FanHouse Flyers

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Flyers 6, Lightning 2: With only one goal in 11 games, Tampa Bay lightning head coach Rick Tocchet decided to demote his No. 1 center, Vincent Lecavalier, to the team's third line, but not because of his lack of goals. Damian Cristodero of Lightning Strikes quoted Tocchet on Monday morning as saying: "we've got to clean him up," referring not only to his lack of offensive production, but his play when he doesn't have the puck (defense, finishing checks, etc. etc. etc.)

Did it work on Monday night in Philadelphia? Not really.

In the NHL, coach firings are as common as parking tickets in New York City. Throughout the NHL season I'll be taking a bi-weekly look at five coaches who are the most likely to get fired. Be advised your local coach may be axed at any moment. Consider this fair warning.

We've made it through the first month of the NHL season and not one coach has gotten fired yet. That's got to be some kind of record. This is the NHL! Coaches are fired for lots of reasons and sometimes no reason at all. How is no team displeased enough to have fired a coach yet? And what have you got to say for yourself, Lou Lamoriello? Why is your finger not on the trigger?

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Capitals 4, Flyers 2: It may not have matched their first meeting of the season, but Tuesday's Capitals-Flyers throw down turned out to be an outstanding game with a playoff-like atmopshere. Alex Ovechkin netted a pair of goals, while Alex Semin scored the game-winner midway through the third period (video after the jump) with a rocket of a wrist shot that couldn't have been placed any better.

While the two Alex's were providing the offense, goaltender Jose Theodore played perhaps his best game of the season, stopping 41 shots, including a penalty shot against Darroll Powe midway through the third period to preserve a 3-2 lead.

For the second time in as many nights, an NHL player was taken off the ice on a stretcher Saturday. This time around it's Florida Panthers forward David Booth, who was on the receiving end of what appears to be a rather borderline hit from Philadelphia's Mike Richards.

Video after the jump.

It seems the Philadelphia Flyers have been hunting (too easy) for a franchise goaltender since Bernie Parent retired following the 1978-79 season. During his 13-year career, Parent helped guide the Flyers to back-to-back Stanley Cups, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP each time.

Thirty years after his retirement, you can spend some time with the Hall of Fame netminder if you're interested in doing some Bambi hunting on a private farm in New Jersey. Hopefully he doesn't wear his Jason-style goalie mask during the hunt because, well, that would just be creepy.

So, what does the $375 price tag get you?

We already talked about the ending to Thursday's Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia game and the Penguins claim that Flyers forward Scott Hartnell took a bite out of Kris Letang's finger. After a conference call with league disciplinary czar Colin Campbell on Friday, it was determined that Hartnell will not face any additional discipline due to a lack of evidence.

Video of the incident, including a new nickname for Hartnell, after the jump.

The first battle for Keystone State supremacy this season did not disappoint, as the Penguins pulled out a back-and-forth 5-4 win in Philadelphia, thanks in large part to an own-goal by the Flyers after a wayward Braydon Coburn pass deflected off of Ray Emery's skate to give the Pens a 4-2 lead late in the second period.

As is typically the case when these two teams get together, there was no love lost, and the ending turned into a three-ring circus during the Flyers' desperate attempt to tie the score. After Jeff Carter cut a 5-3 deficit to just one goal with 40 seconds to play, Philadelphia had one last push that resulted in all hell breaking loose in front of -- and behind -- Marc-Andre Fleury.

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Flyers 6, Capitals 5: After a scoreless first period in Philadelphia, the final 40 minutes of regulation -- and the overtime period -- of the Capitals-Flyers game turned into a defense optional contest.

The two teams pumped in 11 goals during Philadelphia's 6-5 overtime win, including a second period hat trick from Flyers center Mike Richards, giving him five goals in his first three games of the season. Such a number would have given him the early season lead in goals scored, had it not been for Alex Ovechkin continuing his white-hot start by adding a pair of his own, also giving him five on the young season.

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Sports fans in Philadelphia get a bad rap as one of the worst groups of sports fans in the country. There's the old legend that they booed Santa Claus and there's the factual occurrence of their booing Donovan McNabb. But, as with any sweeping generalization, there's a part based in rumor and legend as well as a part somewhat based in truth. While details are still sketchy about what happened one thing is clear -- Flyers and Devils fans decided to open the season with a bang with some European style hooliganism on the streets of New Jersey and Philly (Note: Fair warning, there are some graphic, NSFW descriptions after the jump).