Due to an injury, Sydney Crosby won't be playing in the NHL all-star game on Sunday.
Don't blame Brandon Manning for that.
The 24-year-old Philadelphia Flyers defenceman from Prince George faced Crosby for the second time in three years in a fight-filled affair Tuesday night in Philadelphia but had nothing to with aggravating the lower-body injury Crosby suffered two weeks ago in a game against Montreal.
Crosby was held pointless while playing 22 minutes of the game against the Flyers, which Philadelphia won 3-2 in overtime. Manning, called up for the game from, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL for his second stint this season in the NHL, says it's always a thrill to play against a superstar like Crosby.
"It's intimidating, he's so skilled and it doesn't matter if he's on the right side of the ice or the left side, he seems to make stuff happen any time so you have to aware," said Manning.
"I got to play them three years ago, my first year, and it was pretty eye-opening on the bench and Tuesday night was just another game for me. I wasn't out too much against him five-on-five, but on the penalty kill I saw him definitely make some plays."
No stranger to dropping the gloves, Manning came close to scrapping Tuesday when things turned ugly after Flyers centre Zac Rinaldo was ejected for a hit from behind on Kris Letang. The teams accumulated 82 minutes in penalties in the first period alone.
"The Pittsburgh-Philadelphia rivalry is pretty big and everyone jumped on board," said Manning.It's always fun to play in those games where guys stick up for each other. It's definitely exciting for the fans and I definitely like to muck it up a little bit as well."
Flyers general manager Ron Hextall told Manning he was being sent back to the AHL just for the weekend so he can play in the American Hockey League all-star game on Monday and will be returned to the NHL team on Tuesday. He's battled with hip injuries that have plagued his pro career but seems to have put those ailments behind him this season.
"I'm having a pretty good year with the Phantoms and I definitely feel I've earned an opportunity with the Flyers," said Manning. "Luckily for me there's been some injuries so hopefully that opportunity comes again after the break. Every time I'm up there I feel more comfortable. I know all the guys, I know the coaching staff, so when you get in there it's not as nervewracking as it was in years past."
Manning was picked for the all-star team in a poll of AHL coaches. He also played in the all-star game two seasons ago. Monday's game will be broadcast live on Sportsnet starting at 4 p.m. PST.
"I'm looking forward to it, this year I think I've really earned it," he said. "The first year I went as a fill-in for a guy. To be picked right off the hop, having a good year, it definitely feels a little different."
After 37 games with the Phantoms, the six-foot-one, 195-pound blueliner ranks second in team scoring with seven goals 26 points. Based in Allentown, Pa., the Phantoms (19-16-4-1) are third in the AHL East Division. The team moved from Adirondack, N.Y. over the summer.
"I think the brand-new building and new city has energized the guys and we brought in veteran group and that's helped me put up some points this year," said Manning.
"This is my fourth year of pro and I think I pick my spots a little bit more, whether that's fighting or jumping into the rush. It's a little bit harder to create offence. I pick up some points because I play the power play but the checking is so tight you really have to be aware out there because if you jump too quick it ends up in the back of your net."
Last season Manning was one of the most penalized players in the AHL, with 231 minutes in penalties in 73 games. Thus year he has 93 minutes and five fighting majors in 37 games.
"You mature as a player and something I've tried to control is my emotions," he said. "I've played on some not very good hockey teams the last few years and it kind of boiled over and I took too many penalties and fighting too much. This year I'm playing a lot, 30 minutes a night, so I have to try to pick my spots to try to stay in the ice a little more."
Manning played with the Phantoms Friday night in Syracuse, a 4-2 loss, and will be in the lineup tonight in St. John's, Nfld., where they play the IceCaps tonight. Then he will travel to Utica, N.Y. for the all-star skills contest on Sunday. By the time he plays in Monday's AHL all-star game he'll have been on the ice nine of the past 11 nights.
"I'm definitely looking forward to getting one day off before we start up another three-in-three," Manning said.
