Inside Access: Philadelphia Flyers vs. New York Rangers - December 23, 2019

Philadelphia Flyers vs. New York Rangers

Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia

December, 23, 2019

Game Time – 7 p.m.

Pregame

The Philadelphia Flyers (20-11-5, 45 points, fourth in the Metropolitan Division)

The New York Rangers (17-14-4, 38 points, fifth in the Metro.)

Starting goalies: Flyers – Carter Hart. Rangers – Henrik Lundqvist. Hart's .912 save percentage was just a tick below the sure-shot Hall of Famer, Lundqvist's (.913), as the game began.

Other pregame tidbits – Sellouts aren't standard. Subjective opinion about the change from the Ed Snider era to Comcast ownership abound. However, the lack of playoff appearances this decade and no progress made in the post-season in recent seasons is the arguable lead reason why less fans are in the seats.

However, the team is hardly hurting and the arena looked mostly occupied for this special Monday night, Christmas-themed game.

This projects, cautiously, as a playoff year. Make a number of post-season runs and many tickets are likely to be sold and used.

On a personal note...

The transformation of the interior of the Wells Fargo Center is nearly complete. The main concourse and upper level concourse areas have video screen menus above the vendor stands. Retaining Bubble Hockey was wise, as this is a timeless classic. Food prices are up, but seem to be comparable with prices at other pro sports venues. Balcony level ring, which allows fans low-cost ticket access to see games is a great idea.

Tim Saunders offered some good-natured assistance upon my arrival to the stadium. Early birds flock together, as he and Keith Jones know. Two true professionals, who represent the still-open nature of hockey guys as the 2010's are set to giveaway to the 2020's.

Taco Night is a favorite among many, as a cordial Wells Fargo staff member told me at the pregame staff/media meal. She, along with so many others in the building, comprise a top shelf group of employees. That's surely not luck, as an arena of this size operates through thoughtfully executed planning.

The press level is nicely redone, with the tribute wall to Gene Hart rightfully still welcoming all media members, scouts, and other approved guests.

First Period

Good puck control by the Flyers in the later part of the period. Some penalties on both sides.

Philadelphia notably killed off a 5-3 during the frame. Steady team D and Hart's consistency prevented any scoring from the Rangers, who were solidly out-shot. Would the opposition have entered the intermission up by a goal in recent years? Yes.

Lundqvist was Lundqvist on the other end.

Shots: Flyers 12 – Rangers 8.

Second Period

Rangers didn't like how the first period went and came out shooting, topping the Flyers 9-1 in this statistical category in the first five-plus minutes.

Jesper Fast scored is sixth goal of the season for New York at 6:44. It was a short-handed marker.

Flyers 0-4 on the power play through nearly 33 minutes of action. Only four Philadelphia shots though this point in the game as well.

Rangers fought off late pressure, with Lundqvist stand strong until Travis Sandheim (third goal of the season) put one past him with 1.7 seconds left in the period. Assists to Justin Braun and Travis Konecny. The Flyers skated off to a loud ovation and hopes for the third period, with possible Christmas cheers (sorry, it was obligatory) to come.

Shots: Rangers – 14. Flyers – 7.

Third Period

Kevin Hayes ripped off a slap shot, that soared over Lundqvist's left shoulder and into the the top corner of the netting at 7:31 into the period, for his tenth goal of the season. Assists to Joel Farabee and James van Riemsdyk. Flyers' head coach Alain Vignuealt's task turned into encouraging his boys to apply pressure, while also keeping the Rangers at bay.

Travis Sandheim likely iced the game with a rebound shot through a crease that Lundqvist had to move out of in order to stop two Flyers shots. It was his second goal of the game and fourth overall at 15:49. Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux earned the assists.

And then, just hours before Christmas Eve day, Kevin Hayes also scored his second goal of the night and eleventh overall. Assists to van Riemsdyk and Braun.

This was a statement game, with some old school center ice skirmishes just moments after the Hayes tally.

Nicolas Aube-Kubel then capped the torrent of goals by scoring his first National Hockey League goal with less than a minute to go (officially at 19:20 of the third). Sandheim and Jakub Voracek had assists.

Shots: Rangers – 13. Flyers – 11.

Final shot total: Rangers - 35. Flyers - 30.

Final score: Flyers – 5. Rangers – 1.

Philadelphia now ranks third in the Metro, fourth in the Eastern conference in points. The Flyers have the sixth most points (47) in the NHL.

Next up - The Flyers begin a seven-game road trip after Christmas. Philadelphia faces the San Jose Sharks (16-20-2, 32 points), starting Saturday, December 29, at 10:30 p.m.

Postgame Quotes

In addition to the quotes shown below, Vigneault also said that he's going to visit his parents, who are in their mid-80's, over the Christmas break and that he was really looking forward to that. He offered greetings to all of us as well. It was a touching moment in what has been a personally challenging December for the entire organization.

