NHL Stadium Series: Players 'completely worn out' playing on 120-yard-long rink

Philadelphia--Saturday's NHL Stadium Series game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers at Lincoln Financial Field marked the first outdoor NHL game with a rink as long as the football field (including the end zones) beneath the ice. The teams were clearly spent by the end of the first period."Playing on a rink that long is ridiculous," said Flyers captain Claude Giroux. "That's nearly double the size of a normal rink. It's too much. It was comical." The NHL approved the longer rink in order to "draw more NFL fans to improve television ratings." The exhausted hockey players also somehow found the energy to perform elaborate group celebrations after scoring goals. "My favorite celebration was when [the Flyers] pretended to drill a hole in the ice and use their sticks to go ice fishing ," said one young fan.

Eagles credit Gritty's fiery pregame 'speech' for victory over Rams

Los Angeles--Yes, that was Gritty, the Flyers wacky new mascot, on the Eagles' sideline at the Memorial Coliseum on Sunday night. The Orange blob of hair was personally invited to the game by head coach Doug Pederson in an effort to 'spark the team to victory.' "I was just about to address the team before taking the field and coach told me to 'zip it' because we have a special guest here in LA," said QB Nick Foles. "All of the sudden Gritty walks in and just gives a very intense and inspiring routine...without saying a word. Guys were going nuts." Pederson stood in the corner of the locker room and took in the scene. "I was amped up," said the coach. "Gritty came in and you should have seen the faces on the players. Gritty's eyes said it all when they moved independently of each other: go out there and beat the Rams and keep your season alive. Be wacky and wild." Several players said their kids were going to be very jealous. Pederson laughed during the postgame press conference when he revealed that the bright orange mascot was actually on the flight with the team to LA, but was wearing a disguise so that no one would recognize him. "He had an exit row seat," said the coach, "and was wearing glasses and a fake mustache."

Unclear if frustrated Flyers fans derisively chanting Hextall or Hakstol

Lindros to enter Hall of Fame as Quebec Nordique

New Flyers coach makes first big change: wear full face shield or lose your scholarship

Flyers GM Hextall says new phone cord definitely longer than previous phone cord

Flyers to stick with Berube, but dismiss team's longtime Zamboni driver to 'give club a much needed spark'

Ed Snider, Comcast Spectacor chairman, assured the veteran ice resurfacer that it wasn't anything specific he did, but that a second person had to take the fall for the club's continued slow start to the season. "We can't fire another coach just yet, but someone had to be fired," said Snider. "Oh, we're definitely going to fire [Craig] Berube, but we just can't do it yet. I mean, how would that look? For God's sake, we're living in a society."

Bryzgalov on Flyers missing playoffs: 'It's just very, very disappointed. The whole situation is very not sexy.'

Siren song of the Barclays Center: Devils, Rangers, Knicks moving to Brooklyn

Brooklyn--Move over Nets. Watch your step Islanders. A few new housemates are moving in. The brand new Barclays Center is apparently the place to be these days in the metropolitan New York sporting world.

Several months ago, the Islanders announced they would move from Nassau County to Brooklyn beginning in 2015. The team was unable to secure a new, much-needed facility on the Island. (Technically, Brooklyn is on the western tip of Long Island, so...)

Yesterday, the Devils, Rangers, and Knicks all announced plans to move from their current home arenas to Flatbush Avenue and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, New York City's most populous borough with 2.5 million people (roughly the same size as Chicago).

The Devils move from Newark may be the most surprising of the three teams given that the Prudential Center, the team's home stadium, was completed only in 2007. The Prudential Center was meant to keep the team in New Jersey for "a friggin' longtime."

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called the Devils' move "cowardly," but added that his focus was still on Superstorm Sandy recovery. Christie said that once Sandy work was complete he would attempt to lure the Phoenix Coyotes to North Jersey.

