Pittsburgh Penguins face off against PETA after team uses live penguins during pre-game festivities

The rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers may be one of the most physically brutal NHL series but, after Saturday's Stadium Series matchup at Heinz Field, there may be some harder crosschecks on the horizon.

On Thursday, PETA — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — sent a letter to Pittsburgh Penguins president and CEO David Morehouse, criticizing the team and the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium for using live penguins during pregame festivities before the game.

Specifically, PETA took exception with a video clip that went viral, showing a group of penguins flinching and scampering in confusion after a fireworks display at the stadium

Everything about this is terrible. pic.twitter.com/RRYJSDaCeh

— m g (@kikkerlaika) February 26, 2017

The Pittsburgh Zoo responded Thursday afternoon in a statement, discounting many of PETA’s claims.

“The loud pop from the pyrotechnical display temporarily startled the penguins and their first reaction similar to a human’s when startled, they flapped their wings,” the statement reads, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It was less than 10 seconds and the penguins were back to normal and exploring and playing on the ice.”

PETA pointed out that the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium “is no longer accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums” and therefore “no longer has to maintain the AZA’s minimal standards or care for penguins and other animals.”

“It's inherently stressful for wild animals — who naturally shun contact with humans and are extremely sensitive to environmental changes — to be hauled around, used as props, and exposed to noisy crowds, with or without explosives going off,” John Di Leonardo, a campaigner for PETA, wrote in the letter to Morehouse. “Hockey fans come to see talented athletes compete, not shy animals terrorized.”

The Pittsburgh Zoo said the penguins that participated in Saturday’s pregame entertainment were the same penguins that appear in the Penguins on Parade event, which allows the public to view the animals every Saturday and Sunday from late November through the end of February.

“They are very comfortable around people and noises,” they also claimed in their statement.

You have to admit the little guys did seem a little startled by the loud boom (who usually isn't) but it still can't be as scary as being stranded on an ice floe, staring down the mouth of a killer whale.

Flyers' Claude Giroux scores sneaky goal on faceoff (VIDEO)

Claude Giroux broke his six-game goal-scoring drought with what might be the most unique goal of the year.

The Flyers captain lined up for a faceoff against the Sharks on the offensive side of the ice and put his hand on his stick as though he would be sending it back to one of his teammates. But as soon as the puck hit the ice, Giroux deftly shot the puck towards San Jose goalie Martin Jones, who was caught slightly off guard.

Jones tried to knock the puck down with his mask, but instead deflected it between his own legs and in. 

Sneaky Claude Giroux is the best Claude Giroux pic.twitter.com/u2XDmYkfyd

— Sons of Penn (@SonsofPenn) December 31, 2015

And this was something Giroux apparently had up his sweater sleeve for a while. Flyers analyst Chris Therrien said he was informed that Giroux had been practicing that move for a while, and spent extra time on it during the Flyers' most recent practice.

So Giroux just straight up shot the puck into the net off a face-off. https://t.co/q8eXPtusdf

— NHL (@NHL) December 31, 2015

A goal is a goal, eh?

Flyers' Mark Streit out six weeks with painful sounding 'pubic plate detachment'

Philadelphia Flyers' Mark Streit is going to be sidelined for at least the next six weeks after he has surgery on Tuesday morning.

And in describing the defenseman's injury, the Flyers decided to be specific. Painfully specific.

The team tweeted on Saturday morning that the 37-year-old Streit is going to be on the mend after he undergoes surgery to repair a "pubic plate detachment." 

That's right. Now, grit your teeth and read it here:

Injury Update: Mark Streit will have surgery on Tuesday morning to repair a pubic plate detachment. He is expected to be out for six weeks.

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) November 14, 2015

If you're wondering what, exactly, a pubic plate is, according to Sports Medicine Imagining "it constitutes a central hub of mechanical linkage between the abdominal wall and the lower limbs."

In 16 games this season Streit is the Flyers' second-leading scorer with nine points (three goals and six assists) while playing more than 22 minutes per night.

On Saturday the team called up defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League.

Martin Brodeur calls hockey 'too dangerous of a game': Report

Since joining the St. Louis Blues as a senior advisor last week, newly retired goaltender Martin Brodeur has been giving the team reports looking down from a scouting booth. But now the NHL veteran wants everyone to know about the ever-evolving game from the perspective of 20 years in front of the net too.

