Just a couple of late short-takes from another Flyers loss in Newark, this one by 3-0 Tuesday night, the fifth straight Flyers loss to the Devils (you remember those other four, don't you?).
Mar-tan Brodeur posted his 658th career victory, 120th career shutout ... and 10th blanking of the Flyers in his illustrious 20-year career. But you know, he has to have a little fun doing it.
Brodeur's Devils so frustrated the Flyers in the latter stages of the game that at one point, Wayne Simmonds tried to light a little spark for his team - by stick-shoving Marty.
Brodeur's subsequent fall to the ice would match the best pratfall that Kramer from Seinfeld or even Chevy Chase (hey, Brodeur's old enough to remember him, isn't he?) ever mustered.
Best goalie actor award goes to...
"He's played well," Simmonds said in low key response mode. "I didn't hit him too hard. I just kind of gave him a little push and he over-exagerated."
Asked if Brodeur's vast experience has only helped him develop his gifts of embellishment, Simmonds said, "He's one of the best goalies to ever play. I think he can do whatever he wants in this league."
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One of the best players on the ice didn't play like it Tuesday night. At the least, Claude Giroux didn't look like himself as the game wore on and the Flyers' nerves wore away.
Where you could really see that was in the way the Flyers reacted with their frustrations. After Simmonds "crashed" Brodeur, he was jumped, and was given a goalie interference and double minor for roughing at 12:50 of the second. That done, the Flyers boiled over. About three minutes later, their bench was cited for "abuse of officials." Then 6:49 into the third, Giroux was called for "abuse of officials." He followed that up with a slashing call at 12:24 of the third as the Flyers slipped into dysfunction mode.
Don't think the coach could have been too happy about that.
"It gets a little bit frustrating at times," Peter Laviolette said. "We found ourselves down 3-0, and frustration set in at a lot of different levels."
As for all the fisticuffing in the third, Simmonds added, "We're 0-3 and we're down 3-nothing. I think you have to expect stuff like that."
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One weird little numerical note: Sean Couturier has been on for 9 of the Flyers' 11 goals allowed through these first three games. And I don't think he playing that badly.