Pretty sneaky, sis: NHL uses new four-division realignment plan to inform several teams league is contracting

Flyers ready for franchise's first day-night doubleheader in Florida

Sunrise, FL--The Philadelphia Flyers, already depleted by injuries and looking up in the standings, face a tough stretch in the schedule, including today's day-night doubleheader, the first in franchise history. However, it is not the only day-night double header of the season, it is merely the first of four--an unfortunate and unavoidable consequence of the lock-out-shortened, 48-game NHL schedule. After a 1 p.m. game today against the Florida Panthers the team will board a one-hour flight from Miami to Tampa for an 8 p.m. contest with the Lightning. "It's tough but you just psych yourself up and do what you have to do," said first-year captain Claude Giroux. Coaches and players expressed that the main concern was if the first game went into overtime or a shootout, delaying the arrival in Tampa. All thirty NHL teams will play at least three doubleheaders this year, while twelve teams play six, the maximum the league would allow. "The health of our players comes first," said Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner. "However, we needed to cram in games during days and times that were not ideal, and that, unfortunately, included scheduling many doubleheaders." The Flyers will fly from Tampa immediately following the game tonight to New York for a 10 a.m. Sunday matchup tomorrow morning with the Rangers.

NHL Lockout over: Not all players thrilled with new four-blade skate requirement

The move allows players to wear sneakers with the skates, which, league officials say, will increase comfort and safety exponentially for the high-flying athletes. Others claim it will slow down the game exponentially. "Yeah, I've used four-blade skates before ... when I was six-years-old," said one NHL right winger. "Yes, it's very comfortable, but, man, is it slow. You're basically running."

N.H.L Lockout: Should out-of-work Zamboni drivers be operating school buses during work stoppage?

New York--The N.H.L. lockout continues to drag on, threatening the 2012-'13 season and economically impacting thousands. The trickle-down effect of the labor dispute has put players, coaches, officials, cotton candy vendors, concession stand workers, security guards, agents, parking attendants, and even Zamboni drivers out of work or has dramatically reduced working hours.

Zamboni drivers. What does an N.H.L. Zamboni driver do when there is no need for Zamobi-ing-ing?

Cliff Cargill, the Zamboni driver for the Flyers for the past eighteen years, has been out of pro hockey work since the lockout began. Fortunately, he has been able to make up for a few of his lost hours on the Wells Fargo Center ice with a part-time job on week nights driving the Zamboni at Gary's Ice Rink & Roll in Lansdowne, Pa, a venue catering to peewee ice hockey games during the week and roller skating on the weekends. (Yes, the patrons attempt to roller skate on ice. It is quite the sight and worth the $20 entrance fee.)

However, most of Cargill's income during the unscheduled break comes from driving a school bus for the School District of Philadelphia.

There's a slight problem, though. Cargill, 53, a South Philadelphia native who has been without a car since he was 20-years-old, has also been without a valid driver's license since that time, too. So, how on earth is Cargill driving a school bus filled with young children?

"Cliff has been a model driver for the District for the past two months," said Dana Halpert, the District's assistant superintendent managing director. "His background is driving on ice, which probably makes him overqualified for the position. Neither Cliff nor the District has committed any wrong doing, as a Zamboni license is an acceptable document verifying proficiency in operating a motor vehicle."

That is correct. The public transit- and bicycle-dependent Cargill, who has not driven an automobile in nearly thirty-three years, secured the bus driving job with a Zamboni license. A Zamboni license! The district was dangerously short on drivers this school year and allowed Cargill to use the "ice license" in place of an automobile license, which is permitted by the District and by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

It must be noted that Zamboni licenses are not distributed in cereal boxes or found at the bottom of Pringles cans, as the process to certification is rigorous and must be renewed every eighteen months at the Zamboni Academy and Research Institute in Toronto, Canada. The initial exam consists of an intense ten-hour multiple choice, essay, and short-answer computer test, followed by a six-hour behind-the-wheel hands-on test. The renewal is five hours and three hours, respectively.

Nonetheless, Cargill has not driven a vehicle on the road for quite some time and there are differences--like, the difference between eastern Washington state apples and western Washington state apples--from driving the ice smoothing machine.

