GDT: #44 | Flyers at Blues | January 15, 2024 | 8:00 PM | NBCSP

[Cody Webster]

Crazy to think he's been with the Blues that long

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Crazy to think he's been with the Blues that long

It's been almost 13 years since the Carter+Richards' trades for Schenn, Simmonds, Voracek, Couturier, Cousins and by association Bryzgalov. That falls under the time waits for no one realm.

 

[freakydallas13]

No. The two measures of a team is winning % and potential point %.
Flyers are tied with 5 teams at 14th in winning % and 12th in the NHL in potential point %.

Which corresponds to their metric rankings, that is, their record isn't the product of winning close games at an unsustainable rate. They're in the 12-15th range in terms of metrics.

They are a borderline PO team, probably end up around 95 points or so.

The value is they have a lot of young players getting great experience playing meaningful games instead of stat padding in a lost season where opponents bring their "C" game on a regular basis.

This team has less regulation wins than Buffalo.

 

[BiggE]

Thankfully I’ll be watching football and therefore be spared the hellish possibility of seeing the faces of Hayes and Tippett simultaneously on my tv screen.

Of course I’ll still be subjected to watching the Eagles which is whole different kind of torture.

 

[freakydallas13]

It's been almost 13 years since the Carter+Richards' trades for Schenn, Simmonds, Voracek, Couturier, Cousins and by association Bryzgalov. That falls under the time waits for no one realm.

What a slam dunk both of those trades were for the Flyers. Our 1C Selke center is still playing for us almost 13 years later.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

And why is Farabee on the 3rd line?

Did I miss something?

Could be Farabee+Atkinson have formed as part of a unit. A numbers game.

 

[Beef Invictus]

And why is Farabee on the 3rd line?

Did I miss something?

These lines are from the last game. I don't trust them at all. I am assuming what gets rolled out will be different.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

What a slam dunk both of those trades were for the Flyers. Our 1C Selke center is still playing for us almost 13 years later.

And Schenn became Frost and Farabee.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

What a slam dunk both of those trades were for the Flyers. Our 1C Selke center is still playing for us almost 13 years later.

A lot of casual fans hate those trades because they didn’t do anything 2012-on…. But in reality its the other moves that put them in irrelevance

However Richards has said if they kept the core together they get at least one here. Who knows

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

They should tell AntSan and Therien to put the Mutt on blast and blame him for the all-time shit ratings this game is going to get.

 

[bennysflyers16]

Couts and Drysdale out again is concerning

 

[BiggE]

Couts and Drysdale out again is concerning

Waiting for Couts to go from day to day, to out indefinitely to surgery in mid March.

Drysdale was probably bit by Ellis so he’s totally f***ed.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Thankfully I’ll be watching football and therefore be spared the hellish possibility of seeing the faces of Hayes and Tippett simultaneously on my tv screen.

Of course I’ll still be subjected to watching the Eagles which is whole different kind of torture.

I cut+paste from GDTs past to devise a synopsis of Flyers-Blues days of yore.

October 18, 1967 -- The Flyers recorded the franchise's first victory, a 2-1 win in front of 5,234 in the St. Louis Arena. It was the first meeting between the squads and third regular season game in Flyers' history. Ed Hoekstra scored the lone third period goal off Glenn Hall. With six seconds left in the game, the Blues' Noel Picard was handed a game-misconduct as part of dual high-sticking minors with Ed Van Impe and supposedly set the tone for the bitter rivalry between the two teams in the first few years of their existences. The first goal in this series was scored by Fred Hucul of the Blues who last scored an NHL goal 15 seasons earlier, 1952-53, with the Chicago Blackhawks.

March 28, 1968 -- One day after a shutout loss, the Flyers returned the favor in a 2-0 victory at Le Colisee in Quebec (held there due to roof damage in the Spectrum). Doug Favell made 29 saves and Gary Dornhoefer netted the GWG. The Flyers finished with a 7-1-2 mark against the Blues. The win, coupled by the Los Angeles Kings-Oakland Seals tie in the wee morning hours, provided the Flyers with a West Division Championship in the team's first season. Members of the organization made phone calls to the UPI news bureau as well to the arena to verify the final score in order to celebrate the immediacy of the moment at approximately 1:30 a.m. ET.

April 13, 1968 -- In Game Five at Philadelphia, Rosaire Paiement (3-0-3) had a hat trick in his first career NHL PO game (just seven regular season games played at the time) and the Flyers exploded for a 6-1 win in front of 10,587. Paiement played the night before for Quebec in the AHL and was called up the day of this game. Bernie Parent made 30 saves and Andre Lacroix had three assists. In the third period, with the Flyers up 4-0, the Blues' Noel Picard slugged Claude Laforge in the jaw leading to a 20-minute bench-clearing brawl. Laforge was knocked unconscious, had a dental plate broken and needed 14 stitches. Picard was ejected, joining Barclay Plager who was tossed earlier in the game. Backup goalie Doug Favell jumped off the bench and when challenged by Dickie Moore, the two fought. Said Favell "He challenged me. I wanted nothing to do with him but Moore came at me and we had it out." When the Flyers were later fined more than the Blues, GM Bud Poile threatened to quit. Poile also said that it was Campbell's second mistake of the year (mentioning the Larry Zeidel incident from earlier in the year against Boston). Favell was fined the most ($150) and many other players were fined $100 each. Flyers' head coach Keith Allen was fined $500 while Scotty Bowman of the Blues was docked $400.

April 16, 1968 -- In Game Six at St. Louis, backed by the sensational goaltending of Bernie Parent (63 saves) and a last minute goal in regulation, the Flyers recorded a stunning 2-1 victory in double OT at St. Louis Arena. Andre Lacroix scored with 15 seconds left in the third period when Glenn Hall couldn't cover an Ed Van Impe shot from the point and the game headed to OT. Don Blackburn scored on a seemingly harmless backhander that swerved just as Hall was about to smother it and the series was headed to a seventh game. St. Louis outshot Philly 28-9 after two periods, 39-27 in regulation, 10-2 in the decisive second OT and 64-43 in the game.

November 7, 1968 -- In one of the greatest individual performances in NHL history, Red Berenson (6-1-7) tied an existing NHL record (Syd Howe in 1944) with six goals in the Blues' 8-0 shutout in Philadelphia. Berenson had four goals in the second period which tied an existing record (done twice) for most goals in any period. St. Louis led 5-0 through two periods and all five goals were by Berenson who missed on his first shot but scored with his next five attempts; he had 10 in the game. Jacques Plante made 26 saves for the 65th shutout of his career. Defensemen Ed Van Impe and Joe Watson, the latter of whom suffered a shoulder injury and had surgery which sidelined him for 13 games until December 12th, were on the ice for all six goals and Doug Favell gave up eight goals.

March 12, 1970 -- Phil Goyette scored with 5:13 to play and Jimmy Roberts added an insurance goal in the Blues' 4-2 home win. Earl Heiskala of the Flyers was eventually suspended eight games and fined $300 for a stick-swinging incident at 8:00 into the third period. The play started when Heiskala committed a roughing penalty on Tim Ecclestone. As the two chatted, the Blues' Terry Gray (received a minor) elbowed Heiskala who lost two teeth, suffered a bloodied mouth and fell to the ice. Heiskala then regained his balance and slashed Gray above the forehead which required six stitches. Heiskala was given a match penalty and a roughing minor. NHL President Clarence Campbell ruled "There was a substantial lapse of time between Gray's elbow smash or cross-check and Heiskala's retaliatory blow."

January 6, 1972 -- One of the defining moments in Flyers' history happened because of this game won by St. Louis 3-2 when the Blues rallied after a brawl that carried over into the stands. Garry Unger, Phil Roberto and Gary Sabourin all scored in the third period, the last goal with 6:46 to play assisted by Andre "Moose" Dupont. Down 2-0 after two periods, Blues' head coach Al Arbour verbally chastised ref John Ashley for the way a puck was dropped in a faceoff. As Arbour continued his yelling, he received a minor penalty and then chased the ref towards the Zamboni entrance near the stands. At that point, a fan doused Arbour with a cup of beer. Witnessing this, Bob Plager of the Blues went into the crowd while other St. Louis players rushed to Arbour's side. During the melee in the crowd, which involved players, coaches, and policemen, Arbour received a 10-inch cut to the head. Garry Unger and other Blues' players battled fans and swung sticks. Blues' player John Arbour received a 40-inch cut. Al Arbour's shirt, coat and tie were torn in the fracas and he coached the third period in his undershirt. Because the Blues' players out-numbered the cops in the crowd, a 16-year old fan rushed to a payphone and called a local police station and backups responded totaling 150 police officers. The fight lasted 25 minutes and the total delay was estimated at 45 minutes. The Blues gained inspiration and scored three third period goals for a 3-2 win, including the first two in a span of 37 seconds. Afterwards, Al and John Arbour, Phil Roberto and Floyd Thomson were arrested and tossed in the cooler for one night after they were taken to a Philadelphia police station on disorderly conduct charges and assault and battery on a police officer; Thompson faced additional charges of aggravated assault and battery. Four fans and two officers were injured. Seeing the display of unity and how the Blues responded to the fracas, the Flyers decided as an organization to become a more aggressive on-ice team and to acquire such players.