Brodeur spoke with Sportsnet to discuss what he likes and what he’d like to change about the game the future Hall of Famer played for almost his entire life.

The 42-year-old former New Jersey Devils legend pointed to the speed of the game and the resulting hits as something that he dislikes.

"It’s too tough of a game, too dangerous of a game. I think it goes… all the speed that they wanted to bring into the game, it kind of makes it up on those tough hits and it’s hard for the players to police themselves. First of all because fighting is going away from the game,” said Brodeur. “You have a lot of guys that are taking liberties and some guys they don’t, but because the game is so fast, they don’t have time to react to a lot of things.

"The dangerous part of the game, the accidents, some of the head injuries needs to get cleaned out."

Brodeur didn’t know exactly how the league needs to go about changing the game, but did have a couple of suggestions.

“The trapezoid has to go. I think the goalies have to help their players a little bit more, but a lot of the hits come because there’s no interference,” Brodeur said. “Put in the interference on the table for the players to use to help each other.

“In the neutral zone I understand the guy skating 100 miles an hour with the puck nobody should touch him, but when you see your guys getting lined up, you should be able to hook that guy a little bit to make him realize ‘hey, you got to stop buddy, you can’t hit him’. But if he does that, the guy gets a penalty. Interference needs to get back in the game.”

Brodeur was in Philadelphia on Saturday night scouting the Flyers and Leafs as part of his new role with St. Louis and spoke with NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman about his new vantage point on top of the ice.

“I think it’s a lot easier to judge people from up here,” Brodeur said. “That’s where I’m trying to find the way of doing it, the right way of doing it, to give the best input I can knowing that two weeks ago, three weeks ago I was the one down there.

“Hockey’s hockey. Right here I think it exposes it a little bit, but it’s all productive.”

Young Flyers fan disgusted about getting Sidney Crosby jersey as Christmas gift (VIDEO)

A little Flyers fan looked pretty excited when someone in his family handed him a nicely wrapped Christmas gift on the big day. But, as the kid, wearing a Flyers jersey, slowly unwraps his present, that smiling face turns to disgust when he notices it was a Pittsburgh Penguins' jersey with No. 87.

"Eeeeew," the boy yells as he disgustedly pushes the No. 87 black and gold Sidney Crosby retro jersey across the table before walking over to his father to sulk.

"That's my boy," the father said. "We'll use that for toilet paper."

Guess we know where the kid stands in this NHL rivalry.

Porn star claims Flyers' Michael Del Zotto is 'constantly pestering her to arrange dates': Report

An angry porn star has publicly named and shamed Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Michael Del Zotto claiming the NHL player is "constantly pestering her to arrange dates" as his wingman.

Adult film actress and director Lisa Ann posted a string of embarrassing messages on Twitter suggesting the athlete persistently asks her to set up a rendezvous with other women.

She calls him the "most annoying texter in the history of my life'"and adds: "Strange, most guys want to date me, not use me to find other dates."

The most annoying texter in the history of my life has been.., hands down @MichaelDelZotto ... Shocker right!
— Lisa Ann (@thereallisaann) November 2, 2014

The 42-year old adult film star recently made news after she was photographed with a Notre Dame football player, Justin Brent, at a New York Knicks game.

The 24-year-old Del Zotto was a New York Rangers first-round draft choice in 2008 and played in there from 2009 until 2014, when the Blueshirts traded him to the Nashville Predators. 

But Nashville wouldn't re-sign him, and Del Zotto, known for his off-ice reputation, became a free agent until Philadelphia Flyers signed him this summer on a one-year contract.

Lisa Ann has been in the adult film industry for more than 20 years - while also making mainstream appearances on the the Howard Stern Show and in a music video for rapper Eminem.

As well as posting the revelations about Del Zotto's questionable dating methods, the porn star also told her 750,000 followers the story of how they became acquainted.

She wrote: "(S)hort story... It all started about 2 years ago when I was hosting an event @MichaelDelZotto reached out to the promoter to meet me.

"I looked him up, he was with the Rangers at the time, looked cute, I thought ok, Pro Athlete, he won't try to kill or rob me, so sure I will.

"So, we go on a date, its nice, hang out- yada yada yada... about a week later he started asking if could hook him up with girls on the road.

"I say NO... I say YO, you are a cute kid, you can pull tail, if not have your agent do it.. just don't ask me....

"After 4 months of going to games and explaining that to him, I finally gave up.. so about a year goes by and we don't talk..