Responses to media scrum questions - Postgame in the locker room and at the press conferences of both head coaches: 

Philadelphia Flyers Head Coach Alain Vigneault

It's a big game for you, obviously. First game against a former team, when did it sort of settle into a regular game?

Once the puck dropped, I focused on getting the right matchups on the ice and focused on the game and that's what we did. I really liked our energy in that first period. I don't think we were as good in the second. In the third, Carter made some big saves at the right time and they all seemed to lead to great opportunities from us at the other end and we were able to find the back to the net on really good plays.

This is the kind of game where if you didn't watch it, you might look at the score and not think of the goalie as one of the best players on the ice.

He was the best player on the ice. I mean there's no doubt Carter tonight made some big saves. For a little while there, I thought our execution was off and he made some big saves that the goals that we had on Hank were quality chances. There’s not much he could do on any of those. I'm trying to remember all of them but they were grade A looks. Carter had some grade A looks. He made some saves but you know at the end of the day, it's good to know that we can not play our A game and still find a way to win it and that's what we did in that third period.

The number suggests that timing of the Sanheim goal was crucial because you're like 19-0 when you're leading or tied and then you're like 1-11 when you are not. Are those numbers fair?

It's a tough league to come back. I mean if you look at the numbers, there are not many teams that are coming back. There's no doubt that that goal at the end of the second period momentum wise, energy wise gave us a boost. Probably I can't speak for them, but probably hurt them a little bit and came out in the third and were able to find a way to win that game.

He said this is a special game for you, but how much do you think it meant for Kevin?

I'm sure it meant more to him than to me. I mean, he's been wound up about this game for a while. I don't know if he told you, maybe he just told it was just another game, but I know that meant a lot to him. He’s a very emotional, young man and scored two really big goals for us tonight.

Did he talk to you about playing a former team again?

We talked about… he was there last year, he knows this coaching staff. I asked him questions about if what I saw in the video was right. And he said, “Yes, this is how they play.” So, we shared that. This morning in our meeting, I definitely looked at him in front of everybody and I said: “this is a big game for me, this must be a big game for you.” And we both smiled. So, without a doubt, the first time you play against a team where you've got some good memories, and you were there for quite a bit of time, it's always an emotional and challenging game. 

Philadelphia Flyers G Carter Hart

Strong effort by this team again in the third. You guys have done very well, think about how this team has been able to kind of step it up in the third and take over when you have to.

Scored another four goals in the last five minutes of the game. It’s 2-1 up until that point. This game just kind of, runs away at the end. Last few games, found the back of the net late in the third, and that’s been huge. You get that support late in the game and take them out of the game.

And for you, how well did you see the puck tonight? Some of the saves you made, especially in the second period, kept them in the game. How well did you see the puck and how well did you see everything in front of you?

I saw it well. We did a good job, they didn’t get any second whacks or anything. We did a good job out front, boxing guys out and tying up some sticks to make my job easier.

As well as you guys have played, are you almost sorry the break is coming?

We’ve played a lot of hockey, so it’ll be nice to recharge the batteries and take some downtime, get some downtime. Make the most of this recovery time and make sure that you’re sharper and ready to go out of the break.

New York Rangers Head David Quinn

Asked Mika if anyone saw that one coming, it was pretty hard to see that one coming after the first two periods of play.

Well even the first, even most of the third I mean there is a difference between playing well and winning and right now we’ve gotta do a better job at playing winning hockey because even I thought in the third we did a lot of good things. You know it’s 1-1 and I think we’ve got great chances, good zone time and we just made it too easy for them. We sell out for offense too much and we just, it’s killing us. And our power play was obviously was, it’s really hurt us lately. Our power play with plenty of chances you got a five on three, and it’s a team wide problem. Slowing the play down and not shooting pucks.

When you get into tight games like that, it just reemphasizes the special teams?

Our penalty kill was great, we got the short-handed goal. You got a five on three you have to score, and we just didn’t and we had a few chances but every time we get it, we slow it down, we look to make a pretty play and we just… you know we’re going to keep working on it.  You know our power play has really been a problem lately.

With the power play, is it more mental or is their adjustments you need to make or is it just more mindset needs to change?

Probably both. We need to move some people around I’ll tell you that. But our mentality, we just, we get it we hold it, we stick handle it, we look for a pretty pass instead of just moving it around and playing hockey with a power play and it’s killing us right now. There are games where we’ve done a lot of good things five on five, we put ourselves into position to win, we’ve improved in a bunch of areas, but you got to win the special teams. You got to score power play goals when you got five or six a night and we didn’t do it.

You talked yesterday about, you’re trying to be in a playoff race here and this was a four-point game. Do you think your guys were thinking too much about the playoffs maybe at this point?

