I know this will come across as a whiny Flyers fan comment, but I really don’t care because I know any fan/player/coach of a team in a similar situation would have wanted, no, expected a whistle. A player blocks a shot and immediately begins writhing on the ice, you end play, period. Watching live, I couldn’t tell if it hit him in the throat or rib cage, but either way, a puck in one of those areas can cause serious damage, both internally and externally, that should garner immediate attention from the training/medical staff. The whole officiating crew failed and should be disciplined by the head of officials accordingly.

Now, that doesn’t excuse the Flyers not playing for 2 of the 3 periods, which is eventually why they lost this game.

Posted by philduba from New Jersey on 04/11/08 at 10:28 PM ET

Flyers handed that game to capitals. they didnt show up for a 60 min hockey game. the ao goal was typical goal marty was given up the whole year. credit to caps for this one.

as for the Thoresen, its a judgement call made by the referees at that time and with their disgression and it the play was a tic tac toe goal anyway

Thoresen career is over. he is having one of his testicals removed.

Posted by FlyersFan on 04/11/08 at 10:37 PM ET

Ouch a shot to the testicles that sir has to hurt i will say a prayer for him and his testicles.

Posted by cupster33 on 04/11/08 at 10:39 PM ET

Thanks to that infamous faker, Alex Kovalev, the refs usually won’t blow the whistle unless the player’s team touches the puck or there is obvious sign of blood.

Posted by Rachel on 04/11/08 at 11:14 PM ET

I knew most Flyers fans would complain about that play as soon as the Caps scored. I’m not one of them. I thought it was fair. From where I was sitting--high behind Biron’s goal--it looked like the shot hit him in the stomach. Obviously it was worse than that, but I can’t complain about the lack of a whistle. It was a fair play. More important, it’s not why the Flyers lost. They lost because they only sent out shadows of themselves for the third. I’ll be back for game 2. It can’t get any worse. They can only lose.

Posted by Blackcloud on 04/12/08 at 12:18 AM ET

Didn’t see the play but one would think that his cup would protect that area of the groin. Given the fact that players often go down to block shots, is the cup not designed to take a shot from the puck? I feel sorry for the guy. For a shot to hit the testicle hard enough so that he may lose it, thats pain on a level I can’t imagine.

Posted by Mike on 04/12/08 at 01:36 AM ET

There should be no balls about this one, the referees should have called a whistle. Here’s to hoping the Flyers rally around Thoresen and use it to demolish the Caps in game 2!

Posted by Wild Wing from Orange County, CA on 04/12/08 at 01:40 AM ET

“and your balls man, your balls are like this big”

Posted by Pharazon from England on 04/12/08 at 05:11 AM ET

I was surprised not to hear a whistle.  It’s one thing if the player is limping but can still manage to be somewhat upright - he was on the ice and completely unable to get up.

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t hear a whistle when a player was that seriously hurt that he couldn’t even attempt to get in the play.

I hope he’ll be okay.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 04/12/08 at 05:32 AM ET

oh man, I would quit hockey if that happened to me.  That dude is going to be wearing a steal cup when he returns.

refs made the right call.  If Philly would have got possession they would have blown the play dead.  Lots of players block shots and get hurt and go down.  He wasn’t in serious danger, the ref on the ice had to see the location of the hit, and there is not a guy on the planet who wouldn’t double over if they got hit there.  Had he been hit in the throat bleeding, or Green was about to wind up another slapshot in his face while he was on the ice, the play would have been blown dead. Instead he clutched the groin doubled over, and the play moved away from him.

Regardless we all learned a very -very- important lesson on how to wear a cup properly.

Posted by Jdunc from Flint, MI on 04/12/08 at 05:43 AM ET

I am not a fan of either team.  I was watching just because I like hockey.
I understand that you cannot stop a game every time a player acts like he is hurt.
I was made very uncomfortable watching the man writhing in agony as the game continued.  It felt inhumane, uncivilised, indecent, barbaric.

Posted by w2j2 on 04/12/08 at 07:11 AM ET

Baroque said it best. Most players when they get hurt try and get up. Thoresen made no attempt and that is why I felt the play should have been stopped. BlackCloud, was he screaming when he got hit?

Posted by philduba from New Jersey on 04/12/08 at 08:35 AM ET

It’s a tough problem, but if you want to see what happens if the refs blow the whistle every time a player is writhing on the ground, just tune in to a game of soccer.... 

I’m not saying he was faking (obviously) but that there are players that would try that, if the refs changed the way they operate.

Posted by broseph on 04/12/08 at 09:31 AM ET