Undeterred, the New York Rangers will unpack cardboard boxes and dole out projectile-potential tokens anyway.
One night after select Philadelphia Flyers fans littered the ice with wristbands given out to honor late owner Ed Snider in Game 3, New York will risk a similar fate in its clash with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The #NYR will be distributing light-up bracelets to fans at Madison Square Garden tonight.
But, as Johnston importantly notes, the Rangers haven't had an issue with the bracelets since they started producing them for certain dates beginning in 2014.
Down two games to none as the series heads to Tennessee, the Anaheim Ducks hope a goalie change can put them in the win column as head coach Bruce Boudreau confirmed Tuesday that Frederik Andersen will start Game 3 against the Nashville Predators.
He will replace the Ducks' starter for their opening two games, John Gibson - who posted a .900 save percentage while allowing three goals in a pair of 3-2 losses.
This announcement comes just days after Boudreau voiced his confidence in the rookie netminder, but it appears the Ducks are looking to shake things up as they find themselves in desperate need of a win.
Andersen, who shares this year's Jennings trophy with Gibson for allowing the least goals in the NHL during the regular season, has just one regulation loss over 24 appearances since Jan. 1.
The 26-year-old recorded a shutout in the Ducks' final game of the regular season, after missing five games with a concussion.
One day after their 6-1 loss to the Washington Capitals that saw their fans throw commemorative wristbands onto the ice in frustration, Philadelphia Flyers Chief Operating Officer Shawn Tigler released a statement regarding the incident Tuesday:
"Flyers fans are the best in sports. However, last night, a number of individuals behaved in an unacceptable manner. Fans have the right to voice their displeasure vocally or by not watching or attending games, but when displeasure is expressed in a way that embarrasses or endangers others, it cannot be condoned or tolerated. As an organization, and on behalf of the overwhelming majority of Flyers’ fans who express their passion in a positive manner, we wish to express our sincere regret."
Also releasing a statement Tuesday was Sarena Snider, daughter of the late Flyers owner Ed - who was honored prior to Monday's game.
My dad would've called the wristband throwers a "disgrace" & may have spoken publicly. But he wouldn't look back, only forward. @NHLFlyers
The veteran blue-liner was helped off the ice after being hit into the boards by Flyers forward Ryan White.
Orpik has zero points and a minus-1 rating so far in the series. After playing over 20 minutes in the opening two games, his night ended early Monday with just under 11 minutes of ice time.
Washington Capitals starter Braden Holtby exited practice early Tuesday morning after being involved in a collision with a teammate.
According to reports, the Vezina Trophy candidate was flexing his left knee in discomfort and, after taking a few more shots, headed into the back with a trainer.
Holtby's health is obviously of utmost concern to the Capitals, who have their sights transfixed on a championship. But there's at least one member of the club not overly worried about the incident.
Not sure exact nature of the injury but Braden Holtby has left the ice. Tom Wilson looked at me, smiled and said it's OK. #CapitalsTalk
The Pittsburgh Penguins had three goalies on the ice at the team's optional skate Tuesday - none of which were incumbent Marc-Andre Fleury, who will miss his third straight game to begin the postseason.
Matt Murray, though, who hasn't dressed in the series versus the New York Rangers since suffering a head injury in the last game of the regular season, was seeing rubber.
His presence (and location during the skate) indicates he could start, but the starter in Games 1 and 2 Jeff Zatkoff, was first off the ice - a sign that typically means he'll go.
However, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is continuing to keep his counterpart Alain Vigneault guessing, telling reporters that Murray is "an option" in Game 3.
Boston Bruins supporters, for example, performed their civic duty on the second-to-last day of the season, mercilessly booing their team in the fading moments of a 6-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators. It was a fitting response to the lethal blow in what was a pain-staking, month-long collapse.
Upset in their own right Monday, Flyers fans had similar intentions when the home side, clearly outmatched in their first-round series with the Washington Capitals, saw a third straight game - and really, the series - slip away.
It was innocent enough to start. Audible restlessness, smatterings of boos. That was until it wasn't.
Excited perhaps by Pierre-Edouard Bellemare driving Dmitry Orlov into the endboards from behind, or Radko Gudas taking the opportunity to throw punches at an opponent three or four weight classes below his, or because they just didn't want to see a Capitals power play - which scored five goals with the extra man in the game - go to work again, they stepped over the line.
After Alex Ovechkin's 5-1 goal and after warnings and pleas from the PA announcer, Flyers fans littered the ice with light-up bracelets given out to honor late owner Ed Snider. One of them even hit Orlov in the face as the trainer worked to clean up the abrasions from Bellemare.
It was an embarrassing night for the Flyers organization and a horrible look for the league, which had two of the more important franchises on national air.
But in truth, this isn't anything new - there's a long history of fans misbehaving in the NHL.
Domi's dust up
This Flyers fan didn't step over the line, he toppled over it.
Chris Falcone's infamous dust up with former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Tie Domi is, for better or worse, one of the more memorable fan moments in the league's history.
Vancouver riot
While the Bruins celebrated with the Stanley Cup inside the arena, the streets of Vancouver burned on the outside.
There were more than 100 injuries, more than 100 arrests, more than 300 people charged, and countless vehicles flipped when a riot broke out in the streets of Vancouver after the Canucks' Game 7 loss to Boston in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final.
The estimated cost to clean up the damage was at $4 million-$5 million.
Asselstine decks fan
Former linesman Ron Asselstine did his best to help discourage future fan runners, blasting an intruder in a 1989 game at the Boston Garden.
Waffle toss
Catharsis by way of waffle.
Maple Leafs fans showed their frustration in a unique way during the team's third straight last-place finish in the 2009-10 season, chucking frozen breakfast treats onto the ice.
Richard Riot
In 1955, there was a riot in the Montreal Forum when former NHL president Clarence Campbell showed face at a Canadiens game after suspending Maurice "Rocket" Richard for the remainder of the season.
He was pelted with food and debris and physically assaulted before a tear gas bomb was set off in the arena, forcing an evacuation.
Bellemare was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for hitting Orlov from behind, sending him head-first into the boards while chasing the puck in the corner.
Fans then began littering the ice with bracelets - with one even hitting Orlov in the face while he was being treated on the Capitals bench - earning the Flyers a two-minute penalty for delay of game.
Fortunately, the 24-year-old blue-liner was able to remain in the game.
The Arizona Coyotes announced Tuesday that they signed an agreement to purchase their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons, pending approval from the AHL Board of Governors.
Once approved, the Coyotes plan to move the team closer to home, relocating the franchise from Springfield, Mass. to Tuscon, Ariz. for the start of next season.
They plan to play in the Tucson Convention Center, according to Arizona Sports' Craig Morgan. The arena seats about 6,700 for hockey.
The Falcons finished last in AHL attendance this season, averaging just over 3,100 fans per game.
The Ottawa Senators have begun interviewing candidates for their vacant head coaching position, and among those interviewed is former Minnesota Wild coach Mike Yeo.
Senators general manager Pierre Dorion met with the 42-year-old over the weekend, TSN's Darren Dreger reports. Yeo was fired in February after the Wild lost 13 of 14 games, and was replaced by John Torchetti.
Over five seasons with Minnesota, Yeo led the Wild to three consecutive postseason berths from 2013-2015, only to be eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks in all three playoff appearances.
On Monday, Luke Richardson - who had coached the Senators' AHL affiliate for the past four seasons - left the organization after Dorion told him he was not on their list of potential coaching candidates.