No. Again I liked a lot of the things we did tonight. We played a good first, a good second, and I liked our third until we just shot ourselves in the foot. It’s two to one we’re still doing good things, Mika hits the post, we get some good chances and then we give them our third goal and that’s when we got demoralized and reality set in.

Does that make it harder to swallow just what it would have meant for you guys going to break?

Yeah it does and it should, it should hurt. But hopefully we can collect ourselves the next three days and be ready to play on the 27^th.

Philadelphia Flyers D Travis Sanheim

(Inaudible)

Yeah obviously it was tied up in the end of the second and then follow it up in the third and find a way to win, it was big for us and especially going into the break.

You get the goal late in the second period. How much does that kind of give you guys that momentum?

Yeah I think we obviously had our chances, Lundqvist was playing pretty good and made some key stops so it was nice to break through and same thing going into the third?

Was there an extra motivated Kevin Hayes tonight?

Yeah I think so, I think we all knew he was going to be pretty fired up and ready to go and it was nice to see him get 2.

New York Rangers LW Chris Kreider

Missed Question

You give them good opportunities on the rush and they opened it up when we got down and it just got worse for us.

You played well enough to be 1-1 in the third.

It’s tough when you’re going into the third 1-0. We should be going in 1-0 and then we give up a goal with 1 second left in the second period. Then give up 5 unanswered goals. I mean, they outlasted us. They were patient, they stuck to their structure. Eventually, we give them chances. Obviously, we had a couple of posts that made the game a little bit different. But we can’t be giving up the grade A’s like that while trying to get ourselves back in the game. The team feeds off it- turnovers, and the counterattack and they are so good on the rush. That’s how we used to play with AV, our structure was tight and eventually teams would get strung out and stretched out and you get your rushes and get your looks. We hurt ourselves there for sure in the third.

Guys talked about how big this game was. How devastating is this?

It is obviously a very important game. Divisional games we call them 4 point games. We play 82 games, so we have to figure it out quickly, rebound and enjoy a couple of days here and get rested and be ready to go here down the stretch.

Philadelphia Flyers C Kevin Hayes

Did that go about as well for yourself as you could’ve hoped for personally?

Yeah I mean, doesn’t really matter personally, it’s nice to get goals but the main goal was to get 2 points tonight and I thought our power play didn’t really help us in the beginning, they kind of took the momentum there and then the team came out in the third and we’ve been good in the third all year.

Can you talk about how much this game meant to you? I know it’s one of 82 but it got to give you a little extra juice?

Yeah a little bit I mean I played there for 5 years. Like I said if it was early on in the year it would probably be a little different but we’re almost 4o games in, this is my team here and it’s nice to get the win. I’m sure I’ll text those guys after but yeah that stuff doesn’t mean anything.

Was that first goal a little bit of knowing where Lundqvist does and doesn’t like the puck?

No honestly it kind of rolled off of my stick and I was just hoping he was cheating a little bit and I went far side and I think it hit the post and went in so it was a lucky shot.

Philadelphia Flyers LW Joel Farabee

*Missed Question*

I actually felt really good. I don’t think there was any period of time where I didn’t feel good. Right from the start of the game my legs felt really good. I think they took a penalty really early so I think I missed the first shift. But, yeah I felt really good out there.

How much of a lift did Sanheim’s goal give you guys with 2 seconds left in the second, after a period that really didn’t go your way for most of it?

I think they had a lot of shots, getting bodies in front …, so I think once we did that, the goals started to come. Obviously Sanny’s goal was huge, and gave us a lot of momentum heading into the second.

Does this break allow you any time to reflect on the way the season has gone so far …?

Absolutely, you get a few days off. You can look at a few things. Right now I think our momentum is going up, so I think once we get back we just got to keep that going. We got a big west coast trip coming up, so hopefully we keep the momentum going and this will be a big trip.

New York Rangers G Henrik Lunqvist

How frustrating was that one?

It is very disappointing that is for sure. I don’t know what to say. We did a lot of good things. That tying goal in the late second was tough, but I thought we had a good focus going into the third. It has been a trend lately that when we feel like we have to score a goal, when we fall behind, we start taking chances a little too much in my opinion and it’s been hurting us a few games now. We are close. It is a one goal game. Of course, we are going to push, but when it’s 1 or 2 goals we are still in it. It is important to learn from that and not do too much. That is what happened again.

You’re on the road, simple probably works in the third.

Like I said, we were doing a lot of good things. We were creating a lot of good chances. You just have to pick your spots on when to go and when to just stay cool for maybe next shift. Hockey, you can have a lot of time in the zone, but most times you are going to get hurt when you give up odd men rushes. It is going to happen when you try to push forward and try to tie it. It got away from us a little bit.

Is holiday break coming at a good time?

It is probably. It has been a lot of hockey for everyone. We will take the break to regroup a little bit. It’s a big game, it is disappointing to lose. We were right there. Just the way it ended too, as a goalie it is tough. They took whatever they wanted the last 5 minutes there in front. It was disappointing.