"We reconnect and start talking and we get right back to this before we even had another date our selves.. I did warn him of this outcome."

I guess she has high standards.

Flyers Ice Girls get luke-warm reception for wearing 'sensible' outfits in return (PHOTO)

After much public jeering from Philadelphia Flyers fans when their beloved Ice Girls cleaning crew were replaced by a group of men — who were relentlessly booed between periods during preseason home games earlier this year — the team caved in and brought back the ladies for Thursday's home opener at Wells Fargo Center.

Yet, it's hard to appease those finicky Philly fans.

Flyers fans are still upset over the new look female skaters who now wear long pants on the ice:

Rather than their popular hot pants:

And to top it off, there are only four Ice Girls and twice as many male shovelers during the game stoppages.

It'll be fun to see how the evolving saga of the Ice Girls plays out. But, after dropping to 0-2 after blowing the home opener 6-4 against the Devils, Flyers fans may find other things to focus their energy on.

Anyway, here's the scantily-clad Ice Girls we had come to know and love:

Flyers fans boo 'Ice Guys' who replaced 'Ice Girls' at Wells Fargo Center (VIDEO)

The boo-birds were tuned and ready for the Philadelphia Flyers' first preseason game at Wells Fargo Center Monday night. But most of the noise wasn't directed at any skaters during the game — it was for the dudes on the ice during game stoppages.

It became very clear early in the game that the crowd's hostility was reserved for the new all-male ice clearing crew who replaced the "Ice Girls" this season.

Wearing black pants and orange fleece jackets, the 12 young men skated out for their appointed jobs — only to be booed louder than Sidney Crosby until they left the ice — three times in the first period alone.

The change in personnel happened after the Ice Girls were replaced amid reports that they were unhappy with work conditions and pay.

A familiar lament surrounding sports these days.

Meanwhile, in San Jose, the Sharks altered the uniform for their "Ice Crew" this offseason with the girls now in skimpy outfits, while the guys remained in regular track suits. 

That move prompted protest and outrage among Sharks fans who feel the uniforms serve no purpose but to objectify women.

I don't remember any such problems when there was only the asexual Zamboni.

Rangers' Carcillo stares down finger-flipping Flyers fan after goal (VIDEO)

Daniel Carcillo skated out of the penalty box and scored a goal giving the Rangers a 4-1 lead over the Flyers they would never relinquish Tuesday. While he celebrated near the glass, surrounded by his New York teammates, one Philadelphia fan congratulated the former-Flyer with double middle finger salute, right in his face.

Carcillo noticed and stared back at the glass-shielded fan until his stubby fingers wore out. And also seemed to have a few less than pleasant words for the Flyers bench while passing them.

Afterwards, Carcillo was asked his thoughts on his once-adoring fans in Philadelphia.

Carcillo also smiled, laughed, asked about Philly fan reaction to him. "Nothing surprises me about the city and way people act."
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) April 23, 2014

Sabres' Ehrhoff tweets photos of his ear after a puck splits it open (GRAPHIC PHOTO)

Christian Ehrhoff of the Buffalo Sabres tweeted three images showing his ear after a puck sliced it open during Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The 31-year-old German-born Ehrhoff (pronounced ear off?) needed 40 stitches to repair his butchered ear and proudly shared the before, during and after images with his 28,000 Twitter followers.

"WARNING, graphic images! #pucktoear #about40stitches #toughdayattheoffice #greatjobdoc," he wrote above the pictures.

WARNING, graphic images! #pucktoear #about40stitches #toughdayattheoffice #greatjobdoc pic.twitter.com/lnroJFY8EG
— Christian Ehrhoff (@TheRealHoff10) April 7, 2014

Buffalo lost again, 5-2, and the injury must be better than the ear-splitting boos of Sabres fans this season.

Predators goalie Carter Hutton robs Michael Raffi of 'open net' score (VIDEO)

Nashville Predators goalie Carter Hutton recovers from a bad bounce by making a ridiculous, baseball-like sliding grab to rob Michael Raffi of what looked like a sure goal for the Flyers Thursday night.

The remarkable second-period save happened after Hutton went behind the net to get the cleared puck, but it unpredictably bounced in front of a completely empty net. The Flyers winger was there to take advantage of the miscue for an easy score but, somehow, Hutton makes a sliding move to prevent the goal — and make the save of the season.

Check out the different reactions of Raffi and the Nashville bench after the save.

