A fella could get used to this, I tell ya. Last night the Flyers steamrolled the Rangers in Madison Square Garden to the tune of 6-0, to raise their record to 4-0 on the Walt Disney Presents "The Flyers Six Game Road Trip."
I gotta say that I was a huge fan of the Flyers mindset going into this game. Kudos to head coach Peter Laviolette. Everyone else in the free world was talking about Friday's Winter Classic game against Boston, but all the Flyers were thinking about was picking up two points against a divisional rival that just so happened to be directly ahead of them in the standings. This could have been a trap game had the Flyers made the mistake of looking past a not-so-great team that has two very great players on it.
Last time these two met, it was the Rangers who came out like their butts were on fire, scoring quickly and dominating play to the extent that Laviolette was forced to call a time out just to get everyone back on the same page. Last night the exact opposite happened.
In his first game back at MSG, ex-Ranger Blair Betts scored his fourth goal of the year on a bouncing rebound less than one minute in. Ian Laperriere forced the turnover that lead to the goal. From there the teams settled in for a bit, with the Flyers still getting the better chances.
That is until another Rangers turnover, this one caused by Mike Richards, found its way behind starting goalie Henrik Lundqvist. Richards corraled the puck along the boards, sent it along to Jeff Carter who somehow found Danny Briere wide open down low, one on one with Lundqvist. There wasn't a blue jersey in sight, save for the goalie and Briere nearly deked him out of his to score his 14th of the season.
Less than two minutes later the Flyers were back at it as Claude Giroux bested Lundqvist for his eighth goal. The Rangers goalie was screened by one of his own guys on the play and Giroux's knuckling shot slipped past him to close out scoring in the first period.
Immediately following this goal, Rangers coach and noted wallflower John Tortorella called a timeout to try and regroup his troops. He did this in his usually calm and reserved manner... oh wait. No he didn't. He screamed himself Philadelphia Phantom purple and looked darn close to passing out. The Flyers finished the period outshooting his team by an 11-5 clip.
Tortorella elected to yank Lundqvist in between periods and it was Rangers rookie goalie Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson who took the ice to start the second to make his NHL debut. If it had worked and turned the game in the Ranger favor, Tortorella would have been called a genius. Instead, it didn't and he looked like a bit of an idiot. Johnson gave up a Simon Gagne goal on the first shot he faced, let the next one hit the pipe behind him, faced two subsequent 2-1 breaks and was essentially left hanging out to dry by a Rangers team that seemed to have gotten caught looking forward to watching the Winter Classic.
I understand Tortorella's motivations, but none of the first period goals were really Lundqvist's fault. His attempt to shake up his team was a wise one, but throwing a young goalie like Johnson out there, especially when things were still a manageable 3-0 seems insane. Ochocinco made one nice save on Gagne later in the period, before giving up to more to #12 to end the scoring. The natural hat trick was Gagne first hat trick of any kind since 2005, when he and Peter Forsberg were regularly lighting up scoresheets.
Gagne finished the game with three goals and one assist, Briere had a goal and an assist, Carter and Richards each added two assists and Giroux finished with a goal and a very pretty assist on Gagne's hat trick goal.
The Rangers did manage to outshoot the Flyers 12-2 in the third period but the Flyers did manage to score a goal on one of those two. Also, the orange and black had outshot the the blueshirts by a margin of 29 to 10 through the first two periods, so I guess they can be forgiven. Also, as the Flyers proved very often over the last month, outshooting an indifferent team in the third means absolutely nothing. You can build on it, because when the next game starts, the other team will be trying. It's not the same situation at all.
Michael Leighton. Wow. 22 saves on 22 shots. The man once waived by the NHL's worst team picking up a shutout and securing his fourth straight win. What more can be said? Leighton has given the Flyers every opportunity to win games and that's all the team could have asked from him. Well done, Mr. Leighton, well done sir.
At the halfway mark of the first period, Scott Hartnell and Sean Avery had one of the least satisfying fights of all time. These are two agitating guys who I'm sure a lot of other teams would love to see beat each other to a pulp. Instead, Hartnell lost his balance and fell down. The two exchanged blows while Hartnell was falling and while he was on his back, but nothing much came of it. Really not worthy of five for fighting, more like a two for roughing situation I think.
