Phil Sheridan: Time for Carcillo to bring mayhem into this series

In light of current events, Dan Carcillo's nickname might have to be placed in temporary storage. Calling someone "Car Bomb" just doesn't have the same puckish ring to it.

It is a nickname worthy of the old "Broad Street Bullies," who were lionized in an HBO documentary Tuesday night. With his missing front teeth and long hair, Carcillo looks and plays like a time-traveling teammate of the "Hound" and the "Hammer."

Carcillo has become a focal point of the second-round playoff series against Boston that continues Wednesday night at the Wachovia Center. His allegation that Marc Savard, the Bruins' feel-good hero from Game 1, bit him on the finger triggered a round of off-the-ice gamesmanship that could very well lead to some on-the-ice drama.

Bruins coach Claude Julien, who Monday took a verbal jab at Chris Pronger for "taking liberties," fired a shot across Carcillo's bow Tuesday. A player who "embellishes" the way Carcillo does can't be believed, Julien said.

Meanwhile, a CSNNE.com report said Flyers captain Mike Richards threatened Savard, who missed six weeks because of a concussion. The report said Richards shouted, "We'll put you out for another six weeks," while Savard was in the penalty box. Savard said Tuesday that he didn't hear Richards say anything of the kind.

The series, in other words, is developing as expected.

"Both teams have now had a couple of games to get to know one another and introduce themselves to some battles," Pronger said after Game 2. "It's no different than any other playoff series. There's always bad blood and rivalries and things of that nature. That's what makes it fun and interesting."

It was interesting that Julien decided to start tough-guy winger Shawn Thornton in Game 2, opposite Carcillo. The two fought during the Winter Classic in Boston. Sure enough, they ended their first shift with a little shoving match.

So it will be equally interesting to see what Flyers coach Peter Laviolette decides to do with his lines and matchups in the two home games. Many of his predecessors behind the Flyers' bench would have been inclined to dress Riley Cote right about now. That would send a message that things are going to get rough.

It would be more practical than signing the Phillies' "Taser cop," putting him on skates, and sending him after Zdeno Chara.

In the limited sample of his work here, Laviolette has shown no signs of making those kinds of statements. And he is limited somewhat by the rash of injuries to his forwards. It would be a different kind of statement - one to his own team - to scratch the slumping Scott Hartnell, for instance. But Laviolette is already low on players with proven scoring ability, and he's probably stuck hoping Hartnell has an overdue breakout game.

That brings us back to Carcillo, who combines a willingness to drop his gloves with a surprising skill level. He is going to have to play a major role if the Flyers have any chance to get back in this series. Thing is, it's going to have to be a different role from the one he appears to be playing so far.

There will be more physical play. That seems like a given. But what the Flyers desperately need from Carcillo is that other part of his game. Carcillo scored a couple of goals in the first-round series with New Jersey, including the overtime winner in Game 3. That goal gave the Flyers the lead and momentum in the series.

Carcillo had one excellent chance Monday night in Boston. Richards wound up deep in the Bruins zone with the puck. He took it behind the net and fired a pass to Carcillo, who was breaking in on goaltender Tuukka Rask. Carcillo did not get a good shot off and the opportunity was lost. The Flyers, trailing by 2-1 at the time, continued chasing the game.

You could make a list of things the Flyers must improve upon to win their two games at home. Their power play, which looked disorganized and ineffective in Boston, would be at the top. Clearing the puck cleanly from their defensive zone would be next. Winning some face-offs would help quite a bit, too.

Laviolette will get a chance to create favorable matchups, something he did to great effect in the home games against the Devils. Ideally, he will be able to cut back a bit on the ice time logged by the overworked Richards and Pronger and Kimmo Timonen.

Ultimately, though, the Flyers are going to have to reverse the trend and establish a punishing up-tempo pace that puts the Bruins on the defensive. That will require continuation of the "bad blood and rivalries," as Pronger put it. Carcillo will surely be part of trying to put the Bruins in their place.

But if Carcillo really wants retribution, if he really wants to hurt the Bruins, he'll put the puck in the net.