Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Locked On Penguins 1/20- Epic Comeback, Mailbag questions, Plus Special Guest to talk Flyers-Penguins

Episode Date: January 20, 2020

In this episode of Locked On Penguins, Hunter recaps the epic comeback for the Penguins against the Bruins yesterday. He touches on Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin's brilliance, plus shares his thoughts on Penguins fans treatment of Matt Murray. He then answers his mailbag questions before Ariel Melendez comes on to talk Flyers-Penguins tomorrow night! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello and welcome to this Monday afternoon episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm, of course, your host, Hunter Hodes. Happy Martin Luther King Day to everyone. Follow my Twitter at Hunter Hodes. Follow the shows, Twitter at L.O. underscore Penguins. We have a lot to get to today. Of course, the last time we talked to you all, when I talked to you all, it was late Friday night after the Penguins 2-1 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings.

Of course, they had the day off on Saturday. then yesterday there was the big game against boston the massive comeback the potential arguing can be made that this was the best penguin win of the season i could definitely see it obviously the stuff with matt murray and the bronch cheer and we'll get to all that but first off i apologize for not getting everyone's mailbag questions um on the episode on friday i was too premature and um i didn't probably wait long enough to um basically um just answer them but you know we're going to get to in today's episode. And also,

later in today's episode, we're going to talk with Ariel Melendez of Parkrop Philadelphia and a fan site where she's going to help preview the Flyers Penguins.

That will happen tomorrow night in Philadelphia. This will be the second to four meetings between the Penguins and the Flyers. Of course, the Penguins absolutely whooped the Flyers earlier

in the season by a score. I think it was like 7 to 1 or something. They put up a touchdown on them. But I think tomorrow's game will be a lot closer considering it's in Philly. And, of course, Sydney Horizon will get booed.

But, you know, a lot of great stuff to get to. But, you know, let's just start it off about talking about the game against the Bruins. Obviously, not a good start by the Penguins for any means to go down 3-0. A cloud goal, not even 15 seconds into the game. You know, that one really wasn't on Matt Murray. I think Jack Johnson really just lost his man for some reason. He cut to the middle of the ice. Bergeron with a really nice snipe over Murray.

I really don't think a lot of goaltenders save that puck. I'm going to die on that hill. And that's that. The second goal, I think Murray's going to want to have that one back. I don't think that was a particularly, like, a really, really, really good shot. Murray definitely should have had that. I think I blame him mostly on that. And then the third goal, of course, Jack Johnson's in the wrong spot or the wrong time,

and he scores on his own goalie. So not only did Jack Johnson score on his own goalie yesterday, he also scored a shorthand-handed goal with the Penguins, and we'll get to that in a day. But I do want to say now that after a line with the three goals, you know, you look at Twitter, You know, right after the one pup comes in on that, you hear all this Bronx cheering. And my thoughts on that, it's just, come on, people. Pittsburgh fans that did that, be better. I think it's a joke that you give a goaltender like that, Bronx cheers,

especially a goaltender who's brought this team, helped bring this team to Stanley Cups. I know he's had a bit of a rough patch this year, especially in November and December. He went through a little bit of a rough patch last year, but really turned it on when he came back. Matt Murray deserves better than that, and I hope you all get the chance to read Rob Rossi's article in the athletic, where Evgeny Malkin just absolutely slams the team and basically say, you know what, we do that, that shit happens in Philadelphia, not Pittsburgh,

and, you know, I mean, it was, I liked that the team was sticking up for him. They didn't just say, oh, yeah, whatever, you know, that shit happens. They actually were pretty upset about it. And, you know, I think people have also overreacted to it a little bit. I mean, I just, we don't need to go so, so far with it, but still, you know, a lot of these penguin fans that I think do that, and they boo Matt Murray, you know, these are probably some of the same people that just come over from Heinzield and they boo Ben Rothesberger there every time he throws a pick, you know, or he just throws a bad pass, you know, and, you know, I just feel like they don't represent a lot of the really good portions of this penguin fan base. I know a lot of this band base can be toxic at times, but there's other portions in every fan base. That is toxic. Mark Andre Fleury never really got like that kind of shit from Penguins fans, you know, which is I don't understand that.

