So, we're back on the road again. Playing the Eastern Conference again. UGH. Well, at least we get to see old friends Chris Pronger and Ian Laperriere. It just seemed appropriate, nearly inevitable, that Pronger ended up playing in Philly. 

Philadelphia was the first of the the expansion class of 1967 to win a Cup, and around that same time developed the nickname "Broad Street Bullies". That was earned with notoriously hard hitting players that physically intimidated their opponents. (Side note, wouldn't Street Bully Broads be a great name for a Philly girls Roller Derby team?). That reputation continues today, although Philly fans alternate between denying it and reveling in it. Captain Suspension should be a perfect fit, then.

The Flyers will come out hitting, tonight, and the Boys in Blue should just take them with a smile, and lay a few hits of their own.

Pleasure. Pain. Flyers, Flying, Aircraft...... Red Hot Chili Peppers/ Aeroplane.

From the Wikipedia entry:

Details of the name-the-team contest were released on July 12, 1966. As sponsor of the contest, ballots were available at local Acme Markets grocery stores and included a top prize of a RCA 21" color television, two season tickets for both the second and third prize winners, and a pair of tickets to a game for the next 100 winners. Among the names considered behind the scenes were Quakers, Ramblers, and Liberty Bells. The first two were the names of previous Philadelphia hockey teams and given the connotations of losing (Quakers) and the minor leagues (Ramblers), were passed over. Liberty Bells, though seriously considered, was also the name of a local race track. Bashers, Blizzards, Bruisers, Huskies, Keystones, Knights, Lancers, Raiders, and Sabres were among the other names considered.

The flying P has been the Flyers' primary logo since the beginning. It was Ed Snider's sister Phyllis who ended up naming the team when she suggested Flyers on a return trip from a Broadway play. Ed knew immediately it would be the winning name, since it captured the speed of the game and went well phonetically with Philadelphia. On August 3, 1966, the team name was announced. Of the 11,000 ballots received, more than 100 selected Flyers as the team name and were entered into a drawing to select a winner. 9-year-old boy Alec Stockard from Narberth, who had spelled it "Fliers" on his entry, won the drawing and was declared the winner.

Leave it to a Philadelphia team to misspell their team name for 40+ years ....

LGB!

CCR