That was unpleasant to watch. The New York Islanders got Torts’d by a Philadelphia Flyers team missing a few of its regulars and dressing a few minor-leaguers. They agreed to two fights in the first eight seconds, scored an early goal on a five-on-three, and then peaced out.
It happens. That’s hockey. The Flyers were a desperate team who hadn’t won in three weeks—they needed and wanted that win much more than New York. And it didn’t help that, on top of Kyle Palmieri remaining out, Josh Bailey was a late injury scratch; nor did it help that Cal Clutterbuck left the game in the first period, essentially shortening the bench to three lines instead of four.