If Tristan Jari was in that yesterday, does he get that same Bronx cheer? Nope. No, he doesn't. Because it's the same old Murray and Flurry bull crap that we've had for the past three years now. It's just, it's annoying already. It's stupid. I mean, you know, people need to be objective about this. And it's just, it's annoying that, you know, people,

can't be objective about, you know, evaluating Matt Murray's play. Yes, he's been bad for a bunch of this season, but throughout so far in January, he's really started to pick it up. Rob Rossi put a really good graphic in his article today about Matt Murray who went how his high danger save percentage is up this month. His overall save percentage has been up this month. Josh Getsoff had a tweet yesterday where Matt Murray has just been locked down in the third period of every game going back to his last five, six, seven games.

And you know what? After that first period yesterday, he bounced back, in a big, big way. He helped them win the game. I think at 24 saves in the final two periods. That is what a number one goaltender does. He shakes off all that crap, especially with the Bronx cheers, and you know what?

He helped Will the team to win with the help of Sidney Crosby, of Guinea-Malkin going apeshit, which we'll get to in a little bit. But, yeah, Penguin fans overall, be better than that. You know, it's just, it's enough. It's exhausting to see this constant Murray bashing and the Murray-Flurry crap that this all goes around. And if you know what, if you like Mark Andre Florey so much, you know, just go Ruth Bore. Who cares?

Just come on, you know. I just, it's whatever at this point, but I just want to get that off my chest, and is it really disappointed. But you know what? We don't need to really, like, just keep talking about it and overreact. The team is playing insanely well. And you know what? That's that.

They were able to roll themselves to a comeback yesterday. Cindy Crosby was absolutely unbelievable. His pass to Simone was almost like a no look. Simone was in the right place. kind of side net where you can easily get the goal, makes it 3-1. Crosby behind the, between the legs, pass to Teddy Blugher, who made a really, really nice move on Yarsov-Lock to make it 3-2. That's, I think, eight points now for Crosby in the four games that he's come back, just completely on another level. And that's Teddy Blugher's seventh goal this season.

He's just been phenomenal. I can't say good enough things about him. And then, of course, the tying goal, Jack Frickon Johnson gets the short-handed goal. He slapped that puck pretty good. He doesn't really shoot the puck enough, but that was a nice shot. I'll give him that, even though he had a pretty bad game overall up until that point. They just got to get him off the top pairing. And then, of course, the fourth goal for the Penguins,

Muggeny Malkin, just a gorgeous play on Charlie McAboy to basically like a nice little check on him, separate him from the puck, lift his stick, right to Brian Russ, and then Brian Rush just rips it past Halak. Halak really just had no idea where the puck. I think he was like still looking at the back of the net when Rush fired that fucking Brian Russ was able to get his 21st goal of the season. It is still pretty crazy to believe that Brian Rust is at over 20 goals now. He's going to like I said, he's going to get over 30 to 40.

But yeah, this was a hell of a comeback win for the Penguins. I did not see this coming, especially with the way it started. But, you know, they proved that they can play with the Bruins. They played with them in two of the three games this year. And what a playoff series. That would really be, everyone. I just, I can't wait to watch them. I mean, I just can't wait to see how far both of these teams go.

And shout out to actually Matt Gakka, who's one of my favorite writers in Pittsburgh. He used to write, cover the Penguins for D.K. Pittsburgh Sports. He was also, actually, one of my editors for one of the first sites I started writing out for us, so New Champion Sports. He wrote a great article today about, you know, this would be like the last big check off the box with, you know, the penguins in the cross of Melcanera is, you know, just beating the Bruins in the playoffs.

And that's like the one rival that they haven't beaten. And what a story of that would be to beat them and then maybe go on to a potential Stanley Cup run. I think that would be absolutely just awesome. But Boston's going to have to get through Tampa, who Tampa has just been on another world level right now. Penguins are going to have to probably get through. Potentially the Islanders, though the Islanders have been faltering a lot lately. And, of course, they will definitely, I think, have to get through the Washington Capitals. But I think that would be a really fun 70 games series between the Penguins and the Bruins.

I star talent, obviously, on both teams. Tukarask in Boston, you know, Matt Murray hopefully rejuvenated with a good, really good insurance plan, interest in Jari, who's been outstanding. I think it would be a lot of fun. And yesterday's game was just a lot of fun to watch. And, yeah, I just, I loved it. Also, one more thing, Kelly Sutherland and Francois San Mara. That was probably one of the worst officiated games I've ever seen in my life.