Well, next up: the Winter Classic against the Boston Bruins. Weather forecasters have been bouncing between rain and snow for this thing so you know that likely means it will be 60 and sunny with not a cloud in the sky. The game takes place at 1 p.m. For the Flyers, this has to be just another game. They can't enjoy the pomp and circumstance associated with the NHL's biggest event, because they haven't put themselves in the position to. Thanks to their awful stretch, it has to be just another game. They need those two points and badly. Now, the only question that remains is who gets the start in net? The streaking Leighton or former starter and backup Brian Boucher? Hell, you could ask the same of the Bruins as their own back up Tukka Rask picked up the shutout last night as well and has been regularly outplaying incumbent starter and Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas. Could it really be Leighton vs. Rask headlining the NHL's flagship event? Only time...
Happy New Year folks. Stay safe out there tonight.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Flyers beat Isles for 13th straight time, Richards, Carter and Hartnell avoid woods
Never underestimate the effect that threatening to abandon people in the woods to re-enact a beloved children's film can have on their professional lives. I did just that prior to the Flyers game at Tampa, which started the team's current six game road trip.
I announced that Mike Richards, Scott Hartnell and Jeff Carter should be forced to live out the film "Homeward Bound" in order to learn a valuable lesson about teamwork and survival skills. Also, let's face it... it's a wonderful film. So here we sit, at the halfway mark of the trip and it seems that my quasi-idle threat may have woken up the three players in question.
The Flyers are 3-0-0 thus far and while the wins haven't been pretty or against any team likely to make the playoffs, they've been wins nonetheless and those have been in short supply for the orange and black as of late. Credit is due to Michael Leighton, who has stepped in admirably in place of injured goalies Ray Emery and Brian Boucher. Danny Briere set his head straight and has found the back of the net in two of the three games. He had a third goal disallowed, wrongfully so if you ask me but that's all in the past now.
I'm not one to hold grudges, nor am I one to brag but allow me to do a little of the latter right now.
Richards (Shadow)- 3 goals, 1 assist, +2, 16 SOG Shooutout GW vs. Carolina
Carter (Chance)- 2 goals, 1 assist, +2, 2 PIM, 12 SOG, 1 GWG
Hartnell (Sassy)- 0 goals, 3 assists, +2, 2 PIM, 11 SOG
The Flyers played possibly their most complete game of the trip on Sunday against the Islanders, beating them for the 13th straight time. The Carter, Briere, Hartnell line provided all the offense that the team would need, with Briere scoring first and Carter breaking a 1-1 tie in the second period.
Former Flyer Jon Sim netted the only goal of the contest for the Islanders and another former Flyer, Marty Biron made 28 saves on 30 shots in the losing effort, his third of the year against his old club.
The Leighton Train kept right on a'rollin for the Flyers as he made 28 saves on 30 chances to earn his third straight win since being claimed off of waivers from the Hurricanes. Leighton has played so well that the team hasn't committed to giving the start against the Rangers on Wednesday to Boucher, who should be good togo by then.
Another guy getting a chance to step up due to an injury was Danny Syvret who replaced Ryan Parent, who is day-to-day with back spasms. Syret play 14:40 and recorded 1 SOG, finishing the game with a +1 rating.
The Flyers will be back in action tomorrow night against the NY Gaborik/ Lundqvists... I mean Rangers. Haha. Slip of the tongue there. The Flyers will look to avenege a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the broadway blue shirts from Dec. 19. During that game they shut down Gaborik, but were unable to solve Lundqvist after Chris Pronger beat him to tie the game at one. With a win in regulation, the Flyers will tie the Rangers in the standings with 40 points each. It's also the team's last game before they meet the Bruins on New Year's Day for the NHL Winter Classic.
I announced that Mike Richards, Scott Hartnell and Jeff Carter should be forced to live out the film "Homeward Bound" in order to learn a valuable lesson about teamwork and survival skills. Also, let's face it... it's a wonderful film. So here we sit, at the halfway mark of the trip and it seems that my quasi-idle threat may have woken up the three players in question.
The Flyers are 3-0-0 thus far and while the wins haven't been pretty or against any team likely to make the playoffs, they've been wins nonetheless and those have been in short supply for the orange and black as of late. Credit is due to Michael Leighton, who has stepped in admirably in place of injured goalies Ray Emery and Brian Boucher. Danny Briere set his head straight and has found the back of the net in two of the three games. He had a third goal disallowed, wrongfully so if you ask me but that's all in the past now.
I'm not one to hold grudges, nor am I one to brag but allow me to do a little of the latter right now.
Richards (Shadow)- 3 goals, 1 assist, +2, 16 SOG Shooutout GW vs. Carolina
Carter (Chance)- 2 goals, 1 assist, +2, 2 PIM, 12 SOG, 1 GWG
Hartnell (Sassy)- 0 goals, 3 assists, +2, 2 PIM, 11 SOG
The Flyers played possibly their most complete game of the trip on Sunday against the Islanders, beating them for the 13th straight time. The Carter, Briere, Hartnell line provided all the offense that the team would need, with Briere scoring first and Carter breaking a 1-1 tie in the second period.
