Game 3 in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs matchup between the Washington Capitals and the Philadelphia Flyers was about as ugly as it could’ve been. After the first two games of the series were played in Washington, the Caps rolled into Philadelphia on Monday with a commanding 2-0 series lead. Although that advantage gave the Caps good momentum going into the third game, it was by no means enough reason for the Caps and Flyers to encounter the sort of hostility they were met with on Monday night.
There were seemingly no happy or level-headed fans in attendance at the Wells Fargo Center, and their behavior should be considered a disgrace. The context of the game should’ve brought much more civility to the arena than it did. The Flyers franchise was celebrating the life of founder Ed Snider, who died last week from bladder cancer. The fans were given wristbands upon entry to the game in memory of him, and a moment of silence was held prior to the first period of play.
However, the intended mood and tone of the celebration was met with counterproductive and disruptive hostility from a few fans. During the moment of silence, a fan audibly shouted “Fuck the Caps!,” to which another fan responded by shouting, “Fuck you, Ovechkin!” These issues caused by the fans only continued into gameplay.
In the second period, Caps defenseman Brooks Orpik was injured after a hard hit, and as he was helped into the locker room, Flyers fans shouted boos at him. Typically and tastefully, no matter which team the injured player is on, the fans will grant him a round of applause before the game resumes. Orpik clearly was not given this common courtesy.
The poor responses from the fans only continued from there. After the Caps increased their lead to 4-1, Flyers fans began filing out of the arena in masses. In the third period, Caps player Dmitry Orlov was dealt a hard blow, after which Flyers fans began throwing their Snider wristbands at the injured defenseman. Flyers announcer Lou Nolan asked fans to stop throwing their wristbands; not only did they continue doing so, but they also began throwing beers and other trash onto the ice. Officials then imposed a bench minor against the Flyers. By the end of the game, officials, players from both teams and especially Nolan were furious at the behavior of the Flyers fans throughout the game.
This sort of behavior is not only uncalled for, but also downright classless and counterproductive. Especially on a night that was supposed to honor a lost life, the behavior of Flyers fans reflects a disrespect for the rules and general social competence that fans are supposed to abide by. Certain fans of certain teams or from certain cities are often associated with a general behavior and attitude, but despite any preconceptions about how Philadelphia Flyers fans generally act, they exceeded any acceptable level of misbehavior.
My greatest fear is that if the Caps dominate Game 4 in Philly, thus winning the series, the fans could respond even more drastically than they did in Game 3. For the sake of the safety of everyone in attendance for that game, let’s hope the Flyers fans take responsibility for their behavior and cease it immediately.
Kyle Campbell is a sophomore government and politics major. He can be reached at
