Flyers Fight Night – Hometown View

I have always been a hockey fan but now more than ever I find myself captivated by the sport and my love of the New York Rangers is shared by my wife and children. As a matter of fact my daughter is so enthralled by the Blueshirts that she will text me several times during games and it’s something we now talk about all the time.

However while I recognize that at times fighting is part of the game what’s taken place in the first week of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a black eye to a sport that is always trying to find ways to attract new fans. Yesterday’s Flyers-Penguins game/brawl featured 38 penalties for a total of 158 minutes, a match penalty and three game misconducts.

I’m sure much of that has to do with Pittsburgh’s frustration over being behind in the series but this one was bad from the moment the puck was dropped. The same has been true for some of the other series’ and while juiced-up fans seem to love it it’s too reminiscent of days in which the line “I went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out” was perfectly appropriate. The NHL better do something now unless it wants skill, excitement and drama to take a back seat to fights and blood…if I want that I’ll watch “Slap Shot” time and time again.

While the unseasonably warm weather is a sign that the summer season is just around the corner here’s another and one you should pay attention to. Those blinking traffic lights on Route 35 from Ortley Beach north to Normandy Beach are no longer blinking….they are now red, green and amber.

The Region 6 Wrestling Banquet will be held tomorrow night at Charley’s Ocean Grill in Long Branch. The annual event honors high school wrestlers who earned medals in last month’s regions and this year two former high school standouts will be re-inducted into the Region 6 Hall of Fame.

Southern Regional’s Frank Molinaro capped an outstanding college career at Penn State with a National Title recently and former Jackson Memorial great Scott Winston is still going strong at Rutgers. Both are among the best high school wrestlers to ever come out of this area and they are being honored at tomorrow night’s dinner.

I guess today will be a tough one for those who coming off spring recess. Deal with it!