March 4, 1972 -- Doug Favell made 44 saves and four different defensemen scored in a span of 5:56 during a second period onslaught to lift Philly in a 6-2 home win. Defensemen Joe Watson, Jean Potvin (1-2-3), Brent Hughes and Rick Foley (1-2-3) scored consecutive goals in the opening 7:47 of the second period, the first three coming in a span of 95 seconds, and the Flyers held a 4-1 lead 3:26 into the second period. The fourth straight goal by a d-man was followed by Bill Clement's goal which gave Philly a 5-0 advantage in the middle period (score was tied 1-1 through the first period). Six of the eight goals were by defensemen. Bob Plager (2-0-2) scored both Blues' goals. Ernie Wakely (18 saves, 23 shots) was replaced by Jacques Caron (8 saves, 9 shots). PPs accounted for 4 goals, three by the Flyers. It was a rare win for the Flyers in this series as they entered the game 3-20-8 in the prior 31 meetings starting with Game 7 of the 1968 series.

December 14, 1972 -- Bill Clement's PPG goal on a breakaway with 3:28 to play snapped a 3-3 tie and lifted the Flyers to a 5-3 home win. Clement led the Flyers with two goals and Michel Belhumeur made 37 saves. Philly led 3-0 after one period but the Blues rallied to tie in the third period. Bill Flett iced the game with a 188-foot ENG. Blues' goalie Wayne Stephenson was removed in the third period for Jacques Caron who surrendered the deciding goal. Prior to the game, the Flyers and Blues exchanged players as St. Louis received Brent Hughes and Pierre Plante and Philly got Andre "Moose" Dupont and a 3rd round choice (Bob Stumpf). Dupont assisted on the first goal of the game 4:57 into the contest.

February 14, 1977 -- Al Hill's phenomenal accomplishment of five points (2-3-5) set a record for most points by any player in his first NHL game and the Flyers recorded a 6-4 home win. Hill, who was recalled from Springfield (AHL) that day, scored 36 seconds into the game on his first NHL shot, made it 2-0 on his second career shot and had three points in the first period. His fourth point came about four minutes after he fought Bob MacMillan. Yves Belanger and Eddie Johnston each surrendered three goals. Brian Sutter and Orest Kindrachuk were ejected from the game in the third period for fighting. The game was aired as part of the NHL's nationally syndicated TV pact.

February 6, 1978 -- Due to a 14-inch blizzard that rocked the area and crippled much of the East coast, the attendance was 5,148 which consisted of 3,725 ticketholders and 1,423 non-paying spectators who showed when Flyers' management graciously opened the Spectrum doors to anyone who needed assistance. Bernie Parent registered his 50th career shutout and faced just 11 shots in the 2-0 win.

October 25, 1984 -- Tim Kerr (4-0-4) scored four goals, including a third period natural hat trick in a team-record span of 2:27 and two goals in 23 seconds, in the Flyers' 7-2 home win.

January 25, 1986 --Darren Jensen set a team record for most saves in a shutout, with 48, and Brad McCrimmon scored a first period goal in the Flyers' 1-0 road victory. Jensen was a perfect 24-for-24 in the final period. It was Jensen's second and final NHL shutout. The St. Louis Arena mark was also broken, as Jacques Plante formerly held the record with a 44-save shutout in the 1968-69 season.

December 21, 1986 -- Tim Kerr (3-0-3) set a team-record with his 13th career hat trick and Dave Poulin snapped a 6-6 tie in the Flyers' 7-6 home win. Poulin's GWG came as a result of a terrific offensive play by defenseman Doug Crossman.

November 17, 1988 -- St. Louis snapped the Flyers' 34-game (31-0-3) home unbeaten streak in this series with a 3-1 win in Philly. The most recent Blues' victory in Philly was January 6, 1972. Bernie Federko scored twice including the GWG on the PP in the third period. The winning goalie was Vincent Riendeau who profited from the Blues holding the Flyers' to a franchise record-low (since snapped) 15 shots. St. Louis outshot Philly 16-15 and the 31 total shots was the fewest (to date) recorded by both team in the Spectrum's history. After the game, Flyers' head coach Paul Holmgren said "I'm disappointed in everyone. Tonight we had zero guys going and we need twenty." Ron Hextall said "Twenty guys need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. We can't rely on Tim Kerr and Mark Howe every night."

November 29, 1988-- In a move done in part to shake up the slumping Flyers, the highly popular Peter Zezel was traded to the Blues for Mike Bullard. ''The feeling of the organization and my own feeling was that we had to get more speed and we had to get more scoring up front,'' said Flyers' GM Bob Clarke. Zezel departed amid tears and many Flyers' fans were disappointed in the trade. Bullard said ''I was dissatisfied with the Blues. They were keying on me there, and now I'm coming to a team with a lot of talent." The swap paid immediate dividends as the Flyers went 13-2-1 in the next 16 games. Prior to the game, the Flyers won just once in 10 contests. Bullard scored in five of the first seven games and had at least one point in nine of the first 10 games.

March 16, 1989 -- Brett Hull (2-0-2) scored 3:21 into OT, with an assist to Peter Zezel, to lift the Blues 4-3 in Philadelphia. St. Louis rallied from three one-goal deficits. Greg Paslawski scored in the final minute of regulation to send the game into the extra period. Mike Bullard (2-0-2), Pelle Eklund (0-2-2) and Rick Tocchet (1-1-2) accounted for all six individual points for the Flyers. Zezel was greeted warmly by Flyers' fans which led to many post-game reactions of his new teammaters including Gordie Roberts who said "Why did I get the feeling I was at a Beatles' concert? I was waiting for 'Love Me Do' to come on." Cliff Ronning said "There must have been 3,000 of them (female fans)... with signs saying 'I Love You Peter.'" Prior to the game, Ed Snider, Bill Barber and ex-GM Keith Allen were inducted into the Flyers' Hall-of-Fame joining Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent.

September 22, 1991 -- The Flyers acquired Rod Brind'Amour and Dan Quinn for Ron Sutter and Murray Baron. Sutter, the Flyers' team captain, had held out earlier in training camp over a contract dispute and was the brother of then-Blues' head coach Brian Sutter. Flyers' GM Russ Farwell said "Adding some offensive power at the forward position has definitely been one of our goals and I believe this trade gives us that opportunity. His (Brind'Amour's) skills are excellent." The Blues received Baron, a defenseman, after having lost Scott Stevens to New Jersey as compensation for signing Brendan Shanahan. Earlier in the month, Judge Edward J. Houston, an independent arbitrator, chose between rumored proposals made by the Blues (Brind'Amour, Curtis Joseph and a third-round draft choice) and Devils (Scott Stevens).

January 11, 1996 -- In a game ripened with controversy, Stephane Matteau's PPG with 24.9 seconds to play gave the Blues a 4-4 tie in Philly. The Flyers appeared to have iced the game when Shjon Podein scored an ENG with 28.4 seconds remaining but referee Andy Van Hellemond ruled that the puck made contact with someone on the Flyers' bench, deflected back into play, and nullified the goal. The call set up a faceoff in the Flyers' zone leading to the tying goal. A few seconds prior to that play, someone on the Blues' bench had thrown a glove onto the ice during play but Van Hellemond apparently failed to see what many upset fans in the stands had witnessed. Flyers' coach Terry Murray said afterwards "Stuff happens. There's a lot of things that are missed, there's a lot of things that are called."

December 21, 1996 -- Ron Hextall stopped all 24 shots and backed the Flyers to their seventh straight win, 4-0 at home. The Flyers had their fourth straight shutout and extended a (since broken) team-record for not allowing a goal to 262:30 (the streak ended the next game at 265:08). Trent Klatt and Joel Otto scored unassisted goals in the second period. John LeClair and Kjell Samuelsson added late goals in the third period with Eric Lindros (0-2-2) getting the lone assists of the game. Lindros said following the win "Things are really rolling now.'' Philadelphia improved to 35-3-4 against the Blues in the last 42 home meetings.

March 9, 1998 -- Blues' Assistant Coach Roger Neilson became the Flyers' head coach. As compensation, the Flyers sent a sixth round pick (St. Louis drafted Tore Vikingstad). Neilson was the head coach of six other teams (TOR, BUF, VAN, LAK, NYR and FLA).

