CHICAGO -- They had a second-period meltdown. And a third in terms of undisciplined penalties.
Ray Emery didn’t have a problem with it because he doesn’t like good losers, especially after a 7-2 humiliation at the hands of the Blackhawks (see Instant Replay).
The Flyers took six of their 10 penalties in the third period when the game was already out of hand after Chicago’s five-goal outburst in the second stanza.
“You're going to be frustrated,” Emery said. “The old saying, you show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser.
“I want to play with sore losers. I don’t want guys who are content with a game like that.”
He was referring to some of the penalties the Flyers took when trailing 6-2 -- elbowing, roughing, cross checking, two 10-minute misconducts. All born of the 'Hawks tattooing the Flyers.
Coach Craig Berube didn’t necessarily disagree, either.
“I didn’t like a couple of the calls to be honest with you,” Berube said. “But I’ll have to look at them more closely. My view is I didn’t think some of them were warranted. I didn’t like going down five-on-three -- putting people in bad situations.”
The game resembled the second period at Dallas. Ahead with momentum and then disaster.
“We go into the second with a lead and just kind of funny one,” Emery said. “I got to make a save and pucks are kind of bouncing around a bit. But you can’t make excuses.”
Emery lasted until 1:05 of the third period. He gave up four goals on the first 10 shots of the game and six goals on 18 shots overall before being lifted.
This was his first game back in Chicago where he won the Stanley Cup last season as a member of the Blackhawks.
Emery said he was screened on one goal only and would not offer any excuses.
“As a whole, we have to play better in that [second] period,” he said.