I didn't say "goonishness" I said tough and physical. Is there some goonish shit, well of course, but you're talking to a guy who has watched this game since the day he was born. Where you soon goonish actions, I see just playoff hockey.
Go back to the Pens game. James Neal puts two hits on Couturier and Giroux. He then goes to the bench, a scrum starts and fights break out. Neal then gets a two minute penalty, and as he goes across the ice, it starts again as Simmonds goes after him.
- Neal isn't a goon. I'd argue the first hit was simple wrong place wrong time, the Giroux hit was frustration.
- The shit in front of the benchs was not goonish. Neal laid out two talented players, shit is going to happen.
- Simmonds isn't a goon, again, going after his man.
And I'll say it now, Neal is game four is going to be a target.
When the score is already getting out of hand, shit always hits the fan. Down 7-4, no comeback, it is about pride and getting ready for game four. You could tell by the 10min mark of the period that game 3 was over, and it was all about game four. And I think most hockey people would see that. Pittsburgh was not coming back in game three, but they need to send that message to the Flyers that "you won this game but you still need to win another, and go through us". Hence all the fights.
Unless game four gets out of hand score wise, you won't see fighting. Game three's fighting had a purpose on both fronts.