Former Flyer Jon Sim netted the only goal of the contest for the Islanders and another former Flyer, Marty Biron made 28 saves on 30 shots in the losing effort, his third of the year against his old club.
The Leighton Train kept right on a'rollin for the Flyers as he made 28 saves on 30 chances to earn his third straight win since being claimed off of waivers from the Hurricanes. Leighton has played so well that the team hasn't committed to giving the start against the Rangers on Wednesday to Boucher, who should be good togo by then.
Another guy getting a chance to step up due to an injury was Danny Syvret who replaced Ryan Parent, who is day-to-day with back spasms. Syret play 14:40 and recorded 1 SOG, finishing the game with a +1 rating.
The Flyers will be back in action tomorrow night against the NY Gaborik/ Lundqvists... I mean Rangers. Haha. Slip of the tongue there. The Flyers will look to avenege a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the broadway blue shirts from Dec. 19. During that game they shut down Gaborik, but were unable to solve Lundqvist after Chris Pronger beat him to tie the game at one. With a win in regulation, the Flyers will tie the Rangers in the standings with 40 points each. It's also the team's last game before they meet the Bruins on New Year's Day for the NHL Winter Classic.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Flyers best Canes in shootout, face Islanders today
New night, same story for the Flyers as they again got off to a good start, blew a nice sized lead by sitting on their heels and needed some late game heroics to pick up the win. But hey, at this point a win is a win, who's going to argue with that? Shutout or shootout, the Flyers needed two points last night and they got them winning 4-3 over the Hurricanes thanks to scoring two in the skills competition.
That said, they're going need to fix their defense. You can't be blowing leads against the league's best teams and, be it by hook or crook, expect to come out on top in the end. Fortunately for the orange and black, they are currently getting a bit of a breather from playing the league's elite teams, which continues with today's road match up with the NY Islanders. Not that you can take any of these teams lightly, especially not when you yourselves are one of the league's bottom dwellers, but right now mistakes won't end a game as quickly as they would against, oh I don't know, say the Capitals or Penguins.
The Flyers jumped out to a 3-0, with goals by Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Danny Briere, two of whom I recommended leaving in the woods. Again, I won't take full credit for their success, but I do deserve some and by some I mean a lot and by a lot I mean basically all. I missed a good chunk of the early part of the game so I won't bore you with reciting what I saw on highlight reels. Immediately following Briere's goal in the third, the Canes went on a 3-0 run of their own as the Flyers attempted to sit on a lead, something they haven't been able to do well at all in recent memory.
No fault goes to Michael Leighton, who started his second game on a row in place of the injured Brian Boucher. Leighton, who was a member of the Hurricanes a few weeks ago, performed admirably, stopping 37 of 40 shots and Tuomo Ruutu's in the shootout. Carolina's other shooter, the always dangerous Jussi Jokinen, hit the post. Carolina pummeled Leighton in third, firing 20 shots his way while his team stood flat footed in front of him.
The Flyers went of the attack in OT after killing off the last minute of a Jeff Carter high sticking penalty. They directed seven shots on Carolina goalie Cam Ward and he stopped them all. His luck turned during the shootout, an area where the Flyers have traditionally struggled. After Leighton made a fantastic glove save on Ruutu, Briere beat Ward low to the stick side with a nice move. Jokinen, who has 25 career goals in the event, the most of any player ever, hit the post. It was all up to the Captain, Shadow Richards to put it away, which he did by besting Ward five-hole to end it with a brilliant move.
At 5 p.m. today, the Flyers will look to beat the Islanders for the 13 consecutive time. The Flyers are still in desperate need of points and could leap frog the Islanders in the standings with a regulation victory. The Flyers still have two games in hand over the Islanders.
Alright, well go Flyers this eve. I'll be out for a dinner with the family for the early part of the game, but hopefully I'll catch enough of it to do a better job with the next recap. Fingers crossed for a good game tonight. These points are key, remember... the Winter Classic looms.
That said, they're going need to fix their defense. You can't be blowing leads against the league's best teams and, be it by hook or crook, expect to come out on top in the end. Fortunately for the orange and black, they are currently getting a bit of a breather from playing the league's elite teams, which continues with today's road match up with the NY Islanders. Not that you can take any of these teams lightly, especially not when you yourselves are one of the league's bottom dwellers, but right now mistakes won't end a game as quickly as they would against, oh I don't know, say the Capitals or Penguins.