Please do so much better than that garbage, that absolute garbage of the United States. officiating that was on display yesterday. There were more than probably two or three instances in this game where players on both teams were just kind of tackling each other and wrestling around, interference, and it's going on for like 10 to 15 seconds. Kelly Sutherland is just putting his hands on his hips, like being disappointed at his 5 to 10 year old son that's doing something bad. It's like, dude, call freaking penalty.

Like, I don't understand why the officiating is where it's at right now, but the angel can do so much better than that crap. And then of course they called a phantom penalty in the third period against the penguins. And it may ignore stuff like, you know, Chris LaTang, you know, slapping a Bruins stick out of his hands. Bruins players interfering. Brad Marchand doing something to Chris LaTang. Don't, I just don't, I don't get it. And you know what?

Be so much better than that age officiating because that was a disgrace to watch. And also, I loved how Eddie Olcheck was just like basically saying, oh, well, yeah, this has been great officiating. It's like, this is the NHL's broadcast league. And you're defending this bunch of garbage? It just, it grinds my gears to see that. It makes me mad. But you know what? It's just, it's whatever at this point.

But yeah, I wanted to get that off my chest before I'm going into the next segment where we'll do some mailbag questions and we'll have Ariel Melendez on for the last two segments of this show. All right. So welcome back, everyone, to this episode of Locked on Penguins. So I guess we'll go back into the mailback. questions now. Again, I apologize for not getting them out on Friday evening. That's my fault. Makes me look like an idiot, though I already am an idiot most of the time in my life. So you know what? Let's just get started. Nicole Giordano, she asked, why is your girlfriend so cute? Well, you know,

you're just that beautiful because you always are. And you are truly one of the great things I think has come into my life. And I'm a millionaire capitals fan. Maybe we'll go to Penguin's Capitals. If I come back for the Super Bowl, though, I'll be curious. I'll be. I don't have class. Too much work. Do that next day, but maybe I'll come back. But Nicole, you're awesome. I love you.

And I hope that, you know, you have a safe ride at home today and you have a great fun at the concert tonight wherever you go. But also, I hope the Capitals lose tomorrow night with whoever they am. Actually, no, I don't think the Capitals play tomorrow night. I think they're on their bi-week now. They're not their bi with the All-Star break.

I don't think they play Tuesday or Wednesday, so that's my fault. but you know what, whatever. Up next. Let's see here. Letang Colt, could you see John Denver going home at the deadline? Jeff, Jesus. That is a very, very funny question.

Can I see John Denver going home at the deadline? No, no. Well, you know, he already is home because he's up in the heavens right now playing the god-awful song that is country roads. I absolutely cannot. As you all know, I absolutely hate that song. I think it's so bad.

I know if it's played in West Virginia University at the football games, and I know it's played across the actual arena sometimes, but I just can't stand that song, and I just, it's bad. But you know what? Thank you, Jeff, for that question.

That was really, really funny. Next up, we have, let's go take a look here. Clark, King Clarkie, when is Zucker getting announced? Of course, I refers to Jason's of the Minnesota Wild. I hope any day now.

I want Jason Zucker very, very badly. Now, especially with more injuries. Dominic Simone is back, though, but Justin Schultz is coming back. It looks like tomorrow night. But Dominic Gahoon is now also out with a concussion. But with the break coming up, I think Jim Rutherg will probably want to wait a little bit.

But you know what, Clark, hopefully any time now. You know, that would be very much needed. Nate and Nate Reigns underscore 42. What assets players do you think we would give up in order to get Jason Zucker, what would be your ideal trade for him? All right. So,

what I have said some players? Do I think you could give up to get in? That's a good one. I think they may have to give up their first round pick at least. Also, I think Jason Zucker has term left on his contract. You can look it up right now, cap-friendly, to see how much term he has left.

So after the season, he has three more years left at 5.5,000. No, and per. So this would be, I think, a strict hockey deal. This is going to be a rental, but I still think that you could probably, you may have to give up your first round pick, maybe a roster player. I could see them potentially giving up a roster player, such as Nick Bukstad, maybe a prospect, but obviously they're not going to trade pool in, Addison, P.O. Joseph.