March 16, 1999 -- The Blues scored four third period goals and extended the Flyers' team-record winless skid to 12 games (0-8-4) with a 5-2 win in St. Louis. Philly won just twice in the past 20 games. Grant Fuhr made 26 saves while Pierre Turgeon (1-2-3) and Al MacInnis (0-3-3) had three points. Flyers' head coach Roger Neilson tossed a stick onto the ice resulting in an eventual two-game suspension and a $10,000 fine. Neilson said ''It was a reaction and protest to what we thought was a non-call and I fired a stick. There's not too much you can say about it." Neilson became upset after referee Bill McCreary allowed Terry Yake to interfere with Jody Hull just before Pavol Demitra scored six seconds into a PP to make it 3-1 in the third period. ""It was a clear-cut penalty when Jody couldn't get out to the point," said Neilson. The Flyers' coach then refused to put his players on the ice and when he was hit with a double bench minor penalty, he grabbed a stick from Mark Recchi and tossed it on the ice, nearly striking linesman Lonnie Cameron and drawing a game misconduct. "I've been ejected a few times. I didn't throw (the stick) very well, the linesman had to duck." Philly killed the 5-on-3 but 18 seconds later Eric Desjardins was penalized and Turgeon scored six seconds into the advantage to make it 4-1. The Flyers' Valeri Zelepukin scored 24 seconds later to make it 4-2. Eric Lindros then had a goal disallowed by replay officials, who ruled his skate was just inside the crease. "To call one back like that, I wasn't sure the red line was part of the crease. But a call like that is embarrassing to the league," said Neilson. It was the second goal overturned in the game as another Lindros goal, in the first period, was denied when it was ruled Keith Jones was in the crease.

December 30, 2003 -- The Flyers' PP went 5-for-8 in a 7-2 win at St. Louis. Philly scored five straight goals on the PP, three in the second period and two in the third period within 28 seconds, to make it 5-1.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

 

[trostol]

Tore Vikingstad

that name is amazing

 

[eramosat]

I cut+paste from GDTs past to devise a synopsis of Flyers-Blues days of yore.

October 18, 1967 -- The Flyers recorded the franchise's first victory, a 2-1 win in front of 5,234 in the St. Louis Arena. It was the first meeting between the squads and third regular season game in Flyers' history. Ed Hoekstra scored the lone third period goal off Glenn Hall. With six seconds left in the game, the Blues' Noel Picard was handed a game-misconduct as part of dual high-sticking minors with Ed Van Impe and supposedly set the tone for the bitter rivalry between the two teams in the first few years of their existences. The first goal in this series was scored by Fred Hucul of the Blues who last scored an NHL goal 15 seasons earlier, 1952-53, with the Chicago Blackhawks.

March 28, 1968 -- One day after a shutout loss, the Flyers returned the favor in a 2-0 victory at Le Colisee in Quebec (held there due to roof damage in the Spectrum). Doug Favell made 29 saves and Gary Dornhoefer netted the GWG. The Flyers finished with a 7-1-2 mark against the Blues. The win, coupled by the Los Angeles Kings-Oakland Seals tie in the wee morning hours, provided the Flyers with a West Division Championship in the team's first season. Members of the organization made phone calls to the UPI news bureau as well to the arena to verify the final score in order to celebrate the immediacy of the moment at approximately 1:30 a.m. ET.

April 13, 1968 -- In Game Five at Philadelphia, Rosaire Paiement (3-0-3) had a hat trick in his first career NHL PO game (just seven regular season games played at the time) and the Flyers exploded for a 6-1 win in front of 10,587. Paiement played the night before for Quebec in the AHL and was called up the day of this game. Bernie Parent made 30 saves and Andre Lacroix had three assists. In the third period, with the Flyers up 4-0, the Blues' Noel Picard slugged Claude Laforge in the jaw leading to a 20-minute bench-clearing brawl. Laforge was knocked unconscious, had a dental plate broken and needed 14 stitches. Picard was ejected, joining Barclay Plager who was tossed earlier in the game. Backup goalie Doug Favell jumped off the bench and when challenged by Dickie Moore, the two fought. Said Favell "He challenged me. I wanted nothing to do with him but Moore came at me and we had it out." When the Flyers were later fined more than the Blues, GM Bud Poile threatened to quit. Poile also said that it was Campbell's second mistake of the year (mentioning the Larry Zeidel incident from earlier in the year against Boston). Favell was fined the most ($150) and many other players were fined $100 each. Flyers' head coach Keith Allen was fined $500 while Scotty Bowman of the Blues was docked $400.

April 16, 1968 -- In Game Six at St. Louis, backed by the sensational goaltending of Bernie Parent (63 saves) and a last minute goal in regulation, the Flyers recorded a stunning 2-1 victory in double OT at St. Louis Arena. Andre Lacroix scored with 15 seconds left in the third period when Glenn Hall couldn't cover an Ed Van Impe shot from the point and the game headed to OT. Don Blackburn scored on a seemingly harmless backhander that swerved just as Hall was about to smother it and the series was headed to a seventh game. St. Louis outshot Philly 28-9 after two periods, 39-27 in regulation, 10-2 in the decisive second OT and 64-43 in the game.

November 7, 1968 -- In one of the greatest individual performances in NHL history, Red Berenson (6-1-7) tied an existing NHL record (Syd Howe in 1944) with six goals in the Blues' 8-0 shutout in Philadelphia. Berenson had four goals in the second period which tied an existing record (done twice) for most goals in any period. St. Louis led 5-0 through two periods and all five goals were by Berenson who missed on his first shot but scored with his next five attempts; he had 10 in the game. Jacques Plante made 26 saves for the 65th shutout of his career. Defensemen Ed Van Impe and Joe Watson, the latter of whom suffered a shoulder injury and had surgery which sidelined him for 13 games until December 12th, were on the ice for all six goals and Doug Favell gave up eight goals.

March 12, 1970 -- Phil Goyette scored with 5:13 to play and Jimmy Roberts added an insurance goal in the Blues' 4-2 home win. Earl Heiskala of the Flyers was eventually suspended eight games and fined $300 for a stick-swinging incident at 8:00 into the third period. The play started when Heiskala committed a roughing penalty on Tim Ecclestone. As the two chatted, the Blues' Terry Gray (received a minor) elbowed Heiskala who lost two teeth, suffered a bloodied mouth and fell to the ice. Heiskala then regained his balance and slashed Gray above the forehead which required six stitches. Heiskala was given a match penalty and a roughing minor. NHL President Clarence Campbell ruled "There was a substantial lapse of time between Gray's elbow smash or cross-check and Heiskala's retaliatory blow."

January 6, 1972 -- One of the defining moments in Flyers' history happened because of this game won by St. Louis 3-2 when the Blues rallied after a brawl that carried over into the stands. Garry Unger, Phil Roberto and Gary Sabourin all scored in the third period, the last goal with 6:46 to play assisted by Andre "Moose" Dupont. Down 2-0 after two periods, Blues' head coach Al Arbour verbally chastised ref John Ashley for the way a puck was dropped in a faceoff. As Arbour continued his yelling, he received a minor penalty and then chased the ref towards the Zamboni entrance near the stands. At that point, a fan doused Arbour with a cup of beer. Witnessing this, Bob Plager of the Blues went into the crowd while other St. Louis players rushed to Arbour's side. During the melee in the crowd, which involved players, coaches, and policemen, Arbour received a 10-inch cut to the head. Garry Unger and other Blues' players battled fans and swung sticks. Blues' player John Arbour received a 40-inch cut. Al Arbour's shirt, coat and tie were torn in the fracas and he coached the third period in his undershirt. Because the Blues' players out-numbered the cops in the crowd, a 16-year old fan rushed to a payphone and called a local police station and backups responded totaling 150 police officers. The fight lasted 25 minutes and the total delay was estimated at 45 minutes. The Blues gained inspiration and scored three third period goals for a 3-2 win, including the first two in a span of 37 seconds. Afterwards, Al and John Arbour, Phil Roberto and Floyd Thomson were arrested and tossed in the cooler for one night after they were taken to a Philadelphia police station on disorderly conduct charges and assault and battery on a police officer; Thompson faced additional charges of aggravated assault and battery. Four fans and two officers were injured. Seeing the display of unity and how the Blues responded to the fracas, the Flyers decided as an organization to become a more aggressive on-ice team and to acquire such players.

March 4, 1972 -- Doug Favell made 44 saves and four different defensemen scored in a span of 5:56 during a second period onslaught to lift Philly in a 6-2 home win. Defensemen Joe Watson, Jean Potvin (1-2-3), Brent Hughes and Rick Foley (1-2-3) scored consecutive goals in the opening 7:47 of the second period, the first three coming in a span of 95 seconds, and the Flyers held a 4-1 lead 3:26 into the second period. The fourth straight goal by a d-man was followed by Bill Clement's goal which gave Philly a 5-0 advantage in the middle period (score was tied 1-1 through the first period). Six of the eight goals were by defensemen. Bob Plager (2-0-2) scored both Blues' goals. Ernie Wakely (18 saves, 23 shots) was replaced by Jacques Caron (8 saves, 9 shots). PPs accounted for 4 goals, three by the Flyers. It was a rare win for the Flyers in this series as they entered the game 3-20-8 in the prior 31 meetings starting with Game 7 of the 1968 series.

