Oddly enough there are more than just one or two positive things that come out of blocking an NHL slap shot in the face.

One obviously is being the ultimate team player and ensuring the other team doesn’t score. Second is winning the hearts of Flyers fans forever, and the third? You stand a good chance of starring in your own TV commercial.

Today at the Wells Fargo Center, Flyers right wing Ian Laperriere took part in an official TV spot conceived and produced by the VERSUS network.

The crew at VERSUS sets up cameras, lights and other equipment for Ian Laperriere's commercial. (click photo to open a full gallery)

The commercial focuses on the now famous event in which Laperriere dives to block a shot from the point from then New Jersey Devils (now Pittsburgh Penguins) defenseman Paul Martin during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series and was struck just above the eye.
 
Needless to say Laperriere didn’t need to memorize a script having lived it, but surprisingly re-enacting the moment over and over again didn’t exactly cause a sense of déjà vu.

“I don’t know,” laughed Laperriere. “I think when it’s going to be all together and I’m going to see the commercial come out, I think it will bring it back a little more when it really happened. But for today, there were too many cuts for me to be in that moment again.”

With a whole production and stunt crew including building operations and Flyers staff on hand, the scenery certainly looked Hollywood-esque, but the mood didn’t feel like a lengthy event.”
 
“They [VERSUS] made it easy,” added Laperriere. “It was a great experience. Those guys made it fun. It didn’t feel like you were there for four hours.”

The spot will run nationally on the VERSUS network in the near future as they prepare to open the 2010-11 season, their sixth consecutive as a national broadcast partner of the NHL.  They will televise seven Flyers games exclusively, including the club’s season opener against none other than Paul Martin and the Penguins on Oct. 7, when the Flyers open the new Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh.

The best way to watch Flyers Hockey as close as possible! Great lower level locations are available now. As a Flyers Season Ticket Holder, youíll receive great benefits including big discounts, flexible payment plans and playoff priority. Call 215-218-PUCK (7825) or visit philadelphiaflyers.com.