My ideal trade for him, you know, maybe give up a first round pick, someone like Nick Bukstad, who I really don't know if he really fits that much anymore, though I think he's getting closer to return. and then maybe such as like a maybe a B level prospect obviously not one of the penguins top A prospects that I would want to trade for someone else but I mean I really really want them to trade them for anyone else anyway so I don't know what the hell I'm saying but I think something along those lines I'd be curious I know Billy Garon is open for business I'd be curious

I'd want to know the asking price on Zucker before I could also make maybe an even better package for him because there's not really a lot of info out there right now about what the trade packet, the price is for someone like Jason Zucker, or if he's even available. But I'm sure he will be considering that the Wilder falling out of a playoff race. And right now the deadline, five weeks away. So, you know, hopefully there's some trade talk that starts ramping up seeing as teams try to figure out what they're doing going into the deadline and, you know, do whether they want to tank this season. You know, maybe just, you know, keep growing.

there's still probably, I think there's usually about 20 games after the deadline. Of course, oh, stupid, these stupid text notifications, but whatever. But still, I think, I think a lot of teams that really just haven't made up their decision yet. But still, I think that would be really, really, I think that package maybe around Bukstad and her first round pick and another prospect, I think would be maybe a decent package. But I'd be willing to add more to it considering I just, I think Jason Zucker is really, really, really good. Also, everyone, this space that just goes out to some advertisers. But if you've been a listener of this podcast, I'm sure you've heard of all the great advertisers, working with Lockdown to reach sports fans, but you may not know that Lockdown Penguins,

it's a great way for your local business to reach passionate Penguins fans just like you. Unlike any other podcast, Lockdown gives your local company the unique ability to reach local podcast listeners, not just any podcast listener, a Lockdown podcast listener. If your company wants to connect with Penguins fans and predominantly, and just a good audience, that is well, educated, with disposable income, and let's put your company right here on this Lockdown podcast. Local fans love to support local businesses. Text the word advertising to 33777 or visit Lockdown Podcast.com

slash advertising and let us know who you are. We'll get our team to help your team achieve locked on advertising success. Once again, text the word advertising to 33777 or visit Lockedonpodcast.com slash advertising. So with that said, so we now want to. welcome. Ariel Melendez from Puckrup, Philadelphia, and fan-sighted. I think that's where she writes now for covering the Flyers. Of course, the Penguins and the

Flyers will play for the second time tomorrow and night, as I talked about earlier in the episode. Ariel, how are you doing today? I'm doing good. I thought this was the first time they were playing. Did I forget a match-up? They played, I think, way earlier. The thing, around November, I think the Penguins put up a touchdown on the Flyers, I think, in Pittsburgh.

It was. Maybe that's why I forgot about it. Yeah, of course. I mean, I probably would if I were that too. But, you know, how have the flyers been for the most part this season? Just catch up the listeners with them, how they're doing. I obviously know they're in the playoff race, but it's a pretty tight race down there, I would say. Yeah, things are really tight in the Metropolitan and in the wild card itself. I know there are a lot of teams fighting for that, fighting for the two wildcote spots,

and even the third spot in the Metropolitan Division. I know the Islanders, Columbus, Carolina Flyers, I think even the Panthers. answers might be pretty close in the race. I'm not sure about them, so to speak, but the Flyers are a weird team. They go on these good streets and they go on these bad streets, so you're not really sure what team you're going to get. They've been doing pretty well recently. I mean, they were able to beat three of the top teams in the league, you know, in the capital,

blues and Bruins, and then, you know, they kind of put up a dud of the game against the Canadians, but they kind of got back on track against the Kings. So they're feeling probably pretty good right now. And, you know, they'll get up for this game against Pittsburgh. They always do every time, no matter their circumstances. So it should be a good game, but it all depends on what Flyers team you're going to get in this one. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I did see they had the big comeback, I think, against the Bruins.

That's the second time the Bruins blew a three-goal lead, I think, in the span of a week, which is pretty interesting. And then I did saw the win against Washington. And then, yeah, I think I did see the game that, the Canadians game. I think that was when Ilya Kobleshuk, I think, just keeps scoring for some, somehow he just keeps doing this. I don't understand how, but I think a lot of flyer, a lot of people want to ask, like, you know, how's Carter Hart doing? You know, it's his first full season. Do you think that they potentially rushed him a little

bit up here, or do you think that he's been mostly fine for the season that he just keeps going upwards? I don't think there was any rush and bringing him up at the time. I mean, when Ron Huxhall was here, he was very patient, not only with Carter Hart, but with kind of every prospect. And I know a lot of Flyers fans didn't really like how patient he was at times. But I think kind of the way Hart had started off in Lehigh Valley, he kind of struggled for a while. And I think it was good for him to get those struggles out, you know, especially coming out of the WHO as top goaltender like every season.