Justin Verlander spotted with ex-flame Kate Upton at Flyers game (PHOTO)

Kate Upton has apparently bounced back from her break up with “Dancing with the Stars” pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy with her rumored ex-flame, Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander.

The 21-year old model and the Detroit Tigers pitcher were photographed at the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia Saturday night watching the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team battle the Tampa Bay Lightning, reported E! News.

A Flyers fan with the Twitter handle @charlton_dylan posted a photo of the model and the righthander sitting together in a VIP box Saturday night.

“Kate Upton and Justin Verlander at the flyers game in the box seats next to ours” he posted on his Twitter feed.

Kate Upton and Justin Verlander at the flyers game in the box seats next to ours pic.twitter.com/icKk27K0py
— dyl (@charlton_dylan) January 11, 2014

Before the game, it was reported that Upton and Verlander were spotted at a local Del Frisco’s. The paper reported that the couple sat with friends at a table in the mezzanine.

“[Upton] kept it low key, opting for not-much make up. Many people dining near her didn’t even recognize her. 

The Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and Verlander were rumored to be dating last year. He recently underwent successful surgery to repair his core muscle and is undergoing physical rehabilitation for the next six weeks. Insert Upton joke here.

Chmerkovskiy and Upton broke up around the holidays after six months of dating.

Brayden Schenn gets nasty skate cut on stomach, keeps on playing (VIDEO)

Flyers center Brayden Schenn was making a play on Devils forward Dainius Zubrus right in front of the Devils bench and came in with a punishing hit. The hit was hard enough that it sent Zubrus falling to his backside. Meanwhile, that sent Zubrus' skates up in the air and Schenn got in the way.

Zubrus' skate sliced Schenn's stomach and you could see the agony that Schenn felt as a result of the unsolicited appendectomy. 

Thankfully, the cut didn't look all that deep and after some quick repair work Schenn remained in the game because that's what hockey players do, even in the middle of the regular season.

Female fan propositions Sidney Crosby with sign from stands (PHOTO)

There's no shortage of Sidney Crosby fans waving signs in Pittsburgh but this female admirer gave crashing the boards a whole new meaning with her's.

The woman holding this suggestive sign was captured by television cameras during the rivalry night game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night:

Too bad for her, Sid is already taken and gets concussed often. 

'Wheel of Fortune' host doesn't approve of Caps-Flyers brawl (VIDEO)

It was already one-sided on the scoreboard, so one goalie found a way to even it up when the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals engaged in a full line brawl that included both goaltenders dropping the gloves.

The whole thing started when Wayne Simmonds turned into a human wrecking ball the next shift after Washington scored to make it 7-0. He and Tom Wilson dropped the gloves. Then a few other players squared off, then Flyers goaltender Ray Emery made a beeline for Capitals goalie Braden Holtby, who appeared to have no interest in dropping the gloves.

It didn't matter. Emery wouldn't take no for an answer. The two goalies squared off and it turned in to a down-and-dirty street brawl. If you didn't know, Emery's not new to this. He had been in two previous fights and is known as an exceptional scrapper among goalies.

Even if Flyers fans ended up getting something for their money, "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak sounded disturbed by the melee and tweeted: "Love hockey, but Flyers are part of reason it remains a niche sport. Shameful tonight (including Philly radio team.)"

Love hockey, but Flyers are part of reason it remains a niche sport. Shameful tonight (including Philly radio team.)
— Pat Sajak (@patsajak) November 2, 2013

I'd like to buy a central incisor, Pat.

Puck shatters glass inside Bell Centre penalty box (VIDEO)

Here's something that doesn't happen every day — or ever for that matter. Fans have seen the glass in a hockey rink break behind the nets or due to a huge hit, but how many times have they seen the glass break inside the penalty box?

Well it  happened in Bell Centre Saturday night. With Philadelphia breaking into the Montreal zone, Canadiens defenseman Josh Gorges forced a turnover and looked the send the puck down the ice. However, just as he shot the puck down, Scott Hartnell was being released from the Flyers' penalty box. The door opened and —in a case of perfect timing — the puck must have flew in and hit the glass just right, because it shattered into little pieces.

The whistle blew halting play, giving the TV cameras time to survey the damage but that was it  — and the game went on with little delay.

Lucky for Hartnell and fans near the box,nobody was hurt.

It's just one of the most bizarre occurrences you'll ever see in a hockey game.

