You betcha, Sarah Palin will drop the ceremonial first puck when the Philadelphia Flyers open the regular season against the New York Rangers on Saturday night. And New York Post hockey columnist Larry Brooks is not too pleased that Flyers CEO Ed Snider is using the sport to advance his own political agenda.

Snider was host for a Sept. 26 Palin campaign event at the Irish Pub in Center City in Philadelphia. According to records of the Federal Election Commission, Snider donated $50,000 to the Republican national campaign effort between June 24 and June 30, 2008.

Now he is donating the stage of an NHL pregame ceremony for use as a pep rally for McCain’s presidential effort. Now he is intent on transforming a sports arena into the political arena. He is creating an environment in which partisan politics, not hockey rooting interest, might well create dangerous disruption in the stands.

The Republican vice presidential nominee will join the team’s “Philadelphia’s Ultimate Hockey Mom” contest winner on the ice for the opening faceoff.

I wonder if the Philly fans will boo her like they boo’ed Santa Claus at the Eagles’ game.