So, you know, it was kind of good to get the growing pains out. And then he comes up here and kind of, I don't want to say, likes the league on five. but he did have a really good stretch to start his career. And this season, he's been pretty much as advertised as well. Right now, they are missing him a little bit. He is going to be out a couple weeks with an abdominal issue. So right now they are going to be riding Brian Elliott, which up and down, you know, sometimes in his career.

This season, he seemed to have kind of been a better goaltender than he had in the past. And they'll have Alex Lyon as well. but it's going to be Elliot riding it for most of the time. But I don't think there was any rush in heart. I think they just kind of wanted him to get his feet wet in Lehigh Valley and get all those kings down, kind of face professional hockey for a little bit. I think he's been just fine. I don't think there's any cause for concern, especially on the road,

as he's had some struggles on the road, but it also, the team in front of him, wasn't necessarily playing well on the road as well. So I don't think there's any cause for concern with Hart, but they are certainly going to miss him, most likely especially in the Penguins game. Yeah, I actually forgot that they announced that he's out. I think it was, you said two to three weeks with that injury. Probably takes him a little bit into the All-Star break,

and then probably next week, I think when the Penguins will play, coming out of their by week, they'll play the Flyers at home. So both the next two games will be against the Flyers. So they may not have to face Carter Hart in both those games. But, you know, I mean, just, I always, like to look at the lineups, you know, before these games. And, of course, you know, I am really, I've been curious to see how Kevin Hayes would do with the team, considering they signed him to that pretty substantial contract that a lot of

people, I would say, laugh down over the all season, considering, you know, it was a little bit pricey, but it looks like that he's had a really, really good start to his Flyers tenure this year. Yeah, that contract got a lot of people talking about maybe an overpay in a way, especially but the flyers were clearly after Hayes when they first traded for at least his rights from Winnipeg to kind of give them that little bit of stretch at time. He maybe talked to him, see what he wanted, see what the team wanted. And maybe things didn't start off great.

And a lot of people kind of continue to laugh at the contract. But he brings a lot more to the table than just points. He's been really good on the penalty kill. He's kind of helped shore up that unit, you know, when he's playing with guys like Sean Gatorier and Scott Lawton on the penalty and they've been a really good unit and I mean I think he's got at least two or three short-handed goals

as a part of that unit so he brings more than just and I know I said he brings more than points and I talked about points but he kind of brings that leadership aspect and when you see the videos the Flyers Post the NHL Post he's got a nickname I think for every single guy on the team

so he's kind of that guy in the locker room that lightens things up you know he's always talking you know he's kind of like connecting that way, always chirping, always talking. But he kind of brings all the guys together. I think, and that's a really important aspect for a team that's really young. A lot of these guys are in their mid-20s, and a lot of their top guys are in their mid-20s. You know, aside from the guys like Drew and Vortchik, you look at the guys like Kateria, Kinekni,

Provarov, a lot of young guys on this team. And it's funny to think that Kateri is still young, but he is still in his mid-20s. So having the guy like Kevin Hayes, especially. another centerman to kind of take responsibilities away and kind of just what he brings over all the team. I think he's been a really good aspect to this team, and he is starting to score a little bit more, which obviously is a positive win. You give a guy a contract like that. You're going to need to see the points at some point. I think they really are starting to show up on the score sheet. But overall, he just brings a lot more to the table than just a score.

Yeah, absolutely. And, of course, you know, he centers, looks like he centers, Drew. this year and then connect me and then maybe you can just you can move katurier down who i've always you know i've always been a big fan of borrach um ben you can also move ban rives night down which i think he has been and then um i always one of the players that actually have really always loved watching on the flyers is probably ivan pro grove i think he's always been probably one of the more underrated defensemen in the league i think he's going to be a stud for many years and it's good that he's on the top pairing this season because you know he definitely deserves that. And, you know, playing with Matt Niskin, I mean, it's fine. You know, Niskin, he's not

obviously what he once was, but, I mean, I just, watching just ProVrov play is just something really to behold. Yeah, and you're pretty much saying the exact same things Flyers fans would say about ProVrov. He had a little bit of a struggle last season, but, you know, it wasn't just him, but he was going to go through that at some point, especially playing, you know, the minutes that he does each game playing upwards, like 20-some minutes. Each game, he's going go through those those struggles but he seemed to kind of turned it around again this season. I mean, there was no cause for concern. It's early in his career. He's what, like 21 years old, maybe somewhere, somewhere around there. So he was going to go through some struggles.