December 14, 1972 -- Bill Clement's PPG goal on a breakaway with 3:28 to play snapped a 3-3 tie and lifted the Flyers to a 5-3 home win. Clement led the Flyers with two goals and Michel Belhumeur made 37 saves. Philly led 3-0 after one period but the Blues rallied to tie in the third period. Bill Flett iced the game with a 188-foot ENG. Blues' goalie Wayne Stephenson was removed in the third period for Jacques Caron who surrendered the deciding goal. Prior to the game, the Flyers and Blues exchanged players as St. Louis received Brent Hughes and Pierre Plante and Philly got Andre "Moose" Dupont and a 3rd round choice (Bob Stumpf). Dupont assisted on the first goal of the game 4:57 into the contest.

February 14, 1977 -- Al Hill's phenomenal accomplishment of five points (2-3-5) set a record for most points by any player in his first NHL game and the Flyers recorded a 6-4 home win. Hill, who was recalled from Springfield (AHL) that day, scored 36 seconds into the game on his first NHL shot, made it 2-0 on his second career shot and had three points in the first period. His fourth point came about four minutes after he fought Bob MacMillan. Yves Belanger and Eddie Johnston each surrendered three goals. Brian Sutter and Orest Kindrachuk were ejected from the game in the third period for fighting. The game was aired as part of the NHL's nationally syndicated TV pact.

February 6, 1978 -- Due to a 14-inch blizzard that rocked the area and crippled much of the East coast, the attendance was 5,148 which consisted of 3,725 ticketholders and 1,423 non-paying spectators who showed when Flyers' management graciously opened the Spectrum doors to anyone who needed assistance. Bernie Parent registered his 50th career shutout and faced just 11 shots in the 2-0 win.

October 25, 1984 -- Tim Kerr (4-0-4) scored four goals, including a third period natural hat trick in a team-record span of 2:27 and two goals in 23 seconds, in the Flyers' 7-2 home win.

January 25, 1986 --Darren Jensen set a team record for most saves in a shutout, with 48, and Brad McCrimmon scored a first period goal in the Flyers' 1-0 road victory. Jensen was a perfect 24-for-24 in the final period. It was Jensen's second and final NHL shutout. The St. Louis Arena mark was also broken, as Jacques Plante formerly held the record with a 44-save shutout in the 1968-69 season.

December 21, 1986 -- Tim Kerr (3-0-3) set a team-record with his 13th career hat trick and Dave Poulin snapped a 6-6 tie in the Flyers' 7-6 home win. Poulin's GWG came as a result of a terrific offensive play by defenseman Doug Crossman.

November 17, 1988 -- St. Louis snapped the Flyers' 34-game (31-0-3) home unbeaten streak in this series with a 3-1 win in Philly. The most recent Blues' victory in Philly was January 6, 1972. Bernie Federko scored twice including the GWG on the PP in the third period. The winning goalie was Vincent Riendeau who profited from the Blues holding the Flyers' to a franchise record-low (since snapped) 15 shots. St. Louis outshot Philly 16-15 and the 31 total shots was the fewest (to date) recorded by both team in the Spectrum's history. After the game, Flyers' head coach Paul Holmgren said "I'm disappointed in everyone. Tonight we had zero guys going and we need twenty." Ron Hextall said "Twenty guys need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. We can't rely on Tim Kerr and Mark Howe every night."

November 29, 1988-- In a move done in part to shake up the slumping Flyers, the highly popular Peter Zezel was traded to the Blues for Mike Bullard. ''The feeling of the organization and my own feeling was that we had to get more speed and we had to get more scoring up front,'' said Flyers' GM Bob Clarke. Zezel departed amid tears and many Flyers' fans were disappointed in the trade. Bullard said ''I was dissatisfied with the Blues. They were keying on me there, and now I'm coming to a team with a lot of talent." The swap paid immediate dividends as the Flyers went 13-2-1 in the next 16 games. Prior to the game, the Flyers won just once in 10 contests. Bullard scored in five of the first seven games and had at least one point in nine of the first 10 games.

March 16, 1989 -- Brett Hull (2-0-2) scored 3:21 into OT, with an assist to Peter Zezel, to lift the Blues 4-3 in Philadelphia. St. Louis rallied from three one-goal deficits. Greg Paslawski scored in the final minute of regulation to send the game into the extra period. Mike Bullard (2-0-2), Pelle Eklund (0-2-2) and Rick Tocchet (1-1-2) accounted for all six individual points for the Flyers. Zezel was greeted warmly by Flyers' fans which led to many post-game reactions of his new teammaters including Gordie Roberts who said "Why did I get the feeling I was at a Beatles' concert? I was waiting for 'Love Me Do' to come on." Cliff Ronning said "There must have been 3,000 of them (female fans)... with signs saying 'I Love You Peter.'" Prior to the game, Ed Snider, Bill Barber and ex-GM Keith Allen were inducted into the Flyers' Hall-of-Fame joining Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent.

September 22, 1991 -- The Flyers acquired Rod Brind'Amour and Dan Quinn for Ron Sutter and Murray Baron. Sutter, the Flyers' team captain, had held out earlier in training camp over a contract dispute and was the brother of then-Blues' head coach Brian Sutter. Flyers' GM Russ Farwell said "Adding some offensive power at the forward position has definitely been one of our goals and I believe this trade gives us that opportunity. His (Brind'Amour's) skills are excellent." The Blues received Baron, a defenseman, after having lost Scott Stevens to New Jersey as compensation for signing Brendan Shanahan. Earlier in the month, Judge Edward J. Houston, an independent arbitrator, chose between rumored proposals made by the Blues (Brind'Amour, Curtis Joseph and a third-round draft choice) and Devils (Scott Stevens).

January 11, 1996 -- In a game ripened with controversy, Stephane Matteau's PPG with 24.9 seconds to play gave the Blue a 4-4 tie in Philly. The Flyers appeared to have iced the game when Shjon Podein scored an ENG with 28.4 seconds remaining but referee Andy Van Hellemond ruled that the puck made contact with someone on the Flyers' bench, deflected back into play, and nullified the goal. The call set up a faceoff in the Flyers' zone leading to the tying goal. A few seconds prior to that play, someone on the Blues' bench has thrown a glove onto the ice during play but Van Hellemond apparently failed to see what many upset fans in the stands had witnessed. Flyers' coach Terry Murray said afterwards "Stuff happens. There's a lot of things that are missed, there's a lot of things that are called."

December 21, 1996 -- Ron Hextall stopped all 24 shots and backed the Flyers to their seventh straight win, 4-0 at home. The Flyers had their fourth straight shutout and extended a (since broken) team-record for not allowing a goal to 262:30 (the streak ended the next game at 265:08). Trent Klatt and Joel Otto scored unassisted goals in the second period. John LeClair and Kjell Samuelsson added late goals in the third period with Eric Lindros (0-2-2) getting the lone assists of the game. Lindros said following the win "Things are really rolling now.'' Philadelphia improved to 35-3-4 against the Blues in the last 42 home meetings.

March 9, 1998 -- Blues' Assistant Coach Roger Neilson became the Flyers' head coach. As compensation, the Flyers sent a sixth round pick (St. Louis drafted Tore Vikingstad). Neilson was the head coach of six other teams (TOR, BUF, VAN, LAK, NYR and FLA).

March 16, 1999 -- The Blues scored four third period goals and extended the Flyers' team-record winless skid to 12 games (0-8-4) with a 5-2 win in St. Louis. Philly won just twice in the past 20 games. Grant Fuhr made 26 saves while Pierre Turgeon (1-2-3) and Al MacInnis (0-3-3) had three points. Flyers' head coach Roger Neilson tossed a stick onto the ice resulting in an eventual two-game suspension and a $10,000 fine. Neilson said ''It was a reaction and protest to what we thought was a non-call and I fired a stick. There's not too much you can say about it." Neilson became upset after referee Bill McCreary allowed Terry Yake to interfere with Jody Hull just before Pavol Demitra scored six seconds into a PP to make it 3-1 in the third period. ""It was a clear-cut penalty when Jody couldn't get out to the point," said Neilson. The Flyers' coach then refused to put his players on the ice and when he was hit with a double bench minor penalty, he grabbed a stick from Mark Recchi and tossed it on the ice, nearly striking linesman Lonnie Cameron and drawing a game misconduct. "I've been ejected a few times. I didn't throw (the stick) very well, the linesman had to duck." Philly killed the 5-on-3 but 18 seconds later Eric Desjardins was penalized and Turgeon scored six seconds into the advantage to make it 4-1. The Flyers' Valeri Zelepukin scored 24 seconds later to make it 4-2. Eric Lindros then had a goal disallowed by replay officials, who ruled his skate was just inside the crease. "To call one back like that, I wasn't sure the red line was part of the crease. But a call like that is embarrassing to the league," said Neilson. It was the second goal overturned in the game as another Lindros goal, in the first period, was denied when it was ruled Keith Jones was in the crease.

