The Philadelphia Flyers headed home for Game 3 against the Washington Capitals. It was to be a night to remember but not for the hockey.
Game 3 was supposed to be the game that saw the Philadelphia Flyers turn the whole series around. They usually play better on ice and seem to have better rhythm than on the road. Instead, it turned into a 6-1 spanking handed out by their Metropolitan Division rivals the Washington Capitals. It didn’t start out that way with Michael Raffl scoring first against the Capitals in the first period. It was a fitting start for a night that was about remembering Ed Snider, the Flyers’ chairmen and founder who brought hockey to the City of Brotherly Love. However, that night ended up to be less than loving for a man who did so much to get hockey in Philly.
Prior to the game, fans were given shirts with Snider’s silhouette in the Flyers signature logo and on the seats were light up bracelets. The pregame consisted of remembering the man who work tirelessly to make the Flyers an organization that boasts two Stanley Cups. Mr. Snider also helped to create the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, which offered inner-city kids in Philadelphia the chance to learn and play hockey. The Flyers organization honored him before the game with a memorial of all his good work. Fans were excited and joyous in hopes that things might turn around for them in Game 3.
"He is the Philadelphia Flyers."#ThankYouMrSnider pic.twitter.com/1KcJsSyRlc
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 18, 2016
It would seem almost fate that Raffl would score the Flyers’ lone goal 57 seconds into the game. Yet there was to be no further luck for the team for the rest of the night. It would be in the course of two periods that things would go from bad to worse. The Capitals scored five unanswered goals and with poor goaltending from Steve Mason, the win got away from them. They were unable to kill the Captials’ power plays and Flyers fans went from celebratory to angry. The light-up bracelets form earlier in the night were thrown on the ice and both Alex Ovechkin and Wayne Simmonds begged fans to stop with the disrespect.
Alex Ovechkin and Wayne Simmonds would appreciate it if you stopped throwing bracelets onto the ice pic.twitter.com/fut1rdACsq
— Marina Maher (@marinakmaher) April 19, 2016
The despicable (yes, despicable) manner that Flyers fans reacted to the poor calls by the referees and were utterly angered by the results of the night. However, preceding this ugliness was the hit where Pierre-Edouard Bellemare shoved Caps Dmitry Orlov into the boards. It resulted in a major penalty and it was the tipping point of the iceberg. This was when the bracelets went flying and the Wells Fargo Center erupted into a classless arena. The amount of bracelets thrown by disgruntled fans caused a delay of game and resulted in a minor penalty.
Flyers fans and hockey fans alike took to Twitter the next day over their outrage of the behavior of those in attendance. The hashtag #StayClassyPhilly to express their anger and disgust at what happened.
Philadelphia Flyers Fans threw commemorative Bracelets for recently deceased founder onto the ice causing team penalty. #StayClassyPhilly
— Bipolar Standup (@jasonhazelwood) April 19, 2016
@Sportsnet Unfortunately Ed Snider's tribute is overshadowed by this kind of BS tonight. #StayClassyPhilly
— Andy (@Andy417) April 19, 2016
Now flyers fans throwing bracelets honoring #EdSnyder onto the ice. #stayclassyphilly #CapsFlyers
— Stephanie Phillips (@sincerelysteph9) April 19, 2016
It was an abominable situation. A night that was designed to honor the team’s founder is now more remembered by the fans’ actions. The Flyers public announcer Lou Nolan asked fans to “show class” and not behave in their current manner. Tuesday afternoon saw an apology issues by the Flyers COO Shawn Tilger.
"Flyers fans are the best in sports. However, last night, a number of individuals behaved in an unacceptable manner. Fans have the right to voice their displeasure vocally or by not watching or attending games, but when displeasure is expressed in a way that embarrasses or endangers others, it cannot be condoned or tolerated. As an organization, and on behalf of the overwhelming majority of Flyers’ fans who express their passion in a positive manner, we wish to express our sincere regret."
Ed Snider’s daughter, Sarena Snider, took to Twitter to express her opinions on the actions of fans during the game.
My dad would've called the wristband throwers a "disgrace" & may have spoken publicly. But he wouldn't look back, only forward. @NHLFlyers
— Sarena Snider (@SarenaSnider) April 19, 2016
Granted, while the experience is not typical of all Flyers fans and and most would not support the actions of those who participated, it is still not a way that any fans in the NHL would want their team represented and it’s not what the former Flyers chairman would’ve wanted to see.