Mogilny delivers some monster hits

`Plumber' drives Flyers crazy
Even impresses tough guy Domi

by Paul Hunter, Toronto Star


To get back in their series, the Maple Leafs needed a little muscle in their lineup, someone to dish out the bodychecks, drop a few Flyers and even drop his gloves if required.

And Alexander Mogilny delivered.

"I'm a plumber. I told you that a long time ago," said the typically self-effacing winger.

Not too many plumbers finish off 85-feet breakaways but, apart from scoring the prettiest goal of the series, Mogilny was indeed ready to put a wrench in Philadelphia's plans of taking a 3-0 series lead at the Air Canada Centre. The 35-year-old obviously forgot he won the Lady Byng Trophy last season. At times he made Wade Belak look like a choirboy.

Mogilny carried on a personal tong war with Marcus Ragnarsson, pounding him a couple of times, once to the point that the Flyers' defenceman had to hobble off the ice. He slammed Philly's Danny Markov with a hit leaving him sprawled on the ice. Mogilny somehow escaped a penalty for that but he faced the wrath of Jeremy Roenick who came after him, seeking revenge. Taking a hard crosscheck from Roenick, Mogilny turned and went back at the Flyer, looking like he was very ready to drop his gloves and settle the matter. He didn't but both players went off for roughing.

So had Mogilny even been in a fight before?

"Early in my career and then everybody found out how good I was and nobody really wanted to fight me," he said smirking. Adding later: "If you don't want to get hit in the head, why would you put yourself in that position?"

Tie Domi, who knows a few things about chucking the knuckles, was clearly proud of the intensity Mogilny brought to the ice. "It's nice to see him playing with so much emotion but we don't want him scrappin'," said Domi. "But he was ready to roll tonight. When he's sarcastic, you know he's ready."

Mogilny so got under the skin of the Flyers that mid-way through the third Ragnarsson took a vicious two-hander to the back of the right leg. He got a two-minute minor — it could have been five — and the Leafs scored seven seconds later with a two-man advantage.

"It's playoffs I guess. There's no bad blood there. "Just the heat of the battle," said Mogilny.

It was pointed out his hit in the first period, one in which the players hit knee on knee, almost removed Ragnarsson from the game. "I guess I didn't do a hard enough hit," he said. "It's hockey. He hits me. I hit him. There's no big deal there."

But it did seem a big deal with Roenick. "He was picking away at me," he said. "If somebody is picking away at you long enough, you've got to respond."