'Sandgate' mystery remains unsolved

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said that if there was sand or some foreign substance on the floor outside the visitors' locker room and up the tunnel to the ice Saturday at the Bell Centre, he knew nothing about it.

He said Sunday that he did not see anything and that no complaints from players or anyone else in the organization were brought to him.

A report by Pierre McGuire during NBC's telecast of the game said the substance forced some Flyers to leave the game to have their skates sharpened.

McGuire said towels were placed over the substance to prevent it from damaging skates.

"I don't know anything about it," Holmgren said. "I don't think there's anything to it."

Montreal coach Jacques Martin said Sunday his team had skate issues that forced centers Scott Gomez and Dominic Moore to miss part of the second period at the same time. He blamed the composite sticks.

"Both teams had skate issues," Martin said on the Montreal Gazette's website. "With the new sticks, because of the intensity and battles and shots on the composite sticks, it makes more damage."

Mike Richards said he was told by equipment manager Harry Bricker the substance was something akin to rock salt. But Richards said he left the game to get his skates sharpened a few times because he'd banged them against a post and stepped on a few sticks.

During a news conference in French following the game, Claude Giroux said the substance put a dent in his blade and that he missed a couple of shifts.

Ian Laperriere said Sunday he didn't notice anything.

"I saw a couple guys getting their skates sharpened, but that happens every game," Laperriere said. "In Montreal, you notice it more because you've got to go across the ice. Every other building, you just go in the back and you don't see it. I didn't see anything, and I didn't hear any of the other guys say anything about it during the game."

As he did after the game, Flyers coach Peter Laviolette had no comment on the matter Sunday. "I'm not sure exactly what it is you're talking about," he said.

Canadiens defenseman Hal Gill said on the Gazette's website that teams have problems with skates just about every game because "there's a lot going on in arenas, more foot traffic, and there's a tendency for more stuff on the ground."