Philadelphia Flyers D Ivan Provorov

AV said you were a game time decision and that in your mind there was no question you were going to play. Did you have to talk him into it?

No, I mean I came in, I felt a lot better than I did last night and I knew if I was able to play a game and contribute and help the team, I already knew I was going to play

How was the energy level during the game?

It was tough at first, but the more I was on the ice the better I felt.

Nothing catching what you had?

No I don’t think so, it was just one of those days where it’s one of those nights where you don’t feel so great and then after 24 hours you feel better.

New York Rangers C Mika Zibanejad

I’m not sure anyone saw that coming, your thoughts?

I thought we played pretty good in the second half of that first period and really good up until that 1 second left in the second period. They get the tying goal. We try to stick to our game, and they got their goal. We got a chance, I think it was 2-1 with the post and a couple minutes later they score 3-1. Tough one. Not the way we wanted to go into this break.

The margin for error is not big.

We had a real good chance of putting the puck to the net, we didn’t do that today. I don’t know. It is really disappointing right now.

Is it frustrating that you had a lot of chances in the 2^nd, do you squeeze the stick more after that?

He’s a good goalie. He had really good form in that second period. We had really good chances and it goes off his shoulder and stuff. We just have to keep getting pucks there. I don’t think we did that enough in the third and allowed them to get their odd man rushes from it. It is just disappointing.

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Classic Post: Retired NHL Referee Kerry Fraser Is Still Making The Right Calls

Y

Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemeiux, Mark Messier, and Guy LeFleur are indelible hockey names. Some of their greatest moments on the ice came while they were as young as Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Jonathan Toews, and Steven Stamkos.

There are other individuals who skate on those same frozen ovals. These father-like figures, whose striped uniforms signal authority, maintain control of the game. Most officials offer solid efforts that are worthy of respect. Then there are those who, like legendary players, transcend the game through their vision, performance, and longevity.

On a dually historic day in Philadelphia last April, the Flyers beat the rival New York Rangers in a season-ending shootout. It was the first time that a team clinched a playoff spot in that fashion. It was also the last of 2,165 games that Kerry Fraser, then the League's senior referee, worked.

“During my career I learned how to pay attention to detail, recognize my imperfections, and drop my wall. It takes some in-depth soul searching to make progress. I was just shy of my 58^th birthday when I retired last season and I felt that I had given enough,” Fraser said.

The hockey world recognized more than his trademark hairstyle during Fraser's thirty-year NHL career.

“In that final season, it all came together. The players and coaches around the league were proactive in approaching me and their recognition meant a lot. I knew I was ready to move into another area of life, spend quality time with my family, and look for new challenges.”

Preseason:

Fraser was born in 1952 and grew up in Sarnia, Canada, which is 60 miles north of Detroit, Michigan. He and his brother Rick enjoyed watching the Toronto Maple Leafs on television. They spent their early years playing on a backyard rink that their Dad, a player in the International League, had built for them.

That backyard practice eventually helped Fraser to become the 19-year-old captain of the Southern Junior “A” League's Sarnia Bees. In 1972, the Bee's played a game against the Detroit Junior Red Wings. Detroit's roster included a 16-year-old forward with a famous hockey name.

“I sat with Mark Howe recently in the press box at Madison Square Garden. Back in the 1970's he was a boy in a man's body. I was 5'7” and about 140 pounds, while he was a number of inches taller and about 50 pounds heavier than me. Mark had just returned from playing in the 1972 Winter Olympics, in Japan, where the United States had won the Silver medal.”

Fraser vividly recalled a confrontation with a much younger Mr. Howe, which he detailed in his new book The Final Call: Hockey Stories From A Legend in Stripes.

“During one game we played against his team, in my final season of Jr. A hockey, I gave Mark the hardest open-ice check that I possibly could. You never want to let another player see if you're hurt, but my insides shook after I checked him. That hit let me know that I needed to look for another type of work.”

Regular Season:

Through a referral of his Dad's hockey teammate, Ted Garvin, he attended the Haliburton Referee school in August, 1972. He worked through that decade, before earning a promotion to the NHL in 1980. He dropped his first puck in Colorado, when the Rockies faced off against the Minnesota North Stars.

“Ted said that, to be a good official, I had to understand the game and not over-referee it. I had to know the difference between a good hit and an illegal one. He also told me that I needed to get inside the player's heads, so I would know how they think. As such, the game really needed former players who could share this background knowledge.”

Fraser re-married in June of 1988 and that September he, his wife Kathy, and their young children moved to a home in New Jersey that they bought from former Flyers coach, Mike Keenan.

Kathy's three daughters: Marcie, Jessica, and Jaime, were all adopted by Fraser after they were married. In 1990, Kerry and Kathy also had a daughter, Kara, together. They also have five grandchildren: Kiera, Daryn, Madyn, Brady, and Harrison, who are between the ages of one and nine.

