It was understandable for Islanders fans to have some hope that when the Isles’ Matt Martin got into it with the Flyers’ Wayne Simmonds early in the second period of the teams’ game last night, the game might start to swing the Isles’ way. These sorts of incidents have a way of firing up a team. Did this one? Well… [Busted Coverage]

Last week, the Philadelphia Flyers’ Wayne Simmonds, who is black, had a banana thrown at him during a preseason game. The incident was widely, and rightly condemned, and Simmonds handled it about as well as anyone could. But it didn’t take long for the shoe to find the other foot.

The NHL barely has an offseason, so now, a scant three months after the Boston Bruins lifted the Stanley Cup, the preseason is underway. As happy as hockey fans are to have the league back, however, one incident from a preseason game involving Philadelphia Flyers right wing Wayne Simmonds has to dampen that enthusiasm.