"I can do circles no problem," laughed the father of three, who literally drove a bus in circles in the vast parking lots at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex to prepare for the job. "My bus route is mostly circular, but when I have to make a right and then a left--or vice versa--I get somewhat disoriented. But, I'm working on that."

Cargill also says he gets very anxious and disappointed when he drives over pot holes with the bus, looks in the rear-view or side-view mirror, and sees that the pot hole is still there. "That's one part of the job I don't think I'll ever get used to. The Zamboni takes care of all ice 'pot holes.'"

Parents of the school children riding the bus have, for the most part, supported the driver despite the lack of hours behind the wheel of the big yellow bus. "I'm a big Flyers fan, I mean, huge. I have all orange and black in my row house windows. So, if I get to tell my friends and family that the Zamboni driver for the Flyers takes my kid to school, than I'm not too concerned about what kind of experience he's got," said Donna Scioli of Shunk Street, wearing an autographed Jaromir Jagr jersey.

Morgan Freeman 'appalled' by Penguins dirty play; backs out of deal to narrate team's season highlights

"Penguins don't act like that, I am appalled," Tweeted the Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman minutes after the heated Penguins-Flyers first-round playoff game ended yesterday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. "Supposed to narrate Penguins' season, but won't be doing that now. Cannot associate with that stuff. Go Flyers." The actor narrated the award-winning documentary March of the Penguins in 2005.

Awesome Roy? New Eagles cornerback thoroughly confused hockey fan entire season

Central New Jersey--Fred Swindon admits he's a huge hockey fan. And when it comes to hockey he acknowledges it's not right to like two teams, but he grew up, and currently lives, near the ambiguous dividing line that separates the New York and Philadelphia metropolitan areas in central New Jersey. He says this only to reinforce his love for hockey.

"I am more a Flyers fan, but I cheer for the Devil's pretty hard, too," said Swindon. "But overall I'm just a huge hockey fan. I mean, huge."

The work-from-home computer programmer subscribes to the hockey package on cable, receives over twenty publications dedicated solely to the frozen game and takes photos of NHL arenas around the country during the puck-less summer months. Additionally, he writes a blog for the AHL (ZamboniandTinasWedding.net/ahl/-~&~?//) and follows more than five thousand hockey related accounts on Twitter.

The six pool sticks in his basement billiards room were made from old hockey sticks. One carefully preserved and lacquered cue still has a hockey blade at the thicker end, he claims it was Steve Yzerman's, the longtime former captain of the Detroit Red Wings. The balls on the felt table he says are made from the teeth of hockey players around the world that he purchased on EBay.

So, when it comes to watching football the Jersey-based hockey fan is not up to speed with all the offseason transactions and happenings of the game. He says he turns the game on Sundays to have something in the background.

Missing the first few Eagles games of the season, the "extremely casual NFL fan" tuned in for an early October matchup between the Eagles and the Redskins. A pass by the Washington quarterback Rex Grossman was broken up nicely by an Eagles cornerback in the first quarter.

"Asomugha with the stop!" shouted the announcer on television.

"When I first heard it I just thought it was a mistake. Then, the announcers said it a few more times during the remainder of the game. I was dumbfounded, literally. I couldn't believe they were paying tribute to the great Patrick Roy during a football game. 'Awesome Roy' this and 'awesome Roy' that. It was great," said a smiling Swindon. "He was a great player and deserves the recognition even during a football game."

Swindon was completely unaware that the Eagles had made a major signing in the lockout-shortened offseaon when they added coveted Raiders' free agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. Asomugha is pronounced ah-sem-wah. Said with some quickness and rhythm and it can sound a lot like awesome-wah (or, if you'r a crazy hockey fan). Incidentally, the French pronunciation of Roy is wah.

The die-hard hockey fan that he is automatically set his mind to hear awesome Roy. Patrick Roy is a Hall of Fame goalie that played for the Montreal Canadians from 1985-95 and for the Colorado Avalanche from 1995-2003. He won four Stanley Cups, two with each team, and captured the Venzina Trophy as the league's best netminder three times.

