Sabres' Ruff rips Flyers as series' hostility builds

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Thursday, April 21, 2011
Posted: 2:28 p.m.

By Tim Panaccio
CSNPhilly.com

When asked before Game 4 why the rhetoric and hostilities hadnt surfaced between the Flyers and Sabres in this playoff series, Peter Laviolette correctly pointed out, the series isnt over.

The Flyers coach was right.

Rest assured, there will be plenty of hostility in Game 5 on Friday in South Philly following the barrage of punches, spears, jabs, and more thrown amid scrums during Buffalos Game 4 shutout Wednesday that tied this Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at 2-2.

Finally, Mt. Lindy has erupted.

I just feel that theyre doing a lot of whining, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said at his Thursday press conference. Theyre really doing a lot of whining.

I didnt hear any whining when they had 10 power plays in Philly, and I didnt hear any whining when the power plays in the first game were lopsided. But all of a sudden theres all this whining about, We're getting away with murder.

Thats a bunch of crap. Thats for the media. Thats for the officials to read. Thats, Here, lets get the next call. Thats a bunch of crap. Lets just play.

Flyers captain Mike Richards was the Flyer who referenced murder after the 1-0 loss. Hes still upset at the five minute elbowing major he was hit with for defending himself against Patrick Kaleta.

Thats fine, thats fine, were focused on tomorrow night, Richards said of Ruffs remark. He seems to have a way with the media.

He does this, I think, every time theyre in the playoffs. Were just focused on tomorrow night, getting a good start and getting our licks in on some of their good players and not worry about the other stuff.

The Flyers held meetings on Thursday plus an optional skate. Richards and a few other players skated with the Black Aces, including Chris Pronger, who sources said is expected to play in Game 5, but likely in a reduced role (read: no power play time).

Sources also told CSNPhilly.com that Jeff Carter is out for Game 5 with a sprained right knee.

Richards said he needed some work on the ice today, which is why he skated. He also said his head cold has cleared up.

Theres little question that the tone of the series has now changed as the spunky Sabres have been making it a point of going after the Flyers.

Kimmo Timonen estimated Nathan Gerbe speared him five times.

Timonen almost never gets angry on the ice, yet near the end of the game, he got piled onto and was punched in the back.

Some things happen after the whistle and I usually dont get mad, but once things get out of control, hitting behind, hitting to the hands, hitting after the whistle to your calves, those are things I cant take, Timonen said. Sometimes, you get emotional about it.

Obviously, this series is a notch above those legendary IIHF World Championship duels between Finland and Sweden.

Timonen laughed.

I try to keep my emotions in check and play my game, but sometimes, during a heated game you get carried away a bit, he said.

Laviolette said he fully expects his team to harness the energy within Wells Fargo Center and use it in the right, legal proportions just as the Sabres did to the Flyers in the opening 10 minutes of Game 4.

Im a big believer in grabbing the energy, within the realm of discipline, he said. "There will be lots of jump, lots of jam.

We need to harness that and use it to our advantage and make sure were skating and attacking and physical. But going to the box all night long wont help our case, either.

Sean ODonnell said after the game that the Sabres seem to want to get into a street fight with the Flyers and that Buffalo feels if the games resemble that, it can win the series.

The Sabres seem to be trying to goad the Flyers into penalties, if need be, especially after the whistle.

Lots of plays, Richards interjected.

The officials allowed outright thuggery in Game 4.

It hasnt happened in the series yet penalties for what goes on in the scrums, Richards said. But I like our discipline. I like what were doing. Walking away from it.

Eventually, youd hope something is going to happen. If not, we cant worry about that stuffWeve done a lot of good things in walking away from the scrums and not feeding into their B.S.

Richards and others stressed after Game 4 that the Flyers need to take the body more because the Sabres are certainly doing that to them in this series.

We plan to be physical, as usual, but I think we got away from hitting their players I think we need to key on and not worry about the other players, Richards said.

They got some skilled players who can make plays. If we allow them to move the puck and go up the ice without being hit, theyre obviously going to be creating a lot.

Players like Tim Connolly, Thomas Vanek and Tyler Myers, we got to try and get a body on them as much as possible.

If the Flyers had one fault it was a couple of odd-man rushes they gave up in Game 4, though none resulted in a goal.

Overall, the Flyers had 26 scoring chances but simply couldnt dent Ryan Miller, who has shown hes quite capable of stealing multiple games, if need be.

I dont know how many hits we had but we have to double up for tomorrow, Timonen said.

In many ways, Game 4 resembled Game 1. Both teams played well, neither Miller nor Brian Boucher deserved to lose, and both were 1-0 Miller shutouts.

We played really solid but that being said, we lost the game, Timonen said. We can do better. We have to go to the net harder. Their goalie was the difference yesterday. We got to make it hard for him.

And what about Lindy Ruff?

Were just playing, Ruff said. There hasnt been one word about the officiating out of us. If they want to cry about the officiating or whine about different calls, go ahead. Go ahead.

E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net

Related: Pronger expected back, Carter out for Game 5Flyers' impressive penalty kill not enough for win

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