Philadelphia Flyers v Boston Bruins, January 12, 1991

Boston Garden, Sec 47 Row J

There was still somewhat of a carry over rivalry from the 1974 Stanley Cup finals. Boston still hated the Flyers. This was a Saturday matinee game at the Garden. Took the train in, got inside early. The Flyers warmed up in our end. We were in the 1st level underneath the balcony.

I was still in awe with the Garden as the ice surface was so small, the people were on top of one another, the sounds were so much different then larger arenas. It was an old place and it felt old. The Bruins and Celtic banners were jammed in the rafters and hung so low. When the Garden closed in 1995 and the banners were moved to the new Shawmut Center, they got lost in the cavernous ceiling.

Hextall was in nets for the visiting Flyers. I remember a goalie warming up named Mark LaForest. He ended up with an 0-4 record as a Flyer. Reggie Lemelin was the starting goaltender for the B's.

The Flyers jumped all over the Bruins in the 1st minute and scored in the opening minute with a Pelle Eklund goal at the 0:56 mark of the opening stanza. This silenced the crowd.

Local product Craig Janney tied the game up in the 2nd with assists going to Garry Galley and Ray Bourque. Terry Carkner put the Flyers up again, and for good at the 15:27 mark on a power play as Bob Sweeney sat in the penatly box on a holding call.

Carkner would score again in the 3rd for the Flyers them a 3-1 victory on the road in front of 14,448 disappointed Bruins fans.

Eagles Playoffs

Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Philadelphia Eagles, January 11, 2002

Veterans Stadium, ?

A playoff game. The parking lot was buzzing as next door at the FU Center, Eric Lindros was making his first trip back to Philadelphia after leaving for New York. A bunch of tailgates had TVs to watch the 1:00 game. Plus, there was still an apprehension in the air so soon after 9/11. Military helicopters were buzzing around for hours before the game.

We had "obstructed view" seats on field level. We were just high enough to see over the players on the sideline's heads. I had my young son. He went to lean on the wall right infront of the Eagles cheerleaders and did not appear too interested in the game any more.

We had a group of drunks in front of us. Later in the game while standing in line for the bathroom I noticed a guy passed out on the floor in the corner of the bathroom. He was one of the guys in front of us. He was alone with no friends around. He was ripe for abuse.
I picked him up and walked him back to his seats so no one would fuck with him. I did everything to keep his weight behind me while walking down the long row of steps to field level.

After half the stadium cuts off beer sales. My buddy decided to load up on 4 beers at $6 a pop.
When we got back to the seats, he placed all 4 on the seat part of the fold down chairs. I warned him several times to put the beers on the ground while everyone on the stadium stood.
Off my left flank came a drunk who stumbled past me and fell right onto the 4 beers on the chair, spilling all of them.

The 1st quarter belonged to the kickers. Tampa Bay's Martin Gramatica nailed a 36 yarder to put the Bucs up first. The Eagles David Ackers hit a 26 yard field goal.

The Eagles Chad Lewis took a Donovan McNabb 16 yard pass into the end zone for the game's first touchdown. Gramatica kicked another FG to make it 10-6.

Duce Staley caught a 23 yard pass from McNabb for another Eagles TD. And the Bucs kept playing small ball with another 27 FG.

Correll Buckhalter rushed from the 25 yard line for another Eagles touchdown. With the score 24-9 Eagles there was a sense the Eagles were dominating the game. Then Damon Moore intecepted a Brad Johnson pass and ran it back 59 yards to add to the Eagles lead.

Eagles win the playoff game 31-7.

In State Rivalry

Roanoke Express v Richmond Renegades, January 11, 2001

Richmond Coliseum, Sec 4L, Row O

Renegades 3 - Roanoke 1

Nice Call, 17 Years Too Late

Washington Capitals v Philadelphia Flyers, January 11, 1997

Core States Center, Section 221 Row 3

Washington's Joe Reekie was flagged for interfere and sent to the sin bin for 2. On the power play, Eric Lindros scored with assists from John LeClair and Janni Niinimaa.

The 2nd period belonged to the Capitals. Peter Bondra, Joe Juneau and Sylvan Cote each scored to put the Caps ahead 3-1. Also in the 2nd a rockem sockem bout between the Flyers Dan Kordic and Washington's Kevin Kaminski. Both got fighting majors.

In the 3rd, the Flyers staged a come back attempt with ex Cap John Druce scoring along with Rod Brind'Amour, who netted the game tier.

Philadelphia's Garth Snow and Washington's Oleg Kolzig blanked the shooters in OT ending this game with a 3-3 tie.

Linesman Leon Stickle, making up for blowing an Islanders blatant offside in the 1980 finals which lead to the Islanders first Stanley Cup, called an opponent of the Flyers for an offside to the delight of the locals.

19,430 were on hand.