"It didn't make any sense, but when one is so focused on hockey ... it made perfect sense. I am blinded by hockey sometimes, or deafened, in this case."

Swindon didn't realize his mistake until the end of the season when he made a post on his blog thanking the Eagles and the network announcing team for honoring Patrick Roy throughout the season. Immediately the comments came pouring in and there was lots of embarrassment.

"Lot's of egg. A big 'ol chunk of scrambled egg. What can I say, I'm not that into football."

NHL Winter Classic: Players, coaches to sit in dugout during game; line changes to be very complicated

Philadelphia--Despite the baseball dugouts being more than 30 yards from the rink at Citizens Bank Park, the Rangers' and Flyers' players and coaches have all agreed to sit in the below-field level benches during the NHL Winter Classic on Monday. "The dugouts are far from the action but we wanted to honor the game of baseball during this great outdoor game," said Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers' Swedish-born goaltender, who became overly embarrassed when he was informed that there was no such thing as a 'walk-off first down' in baseball (or any sport for that matter). Coaches will have to overextend their voice boxes (larynges) in order to communicate effectively with the athletes on the ice. Meanwhile, players making line changes will need to run or briskly walk more than 30 yards to the rink gate from the dugout on a rubber mat for each substitution. "It'll be exhausting, but I've aways wanted to visit the Phillies dugout," said James van Riemsdyk, Flyers' left winger from Middleton, NJ. "They should make a little ice path from the dugouts to the rink ... but I know they won't." The NHL may permit the two clubs to each use a golf cart to shuttle players back and forth from the dugout to the ice.

Flyers' Pronger to play inside giant skate after return from foot injury

Voorhees, NJ--The Flyers position atop the Eastern Conference standings may be surprising to some NHL experts and fans after the team lost their leading defenseman to a foot injury nearly a month ago. The hard-hitting Chris Pronger was predicted to miss up to six weeks of action due to a broken right foot, but rehab has gone considerably better than expected.

"We're hoping that Chris can return to the lineup sometime next week," said head coach Peter Laviolette. "He's a warrior, but our main concern is protecting that foot for the remainder of the season and the playoffs when he does finally return."

The team has tested several ways to prevent further injury to the 36-year-old, including a single giant skate to sit in, a snow tricycle and a XXXXL right-footed skate. The front office, against Pronger's wishes, has decided on the giant skate which includes a small bench for the player to sit on to conserve energy throughout a game and a mini fridge.

"Right now, we're thinking the best way to protect Chris' foot is for him to play inside one giant single skate," said general manager Paul Holmgren. "This is the best course to an injury-free conclusion to the season. I'm sure of it. If it were up to me, Chris would play the rest of his career in that giant skate."

Pronger has tested the single skate several times in practice and admits he has a long way to go before becoming proficient at maneuvering the Swedish-designed and constructed piece of hockey gear that has never been used before--at any level.

"I'm really having a difficult time balancing when I'm standing still on the ice," said Pronger, who hopes to lead the team back to the Stanley Cup Finals this year. "The coaches say I will learn to do this quickly but I'm not so sure. Also, changing lines has been a nightmare during scrimmages."

This changing of lines has been the biggest concern for the team. Currently, during practice, when Pronger is on the ice and would like to come off, he skates to the team's bench where four or five teammates lift him up over the boards, as the gate is too narrow to accommodate the large skate.

There has also been complications of getting the player back on to the ice for a shift change. At one point yesterday, six players and two coaches were not enough to lift Pronger over the boards as the six-foot steel blade caught the top edge sending the former All-Star crashing to the ice.

"That was a little embarrassing," said one teammate who wanted to remain anonymous. "I mean, we just dropped the guy. But we helped him up and he quickly skated off and checked someone in the corner."

