Islanders' Maxim Tsyplakov answers for hit by fighting Scott Laughton in first period
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The Islanders' Maxim Tsyplakov, right, and the Philadelphia Flyers' Scott Laughton fight during the first period of an NHL game Thursday in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Matt Slocum
PHILADELPHIA — Maxim Tsyplakov finally answered for what the Flyers considered his sin, dropping the gloves with the Flyers’ Scott Laughton in his first NHL fight.
“It was great,” fellow rookie fourth-liner Marc Gatcomb said. “It got us going. It brought a lot of energy. Credit to him, it’s not easy. Dropping the gloves is tough. Credit to him for stepping up and doing what he had to do.”
The Islanders’ 3-0 win on Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center marked the first time the Russian rookie left wing faced the Flyers — and vice versa — since being suspended three games for a high hit on Ryan Poehling in the Flyers’ 5-3 win at UBS Arena on Jan. 16.
Poehling remains on injured reserve.
“I’m not surprised,” coach Patrick Roy said. “Tsyppy is that kind of person. Was I surprised to see him drop the gloves? Yes. But at the same time, I was not because I know he has character.”
The Flyers’ fans half-heartedly booed Tsyplakov when he touched the puck on his first shift and cheered louder when Garnet Hathaway tried to check him into the Islanders’ bench.
Finally, Laughton — who had said he thought Tsyplakov should have fought on Jan. 16 — squared off with him on a faceoff in the Flyers’ zone at 4:51 of the first period.
Predictably, the more experienced Laughton dominated the bout.
Players on both benches stood and tapped their sticks on the wall to salute their teammate when Tysplakov and Laughton finally exited the penalty boxes.
“I needed to do this, I think,” Tsyplakov said. “After the game, it will be more smart for me. More free, more easy. We played good today. It was a big win.
“It was good for my head because I think a lot about it during the suspension.”
Tsyplakov was not available for the Islanders’ 3-1 win over the visiting Flyers on Friday night. Travis Konecny went after Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov and drew a roughing call at 6:30 of that first period after Romanov barreled over Flyers defenseman Cam York as he unleashed a shot from the left point.
Still, neither of those first two contests, nor Thursday’s, devolved into out-and-out goonery. They just had some snarl, particularly in post-whistle scrums around the creases.
Each team had eight penalty minutes in the first game and totaled eight PIMs in the second. On Thursday, there were a combined 24 penalty minutes.
The Islanders and Flyers played three times in 15 games.
Kyle MacLean said before the game: “We played them a lot the past couple of weeks here. Physical games.”
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