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41 Year Old Gary Roberts Schools Flyers Enforcer
By Dagger | December 12, 2007
Penguins got smoked last night in Philadelphia. Not surprising after a long road trip to Western Canada but the game was exciting as it was filled with fights, cheap shots, big hits, and all-around old school hockey.
Check out the clip below (42 seconds long)…..
After sending a flying elbow towards Penguin enforcer George Laraque and then refusing to fight the Big George (the most feared man in the NHL), Flyer “tough guy” Ben Eager tries his luck throwing down with 41 year old Gary Roberts. Eager quickly finds out why Roberts’ nickname is “Scary Gary”. I’ve used the word PWND twice in my entire life. I feel the need to use it once again after watching this clip. For those of you not “in the know” running away from one fight and engaging a seemingly “lesser opponent” is frowned upon in the NHL. Ben Eager hit Laraque (best fighter in the NHL) but refused to fight him when he was challenged. When Roberts got in Eager’s face to talk a little smack all of a sudden Eager is willing to fight because he knows he should get the upper hand. Coward; got what he deserved.
Tale of the Tape:
Gary Roberts 6′2 215lbs….41 years old….a beast
Ben Eager 6′3 255lbs….23 years old ….a punk
Just for fun, take a look at the penalties involved in this game.
Thanks to the guys at ThePensBlog for the link to the PIM pic.
From the Post-Gazette:
PHILADELPHIA — The game was over, but — those 156 minutes’ worth of penalties that had been assessed over the course of the evening aside — the hostilities were just beginning.
First, Philadelphia coach John Stevens accused the Penguins of being totally undisciplined after they received 81 penalty minutes in the third period of the Flyers’ 8-2 victory at the Wachovia Center last night.
When his Penguins counterpart, Michel Therrien, was informed of Stevens’ charge, he launched a caustic retort, pointing out that the Flyers had dispatched their No. 1 power play while holding a five-goal lead in the third period.
And when Therrien’s postgame session with reporters ended, Flyers knuckle-dragger Ben Eager (0 points, 60 penalty minutes), whom Therrien passed in a corridor outside the Penguins’ locker room, said to him, “You’re a joke.”
Therrien offered a two-word comeback, only the second half of which — “you” — is suitable for public consumption.
Consider the rivalry re-ignited. Not that it had been particularly dormant before last evening.
“Everyone knows there’s one here,” Penguins center Sidney Crosby said. “But it seems like it’s escalated each game.”
…………..The Flyers scored on three of 13 power-play chances, and spent much of the final period with the extra man. That led to Stevens’ comments and the broadside Therrien fired back.
“Are we talking about the same team that has had five guys suspended this year?” Therrien said. “Is that the same team? It’s a lack of respect, what [Stevens] did tonight.
“At 7-2, you don’t send your best power play on the ice. Even [Flyers center] Daniel Briere didn’t want to go on the ice. It’s a lack of respect. … You never put yourself in a position to show a lack of respect for the other team. This is exactly what he did tonight.”
Asked if he thought Stevens tried to humiliate the Penguins, Therrien said, “Big time.”
Topics: NHL, Pittsburgh Penguins, Sports | 12 Comments »
December 12th, 2007 at 8:32 am
Only in hockey can a 41 year old beating the crap out of a 23 year old be called “leadership”. That is one of many reasons why I love hockey above all other sports.
December 12th, 2007 at 8:33 am
Of course, since the Pens and Flyers are my two most hated teams, I would have preferred seeing the arena collapse on both teams, but thats just me.
December 12th, 2007 at 9:10 am
Gary Roberts is old time hockey. Anyone remember Robin Ventura charging the mound against Nolan Ryan? Eager is a big dork. Roberts got inside…Got his left free and then he decided to do his best Joey Kocur impersonation
Ryan Malone actually has done a fine job dropping the mitts this year.
Big George is the Heavyweight Champ Since Probert hanged them up
I was proud of my Pens last night…They lost the game…They won the war
December 12th, 2007 at 9:24 am
What a game!! I was frustrated that they closed out the road-trip that way, but man, was that a great game to watch. Even being on the short end of the stick as far as the score went.
Gary Roberts is awesome…
December 12th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Always a delight to see a tough old man beat up a young punk like that. It reminds me of Nolan Ryan years ago getting Robin Ventura in a headlock and pounding the crap out of him.
December 12th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Ryan Malone vs Smith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3dq7RvnKZU
December 12th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
HAHA
Roberts has “Dad-strength”
December 12th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
I can see him playing 1-on-1 basketball now. Backing a kid up to the bucket the way dads do. Ha
December 13th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
I feel bad for all you Penguins fans, because your best player is a pansy. He barks a lot, but all he’s really saying is “meow”. LOL.
December 13th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
Yup, he’s awful.
Anyone who wins the NHL scoring title stinks.
P.S. Jerry Rice, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods are all terrible as well. Robert DeNiro as a horrible actor, Bill Gates is a dumb businessman, FDR was a terrible President.
Am I following your logic properly?
December 14th, 2007 at 7:11 am
Did I say he wasn’t a good player? I just feel bad for you guys, that you are forced to cheer for a coward, that’s all. Tell me, do you get a “special” feeling deep inside every time he takes a dive, or as he’s whining to the refs for a call every time someone sneezes in his general direction? I’m not saying he isn’t talented. Mike Richards is talented too, but Richards is much more fun to cheer for, because he has the ability to “man up” when the game gets physical. Crosbaby, on the other hand, runs his mouth like a tough guy, but flees to the bench at the first sign of a scuffle.
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Crosby is a pansy… SO what? Hes a very good hockey player. Everyone is not a great goal scorer and a buttkicker also. Crosbies the goal scorer, laraque and Roberts are the two baddest azzes in the nhl.