The giant skate has not slowed the defenseman, in fact, his coaches say that he is moving at speeds--and hitting harder than ever--that he displayed as a rookie. The problem is that he becomes nervous to stop out of fear of tipping over and once this happens he is at the mercy of his teammates.

"I want to play very badly but I don't want to be a burden to my teammates. Yesterday, it took ten players to lace and tie my giant skate. I can't believe it's come to this."

Notes: The Flyers are hiring! If you have experience sharpening giant ice hockey skates the team wants to hear from you. Must have 3-4 years experience sharpening skates with blades between 6-8 feet long. Must have own transportation and love to travel.

Spectrum statues to be relocated in front of planned mall Sunglass Hut

Above: A rendering of the new location of the Spectrum's statues at PhillyLive!'s future Sunglass Hut.

South Philadelphia--As preparation for the demolition of the Spectrum continues, workers removed the bronze statues around the outside of the hallowed arena on Friday with the help of cranes and straps. Among the works of art being relocated are the Kate Smith statue, Julius Erving statue and the "Score" statue--a tribute to Gary Dornhoefer's 1973 goal against the Minnesota North Stars. Yesterday, it was announced that a new location for the metal likenesses had been chosen. Philly Live! (pictured below), the new shopping and entertainment venue planned for the site, recently reached a lease agreement with Sunglass Hut, the world's largest sunglasses store which can be found in most malls and airports around the globe. "This economy is tough," said Ed Snider, Chairman of Comcast Spectacor, tears streaming from under his new black-framed sunglasses. "To bring tenants into Philly Live! we have to go the extra mile. As part of the contract, Sunglass Hut requested that the statues, which are all near and dear to my heart, be positioned in front of the new store once completed. Is this the ideal location? No, but we need to fill these commercial spaces." The eyewear company is foreseeing thousands of photos being taken by visiting fans of the statues with the store in the background, which, they hope, will act as free advertising.

Lack of Uno restaurants forces visiting Blackhawks fans to reluctantly gather in Center City T.G.I. Fridays

Philadelphia, PA--Blackhawks fans visiting Philadelphia and Chicag0land transplants living in the Place that Loves You Back, were extremely upset even before Claude Giroux tipped an overtime goal past Antti Niemi for the Flyers' first win of the series.

Upset because of bad referee calls? No. Upset because of unruly Flyers fans? No. Upset that they put some sort of bratwurst topping on a cheesesteak? Yes, probably, but that's not it. What then? No Uno. No what-o?

Many Chicago fans in town for the Stanley Cup Finals, most making the journey without tickets, admitted to just assuming there was an Uno Chicago Grill in downtown Philadelphia where they could link up with other 'Hawks fans headed east. There is one Uno franchise location within the city's limits, however, it is in the Northeast section of the city, some 15 miles from City Hall.

Three friends, all visiting from Aurora, IL, reluctantly gathered last night in the nearly empty, circa 1985 T.G.I. Friday's along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the crucial playoff game. Tom Higgins, 45, the trip organizer, wanted to be close to his beloved hockey team and follow the Western Conference champions on the road. Clad in red Blackhawk's jerseys, the three men stared straight ahead nursing half-empty beers, not really watching the game and not speaking to one another since learning that their favorite deep dish pizza chain is absent from the heart of Philadelphia.

"Yeah, we ordered the Tuscan Spinach Dip," answered Higgins in a sarcastic tone when asked if the untouched appetizer sitting in front of the University of Wisconsin graduates belonged to the group. "It's a freakin' sweet app. I'm kind of out of it right now, forgive me, but I think we have an order of Sesame Jack Chicken Strips coming as well. Yippee."

The dearth of the pizza chain restaurants in this city was absolutely shocking to some Windy City fans.

"Philly is a great city," said Debra Smith, 34, of Skokie, IL, standing with her husband Gary in front of Independence Hall. "We've seen all the historic sites these last two days and the food here is unbelievable. But, then we asked our hotel's concierge where the local Uno Chicago Grill is--you know, to connect with other Chicago fans--and he said there isn't one close by. I began to have a panic attack because the game was only 20 minutes from starting. In Chicago, there's an Uno restaurant within a 15 minute walk from any point in the city."

