If sports were all about hygiene than the Flyers would be in last place.
Fortunately that's not the case.
James Van Riemsdyk scored the game-winning goal in Monday's 3-2 victory over the Canadiens (13-7-1) at the Wells Fargo Center and the Flyers (14-6-2) find themselves tied for the top spot in the NHL alongside The Washington Capitols with 30 points.
If you noticed JVR's peach fuzzed goatee nestled just above his ear-to-ear grin after he scored his first goal of the season, you'd know that yes, hygiene has played a major factor of late.
Enter the mustache. Maybe it’s a slightly tamer early-season season of the playoff beard.
Call in retro or call it "Movember" but the Flyers have ridden the 'stache right to the top of the standings.
Several players on the team including team points leader Claude Giroux, who is approaching the legendary walrus status, are sporting the November 'stache as part of prostate cancer awareness month.
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Here are the terms: November 1 get a nice clean shave. December 1 do what you'd like. In the meantime let that bad boy grow.
"It's a good cause," said Giroux. "But I can't wait for November to end."
Who could blame him? Besides collecting straggling food and shots to the face the mustache is just down right dirty -- sorry Tom Selleck. Yet as the month comes to an end, Giroux, who has nine points in his last seven games, and the rest of the Flyers might want to hold off on the Mach3 for just a little bit longer.
Maybe the 'stache is the reason for Philadelphia's scorching November. Perhaps it's the Breakfast of Champions dangling in the tangles of frozen ice just above the upper lip that is fueling this team but the defending Eastern Conference Champions are the talk of the NHL climbing the rankings with an 8-2-1 November.
"It could be the mustache," muffled Flyers captain Mike Richards, "but I'll tell you one thing, I'm not keeping it after November."
In Richards' case physically that's probably a good idea but mentally that could be a mistake. Richard's offensive play, 11 points over his last seven games, has been almost as smothering as his semi Fu Manchu.
While the Chia Pet may be man's newest best friend in the locker room not everyone have gone where the common man can only dream.
"I'm gonna pass on the mustache,” said head coach Peter Laviolette who would look charming flossing the pencil 'stache yet remains clean cut. "I'll leave that to the players. They seem to be doing a good job."
It's never too late to start your own mustache of choice. For information on currant styles visit your local barber, or do something more society friendly and visit www.curingprosptatecancer.com to see how you can help the battle against cancer.
