Flyers' Talbot looking for lip service

SUNRISE, Fla. - With his entire bottom lip sliced open down the middle after being tomahawked by Panthers defenseman Jason Garrison late in the third period last night, Max Talbot was irate. But he didn't have time to ask referee Stephane Auger for an explanation about why Garrison didn't receive a high-sticking penalty.

That's because Talbot was too busy searching for the other half of his left front tooth on the BankAtlantic Center ice.

"I took a hockey stick right across the face," Talbot said. "I was not able to get an explanation, I was looking for my tooth and there was blood everywhere. But I would like to be able to hear what he has to say."

Talbot never found the other half of his tooth, and was left with a gashed lip that required stitches to close.

Flyers captain Chris Pronger relayed the message that Auger - and the other referee, Kelly Sutherland, and two linesmen - did not see Garrison's blatantly obvious whack to the face.

Somehow, Talbot was given a 4 minute, double-minor penalty earlier in the third period for high-sticking Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell.

"I find it funny that I not even clip a guy in the face in the third and he bites his lip and I get 4 minutes," Talbot said. "Then, something like this happens and there are four refs on the ice and they don't even see it. I know they are human and they don't see everything, but I find it ironic."

The number of Winter Classic jersey designs and prototypes - up to and including full-scale replicas that are available for sale online - has been staggering in anticipation of the Flyers-Rangers matchup at Citizens Bank Park on Jan. 2.

Will the Flyers wear orange? Will it have a retro design?

While the Flyers haven't been shy about shooting down misguided prototypes in the past, they aren't willing to further comment on any proposed designs.

A rumored release date has been the Nov. 25, Black Friday game against Montreal - a day when they have debuted two jerseys in the past decade - but even that remains unconfirmed.

"The NHL, Philadelphia Flyers and Reebok appreciate the excitement surrounding the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, including fan interest and curiosity regarding the jerseys," Shawn Tilger, Flyers senior VP of business operations, said in a statement. "The hard work we have all put in the design and the production of the jerseys will culminate in a special unveiling that we have planned. We will announce the unveil date as soon as we have determined it."

If you see some of your favorite Flyers walking around town later this week sporting cheesy mustaches, they didn't lose a bet. In fact, they're raising money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation for wearing mustaches in "Movember."

This year, Jakub Voracek, Max Talbot, Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnell and Harry Zolnierczyk are all participating. To date, nearly $37 million has been raised in 14 countries.

Voracek, who stands out with his thick, red facial hair, said "Movember" is gaining in popularity.

"I think it's a great cause," Voracek said. "Plus, when you walk into a restaurant or something, people don't think you look like an idiot; everyone is starting to realize what we're doing."

"That was a long time ago, I've moved well beyond that now."

- Panthers rookie coach Kevin Dineen, the 10th captain in Flyers history, on whether it was special to coach against them for the first time. Dineen, who played 284 games in a Flyers uniform, also played for his father, Bill, in Philadelphia. Bill Dineen, 59 in 1991-92, remains the oldest rookie head coach in NHL history.