Midwestern Fans known for their passion and general good manners, but not so much for an in-your-face attitude, vented obvious frustration. "This is a bunch of rotten bratwursts," shouted Dan Henski at nobody in particular, a Blackhawk fan from Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood. "Every city in the world has an Uno Chicago Grill downtown, except for maybe Nashville. This ain't no real city. I'm so upset that I could just reverse the flow of the Chicago River when I get back home. I swear I'll do it."

One group of 'Hawks fans, staying at several different hotels and who crossed paths at the famous Mutter Museum earlier in the day, pitched in for a 9-mile cab ride to Deptford, NJ, the closest Uno location to Center City. Another group staying at the Old City Marriott opted to rent a van and make their way to Conshohocken, a 13-mile trip west on the Schuylkill Expressway.

"Going to the Garden State wasn't in the plans, but we love our 'Hawks. Plus, my doctor says I'm not really suppose to go more than 48 hours without having deep dish pizza. No, really, I'm serious. It's been eight years since I've gone more than two days without my deep dish," said Dan O'Reilly, 47, of Evanston, IL.

So, local Uno locations in Conshohocken, Deptford, Newtown Square, Maple Shade and the Northeast, prepare yourselves for an invasion of Chicago-accented hockey enthusiasts supporting their team while visiting the Suburbs of Brotherly Love deep dish.

Stanley Cup Finals: Will Chicago's wind play a factor?

Flyers use swamp boats in practice to simulate windy conditions

The Flyers walk the concourse of Chicago's United Center in brand new, wind resistant hooded sweatshirts. The team got lost in the arena's cavernous halls before eventually finding the media room for a press conference.

Chicago, IL--The Philadelphia Flyers last played a game against the Blackhawks in Chicago's United Center on December 26, 2008. The game was not even close as the home team convincingly won, 5-1, over the visiting Orange and Black.

"The only thing I can remember about that game was the wind," said Flyers' left winger, Simon Gagne. "We just were not accustomed to the wind coming in off of Lake Michigan. To get a shot on goal, you had to aim five feet to the side of the net."

Eastern Conference teams do not play in every Western Conference city each year and vice versa. Teams from the east, who rarely travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks, really have to over prepare themselves for the city's strong winds. For this reason, the Flyers brought in 12 swamp/fan boats this week to their practice facility in Vorhees, NJ, to become more familiar with playing hockey in windy conditions.

"I've never played in those conditions," said Flyers' goaltender Michael Leighton, after practice on Wednesday. "When all 12 boats were turned on, the force was so strong that the equipment guys had to create this elaborate anchoring system from ice skate laces."

The Windy City will be hosting a Stanley Cup Final game for the first time since 1992. In that year, Mario Lemieux, Hall of Fame star for the Penguins, who won the series in four games, was fortunate enough to figure out the wind patterns of northeastern Illinois fairly quickly.

"My advice to the Flyers would be to really overcompensate for the wind," said Lemieux, now co-owner of the Penguins, who is pulling for his Atlantic Division foe against the Blackhawks. "In '92, I would lick my finger and hold it to the air to determine the wind direction. This proved invaluable. This was only after finding out that gathering ice shavings from the rink surface and releasing them into the wind was not an effective approach."

Flyers' head coach Peter Laviolette has stressed to his team the importance of wind compensation when passing, shooting, clearing and, believe it or not, line changing.

"Winds are stronger coming over the glass and the boards," warned Laviolette, who brought in a University of Chicago wind expert, a Chester County native, to talk with the team. "When coming on and off the ice the players must use the doors to the bench. The wind can prevent a player from coming over the boards, which can result in a too many men penalty."

Having played in the wind for 41 regular season and 8 playoff home games, the Blackhawks hold a definite advantage. Both teams, however, will quickly find out whether or not 12 swamp boats can level that playing field ... er, rink.