Simmonds' Hat Trick Leads Flyers to Game 7

The NBA cracked down on racism on Tuesday. A few hours later, the NHL witnessed an African American player transcend racial stereotypes regarding hockey players.  

Nine days ago when Breitbart Sports reported on Wayne Simmonds‘ goal wrapping up a Flyers win over the Rangers, no one knew who Donald Sterling was. On a surreal day in which the NBA banned Sterling for life for racist comments, Philadelphia’s NHL fans threw hats on the ice for Simmonds after he delivered the Flyers into a decisive Game 7 with a hat trick.

While the majority of NBA players are African-American, Wiki lists 27 current players of “black African descent” who have played in the NHL, and Simmonds has established himself as one of the best players in the league. 

Simmonds and his Flyers teammates will take the ice Wednesday in Madison Square Garden as the first of three Game 7s Wednesday night, with the Kings battling the Sharks and the Wild battling the Avalanche in the other two games. On Thursday the second round kicks off with the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadians battling.

The Flyers built a 4-0 lead through two periods in the only game played Tuesday, before holding on for a 5-2 win to force a quick turnaround for Game 7 back in New York.