December 30, 2003 -- The Flyers' PP went 5-for-8 in a 7-2 win at St. Louis. Philly scored five straight goals on the PP, three in the second period and two in the third period within 28 seconds, to make it 5-1.

well...now that is quite something. I think I've read the first 10 encounters, and skimmed the rest, and have been very nostalgically entertained!

 

[Beef Invictus]

I cut+paste from GDTs past to devise a synopsis of Flyers-Blues days of yore.

October 18, 1967 -- The Flyers recorded the franchise's first victory, a 2-1 win in front of 5,234 in the St. Louis Arena. It was the first meeting between the squads and third regular season game in Flyers' history. Ed Hoekstra scored the lone third period goal off Glenn Hall. With six seconds left in the game, the Blues' Noel Picard was handed a game-misconduct as part of dual high-sticking minors with Ed Van Impe and supposedly set the tone for the bitter rivalry between the two teams in the first few years of their existences. The first goal in this series was scored by Fred Hucul of the Blues who last scored an NHL goal 15 seasons earlier, 1952-53, with the Chicago Blackhawks.

March 28, 1968 -- One day after a shutout loss, the Flyers returned the favor in a 2-0 victory at Le Colisee in Quebec (held there due to roof damage in the Spectrum). Doug Favell made 29 saves and Gary Dornhoefer netted the GWG. The Flyers finished with a 7-1-2 mark against the Blues. The win, coupled by the Los Angeles Kings-Oakland Seals tie in the wee morning hours, provided the Flyers with a West Division Championship in the team's first season. Members of the organization made phone calls to the UPI news bureau as well to the arena to verify the final score in order to celebrate the immediacy of the moment at approximately 1:30 a.m. ET.

April 13, 1968 -- In Game Five at Philadelphia, Rosaire Paiement (3-0-3) had a hat trick in his first career NHL PO game (just seven regular season games played at the time) and the Flyers exploded for a 6-1 win in front of 10,587. Paiement played the night before for Quebec in the AHL and was called up the day of this game. Bernie Parent made 30 saves and Andre Lacroix had three assists. In the third period, with the Flyers up 4-0, the Blues' Noel Picard slugged Claude Laforge in the jaw leading to a 20-minute bench-clearing brawl. Laforge was knocked unconscious, had a dental plate broken and needed 14 stitches. Picard was ejected, joining Barclay Plager who was tossed earlier in the game. Backup goalie Doug Favell jumped off the bench and when challenged by Dickie Moore, the two fought. Said Favell "He challenged me. I wanted nothing to do with him but Moore came at me and we had it out." When the Flyers were later fined more than the Blues, GM Bud Poile threatened to quit. Poile also said that it was Campbell's second mistake of the year (mentioning the Larry Zeidel incident from earlier in the year against Boston). Favell was fined the most ($150) and many other players were fined $100 each. Flyers' head coach Keith Allen was fined $500 while Scotty Bowman of the Blues was docked $400.

April 16, 1968 -- In Game Six at St. Louis, backed by the sensational goaltending of Bernie Parent (63 saves) and a last minute goal in regulation, the Flyers recorded a stunning 2-1 victory in double OT at St. Louis Arena. Andre Lacroix scored with 15 seconds left in the third period when Glenn Hall couldn't cover an Ed Van Impe shot from the point and the game headed to OT. Don Blackburn scored on a seemingly harmless backhander that swerved just as Hall was about to smother it and the series was headed to a seventh game. St. Louis outshot Philly 28-9 after two periods, 39-27 in regulation, 10-2 in the decisive second OT and 64-43 in the game.

November 7, 1968 -- In one of the greatest individual performances in NHL history, Red Berenson (6-1-7) tied an existing NHL record (Syd Howe in 1944) with six goals in the Blues' 8-0 shutout in Philadelphia. Berenson had four goals in the second period which tied an existing record (done twice) for most goals in any period. St. Louis led 5-0 through two periods and all five goals were by Berenson who missed on his first shot but scored with his next five attempts; he had 10 in the game. Jacques Plante made 26 saves for the 65th shutout of his career. Defensemen Ed Van Impe and Joe Watson, the latter of whom suffered a shoulder injury and had surgery which sidelined him for 13 games until December 12th, were on the ice for all six goals and Doug Favell gave up eight goals.

March 12, 1970 -- Phil Goyette scored with 5:13 to play and Jimmy Roberts added an insurance goal in the Blues' 4-2 home win. Earl Heiskala of the Flyers was eventually suspended eight games and fined $300 for a stick-swinging incident at 8:00 into the third period. The play started when Heiskala committed a roughing penalty on Tim Ecclestone. As the two chatted, the Blues' Terry Gray (received a minor) elbowed Heiskala who lost two teeth, suffered a bloodied mouth and fell to the ice. Heiskala then regained his balance and slashed Gray above the forehead which required six stitches. Heiskala was given a match penalty and a roughing minor. NHL President Clarence Campbell ruled "There was a substantial lapse of time between Gray's elbow smash or cross-check and Heiskala's retaliatory blow."

January 6, 1972 -- One of the defining moments in Flyers' history happened because of this game won by St. Louis 3-2 when the Blues rallied after a brawl that carried over into the stands. Garry Unger, Phil Roberto and Gary Sabourin all scored in the third period, the last goal with 6:46 to play assisted by Andre "Moose" Dupont. Down 2-0 after two periods, Blues' head coach Al Arbour verbally chastised ref John Ashley for the way a puck was dropped in a faceoff. As Arbour continued his yelling, he received a minor penalty and then chased the ref towards the Zamboni entrance near the stands. At that point, a fan doused Arbour with a cup of beer. Witnessing this, Bob Plager of the Blues went into the crowd while other St. Louis players rushed to Arbour's side. During the melee in the crowd, which involved players, coaches, and policemen, Arbour received a 10-inch cut to the head. Garry Unger and other Blues' players battled fans and swung sticks. Blues' player John Arbour received a 40-inch cut. Al Arbour's shirt, coat and tie were torn in the fracas and he coached the third period in his undershirt. Because the Blues' players out-numbered the cops in the crowd, a 16-year old fan rushed to a payphone and called a local police station and backups responded totaling 150 police officers. The fight lasted 25 minutes and the total delay was estimated at 45 minutes. The Blues gained inspiration and scored three third period goals for a 3-2 win, including the first two in a span of 37 seconds. Afterwards, Al and John Arbour, Phil Roberto and Floyd Thomson were arrested and tossed in the cooler for one night after they were taken to a Philadelphia police station on disorderly conduct charges and assault and battery on a police officer; Thompson faced additional charges of aggravated assault and battery. Four fans and two officers were injured. Seeing the display of unity and how the Blues responded to the fracas, the Flyers decided as an organization to become a more aggressive on-ice team and to acquire such players.

March 4, 1972 -- Doug Favell made 44 saves and four different defensemen scored in a span of 5:56 during a second period onslaught to lift Philly in a 6-2 home win. Defensemen Joe Watson, Jean Potvin (1-2-3), Brent Hughes and Rick Foley (1-2-3) scored consecutive goals in the opening 7:47 of the second period, the first three coming in a span of 95 seconds, and the Flyers held a 4-1 lead 3:26 into the second period. The fourth straight goal by a d-man was followed by Bill Clement's goal which gave Philly a 5-0 advantage in the middle period (score was tied 1-1 through the first period). Six of the eight goals were by defensemen. Bob Plager (2-0-2) scored both Blues' goals. Ernie Wakely (18 saves, 23 shots) was replaced by Jacques Caron (8 saves, 9 shots). PPs accounted for 4 goals, three by the Flyers. It was a rare win for the Flyers in this series as they entered the game 3-20-8 in the prior 31 meetings starting with Game 7 of the 1968 series.

December 14, 1972 -- Bill Clement's PPG goal on a breakaway with 3:28 to play snapped a 3-3 tie and lifted the Flyers to a 5-3 home win. Clement led the Flyers with two goals and Michel Belhumeur made 37 saves. Philly led 3-0 after one period but the Blues rallied to tie in the third period. Bill Flett iced the game with a 188-foot ENG. Blues' goalie Wayne Stephenson was removed in the third period for Jacques Caron who surrendered the deciding goal. Prior to the game, the Flyers and Blues exchanged players as St. Louis received Brent Hughes and Pierre Plante and Philly got Andre "Moose" Dupont and a 3rd round choice (Bob Stumpf). Dupont assisted on the first goal of the game 4:57 into the contest.

