Rivarly "flares" up

A fan in Philadelphia added a new element to the Devils-Flyers' rivalry today by tossing a homemade smoke bomb on the ice during overtime of the Flyers' 3-2 victory today at Wachovia Center.

It happened with 1:46 left in overtime immediately after referee Dave Jackson waived off a near-winning goal by Simon Gagne after video review.

The device, which building security said was a signal flare that was turned into a smoke bomb, came from the stands across from the players' benches. It landed in the middle of the ice in the Devils' zone and slid into the boards just to the right of where Devils backup goaltender Kevin Weekes was sitting on the bench.

"It was down from me where our bench was there," Weekes said. "It landed just in front of there about two feet down from the bench."

Weekes recognized what it was right away.

"It was a flare, 100 percent," Weekes said. "There were flames coming out of it and smoke shot out of it after the flames."

Flyers center Mike Richards skated over and touched it with his stick, which caused more smoke to come out. Then, Flyers defenseman Ossi Vaananen came over and picked it up. He started skating it toward the Zamboni entrance at the opposite end of the ice, but dropped it after more flames came out.

The smoke smelled of sulfur.

"It smelled like New Year's," Vaananen said.

Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur said the incident was unnerving.

"There's 20,000 people watching the game and there's us playing the game and everybody is looking down at us," Brodeur said. "That that guy was able to do that -- not that it was going to scare me or be paranoid about it -- but it's unbelievable. I've (seen) stuff thrown on the ice from batteries to pocket knives maybe and stuff like that -- a big bottle of liquor fell right beside me in junior too. It happens, but this was  a flare...Your eyes started itching and it was hard breathing. So, who knows what's next if they don't pay attention to these things. Security has to be more tight.

"It's one incident. Don't get me wrong. There's no need to panic about it, but I think it's important that they look into it."

After the public address announcer made a request that those who saw it point out the culprit, some Flyers' fans pointed to an apparently innocent man wearing a Devils' jersey.

"It looked like everybody was pointing at this poor Devils' fan," Brodeur said. "I was like, 'Oh my God. Poor guy.'"

Security had a description of the fan who threw the flare, but has not apprehended anyone so far.

Comments

[Eric]

Philly fans: Nothing if not classy.

[GazzaG]

is it possible they will be fined for this due to lack of protection to players and officials?

[Jill]

it's terrible to see. I was shocked when I saw that I can't imagine anybody ever wanting to do that what is going through their minds, it's just plain dumb.

[Joe D]

Shouldn't that be a penalty against the Flyers?

[NJDevils44]

Ya wtf I thought it was a penalty to the home team?

[Pat D]

In this day and age you can't go and do something stupid like that, people will panic.

[DanT]

what a moron. rivalry is one thing....this is something beyond what is acceptable.

[Jim B]

And here i thought Ranger fans were bad

[jules]

I can't believe they actually tried to pin this on a Devils fan. How lame.

[TG]

I think that was more joking. I don't think anyone took those accusations seriously.

[in lou i trust]

you cant penalize the home team for something like this.....if you could, you may have fans from other teams doing stupid things in oppossing team's arenas just to give their favorite team an advantage....they should be punished for being stupid, not for who they root for

[jules]

Haha, TG, really? You're talking about Philly.

[TG]

I think they usually don't penalize the home team without some kind of warning to the fans first.

[Al]

There should be no warning, your fans throw a smoke bomb, especially at the other team..there should be a delay of game penalty. Flyers fans are 100 times WORSE than Rangers fans ever could be.

Flyers tv said nothing about it after the game and just gloated over the victory. THIS better wake up Devils fans to WAKE UP and treat Philly fans how WE are treated by them at their stadium.

[InterchangeableParts]

Al, what's that saying about an eye for an eye? Devils fans, we're better than that!

[drewbee30]

I was as at the game tonite and let me congradulate the one philly FAN on being the f'n joke of all fans. A smoke bomb?? Are you serious?? How bout you grow a set of balls and reveil yourself tough guy?? I didn't think the devs played too bad tonite. We played a desparate team and it showed. As for Colin White, I think my own Colon could play better D out there then him. Thats all, Lets Go D-RAYS and see ya on Wends!!!

[jdr30]

Its time to bench White. he has been horrible

[Zakatak232]

It is truly unbelievable that someone would actually see this as humerous. What if the flare had been something worse. They did say that is was a flare converted to a stinkbomb. What if there were toxins added. You have a lot of sick people including the team you so called root for. I saw comments on NJ.com that a flyer fan saw the culprit in the parking lot and they bragged about their actions. Philadelphia police should launch a full investigation and make an example of this idiot. A total breach of HOMELAND Security. Scarry stuff.

[Shari]

On Hockey night live last night they were having a good laugh about it, Dano kind of gave a fake laugh but You could tell He was not amused but He was out numbered, the Flyers, Islanders and rags People were all around Him getting a real kick out of it. Now The Dev's are the laughing stock more then ever, it's very sad to Me that People think this is funny, a fire could have been started and People could have been hurt, not to get carried away here but it makes Me wonder if a gun can get in to a game. Every time I go and see The Devils they search My purse and My pockets everything even at Cont arena they did that too.

[Ali-P]

I was at the game and was 9 rows from the ice. That place stunk. I dont' know how the players could skate after that. I mean seriously, who goes and thinks i'm going to bring this stink bomb to the game and throw it on the ice. What goes on in peoples minds is scary. I don't think the flyers players appreciated it either.

[Ali-P]

I will say this, Flyers fans are good, loyal fans. I really think the classless behavior is because their sports team don't win anything which drives them to do stupid nonsense out of frustration. Eagles fans are same way. Maybe a world series win will chill these people out..

[Salvatore from Garfield]

Al- Let's not sink down to that low of a level and act like philly or NYR fans. I'd like to think that we're better than that, so please grow up.

[andrew]

i was at the game as well. the whole place stunk of sulfur. some flyers fans can be nice. but we were screamed at on the way to the car with words that i dare not repeat here or anywhere. seriously i hate philadelphia and their fans. every time i go into that city or watch games on tv they just prove to be classless people.

and yes shari, you could have brought a gun in and wired yourself with explosives because there was NO security at that arena.

[Mike]

I THOUGHT IT WAS A RULE THAT THE TEAM FORFEIT AFTER AN INCIDENT SUCH AS THIS BY ONE OF THEIR FANS? What better way to make an example out of this moron than by causing his team to get a LOSS!!! WAKE UP BETTMAN, DO YOUR JOB FOR ONCE YOU HACK!

[JoeDevs]

Philly is a thug city, most of South Jersey near Philly is bleak.
The Floppers have not won a Cup since 1975.
Combine those factors and there is no surprise you see such events taking place at their games. Ed Snider and the Floppers organization turns a blind eye which encourages more idiotic and dangerous behavior.