Rinaldo's bout a 'huge bolt of energy'
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Rinaldo's bout a 'huge bolt of energy'
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Winger Tom Sestito (Tom Sestito!) was the game’s star, and goalie Ilya Bryzglaov was again superb, but the tone of the Flyers’ 2-1 win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday was set by winger Zac Rinaldo.
Despite being outweighed by about 40 pounds, Rinaldo pounded B.J. Crombeen in a first-period fight.
It sent a message. The Flyers weren’t going to lie down, like they did in a 5-1 loss in Tampa on Jan. 27.
The fight, coach Peter Laviolette said, sent a “huge bolt of energy” to the players and coaches and “picked up the building.”
The timing was perfect. It came on a night when director Rob Zombie was at the game, gathering info for his movie on the Broad Street Bullies of the 1970s.
“It’s just hockey. Fights happen and I am not afraid to answer the bell,” Rinaldo said. “….It’s obviously a good feeling when you connect with anybody.”
Sestito, who had his first two goals as a Flyer (see story), said Rinaldo's bout was retribution for the way Crombeen was going after Claude Giroux in the Lightning’s win last month.
Rinaldo pleaded ignorance, saying he was injured and watched that game from the press box _ “and to be honest with you, I had no clue what happened down in Tampa.”
Rinaldo said he and Crombeen simply collided, and the Lightning winger “asked if we were going.”
They went, and Rinaldo dropped Crombeen with a series of right hands, including two punches that appeared to be thrown as the winger was hunched over.
“Typically when I’ve gotten into fights with guys in that position, you stop throwing [punches],” Crombeen said. “I mean, guys fight different ways, so I’m not really going to say if it was dirty or not. I mean, if you’re fighting, you’re fighting. You’re putting yourself in that situation, and you know the consequences.”
Rinaldo said none of his punches were late.
“I hit him until he was down. I’m not going to hit nobody (late) no matter who they are or what they’ve done,” Rinaldo said. “I’ll never hit someone when they’re down; I hit him until he was down and made sure he was down and that was it.”
Rinaldo said he talked to referee Kelly Sutherland to get his opinion.
“I kind of felt bad if maybe I didn’t stop myself, but I’m pretty sure I did. I even asked Kelly what he thought and he said ‘No, you’re good.’ ’
Added Rinaldo: “I don’t regret nothing.”
Neither do the Flyers.
Breakaways. Tampa was 0 for 4 on the power play; the Lightning was 2 for 5 in their 5-1 win Jan. 27….Giroux won 18 of 25 faceoffs (72 percent), but the Flyers won just 46 percent of their draws….Brayden Schenn won one of nine faceoffs (11 percent) and played just 10:42……Tye McGinn had a team-high four shots and added three hits…..Sestito, Luke Schenn and Kimmo Timonen were each plus-2…..Tampa star Steven Stamkos won only 33 percent of his faceoffs and was minus-1….The Flyers (4-6) will practice Wednesday in Voorhees at noon; they host Florida on Thursday night and Carolina on Saturday afternoon.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
They actually showed some heart this evening.— Mike Boryla- It seems like it's been a long time since a Flyer really beat the heck out of someone in a fight. It was funny how they NBC crew made a point of emphasizing how Rinaldo "broke the code," by hitting Crombeen when he was down, yet said nothing when toolbag Lecavalier did it in a much more obvious way later in the game.— Bear in Forest
- Actually, I watched the game in a bar (no sound) and re watched it when i got home to see what Milbury was saying after the period. It wasn't the NBC crew yapping about breaking the code, it was only Pierre. Milbury said, hey, you fight, you fight til you get put down. Then when Vinny threw 2 punches at Talbot who was much further down on the ice, Pierre said not a thing. I was waiting for some kind of code talk, but didn't get it. Milbury, who has been a PHL hater in the past, stuck up for Zach this time, I was impressed. Great game all around.— arcadegm
- Milbury has been making progress. It must be hard for anyone who played against Philly in his day.
Not at all unusual for "Lucky Pierre".
Haha, look it up in the urban dictionary if you dare.— drenner 
Rinaldo KOs Crombeen: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/50712372#50712372- Bryz was great! I was proud of our Flyers. next game Zac needs to knock out Vincent Le Chevrolet the heck out!— Pete60
- I know I am probably going to get blasted here but the last punch Zac threw BJ was down and out. He didn't have to throw that last one. It was a great win and they have two more winnable games Thursday and Sat.— AJL99
- I agree. It's a fight and things happen really fast, but he could have/should have held up on that very last punch. I don't think Zach blatantly broke "the code" though. — Stephen45
- Anyone have a link to the Le Chevrolet "fight" against Max???— OnlyTheLordSavesMore
- NBC has it it the game highlights
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/50712372#50714040— CT Flyers fan - Not a word from anyone at NBCSports about the punch that Vinnie threw while Max "Mens League Player" Talbot was laying on the ice.— Matt from Iowa
- Mens league he scored the game winning goal in the Stanley cup.If that is mens league you must be in pee wee.So why don't you go run backwards through a cornfield.Maybe you will score — evenmix
- Its all a game within a game. Lecavalier did what a good captain is supposed to do; although he should have done it in the first period. Bad blood would have lingered between the two teams. Lecavalier was making a clear statement with that last one. Crombeen ran Giroux, Coburn & co returned the favor on Marty StLouis. Its over; eye for an eye.— mike
- Really your captain is off the ice for 5 minutes with 7 minutes to go in a 48 game season losing by 1 point.Me i want my best players out there .That's why there are Zac Rinaldo's .You want to make a statement SCORE AND WIN.Both lightning players went after small players.1 got knocked out the other knocked his team out. — evenmix
- There was even a slight pause when Talbot was on his back by Lacalvalier before he punched Talbot again. THAT was breaking the unwritten "Code."— Johnnyboyl
