Saturday, March 1, 2014

Inside Access: Philadelphia Flyers versus New York Rangers



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

50% of all proceeds from the sale of our book (in both print and ebook forms) are being donated to the Children's Alopecia Project (CAP).

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.  

Use, or share, this link --->>Maddie: Teaching Tolerance with a Smile to see a 'free-view' of the special ebook edition. 

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...
Martin Brodeur: Discusses His Record-Setting Shutout Total and Key Rivalries 
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
Here's a selection of my interviews with broadcasters, actors, models and more...
Fox Television's Erin Como Reveals Her Timeless Model for Success: Interview
Amazon.com is the number 1 online publishing platform in the world. That's why I used it to publish my first ebook: 
Fast Fiction and Other Stuff.

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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Visit my Examiner Contributor Page, 
or my Yahoo Contributor Page.

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