Reporters are generally inquisitive, but Anthony San Filippo’s column on the Delco Times proves how a persistent reporter operates. He asked Coach John Stevens directly for clear details of the strategic plan against the Pittsburgh Penguins and he delivered.

According to the insider article, Coach John Stevens will stop Sidney Crosby by using Darien Hatcher in their key line. “With Crosby, if you try to stick check him all night you’re not going to be very effective. You have to be physical with him and that plays right into Hatch’s hands,” referring to the defenseman’s acumen.

But then there is the question of Malkin, the Hart trophy finalist and power play creator for the Pittsburgh Penguins. “We’d like to split Timonen in half so we can have two of him so we can match him up against both of them,” said Stevens referring to Coach Therrien’s deadliest offensive playmakers Malkin and Crosby.

Shutting down players using Timonen worked in the quarterfinal series against Alexander Ovechkin in Washington and then in the semifinals against Alex Kovalev in Montreal. It could be done.

Unfortunately, the most pressing question remains unanswered by John Stevens: What will Gary Roberts do?

I’m not disappointed in the Flyers level of play against the top seeded Montreal Canadiens.  In fact, I’m just disappointed in the quality of their hockey sticks. 

Nowadays hockey sticks are made of technological advanced materials, special coatings and graphite blades.  Anyone would think that broken hockey sticks would be a thing of the past with the future of science.  Of course, this might be just part of the advertising campaign to emulate hockey heroes such as Sidney Crosby.

During the first period of game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Flyers Scottie Upshall broke his Easton S17 stick after shooting a tying goal against the Washington Capitals.  The infamous hockey stick is even on sale on Ebay. 

But the most dramatic Flyers stick break occurred this past Thursday during their first semifinal game against the Montreal Canadiens. With less than a minute left in the third period, Flyers center Jeff Carter’s Bauer stick broke as he tapped it forcibly on the ice on a faceoff to Canadien’s Saku Koivu.  Christopher Higgins then shot the loose puck to Alex Kovalev who sent it straight into the top right corner beating Flyers goaltender Martin Biron tying the game. 

 

It seems that Tom Kostopoulus with his RBK Pro-O stick made more damage in overtime than the Flyers could realize for the Canadiens win.  His Pro-O stick did not break. 

So, why not sue RBK, Easton or whichever company makes the hockey sticks for broken damages?   A broken stick can lose the game.