Flyers, Capitals engage in line brawl featuring Ray Emery vs. Braden Holtby (Video)
Things did not go well in Philadelphia Friday night. The Washington Capitals raced out to a 6-0 lead, chasing Steve Mason early in the second period and the Flyers had no answer for it.
After Joel Ward completed his hat trick 5:23 into the final period to make it 7-0, Wayne Simmonds used his next shift to bowl over Steven Oleksy and drop the gloves with Tom Wilson. While all that was happening, Flyers netminder Ray Emery into the Capitals' zone toward Braden Holtby and pretty much forced him into a fight.
Holtby, as you see, didn't want anything to do with Emery, but did his best to protect himself once given no choice in the matter.
Emery was given two minutes for instigating, two for leaving the crease, five for fighting and a 10-minute misconduct. It was his third career fight, according to HockeyFights.com, and first since he tangoed with Marty Biron and Andrew Peters during that infamous 2007 brawl with the Buffalo Sabres.
Holtby was given five for fighting.
The Capitals would end up winning 7-0 and while the highlight might be the line brawl and goalie fight, many won't forget the multiple Fire Holmgren chants inside Wells Fargo Arena. Yet, despite all the Flyers' woes early this season, thanks to the wonder that is the Metropolitan Division, they're only five points out of a playoff spot with 70 games to go.
Don't throw out Claude Giroux's prediction just yet!
Update: Even Pat Sajak didn't like what he saw tonight.
Love hockey, but Flyers are part of reason it remains a niche sport. Shameful tonight (including Philly radio team.)
— Pat Sajak (@patsajak) November 2, 2013
But someone in the Philadelphia media apparently did. For his brief appearance in the game and the eagerness with which he pummeled an unwilling combatant, Emery was named the game's third star. Seriously.
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