Kerry had three sons from his first marriage: Ryan, Matthew, and Ian. During the 2006-2007 season Fraser was on a rehabilitation assignment in the AHL. While there, he was able to work a game with son Ryan, who is a referee in that league.

Due to the travel involved in Fraser's career, he missed some important family occasions. However, his position allowed for unique access to the hockey world. Kathy and the kids were often able to join him for regular season games in various cities and for special events including: playoff games, 12 Stanley Cup finals, the 1996 World Cup, the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and All-Star games in 1990 and 2000.

Faith has become an important part of Fraser's life. He received the call to it in 1995, converted to Catholicism in 2001, and attempts to attend Mass daily.

A career that spanned three decades naturally included working games with all of the greats, including Wayne Gretzky. The two “legends of the game” formed a lasting bond through an unexpected event.

“During a game in Los Angeles, I placed my hand on the bench while I was talking to their coach, Barry Melrose. Kathy had bought a pinky ring for me as a gift and it had gotten turned around on my finger, so the crucifix on the front side of it was not showing. Wayne was sitting on the bench, saw my ring, and was not impressed. I turned it around, so the crucifix was showing, and told him that it had been a gift from Kathy. He nodded his head, looked at me in way that showed he understood, and said, “That's great Kerry.”

“From there, Wayne and I developed a unique relationship. He has a very special, quiet spirituality about him and was raised by two wonderful parents. I recognized his ability to accept his role as the face of the game and to do good for others.

“He has tremendous recall and is a hockey historian. One time, when Kathy and I were having dinner with him in Phoenix, he told me that he remembered watching me play in the junior leagues when I was a teenager and he was a youngster.”

Al Arbour and Scotty Bowman are two coaches Fraser felt were the best he ever saw. He offered accolades for two current coaches as well.

“I love what Craig Ramsey is doing in Atlanta. He is a quiet, methodical, guy who has a great understanding of how to play the game and is so good with young players.

“Peter Laviolette, in Philadelphia, is another person who has connected with his team.

He is taking the talent that he has and is allowing it to mature. He has a pulse on the game and is a perfect fit for Flyers.”

Like coaching, developing officiating skills takes time and effort.

“Not unlike the great players who demonstrate a superior field of vision on the ice, good referees must learn how to adjust their positions in advance, so they can have the best sight lines of the play as it develops to observe the action without becoming tangled up in it. Over time, you form judgment as well. It was once stated that through Experience a referee acquires Judgment; through Poor Judgment he will acquire Experience! An academic mind is always thinking about getting better. You want to be astute, stay honest, and analyze your own work to become the very best that you can be.”

In the 1990's, the NHL tested a two-referee system. By the 2000's, they fully implemented it into the league.

“There was an adjustment period to the two-referee system. We strove for consistency, similar to a defensive pairing. We had to learn how to work together as a team.”

After the 2004-2005 lockout season, obstruction was addressed by the league, but head shots have remained a controversial topic. It is one that Fraser was involved in during his career, he even made a presentation about it at a Mayo Clinic Hockey Summit that he was invited to attend this past fall.

“The restraining tactics that were coached and utilized following NHL expansion and we, as referees, allowed were horrific. A wise decision was made by the League to allow the skilled players to play, which added more excitement to the game. I have always taken a strong, opposing view of head shots. As officials, our first responsibility is to provide safety.

“After returning from the lockout season, I assessed two game misconducts in separate games, but Colin Campbell (NHL Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations) and Steve Walkom (then NHL Director of Officiating) deemed them to be “good hockey hits” and rescinded the game misconducts. That sent a bad signal to everyone, officials and players alike, that those types of hits to the head were okay. Suspensions and loss of player salaries is the strongest deterrent that can be offered. The Players Association and the League need to decide this matter.”

During two of his final three seasons, including his last, the league did not allow him to work in the playoffs. An interesting decision, as he had often been voted the best referee in a League-wide vote of the players. It is worth noting that Fraser was an active member of the NHL Officials Association during his career and played a key role in their 1994 strike negotiations.

“On the labor side, I was able to exercise a voice for those that may have been improperly disciplined, or terminated.”

Growing financial issues among some teams and player association matters have now formed on the NHL's horizon.

“A potential labor situation is developing. Donald Fehr (recently named NHLPA Executive Director) gets the most for the people he is representing.

“The salary cap is being increased. But, there are troubled markets. Atlanta needs to win to survive. Florida is struggling and the league-owned Phoenix team is going to be sold. Winnipeg and Quebec are two locations that could gain franchises in the future.”

Playoffs:

At the beginning of his final season, Fraser accepted an offer from Fenn Publishing to write a book about his career. Published in the fall of 2010, it became the number one selling hockey book in North America. The forward to it was written by Wayne Gretzky.

