Sheldon Keefe fires back at Flyers’ bench for late game beef!

John Tortorella might not have been behind the Philadelphia Flyers’ bench on Thursday night: that did not stop the coaching staff from flipping out at the Toronto Maple Leafs. Late in the third period, the Maple Leafs were already leading 6-1, when Flyers’ Cam York was sent to the penalty box for roughing. Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe put his first power play unit on the ice for the ensuing man advantage, which frustrated the coaching staff on Philly’s bench. Video caught the crew yelling back at Keefe for the players he sent on the ice.

After the game, Keefe met with reporters and explained that the only reason he used Austin Matthews’ unit for the power play was to allow the rest of his bottom lines to rest up.

“Trying to double up some of our third & fourth line guys and then we get a power play and you don’t want to put the top guys out, but the other guys were exhausted."

Keefe also commented that his star player Matthews had been sitting for a while at the point in the game.

The funny thing about the Flyers’ bench outburst was that Philadelphia ended up getting a short handed goal, thanks to Tyson Foerster, with the game ending with a 6-2 score for the Maple Leafs.

You know Tortorella might be away, serving a two-game suspension for unprofessional conduct directed at the officials by refusing to leave the bench area after a game misconduct on Sunday, but there is always a fire on the Flyers’ bench.
Tortorella has served his ban now and can return to his team, but really with that beef with Keefe and the Maple Leafs last night, it felt like he never left!

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