February 14, 1977 -- Al Hill's phenomenal accomplishment of five points (2-3-5) set a record for most points by any player in his first NHL game and the Flyers recorded a 6-4 home win. Hill, who was recalled from Springfield (AHL) that day, scored 36 seconds into the game on his first NHL shot, made it 2-0 on his second career shot and had three points in the first period. His fourth point came about four minutes after he fought Bob MacMillan. Yves Belanger and Eddie Johnston each surrendered three goals. Brian Sutter and Orest Kindrachuk were ejected from the game in the third period for fighting. The game was aired as part of the NHL's nationally syndicated TV pact.

February 6, 1978 -- Due to a 14-inch blizzard that rocked the area and crippled much of the East coast, the attendance was 5,148 which consisted of 3,725 ticketholders and 1,423 non-paying spectators who showed when Flyers' management graciously opened the Spectrum doors to anyone who needed assistance. Bernie Parent registered his 50th career shutout and faced just 11 shots in the 2-0 win.

October 25, 1984 -- Tim Kerr (4-0-4) scored four goals, including a third period natural hat trick in a team-record span of 2:27 and two goals in 23 seconds, in the Flyers' 7-2 home win.

January 25, 1986 --Darren Jensen set a team record for most saves in a shutout, with 48, and Brad McCrimmon scored a first period goal in the Flyers' 1-0 road victory. Jensen was a perfect 24-for-24 in the final period. It was Jensen's second and final NHL shutout. The St. Louis Arena mark was also broken, as Jacques Plante formerly held the record with a 44-save shutout in the 1968-69 season.

December 21, 1986 -- Tim Kerr (3-0-3) set a team-record with his 13th career hat trick and Dave Poulin snapped a 6-6 tie in the Flyers' 7-6 home win. Poulin's GWG came as a result of a terrific offensive play by defenseman Doug Crossman.

November 17, 1988 -- St. Louis snapped the Flyers' 34-game (31-0-3) home unbeaten streak in this series with a 3-1 win in Philly. The most recent Blues' victory in Philly was January 6, 1972. Bernie Federko scored twice including the GWG on the PP in the third period. The winning goalie was Vincent Riendeau who profited from the Blues holding the Flyers' to a franchise record-low (since snapped) 15 shots. St. Louis outshot Philly 16-15 and the 31 total shots was the fewest (to date) recorded by both team in the Spectrum's history. After the game, Flyers' head coach Paul Holmgren said "I'm disappointed in everyone. Tonight we had zero guys going and we need twenty." Ron Hextall said "Twenty guys need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. We can't rely on Tim Kerr and Mark Howe every night."

November 29, 1988-- In a move done in part to shake up the slumping Flyers, the highly popular Peter Zezel was traded to the Blues for Mike Bullard. ''The feeling of the organization and my own feeling was that we had to get more speed and we had to get more scoring up front,'' said Flyers' GM Bob Clarke. Zezel departed amid tears and many Flyers' fans were disappointed in the trade. Bullard said ''I was dissatisfied with the Blues. They were keying on me there, and now I'm coming to a team with a lot of talent." The swap paid immediate dividends as the Flyers went 13-2-1 in the next 16 games. Prior to the game, the Flyers won just once in 10 contests. Bullard scored in five of the first seven games and had at least one point in nine of the first 10 games.

March 16, 1989 -- Brett Hull (2-0-2) scored 3:21 into OT, with an assist to Peter Zezel, to lift the Blues 4-3 in Philadelphia. St. Louis rallied from three one-goal deficits. Greg Paslawski scored in the final minute of regulation to send the game into the extra period. Mike Bullard (2-0-2), Pelle Eklund (0-2-2) and Rick Tocchet (1-1-2) accounted for all six individual points for the Flyers. Zezel was greeted warmly by Flyers' fans which led to many post-game reactions of his new teammaters including Gordie Roberts who said "Why did I get the feeling I was at a Beatles' concert? I was waiting for 'Love Me Do' to come on." Cliff Ronning said "There must have been 3,000 of them (female fans)... with signs saying 'I Love You Peter.'" Prior to the game, Ed Snider, Bill Barber and ex-GM Keith Allen were inducted into the Flyers' Hall-of-Fame joining Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent.

September 22, 1991 -- The Flyers acquired Rod Brind'Amour and Dan Quinn for Ron Sutter and Murray Baron. Sutter, the Flyers' team captain, had held out earlier in training camp over a contract dispute and was the brother of then-Blues' head coach Brian Sutter. Flyers' GM Russ Farwell said "Adding some offensive power at the forward position has definitely been one of our goals and I believe this trade gives us that opportunity. His (Brind'Amour's) skills are excellent." The Blues received Baron, a defenseman, after having lost Scott Stevens to New Jersey as compensation for signing Brendan Shanahan. Earlier in the month, Judge Edward J. Houston, an independent arbitrator, chose between rumored proposals made by the Blues (Brind'Amour, Curtis Joseph and a third-round draft choice) and Devils (Scott Stevens).

January 11, 1996 -- In a game ripened with controversy, Stephane Matteau's PPG with 24.9 seconds to play gave the Blue a 4-4 tie in Philly. The Flyers appeared to have iced the game when Shjon Podein scored an ENG with 28.4 seconds remaining but referee Andy Van Hellemond ruled that the puck made contact with someone on the Flyers' bench, deflected back into play, and nullified the goal. The call set up a faceoff in the Flyers' zone leading to the tying goal. A few seconds prior to that play, someone on the Blues' bench has thrown a glove onto the ice during play but Van Hellemond apparently failed to see what many upset fans in the stands had witnessed. Flyers' coach Terry Murray said afterwards "Stuff happens. There's a lot of things that are missed, there's a lot of things that are called."

December 21, 1996 -- Ron Hextall stopped all 24 shots and backed the Flyers to their seventh straight win, 4-0 at home. The Flyers had their fourth straight shutout and extended a (since broken) team-record for not allowing a goal to 262:30 (the streak ended the next game at 265:08). Trent Klatt and Joel Otto scored unassisted goals in the second period. John LeClair and Kjell Samuelsson added late goals in the third period with Eric Lindros (0-2-2) getting the lone assists of the game. Lindros said following the win "Things are really rolling now.'' Philadelphia improved to 35-3-4 against the Blues in the last 42 home meetings.

March 9, 1998 -- Blues' Assistant Coach Roger Neilson became the Flyers' head coach. As compensation, the Flyers sent a sixth round pick (St. Louis drafted Tore Vikingstad). Neilson was the head coach of six other teams (TOR, BUF, VAN, LAK, NYR and FLA).

March 16, 1999 -- The Blues scored four third period goals and extended the Flyers' team-record winless skid to 12 games (0-8-4) with a 5-2 win in St. Louis. Philly won just twice in the past 20 games. Grant Fuhr made 26 saves while Pierre Turgeon (1-2-3) and Al MacInnis (0-3-3) had three points. Flyers' head coach Roger Neilson tossed a stick onto the ice resulting in an eventual two-game suspension and a $10,000 fine. Neilson said ''It was a reaction and protest to what we thought was a non-call and I fired a stick. There's not too much you can say about it." Neilson became upset after referee Bill McCreary allowed Terry Yake to interfere with Jody Hull just before Pavol Demitra scored six seconds into a PP to make it 3-1 in the third period. ""It was a clear-cut penalty when Jody couldn't get out to the point," said Neilson. The Flyers' coach then refused to put his players on the ice and when he was hit with a double bench minor penalty, he grabbed a stick from Mark Recchi and tossed it on the ice, nearly striking linesman Lonnie Cameron and drawing a game misconduct. "I've been ejected a few times. I didn't throw (the stick) very well, the linesman had to duck." Philly killed the 5-on-3 but 18 seconds later Eric Desjardins was penalized and Turgeon scored six seconds into the advantage to make it 4-1. The Flyers' Valeri Zelepukin scored 24 seconds later to make it 4-2. Eric Lindros then had a goal disallowed by replay officials, who ruled his skate was just inside the crease. "To call one back like that, I wasn't sure the red line was part of the crease. But a call like that is embarrassing to the league," said Neilson. It was the second goal overturned in the game as another Lindros goal, in the first period, was denied when it was ruled Keith Jones was in the crease.

December 30, 2003 -- The Flyers' PP went 5-for-8 in a 7-2 win at St. Louis. Philly scored five straight goals on the PP, three in the second period and two in the third period within 28 seconds, to make it 5-1.

A return!

 

[Flyerfan4life]

View attachment 803920

i predict some epic Capt. posts tonite...