But yeah, playing with Matt Niskin, I think especially has helped because I know I keep saying veteran presence, but that really can play a big role in a guy's career, especially someone as young as pro rave who plays those heavy minutes, having a guy like Niskin who's been around the block a couple times. knows what he's doing, you know, knows, knows where to be, knows what to do, is really going to help someone like ProVrob in the future, even though he's kind of already up there in terms of some of the top of young defensemen in the league.

You kind of are saying everything that Flyers fans have been saying about ProV since he first came into the league. Well, at least I have that going for me when I talk about the Flyers. It's probably one of the nicer things that I can honestly say. But overall, do you see them getting in? Do you see them getting one of those two wildcard spots or potentially getting third without the islanders have just been completely in free fall right now.

The penguins have just really separated themselves from all those teams trying to make a run at the capitals. I do think so. Maybe I'm being overly optimistic because it is still, it's not early, but it's still January. You still got a couple months to figure things out, especially with how close things have been in the entire league, especially a lot of teams separated by like a point, two points.

I do think they get in. I think they are a better team this year, especially with some of those additions, you know, bringing in Hayes, Niskin, and even Justin Braun has been a good addition on defense. And, you know, getting career years from a guy like Travis Kineckney, who this team never really had that sniper that they needed.

And he's kind of turning into that this season. And just kind of a mix of everything else. I don't want to go down every single, every single part of this line does that take a while. But I think they are a better team this year than they have been, but they need to figure out the road.

They need to figure out these struggles on the road, and they need to it's hard to stop playing down the competition is really the way you have to put it, especially that game against Montreal and on the West Coast those games where we don't even really want to talk about those games anymore because of how bad

that trip was. But if they're able to kind of figure things out like that. I think they can get in. I think it probably is going to be the wild card. Unless the islanders really do free fall the rest of the season, like they have been. I don't think they're quite going to grab that number three spot. I think that's going to be a fight maybe even between Columbus and the island.

Yeah, they're coming on. It's been really interesting this season. Yeah. When you think about what they lost and what they've been able to piece together, especially with their goaltending, losing a guy like Brobropski, obviously is a huge, is a huge loss for that team. you know, not being able to bring guys like Panarin back and, you know, other top guys they lost. But I think they're going to be a team that the Flyers are going to be fighting for that wildcourt spot.

Like I said, I don't think they're going to grab the third spot in the Metropolitan. I think, like I said, unless the Islanders really do continue to just fall down on the list, they still do hold that spot, I believe. I think they do get in, though. I don't know how far they'll get depending on, you know, where we are at the end of the season. and if they do decide to make any moves. But I do see them getting in probably on the wildcard spot. Yeah, I think they're probably, I think they'll get one of the two wildcard spots. I think Carolina, honestly, is probably going to get the other,

because I think Carolina is just too good to, you know, not play this bad. I know they've had some problems with their go-tending sometimes and whatever, but, you know, I think they're too good. Yeah, Columbus is, that's been a heck of a story. You know, that's just, I think the main key with them is, you know, You don't pay a premium for just goaltending, and you know what? They didn't do that. And, you know, they're reaping the rewards right now,

and they're making a case to potentially seriously get into that third spot. And the Metro, considering the islanders of them, like you said, have just been no free-falling a little bit. But, yeah, I do think the Flyers will, I think they'll get in. They'll play one of Boston, Tampa, if Tampa Leaproggs them, or Washington, Pittsburgh, considering Pittsburgh is now making a run at the Metro. But, yeah, I'm really looking forward to this game tomorrow night. The game right before the All-Star break, the Penguins,

and I'm always going to look forward to the game right after the All-Star break, after the Penguins' by-week, as they will get 10 days off between these two games, which is pretty crazy to think about. I did not realize that their bi-week came right after the All-Star break. But Ariel, thank you so much for coming on today's episode. It was a lot of fun to hear about how the Flyers are doing and just talk about all this as a whole. I really appreciate it. Not a problem, and I expect to be back on next week.

Or two weeks from now. Yeah, a week and a half. I don't know how many Flyers fans you know. Yeah, you probably will be. You know, maybe we'll talk about some of the best moments of the rivalry as we didn't get a chance to do that today. So we'll probably do that in next week's, and, yeah, next week's episode of meeting up to that game.

So thank you guys so much for listening, and we will talk to you tomorrow.