The Flyers fans spent the final minutes left in Sunday’s Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins doing what angry and boorish fans would do with the elimination on deck.
Hats were tossed into the ice when Sean Couturier, the Game 5 hero completed a hat trick to cut the deficit to 7-5. But when it was clear that the Flyers would not be able to come back from their third-period meltdown and were going to be eliminated in another empty season, some Philadelphia fans hatred of the cross-state rival Penguins spilled into inappropriate actions as they chucked beer cans and trash onto the ice.
NBC analyst McGuire said on the broadcast, “Just watch it. There’s heavy artillery flying all over down here. Beer cans and everything… Players are huddling here.”
Although fans were frustrated with the loss but throwing items on the ice is dangerous as players could be hit or could trip and injure themselves. The NBC broadcasters took on the fans and said that those who will be found throwing trash should be thrown out of the game. Moreover, the Flyers’ public address announcer also had to warn the fans to stop doing such actions.
This is how the season ends in Philadelphia, not with a Stanley Cup hoisted in a championship celebration, but with the cleaning crew picking up the mess.
The Flyers’ season ended with them losing to the Penguins with an 8-5 loss on Sunday in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Flyers have not reached the second round since the year 2012 and have also not played in the Cup finals since the year 2010. This season’s berth was considered a mild surprise under third-year coach Dave Hakstol, especially when the team lost ten straight games in November/December and all seemed to be lost.