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

CBS is bragging that they have three straight hours of NCIS shows in a row. The f***.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

 

[trostol]

holy hell i feel bad for Brink

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

i predict some epic Capt. posts tonite...

There is a Doug Crossman reference in my historical recap above. That should balance, at least temporarily, a Kevin Hayes citing (or sighting, both apply).

 

[BiggE]

I cut+paste from GDTs past to devise a synopsis of Flyers-Blues days of yore.

October 18, 1967 -- The Flyers recorded the franchise's first victory, a 2-1 win in front of 5,234 in the St. Louis Arena. It was the first meeting between the squads and third regular season game in Flyers' history. Ed Hoekstra scored the lone third period goal off Glenn Hall. With six seconds left in the game, the Blues' Noel Picard was handed a game-misconduct as part of dual high-sticking minors with Ed Van Impe and supposedly set the tone for the bitter rivalry between the two teams in the first few years of their existences. The first goal in this series was scored by Fred Hucul of the Blues who last scored an NHL goal 15 seasons earlier, 1952-53, with the Chicago Blackhawks.

March 28, 1968 -- One day after a shutout loss, the Flyers returned the favor in a 2-0 victory at Le Colisee in Quebec (held there due to roof damage in the Spectrum). Doug Favell made 29 saves and Gary Dornhoefer netted the GWG. The Flyers finished with a 7-1-2 mark against the Blues. The win, coupled by the Los Angeles Kings-Oakland Seals tie in the wee morning hours, provided the Flyers with a West Division Championship in the team's first season. Members of the organization made phone calls to the UPI news bureau as well to the arena to verify the final score in order to celebrate the immediacy of the moment at approximately 1:30 a.m. ET.

April 13, 1968 -- In Game Five at Philadelphia, Rosaire Paiement (3-0-3) had a hat trick in his first career NHL PO game (just seven regular season games played at the time) and the Flyers exploded for a 6-1 win in front of 10,587. Paiement played the night before for Quebec in the AHL and was called up the day of this game. Bernie Parent made 30 saves and Andre Lacroix had three assists. In the third period, with the Flyers up 4-0, the Blues' Noel Picard slugged Claude Laforge in the jaw leading to a 20-minute bench-clearing brawl. Laforge was knocked unconscious, had a dental plate broken and needed 14 stitches. Picard was ejected, joining Barclay Plager who was tossed earlier in the game. Backup goalie Doug Favell jumped off the bench and when challenged by Dickie Moore, the two fought. Said Favell "He challenged me. I wanted nothing to do with him but Moore came at me and we had it out." When the Flyers were later fined more than the Blues, GM Bud Poile threatened to quit. Poile also said that it was Campbell's second mistake of the year (mentioning the Larry Zeidel incident from earlier in the year against Boston). Favell was fined the most ($150) and many other players were fined $100 each. Flyers' head coach Keith Allen was fined $500 while Scotty Bowman of the Blues was docked $400.

April 16, 1968 -- In Game Six at St. Louis, backed by the sensational goaltending of Bernie Parent (63 saves) and a last minute goal in regulation, the Flyers recorded a stunning 2-1 victory in double OT at St. Louis Arena. Andre Lacroix scored with 15 seconds left in the third period when Glenn Hall couldn't cover an Ed Van Impe shot from the point and the game headed to OT. Don Blackburn scored on a seemingly harmless backhander that swerved just as Hall was about to smother it and the series was headed to a seventh game. St. Louis outshot Philly 28-9 after two periods, 39-27 in regulation, 10-2 in the decisive second OT and 64-43 in the game.

November 7, 1968 -- In one of the greatest individual performances in NHL history, Red Berenson (6-1-7) tied an existing NHL record (Syd Howe in 1944) with six goals in the Blues' 8-0 shutout in Philadelphia. Berenson had four goals in the second period which tied an existing record (done twice) for most goals in any period. St. Louis led 5-0 through two periods and all five goals were by Berenson who missed on his first shot but scored with his next five attempts; he had 10 in the game. Jacques Plante made 26 saves for the 65th shutout of his career. Defensemen Ed Van Impe and Joe Watson, the latter of whom suffered a shoulder injury and had surgery which sidelined him for 13 games until December 12th, were on the ice for all six goals and Doug Favell gave up eight goals.

March 12, 1970 -- Phil Goyette scored with 5:13 to play and Jimmy Roberts added an insurance goal in the Blues' 4-2 home win. Earl Heiskala of the Flyers was eventually suspended eight games and fined $300 for a stick-swinging incident at 8:00 into the third period. The play started when Heiskala committed a roughing penalty on Tim Ecclestone. As the two chatted, the Blues' Terry Gray (received a minor) elbowed Heiskala who lost two teeth, suffered a bloodied mouth and fell to the ice. Heiskala then regained his balance and slashed Gray above the forehead which required six stitches. Heiskala was given a match penalty and a roughing minor. NHL President Clarence Campbell ruled "There was a substantial lapse of time between Gray's elbow smash or cross-check and Heiskala's retaliatory blow."

January 6, 1972 -- One of the defining moments in Flyers' history happened because of this game won by St. Louis 3-2 when the Blues rallied after a brawl that carried over into the stands. Garry Unger, Phil Roberto and Gary Sabourin all scored in the third period, the last goal with 6:46 to play assisted by Andre "Moose" Dupont. Down 2-0 after two periods, Blues' head coach Al Arbour verbally chastised ref John Ashley for the way a puck was dropped in a faceoff. As Arbour continued his yelling, he received a minor penalty and then chased the ref towards the Zamboni entrance near the stands. At that point, a fan doused Arbour with a cup of beer. Witnessing this, Bob Plager of the Blues went into the crowd while other St. Louis players rushed to Arbour's side. During the melee in the crowd, which involved players, coaches, and policemen, Arbour received a 10-inch cut to the head. Garry Unger and other Blues' players battled fans and swung sticks. Blues' player John Arbour received a 40-inch cut. Al Arbour's shirt, coat and tie were torn in the fracas and he coached the third period in his undershirt. Because the Blues' players out-numbered the cops in the crowd, a 16-year old fan rushed to a payphone and called a local police station and backups responded totaling 150 police officers. The fight lasted 25 minutes and the total delay was estimated at 45 minutes. The Blues gained inspiration and scored three third period goals for a 3-2 win, including the first two in a span of 37 seconds. Afterwards, Al and John Arbour, Phil Roberto and Floyd Thomson were arrested and tossed in the cooler for one night after they were taken to a Philadelphia police station on disorderly conduct charges and assault and battery on a police officer; Thompson faced additional charges of aggravated assault and battery. Four fans and two officers were injured. Seeing the display of unity and how the Blues responded to the fracas, the Flyers decided as an organization to become a more aggressive on-ice team and to acquire such players.

March 4, 1972 -- Doug Favell made 44 saves and four different defensemen scored in a span of 5:56 during a second period onslaught to lift Philly in a 6-2 home win. Defensemen Joe Watson, Jean Potvin (1-2-3), Brent Hughes and Rick Foley (1-2-3) scored consecutive goals in the opening 7:47 of the second period, the first three coming in a span of 95 seconds, and the Flyers held a 4-1 lead 3:26 into the second period. The fourth straight goal by a d-man was followed by Bill Clement's goal which gave Philly a 5-0 advantage in the middle period (score was tied 1-1 through the first period). Six of the eight goals were by defensemen. Bob Plager (2-0-2) scored both Blues' goals. Ernie Wakely (18 saves, 23 shots) was replaced by Jacques Caron (8 saves, 9 shots). PPs accounted for 4 goals, three by the Flyers. It was a rare win for the Flyers in this series as they entered the game 3-20-8 in the prior 31 meetings starting with Game 7 of the 1968 series.

December 14, 1972 -- Bill Clement's PPG goal on a breakaway with 3:28 to play snapped a 3-3 tie and lifted the Flyers to a 5-3 home win. Clement led the Flyers with two goals and Michel Belhumeur made 37 saves. Philly led 3-0 after one period but the Blues rallied to tie in the third period. Bill Flett iced the game with a 188-foot ENG. Blues' goalie Wayne Stephenson was removed in the third period for Jacques Caron who surrendered the deciding goal. Prior to the game, the Flyers and Blues exchanged players as St. Louis received Brent Hughes and Pierre Plante and Philly got Andre "Moose" Dupont and a 3rd round choice (Bob Stumpf). Dupont assisted on the first goal of the game 4:57 into the contest.

February 14, 1977 -- Al Hill's phenomenal accomplishment of five points (2-3-5) set a record for most points by any player in his first NHL game and the Flyers recorded a 6-4 home win. Hill, who was recalled from Springfield (AHL) that day, scored 36 seconds into the game on his first NHL shot, made it 2-0 on his second career shot and had three points in the first period. His fourth point came about four minutes after he fought Bob MacMillan. Yves Belanger and Eddie Johnston each surrendered three goals. Brian Sutter and Orest Kindrachuk were ejected from the game in the third period for fighting. The game was aired as part of the NHL's nationally syndicated TV pact.

