The code-breakers beat the Leafs

For the last few years we’ve been hearing about “the code” in the NHL.

The code is about honor among those NHL players who their living as predominantly the third or fourth liners who are charged with getting involved in the fight or more physical aspects of the game.

One team has consistently played outside the rules of the code and that’s the Philadelphia Flyers.

Last night, those despicable Flyers were at their worst ass they took liberties with a couple of the more passive Leafs.

First Nikolai Kulemin was drilled into the boards from behind, by captain Mike Richards, who is certainly earning a reputation for this tactic and reminds people of the same sneak attacks by Bobby Clarke, who used to hide behind his bevy of brutes when he used to pull similar stunts during his career. I know all about them, having seen them live and in color, usually blood red after one of his stick fouls.

Then, later in the game, during a skirmish that involved Scott Hartnell grabbed Phil Kessel, who was in a prone position on the ice, from behind and was dragging him by the back of the neck and trying to get him to become involved physically when that’s clearly not his style.

In a separate instance, Hartnell reacted to a clean, hard check, from Jeff Finger and surprised hi by immediately dropping his gloves to get revenge.

These Flyers are a blight on the NHL.

However, on this night they exposed a number of Leafs who were unwilling to match these tactics with any kind of effort at all. The 6-2 result, featuring yet another 2-0 deficit by Toronto, was most distressing to Leaf fans voicing their disappointment on the post game talk shows.

This team was assembled with Bryan Burke’s clear intention to answer the bell, and stand up, when challenged in this way. While Jamal Mayers, Garnett Exelby and Jeff Finger did stand up, too many of their mates got a case of the Philadelphia flu.

Once again, Ron Wilson was also exposed as he simply has not been able to motivate this team to a better performance, incurred another bad start and surrendered three more power play goals on six opportunities. His players are clearly not playing for him, the way they might for a player’s coach.

The events and outcome from this game could be a watershed moment that causes the Leaf season to truly come unglued.

Tags: brian burke, Garnet Exelby, Jamal Mayers, Jeff Finger, Ron Wilson, Toronto Maple Leafs