NHL rookie looks like Darth Maul after fight

A busted up NHL player posted pictures of his battered and bruised face after a fight during a game last week and — thanks to a follower's comparison — shows an uncanny resemblance to the Star Wars character Darth Maul — or more like Darth mauled.

Philadelphia Flyers rookie Tye McGinn got into a fight last Monday but by the looks of things he is still felling the pain.

The discolored eyes, red bruises and black scars still look scarily fresh and — combined with the hoodie— McGinn has a ready-made Halloween costume.

Aftrer the fight with Mike Brown of the Toronto Maple Leafs, McGinn had to undergo surgery for a broken orbital bone.  He will be out for at least four weeks.

Welcome to the NHL. Or Chowbaso in Huttese.

NHL players raise money for Hurricane Sandy victims in Atlantic City charity game

Thirty-two NHL players got together in Atlantic City Saturday night and gave fans a little more than hockey to cheer for.  

The charity hockey game — dubbed Operation Hat Trick — featured Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Brodeur, Brad Richards and a host of other NHL stars from all over the league and helped raise money for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

There was no lockout at the historic Boardwalk Hall as 10,792 hockey-hungry fans watched a battle between the New York Rangers and a team comprised of their Atlantic division rivals.

The "New York" team, captained by forward Richards, included nine of his Rangers teammates while the  Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Hartnell wore the "C" the "New Jersey/Philadelphia" side.

Lundqvist — facing his familiar counterpart Brodeur — made 56 saves to lead his squad to a 10-6 victory. 

"It seemed like he was in playoff shape," said Hartnell.  "And we were joking after the first period there that now the Rangers will want to play really bad because he's on fire right now."

The Rangers goaltender — who flew in from Sweden just for the event — had no problems with that scenario.

"I want to play real games," Lundqvist said after the game.  "But it was probably the best feeling I've had in a long time."

The sold-out crowd — mostly Flyers fans — showed support for both the Sandy relief effort and the sport which has already cancelled the first 70 days of the season and is still in a  lockout as the owners and players do battle off the ice.

Prior to the game, 25 of the players met with union executive director Don Fehr at Caesars Hotel for a lockout update — one day after the league announced the cancellation of the All-Star Game and all regular season games until Dec. 14.

"WE WANT HOCK-EY!," fans started chanting during the first period and didn't let up until the final handshakes — fans who might lose more than an NHL hockey season.  A reminder of that was right outside the doors of the rickety arena.

Get a little NHL fix on VIDEO.

Devils Salvador gets hit in mouth while scoring empty-netter to clinch win

The New Jersey Devils turned up the heat and scored four third period goals to tie the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at one game apiece.  The four unanswered goals led to a 4-1 victory after sloppy play in the first period.

The Devils now drive up the Jersey Turnpike to the friendly confines of the Prudential Center— taking away the Flyers home ice advantage.

The Flyers, down 3-1, took a big gamble and pulled goalie Ilya Bryzalov 3:13 left in regulation and tried to go for broke with a six-to-four player advantage after a Devils penalty.  Too bad the ploy backfired after the Devils Bryce Salvador took a shot to the face but still managed to flip the loose puck from in front of his own net into the Flyers empty cage for the short-handed goal.

As the puck bounced down the length of the rink, the Flyers home crowd could only watch in silence.

It was Salvador's first goal of the playoffs and Devils goalie Martin Brodeur had 19 saves.

The next game is on Thursday night in Newark.

Devils win Game 7 in double-overtime classic

The New Jersey Devils won Game 7 of their first-round Eastern Conference match-up against the Florida Panthers— on a goal by Adam Henrique in 3:37 of the second overtime period— after blowing 2-0 lead.

The two teams went into the first OT tied, 2-2 and basically played dump-and-shoot hockey after regulation was over.

It was the Devils first playoff series win since 2007 propels the exhausted team into the second round against the Philadelphia Flyers— ending five years of playoff frustration.

The 3-2 win also put a sweet finish on a tough seven game series against a solid Panthers team who made  the Devils fight for every goal to win the final two games and move on.

Martin Brodeur had 43 saves and was magnificent in the first OT period.  It was his 103rd playoff victory in what might be his last playoff run.

The game had an unusually late starting time of 8:30 pm Thursday, even though the game was played in South Florida, because of another Game 7 playoff game between the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators in the same time zone in New York.

By the time Henrique's game winner went by Panthers goalie Jose Theodore, it was 12:15 am on Friday morning.