Emotional Rescue

Emotional Rescue – Rolling Stones
originally posted Apr.20, 2009

Game Three Pens/ Flyers series

by Jan Snyder

Emotion: An affective state of consciousness in which joy, sorrow, fear, hate or the like, is experienced; usually accompanied by certain physiological changes, such as increased heartbeat, respiration, or the like.

That’s a clear description of what we went through during this contest as fans. Joy at Geno’sthe Flyers. power play, sorrow at a last minute empty net goal, fear that someone would get injured in all the fights, hate – well, that’s a given when facing

This bluesy little song is just what we need to hear after this game.
Going back to Philadelphia seemed to be just what the Flyers needed. And playing an afternoon game on NBC seemed to be the last thing the Pens needed. Being the stars on NBC doesn’t agree with Pittsburgh for some reason. Maybe they are all just “night people”.

The raucous crowd certainly came to the Emotional Rescue of their team and energized them. Playing the way they did today shows the importance of home ice. The hitting started early but unlike the two prior games, the Pens decided to be more involved in the roughing and fighting than that were at home. Discipline was lacking on the parts of both teams but took a higher toll on the Pens.

Frantic is the best word to describe Game Three. Frantic hitting, frantic fighting, frantic skating – but give the Flyers credit for being able to control it better, scoring a power play goal and a short-handed goal.

Petr Sikora missed a couple of shots, Bill Guerin didn’t make much of an impression today, and the third line, except for getting into trouble, didn’t make much noise. Geno never stopped and scored two of the Pens’ three goals, with Scuderi adding one as well. Fleury was a little off too. Crosby did everything but score in a totally hostile environment.

So, the team from the western part of Pennsylvania is still up 2-1in the series and the next game is at night and not on NBC, both factors in their favor. Let’s not let our emotions get the best of us and let’s hope the players do the same. Monday night we’ll be in for more joy, more sorrow, more fear and more hate – after all, it’s the Stanley Cup Playoffs! We wouldn’t want it any other way.