97.5 The Fanatic Flyers Roundup: Charities Carnival, Tortorella Suspension
The playoff race has tightened. The Philadelphia Flyers have hit another skid, as opponents outscored them 15-5 this week. They are clinging to a four-point lead for the final Metropolitan Division playoff spot with 15 games left on the schedule. They’ll head north to face the dynamic Boston Bruins before the annual Flyers Charities Carnival on Sunday.
- Saturday 3/9: Tampa Bay Lightning 7, Flyers 0
- Tuesday 3/12: Flyers 3, San Jose Sharks 2
- Thursday 3/14: Toronto Maple Leafs 6, Flyers 2
John Tortorella Suspension
The bottom fell out against the Lightning on March 9. The Flyers went down 4-0 in the first period, and John Tortorella took an early exit down the tunnel. Wes McCauley ejected the veteran coach, who briefly refused to leave the bench in a bizarre standoff.
Torts is not having it right now 😳 pic.twitter.com/xELagoYo7C
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 10, 2024
The NHL fined Tortorella $50K for “unprofessional conduct directed at officials” and suspended him two games. The maximum amount players can be fined under the current CBA is $5K.
Tortorella’s fire is no secret. Watch any postgame press conference following a loss. He’s paid 13 fines over parts of 23 seasons as an NHL head coach.
However, the venom doesn’t come without its advantages. His leadership has steered the direction of the organization’s rebuild, and he’s demonstarted impactful insight at plenty of points during his two seasons in Philadelphia. Some NHL officials have even learned to appreciate Tortorella for his sincerity.
Dan Hilferty said before the suspension that he’d pay Tortorella’s fine. The players also echoed the sentiment of solidarity and appreciation for their head coach going to bat for them at ice level.
Brad Shaw and Rocky Thompson held down the fort for two games.
A Rocky Schedule
The Maple Leafs outclassed the Flyers with superior offensive firepower in the 6-2 laugher. It was the first of a seven-game stretch all against the other five teams occupying division playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, and it came just five days after the nightmare in Tampa Bay. Can the Flyers show resilience and rebound?
“We’ve done it all year… This time of the year, whether you lose 7-0 or 2-1, it’s a loss. We’ve got to move on.”
— Colin Newby (@ToNewbyginnings) March 15, 2024
-Sean Couturier
Meanwhile, the New York Islanders have emerged past three Metropolitan teams sinking in the standings to become the biggest threat to Philadelphia’s playoff chances.
Injuries have crushed a patchwork blue line. Rasmus Ristolainen, Nick Seeler, and Jamie Drysdale remain out of lineup while Sean Walker sports a new uniform. Tortorella now faces the challenge of upholding the battered unit using replacements like Ronnie Attard, Marc Staal, and Erik Johnson.
The Flyers now face their biggest adversity of the season. The hurricane of the schedule doesn’t bother Rocky Thompson, however. He spoke about how the Flyers can beat a great team or lose to a bad team because of their style. Will they be a hit or a miss in the upcoming stretch?
“We can only play one way, whether we’re playing the Boston Bruins or we’re playing San Jose. We are good at our style of play, so there’s no easy nights for us. It doesn’t matter who we are, but when we can play that way, we give ourselves (an) opportunity to be successful by the end of the night.” -Rocky Thompson
Flyers Charities Carnival
97.5 The Fanatic will broadcast from the Flyers Charities Carnival at the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday, March 17. Kevin Cooney and Ray Dunne will go live from the East Food Hall from 12pm-3pm. John Tortorella, Dan Hilferty, Keith Jones, and other guests will join throughout the show.
The carnival offers fans the opportunity to enjoy meet and greets and photos with current and former players, carnival games and rides, and the notorious dunk tank.
The Flyers Charities Carnival focuses on the three pillars that define the organization’s charity mission:
- Honoring the legacy of supporting local families impacted by cancer
- Growing inclusivity of diverse participants in the sport of hockey
- Supporting sustainability and environmental improvement
Looking Ahead
The Flyers will in all likelihood enter their next six games as considerable underdogs. Can they travel to Boston and get the “simple, disgusting road win” that Scott Laughton called for after the loss to Toronto?
- Saturday 3/16: @ Boston Bruins, 7pm on 93.3 WMMR
- Sunday 3/17: Flyers Charities Carnival- Live Broadcast from 12pm-3pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Tuesday 3/19: vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, 7pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Thursday 3/21: @ Carolina Hurricanes, 7pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Saturday 3/23: vs. Boston Bruins, 1pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
Download the 97.5 The Fanatic app to hear Tim Saunders and Todd Fedoruk on the flagship radio broadcast of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Flyers Charities Carnival [GALLERY]