He credits his wife with keeping him on a schedule that began a week after his last season ended and for helping him to recall many of the great hockey anecdotes that fill the pages. He generally wrote for 18 hours a day in order to meet a 75,000 word commitment.

“The fans want access to be in the game. The book allowed me to do that for them.”

Beyond the humorous, sometimes controversial, and great behind the scenes stories from Fraser's 30-year NHL career, his book also offers a very human narrative. It draws the reader into a world only previously viewed from their arena seats, or in front of a television set.

“I have received a lot of positive feedback, including a recent message from a 28-year-old USA hockey referee. He told me that he was ready to quit the game, because he had suffered such abuse. But, he credited my book with helping him to take the chip off his shoulder and to refocus on developing relationships with players and coaches.”

Fraser has recently joined TSN, in Canada, as a post-game analyst. He will be featured on “That's Hockey 2Nite”, during segments called “C'mon Ref”, with host Steve Kouleas and fellow panelist Matthew Barnaby.

“I'm comfortable in front of the cameras and love to share insights. I think I can provide a unique perspective and help to educate viewers about the rules of the game, in addition to sharing personal experiences and stories like those that have made The Final Call a best seller. There is a market and a desire for people to learn something different. In the future I might start a blog, or even write another book.”

Overtime:

As a boy, he played hockey on backyard rink in Sarnia. As an adult, he became a professional referee who will likely gain entrance into the NHL Hall of Fame. At the end of our interview Kerry Fraser, the grandfather, said that he was going to go watch his nine-year-old grandson Harrison play hockey. A final comment that combined his love of family with his continuing passion for the game.

(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011. Photo credit - Kerry Fraser.)

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Let's connect on Twitter @SeanyOB, or through Facebook. 

Classic Post - Philadelphia Flyers: Topps Hockey Card Mystery Revealed

The 1970's Philadelphia Flyers were one of the most controversial sports teams of all-time. My elementary school friends, cousins and I followed the players by watching their games through the antennas that were connected to our TV sets, by playing street hockey and by collecting trading cards. No pack of Topps hockey cards that I ever opened was as memorable as the one that my buddies gave me in 1978. 

Chicken pox

No kid likes when those alien invaders, known as chicken pox, grotesquely pop out to announce their presence all over your body. Of course, you can't go to school when you get them because they are contagious. That was particularly bad because the entire foundation of our, non-family based, social lives was centered upon school. Almost all of my friends were all there, recess was incredible and some of the cute girls in my class even found me to be very entertaining. What more could anyone want?

The pack

I missed six straight days of school because of those chicken pox. That was highly unusual for me, as I rarely missed a day at 'work' back then. I loved the building that was withing walking distance in my neighborhood and all of the people who were in it. That feeling deepened as the years passed.    

My friends Kevin and Ed brought assignments to my house at the end of each of those sick days, which was very cool. One day they also delivered a single pack of hockey cards with my homework. They told me that our other friends: Rick, Keith, Eddie and Dave had pooled some of their allowance money to buy it for me.

Along with some other cards, there were six Flyers' cards in that pack, including: Bernie Parent, Reggie Leach, Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Jimmy Watson and Andre "Moose" Dupont.

The back of the pack's wrapper appeared to have been opened and resealed. So, I knew that my friends had actually bought multiple packs of cards and then created a specially loaded one just for me. Those six cards are nearing four decades old now. Whenever I take them out, I can see the faces of my hockey heroes and, most importantly, feel the friendship of my old school friends once more.

(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011.)

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Vince Papale Interview - Retro Post Revisited

With the early weeks of the NFL's regular season underway - it's time to revisit a conversation with one its most inspiring players. Vince and his family were fully welcoming when I met with them earlier this decade...

Family matters

Millions embraced the movie "Invincible" when it was released in 2006. That feature offered a snapshot of Vincent Francis Papale and his unlikely football career with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The passion in Papale's voice was most noticeable during the afternoon I spent with the Glenolden, Pennsylvania native. Not passion about himself, but about the people who have been and are significant in his life. He began by telling me about his own children.

"I'm really blessed. My life is my family. Everything is about them," Papale said.

He and his wife Janet have been married since 1993. They have two children, Gabriella and Vincent Joseph.

Gabriella, their daughter, is 17. She is an outgoing high school junior whose combined goals are to become a broadcast journalist and a Victoria Secret model. She is a cheerleader and works as a manager for the lacrosse team. Like her mother Janet, she is also a dancer.

"Gabriella is great with children. I support what she wants to do and also think that a tremendous profession for her would be as a school teacher. She is one of fifteen students who have been chosen at her high school to go to New Orleans later this year. They will be helping to rebuild homes in the areas that were affected by Katrina."

Vincent Joseph is Papale's 14-year-old son, whose dream is to follow in his father's footsteps and play in the National Football League.