February 6, 1978 -- Due to a 14-inch blizzard that rocked the area and crippled much of the East coast, the attendance was 5,148 which consisted of 3,725 ticketholders and 1,423 non-paying spectators who showed when Flyers' management graciously opened the Spectrum doors to anyone who needed assistance. Bernie Parent registered his 50th career shutout and faced just 11 shots in the 2-0 win.

October 25, 1984 -- Tim Kerr (4-0-4) scored four goals, including a third period natural hat trick in a team-record span of 2:27 and two goals in 23 seconds, in the Flyers' 7-2 home win.

January 25, 1986 --Darren Jensen set a team record for most saves in a shutout, with 48, and Brad McCrimmon scored a first period goal in the Flyers' 1-0 road victory. Jensen was a perfect 24-for-24 in the final period. It was Jensen's second and final NHL shutout. The St. Louis Arena mark was also broken, as Jacques Plante formerly held the record with a 44-save shutout in the 1968-69 season.

December 21, 1986 -- Tim Kerr (3-0-3) set a team-record with his 13th career hat trick and Dave Poulin snapped a 6-6 tie in the Flyers' 7-6 home win. Poulin's GWG came as a result of a terrific offensive play by defenseman Doug Crossman.

November 17, 1988 -- St. Louis snapped the Flyers' 34-game (31-0-3) home unbeaten streak in this series with a 3-1 win in Philly. The most recent Blues' victory in Philly was January 6, 1972. Bernie Federko scored twice including the GWG on the PP in the third period. The winning goalie was Vincent Riendeau who profited from the Blues holding the Flyers' to a franchise record-low (since snapped) 15 shots. St. Louis outshot Philly 16-15 and the 31 total shots was the fewest (to date) recorded by both team in the Spectrum's history. After the game, Flyers' head coach Paul Holmgren said "I'm disappointed in everyone. Tonight we had zero guys going and we need twenty." Ron Hextall said "Twenty guys need to take a long, hard look in the mirror. We can't rely on Tim Kerr and Mark Howe every night."

November 29, 1988-- In a move done in part to shake up the slumping Flyers, the highly popular Peter Zezel was traded to the Blues for Mike Bullard. ''The feeling of the organization and my own feeling was that we had to get more speed and we had to get more scoring up front,'' said Flyers' GM Bob Clarke. Zezel departed amid tears and many Flyers' fans were disappointed in the trade. Bullard said ''I was dissatisfied with the Blues. They were keying on me there, and now I'm coming to a team with a lot of talent." The swap paid immediate dividends as the Flyers went 13-2-1 in the next 16 games. Prior to the game, the Flyers won just once in 10 contests. Bullard scored in five of the first seven games and had at least one point in nine of the first 10 games.

March 16, 1989 -- Brett Hull (2-0-2) scored 3:21 into OT, with an assist to Peter Zezel, to lift the Blues 4-3 in Philadelphia. St. Louis rallied from three one-goal deficits. Greg Paslawski scored in the final minute of regulation to send the game into the extra period. Mike Bullard (2-0-2), Pelle Eklund (0-2-2) and Rick Tocchet (1-1-2) accounted for all six individual points for the Flyers. Zezel was greeted warmly by Flyers' fans which led to many post-game reactions of his new teammaters including Gordie Roberts who said "Why did I get the feeling I was at a Beatles' concert? I was waiting for 'Love Me Do' to come on." Cliff Ronning said "There must have been 3,000 of them (female fans)... with signs saying 'I Love You Peter.'" Prior to the game, Ed Snider, Bill Barber and ex-GM Keith Allen were inducted into the Flyers' Hall-of-Fame joining Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent.

September 22, 1991 -- The Flyers acquired Rod Brind'Amour and Dan Quinn for Ron Sutter and Murray Baron. Sutter, the Flyers' team captain, had held out earlier in training camp over a contract dispute and was the brother of then-Blues' head coach Brian Sutter. Flyers' GM Russ Farwell said "Adding some offensive power at the forward position has definitely been one of our goals and I believe this trade gives us that opportunity. His (Brind'Amour's) skills are excellent." The Blues received Baron, a defenseman, after having lost Scott Stevens to New Jersey as compensation for signing Brendan Shanahan. Earlier in the month, Judge Edward J. Houston, an independent arbitrator, chose between rumored proposals made by the Blues (Brind'Amour, Curtis Joseph and a third-round draft choice) and Devils (Scott Stevens).

January 11, 1996 -- In a game ripened with controversy, Stephane Matteau's PPG with 24.9 seconds to play gave the Blue a 4-4 tie in Philly. The Flyers appeared to have iced the game when Shjon Podein scored an ENG with 28.4 seconds remaining but referee Andy Van Hellemond ruled that the puck made contact with someone on the Flyers' bench, deflected back into play, and nullified the goal. The call set up a faceoff in the Flyers' zone leading to the tying goal. A few seconds prior to that play, someone on the Blues' bench has thrown a glove onto the ice during play but Van Hellemond apparently failed to see what many upset fans in the stands had witnessed. Flyers' coach Terry Murray said afterwards "Stuff happens. There's a lot of things that are missed, there's a lot of things that are called."

December 21, 1996 -- Ron Hextall stopped all 24 shots and backed the Flyers to their seventh straight win, 4-0 at home. The Flyers had their fourth straight shutout and extended a (since broken) team-record for not allowing a goal to 262:30 (the streak ended the next game at 265:08). Trent Klatt and Joel Otto scored unassisted goals in the second period. John LeClair and Kjell Samuelsson added late goals in the third period with Eric Lindros (0-2-2) getting the lone assists of the game. Lindros said following the win "Things are really rolling now.'' Philadelphia improved to 35-3-4 against the Blues in the last 42 home meetings.

March 9, 1998 -- Blues' Assistant Coach Roger Neilson became the Flyers' head coach. As compensation, the Flyers sent a sixth round pick (St. Louis drafted Tore Vikingstad). Neilson was the head coach of six other teams (TOR, BUF, VAN, LAK, NYR and FLA).

March 16, 1999 -- The Blues scored four third period goals and extended the Flyers' team-record winless skid to 12 games (0-8-4) with a 5-2 win in St. Louis. Philly won just twice in the past 20 games. Grant Fuhr made 26 saves while Pierre Turgeon (1-2-3) and Al MacInnis (0-3-3) had three points. Flyers' head coach Roger Neilson tossed a stick onto the ice resulting in an eventual two-game suspension and a $10,000 fine. Neilson said ''It was a reaction and protest to what we thought was a non-call and I fired a stick. There's not too much you can say about it." Neilson became upset after referee Bill McCreary allowed Terry Yake to interfere with Jody Hull just before Pavol Demitra scored six seconds into a PP to make it 3-1 in the third period. ""It was a clear-cut penalty when Jody couldn't get out to the point," said Neilson. The Flyers' coach then refused to put his players on the ice and when he was hit with a double bench minor penalty, he grabbed a stick from Mark Recchi and tossed it on the ice, nearly striking linesman Lonnie Cameron and drawing a game misconduct. "I've been ejected a few times. I didn't throw (the stick) very well, the linesman had to duck." Philly killed the 5-on-3 but 18 seconds later Eric Desjardins was penalized and Turgeon scored six seconds into the advantage to make it 4-1. The Flyers' Valeri Zelepukin scored 24 seconds later to make it 4-2. Eric Lindros then had a goal disallowed by replay officials, who ruled his skate was just inside the crease. "To call one back like that, I wasn't sure the red line was part of the crease. But a call like that is embarrassing to the league," said Neilson. It was the second goal overturned in the game as another Lindros goal, in the first period, was denied when it was ruled Keith Jones was in the crease.

December 30, 2003 -- The Flyers' PP went 5-for-8 in a 7-2 win at St. Louis. Philly scored five straight goals on the PP, three in the second period and two in the third period within 28 seconds, to make it 5-1.

For you younger fans, the Flyers rivalry with the Blues from 67 thru the mid 70s was as intense as their rivalry with the Pens from 2007 to now.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

A return!

Filler, nothing more. Plus, much of that work was lost in the transition of whatever the hell it was called at the time.

 

[eramosat]

Cates-Brink-Deslaurier on the 4th line! This could be the beginning of maybe regular Deslaurier scratching?...Cates simply has to regain his natural tendencies, and on the 4th line it should be simple, and maybe just a little chemistry with Brink in a 4th line role (but not necessary, anyone other F could do it too), then Couts returns, and it is pretty much the best common denominator lineup choice e.g. Deslaurier scratch, until another forward goes out/gets traded.

High hopes.