Philadelphia -- It would be easy to write about Ville Leino’s two goals, and the Flyers 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators but there was a bigger story here. The play of the game was the “incidental contact” call that Nashville had go against Patric Hornqvist, off a Marcel Goc shot that could have been his second goal, but instead of giving the team the 2-1 lead midway in the second it went back to being a tie game and an eventual loss for a team that’s only three points in the playoff hunt. Every game is crucial for Nashville and so is every point because the Western Conference is very bunched up.

“I think we played a good game, pretty much all throughout but we ended up some small details in our game that they took advantage of,” said Nashville goaltender, Anders Lindback (7th round pick in 2008, just four picks from the bottom of the draft). “I think you have a different rule here then we have back home (Sweden). It didn’t look like he touched him but still I think the goalie should be able to do his thing…I couldn’t decide by watching it just a couple of times.

“It’s part of the game with guys coming hard to the net. You have to be prepared for that. As long as they don’t touch me I don’t think it’s a big deal…I don’t know.”

“The Giant” who happens to be 6-6, played a very solid game stopping 26 shots and a breakaway on Danny Briere earlier in the game. He couldn’t have done much more. The Predators play games so close to the vest that they almost have to play mistake free hockey. Nashville defenseman Shea Weber was at a loss after this tough road loss as well.

“It’s frustrating…. I think we were winning a lot more of them (close games) before the break….We just need have to find a way to clamp down we’re not a high scoring team. We just need to make sure that we are playing well in the defensive zone.”

Flyers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky played a solid game stopping 26 shots and after the game he gave his opinion about the rule. It seemed like the contact really didn’t affect the Flyers goaltender.

“Of course it’s important because if somebody knocks you out or interferes with you and you can’t continue playing that way. That’s exactly how the goalie should be protected.”

Well the Flyers are extending their lead over Tampa as the best team in the Conference and Nashville players and fans hope this game won’t come back to haunt them.

Before the game began the Flyers presented, Bob Clarke with his retired number banner from the Spectrum which is being dismantled daily. The place went crazy and that sound could fill the Flyers barn from now right through the Stanley Cup playoffs.