"Vinny rules the world. His favorite player is Wes Welker of the New England Patriots. He's funny and has a lot of voices and characters, like Jim Carey. He's a gentle, kind, kid who participates in a program at school called 'Peer Leadership', which is an anti-bullying initiative."

Due to budget cuts, that program had been on the chopping block. Through the Papale's efforts and the involvement of Dick Vermeil, funds have been raised that will allow the program to continue for at least the next two years.

Cinder Block City

Life wasn't like a movie when Papale was growing up with his parents and an older sister. They lived in a housing project, in the Glendale section of Philadelphia, which he referred to as 'Cinder block city.'

"They built the place on a golf course and there was a creek that ran through our backyard. That is where I hung out when I was young."

Papale's mother, Almira Sage, was one of nine in her family. She was a professional baseball player in the 1930's, but don't think "A League of their Own." She barnstormed up and down the East Coast in a women's hardball league. She was also a diver, swimmer and a dancer. His mother wanted to be an Olympian, but the Great Depression, World War II and having to work to help her family, prevented that from happening.

Vince's father, Frank Papale, went by the nickname 'Kingie' and was also one of nine. Frank's mother died when he was born. His father, Vincenzo Papale, persevered through that hardship and through the discrimination that many Italian immigrants faced in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Vincenzo was a pig farmer, a cello player, a semi-pro football, a baseball player and a runner. He participated in the Penn Relays, as his namesake grandson would also come to do many years later.

Kingie and Almira

'Kingie' met his future wife, Almira, at a football game after getting into a fight with a player from the opposing team. That player turned out to be his future brother-in-law.

Like other men in the area, he provided for his family by working at a blue collar job on the Delaware River. He called Westinghouse his workplace home for 40 years. Because of the long hours his Dad spent at his job, young Vince caught passes that were thrown by his mother in their backyard.

The blending of prevalent athletic family genes and a strong free will, naturally made competitive sports a part of Papale's life.

"I knew I was good at sports from Day 1. Every July Fourth we raced at Glenolden Park. I would win all of the races for the 8 and under, 9 and under, 10 and under. People would bet on me. I ran barefoot and was known as Seabiscuit."

But, life wasn't all fun and games. One day in 1958, as Papale was coming home from school, he saw his mother being taken away in an ambulance. She was later diagnosed with Tinnitus, which is a ringing sensation in one, or both, ears. The condition permanently influenced her health and the life of her family.

A good coach makes a difference

Papale grew in size and experience during his teenage years. The roots of his nature were also forming through a number of positive influences, as many important coaches came into his life.

"One of the reasons I give, is because people gave of themselves to me," Papale said.

A lasting relationship was formed when Papale met George Corner, who was his first male teacher at Interboro Junior High School. An imposing man, Corner was also was the school's football and basketball coach. One day Corner passed by the lunch table where Papale was eating.

"I had been saying some unpleasant things about my mom and he told me that he didn't appreciate what he had heard."

Corner relayed to him that his own mother and sister had serious health issues when he was young. He told Papale that he understood how his mother's condition could affect his home life. He also told him that he would be there if he ever needed him.

"I leaned on him a lot and he took me under his wing."

Papale was 4 feet 5 inches tall and weighed only 75 pounds when he was in the seventh grade. By ninth grade, after he had grown to be 4 feet 11 inches tall and had gained another 20 pounds, he decided to try out for the football team.

"Coach Corner let me try out for the team and I made it. I also ran track and was a guard on the basketball team."

Marty Stern

His track coach, Marty Stern, became another mentor. Stern had just graduated from West Chester and like Papale was tough, despite his small stature.

"He was a little guy, who wasn't much bigger than me, but he could run like the wind. I had great speed, but he refined my style and made me feel really special."

New school - old coach

Papale initially faced a different atmosphere than he was use to when he first went to high school. The head football coach told him that he was too small to play on the team and so he didn't become a member of it. However, he did play basketball.

When he was a senior in high school an old mentor came back into his life, as coach Corner accepted a position as the head football and track coach.

"Coach Corner did the same thing that Dick Vermeil did for me years later, he broke the rules. Normally, first year seniors aren't allowed to come out for football, but I was. I wound up leading the team in receptions and touchdowns. I went on to become an honorable mention wide receiver as a 5 foot 7 inch, 160 pound player."

Papale broke his wrist shortly after Thanksgiving, 1963. Because of how bad it was shattered, he was told that he would never be able to use his hand again. But, he willed himself through to recovery.

Corner asked him to go out for track in the spring so that he could get into shape for the upcoming football season. Papale wanted to pole vault, but Corner said that he had promised his father that he wouldn't allow him to do that.

As a boy, Papale had practiced vaulting in his backyard using metal clothes line poles. Because they were so easily bent, he started using bamboo poles instead. Those poles, that were originally used in the middle of rugs, helped him vault up to 8 feet in the air before he landed on a makeshift bed of mattresses.

