Philadelphia Flyers versus New York Rangers - March 1, 2014
Pregame
I covered another Philadelphia Flyers game today at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The
Flyers' excellent staff, along with a collegial set of media
colleagues, always serves to make my work a pleasant experience. Now,
onto the game...
I researched this interesting set of
statistics before today's game started: Former Flyer and Ranger
Jaromir Jagr leads the New Jersey Devils with 50 points (18 goals, 32
assists). That half-century mark also places the 42-year-old in
twenty-eighth place in the National Hockey League.
The Rangers highest scoring player is
left winger Mats Zuccarello, who has 43 points (15 goals, 28
assists).
The Flyers' Claude Giroux ranks
sixteenth in the League with 57 points (19 goals, 38 assists).
The starting goaltenders were Steve
Mason and Henrik Lundqvist.
1st period
Vincent Lecavalier scored his
thirteenth goal of the season at 7:04 on the Flyers third shot of the
period. Wayne Simmonds and Mark Streit assisted. (Goal originally
credited to Brayden Schenn.)
Sean Couturier slightly over a minute
later (8:10) with Henrik Lundqvist again sprawled on the ice. Matt
Read and Kimmo Timonen assisted.
New York outshot Philadelphia 12-10.
2nd period
Rangers had a goal denied after a
review (hit crossbar) 2:01 into second period.
Chris Kreider scored his fourteenth
goal of the year at 4:59. Assisted by Rick Nash and Derek Stepan.
A referee stopped the start of a fight
that had been brewing between Zac Rinaldo and former Flyer Daniel
Carcillo at 8:37. Each received ten-minute misconducts.
Derick Brassard scored his thirteenth
goal of the season at 11:42. The power play goal, that slipped
through Mason's five-hole, was assisted by Brad Richards and
Lundqvist.
Wayne Simmonds replied with his
nineteenth goal of the year at 13:23. His power play tally was
assisted by Kimmo Timonen and Brayden Schenn.
New York outshot Philadelphia 25-17
through two periods.
3rd period
Luke Schenn sealed the game with his
fourth goal of the season at 16:15. Assisted by Scott Hartnell and
Claude Giroux.
Postgame
Traveling from the top of the stadium
to the event center floor via express elevator we in the media then
walk to the Flyers' locker room, or the opposing team's locker room,
immediately after the game ends. Generally, it's approximately 15-20
minutes from when the game ends until selected players (based upon
game events) are individually brought into the locker room area by
the Flyers' PR staff to receive questions from the gathered media
throng.
We spoke with Simmonds, Timonen, Mason,
Couturier and Rinaldo.
After those initial interviews took
place we walked to the press conference room area where the head
coach (currently Craig Berube) arrived within a few minutes after we
did. Media members who want additional interviews can then return to
the locker room area where individual players will come out based
upon our requests to the Flyers' PR staff.
Regardless of the amount of times I
visit the this arena for a hockey game I'm never at a loss for
appreciating what these exceptional athletes produce, what the
excellent sports' staff enables for all media members, what the
atmosphere is like for the fans who sit below us through the game, or
where my own path in life has led me.
NBA Greats: Allen Iverson - Number 3
The man is 5' 10" tall, despite what was listed on any roster that was ever printed. He still ranks second on the National Basketball Association's all-time playoff points-per-game (29.73) scoring chart. He trails one man, Michael Jordan (33.45), in that ultimate clutch category.
This giant of a "little guy" left it all on the court during every game of his career. Speak against any element of his lifestyle if you wish. But, no one has, or will ever, truthfully deny his iconic career.
His number (3) will be retired by the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center tonight. Well-deserved and all hail to one of the great basketball players of his era and of any era.
This man was so great that his name didn't needed to be shown in this short feature until the very end. Because everyone knows ALLEN IVERSON.
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My illustrated children's book: Maddie: Teaching Tolerance with a Smile officially became a Top 10 Amazon best-seller as of January 29, 2014.
Since December (2013) Maddie has appeared within Amazon's Top 50, 40, 30, 20, and 10 illustrated children's books.
The ongoing public response to this real-life story continues to be deeply humbling for everyone who was involved in creating this illustrated children's book.
Children's Alopecia Project
What a ride
This incredible and unexpected ride began in the spring of 2011. By August 2013, the book was published by the Children's Alopecia Project in print form. We have been very pleased with sales of that edition. Use, or share, this link --->>Maddie: Teaching Tolerance with a Smile to purchase the printed book directly from CAP.
I published a special ebook edition within weeks of the print book release. After starting in the tens of thousands (in terms of Amazon's children's book rankings), Maddie broke into the Top 50 just prior to Christmas. It climbed through the 30s and settled in the upper 20s before breaking into the Top 10.
I've included extra bonus features in this version that provide background information, extra photos, and illustrations. Each item helps to tell the complete story of this book's birth.
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Here's a link to this great (print and online) article that the Reading Eagle recently published about our story Maddie: Teaching Tolerance with a Smile: Book chronicles Wyomissing teen's journey since being diagnosed with alopecia
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Thank you to Stacey Stauffer (Fox 29 Philadelphia). She interviewed Madison Woytovich, her parents (Jeff and Betsy Woytovich) and me about the latest chapter in this inspiring story. Here's a video link to Stacey's wonderful feature.
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Feel free to click on any of my interviews with famous athletes and sports' personalities...
Jaromir Jagr: Current NHL Forward and Future Hall of Famer
Philadelphia Flyers' Bernie Parent: Postgame reflections
Bobby Clarke: Philadelphia Flyers' Legend Talks Hockey
Ron Hextall Recalls His Greatest Season
Kerry Fraser: NHL Referee is Still Making the Right Calls
Vince Papale: Former Philadelphia Eagle/Subject of the Movie "Invincible"
Kevin Turner: Former Philadelphia Eagle Discusses ALS-Concussion Link
Ron Meyer: Blessed2Play Sports Talk Show Has Global Reach
Allison Baver: US Olympian Facing Every Challenge
It only takes a few minutes to read some of my other stories as well:
Horror Story: It Was Crawling Up My Chest!
Television Haiku Poem
My First Car Was An All-Time Classic
The Best Holiday Memories
When Baseball Cards Were King
Could One Baseball Shatter The Summer?
The Night Lenny Dykstra Was Swinging In The Rain
5 Traits of Hardcore Philadelphia Phillies' Fans
Philadelphia Flyers' Topps Hockey Card Mystery Revealed
5 Lessons Flyers' Fans Have Taught The Hockey World
5 Traits Old School Flyers' Fans Possess
A Model's Life: An Interview with Kourtney Reppert
Ellen Wasser-Hrin: Behind the Scenes of the Modeling World
Model and Actor Rachael Platt-McMullan Proves Why Dreams Are Worth Pursuing
Ellen Wasser-Hrin: Behind the Scenes of the Modeling World
Model and Actor Rachael Platt-McMullan Proves Why Dreams Are Worth Pursuing
Samantha Paisley's Great Success Story
Megan Irminger: Model Management Agency Has Another Rising Star
Megan Irminger: Model Management Agency Has Another Rising Star
An Actor's Life: An Interview with Mary Frick
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I look forward to becoming friends on Facebook.
I look forward to becoming friends on Facebook.
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Amazon.com is the number 1 online publishing platform in the world. That's why I used it to publish my first ebook:
This mini-tome is a collection of stories and poems for readers who don't take themselves too seriously. I hope that you enjoy it and am always interested in your feedback.
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