Bob Clarke still fuming over Flyers-Sens brawl
Philadelphia Flyers GM Bob Clarke isn't normally one to mince words. This weekend was no exception.
The heated on-ice feud between the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers has spilled over into a verbal jousting match.
Clarke lashed out at the Senators for Friday's fight-filled third period, which set an NHL record for total penalty minutes in a game (419).
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The Flyers' GM accused Ottawa head coach Jacques Martin of putting his tough players on the ice to challenge some of the Flyers' more passive players. Clarke pointed to Chris Neil, who went after non-fighter Radovan Somik.
"I understand Rob Ray fighting Donald Brashear. That's OK. Even Mark Recchi and Patrick Sharp, they can fight. But don't go after guys who don't know how to defend themselves like Somik and (Mattias) Timander.
"I don't think a guy like that should send players out to beat the crap out of players who can't fight. I wanted to say something. It's not like (Martin) is a big, tough bugger whose teams play that way and stuff.
"What Neil did is not something to be proud of. I'm ticked off that a player like Neil would go after a player like Somik. If Martin says it's not his responsibility, then he doesn't have control of his bench."
Clarke had to be restrained from getting to Ottawa coach Jacques Martin outside the Senators' dressing room Friday night.
"I would not have hit him â I am not that stupid," Clarke told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Saturday. "But I would have confronted him."
The Senators contended the melee began when Philadelphia enforcer Brashear pummeled Ray in a bloody fight.
Clarke disagreed.
"Martin will say he didn't send Ray out to fight," said Clarke. "Well, he sure as hell didn't send Rob Ray out there to win the game at the end."
Philadelphia won the contest 5-3.
The Flyers and Senators meet one more time this season, April 2 in Philadelphia.
with files from Canadian Press