Papale has bamboo poles in his backyard these days as well. He will be using them to help his son practice vaulting.

The hairy eyeball

During his first track meet against Media, Papale's father unexpectedly appeared.

"I didn't know that he was going to be there. He came walking up in his Westinghouse blues and gave me the 'hairy eyeball' look, but didn't say anything."

Papale's father saw his son set the school pole vault record that day. He went on to win county, suburban and district championships. He also finished fifth in a state competition.

On Father's Day 1964, he went head-to-head against the best pole vaulters in the Tri-State area. Three of his competitors had been given scholarships to Villanova, LaSalle and St. Joe's. In dual meets he led off by winning the 440 meter relay and ran first and second in the high hurdles. He also won the long jump, the triple jump and the pole vault competitions.

Papale jumped 18 inches higher on that day than he ever had before. Four colleges offered him track scholarships before he left the field.

Onto college

By the time Papale was ready to go to college, he had grown to be 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 185 pounds. He was accepted into the West Chester state teacher's college. Walt Buechle was their freshman football coach and said that he would let Papale try out for the football team as a walk-on freshman.

Even though the school didn't have a football program, Papale decided to attend St. Joseph's University where he received a track scholarship. When he was a junior, he won the United States Track and Field Federation award at Madison Square Garden as a result of his14 foot 6 inch vault.

"Great coaches instill discipline, fundamentals and consistency. They are organized and fair. You know exactly where they stand," Papale said.

College coaches Rich Branton, Bob Cindico, Lou Nicastro and Kevin Quinn taught him that he could be a tough guy and a nice guy at the same time.

"My coaches were all school teachers. One of the big factors that is currently being lost in sports is the teaching element."

Freddy

After graduating from St. Joe's with a Masters degree in Marketing and Management Science, Papale accepted a job as a track coach at a familiar location, Interboro High School.

During the spring of his first year as coach, Papale called for a weekend practice session to help his track team prepare for an upcoming meet. Because it was scheduled during the Easter holiday weekend, all senior team members chose to boycott practice. Papale decided that his runners needed to face consequences for their actions. So, he suspended them from participating in the upcoming meet.

"The first dual meet we were going to have, I was going to bend and let them back in, but I didn't. We lost that meet by one point."

One of the runners who did understand the value of discipline and sacrifice was Freddy Leopold. He had practiced and was going to participate in that dual meet.

"Freddy came from 50 yards behind in the mile relay. He got to the finish line and gave it everything he had, but was a yard behind the winner. Even without the seniors participating, if we had won that event, we would have won the meet."

Papale still has a photo of him holding Leopold in his arms after the race. The young runner pictured went on to serve his country as a medic in the military. He was killed after stepping on a land mine in Vietnam.

"To this day, I still get chills when I think about him in that race."

The NFL and Hollywood

Invincible became a movie because its subject, Papale, never stopped pursuing his dreams. In the 1970s, while teaching and coaching, he also played semi-professional football and was a member of the World Football League's Philadelphia Bell.

In 1976, Eagles coach Dick Vermeil announced open tryouts for the team. At 30, Papale became the oldest rookie to ever make the roster of an NFL team. The feat was all the more remarkable because he had not played college football.

He went on to be voted Special Teams Captain by his teammates. Due to his charity work, he was named Eagles Man of the Year in 1978. By 1979, a shoulder injury ended his gridiron glory.

Business career

After retiring from the NFL, Papale worked in the mortgage banking industry and became a sports broadcaster. He also won a battle with colorectal cancer in 2001.

The Disney movie Invincible and Papale's first book, Invincible - My Journey From Fan to Team Captain were both released in 2006.

Invincible Kids

"Everyone has their invincible moment."

Today, he is a sought after speaker who has also initiated an 'Invincible Kids' program. This effort allows him to give voice to the spirit of children around the country who have overcome great odds and serve as inspirational role models.

Board of directors

Papale has recently been voted onto the Board of Directors, Charity Division, for the NFL Alumni Association.

"One of our initiatives is to help players who haven't been as fortunate as I have been."

New playbook

Consistency is one of the principals that Papale lives his life by. It is also something that he speaks about in his forthcoming book, Papale's Playbook: You Can Be Invincible In Tough Times...Analyze, Adapt and Achieve, which is due to be released later this year.

Never believe that people who achieve and maintain success do so by chance. Individuals like Vince Papale are smart and have consistently worked to have earned all that they have accomplished.

How we respond to the 'Invincible Moments' in our lives defines who we are and who we can become.

Details about Papale's life, as well as all of the positive efforts that he is involved in can be found on his website: vincepapale.com. Currently, he is also a spokesperson for stopcoloncancernow.com.

(I hold all copyrights to this article which originally appeared on Yahoo's Voices platform in 2011. Photo credit: APB)

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