The Flyers jumped out to a 3-0, with goals by Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Danny Briere, two of whom I recommended leaving in the woods. Again, I won't take full credit for their success, but I do deserve some and by some I mean a lot and by a lot I mean basically all. I missed a good chunk of the early part of the game so I won't bore you with reciting what I saw on highlight reels. Immediately following Briere's goal in the third, the Canes went on a 3-0 run of their own as the Flyers attempted to sit on a lead, something they haven't been able to do well at all in recent memory.
No fault goes to Michael Leighton, who started his second game on a row in place of the injured Brian Boucher. Leighton, who was a member of the Hurricanes a few weeks ago, performed admirably, stopping 37 of 40 shots and Tuomo Ruutu's in the shootout. Carolina's other shooter, the always dangerous Jussi Jokinen, hit the post. Carolina pummeled Leighton in third, firing 20 shots his way while his team stood flat footed in front of him.
The Flyers went of the attack in OT after killing off the last minute of a Jeff Carter high sticking penalty. They directed seven shots on Carolina goalie Cam Ward and he stopped them all. His luck turned during the shootout, an area where the Flyers have traditionally struggled. After Leighton made a fantastic glove save on Ruutu, Briere beat Ward low to the stick side with a nice move. Jokinen, who has 25 career goals in the event, the most of any player ever, hit the post. It was all up to the Captain, Shadow Richards to put it away, which he did by besting Ward five-hole to end it with a brilliant move.
At 5 p.m. today, the Flyers will look to beat the Islanders for the 13 consecutive time. The Flyers are still in desperate need of points and could leap frog the Islanders in the standings with a regulation victory. The Flyers still have two games in hand over the Islanders.
Alright, well go Flyers this eve. I'll be out for a dinner with the family for the early part of the game, but hopefully I'll catch enough of it to do a better job with the next recap. Fingers crossed for a good game tonight. These points are key, remember... the Winter Classic looms.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
13th Place vs. 15th Place promises to be a slobber knocker
It's times like these that make me wish I had Johnny Carson's "Carnac" powers. Tonight's Flyers game is just about as big as they come for a team which has been floundering along for the last month or so.
Will they turn it around and win two in a row for the first time since consecutive 3-2 wins over the Devils and Kings on Nov. 16 and 18 respectively? Will they beat a very beatable Carolina Hurricanes team, which currently holds the title of "Worst Team in the NHL." Or will they fall back into old (as in two games ago) habits and hammer yet another nail into the 2009-2010 season's coffin as the Walt Disney Presents "The Flyers Six Game Road Trip" continues.
Remember. The Winter Classic looms.
The Flyers have had good luck against the Canes so far this season, beating them 2-0 to open the season and 6-1 on Halloween. If the Flyers are unable to build on a 5-2 win over Tampa on Wednesday... well let's not even think of such things.
For Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, this will be his first meeting against the team he led to the 2006 Stanley Cup championship and was fired from last season. Further adding to the game's intrigue, if Brian Boucher is unable to go tonight, Michael Leighton, another Carolina castoff, will get the start.
Yes sir, never before has a matchup between two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference been so interesting.
Before I go, I thought of another question I'd like to know the answer to now. Will the team's second line (Carter, Briere and Hartnell) play more minutes then it's fourth line (Betts, Laperriere, Carcillo) AND actually be more productive as well?
Flyers vs. Canes. The term barn burner does this game no justice...
Player to Watch: Jeff Carter
Will they turn it around and win two in a row for the first time since consecutive 3-2 wins over the Devils and Kings on Nov. 16 and 18 respectively? Will they beat a very beatable Carolina Hurricanes team, which currently holds the title of "Worst Team in the NHL." Or will they fall back into old (as in two games ago) habits and hammer yet another nail into the 2009-2010 season's coffin as the Walt Disney Presents "The Flyers Six Game Road Trip" continues.
Remember. The Winter Classic looms.
The Flyers have had good luck against the Canes so far this season, beating them 2-0 to open the season and 6-1 on Halloween. If the Flyers are unable to build on a 5-2 win over Tampa on Wednesday... well let's not even think of such things.
For Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, this will be his first meeting against the team he led to the 2006 Stanley Cup championship and was fired from last season. Further adding to the game's intrigue, if Brian Boucher is unable to go tonight, Michael Leighton, another Carolina castoff, will get the start.
Yes sir, never before has a matchup between two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference been so interesting.
Before I go, I thought of another question I'd like to know the answer to now. Will the team's second line (Carter, Briere and Hartnell) play more minutes then it's fourth line (Betts, Laperriere, Carcillo) AND actually be more productive as well?
Flyers vs. Canes. The term barn burner does this game no justice...
Player to Watch: Jeff Carter
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Betts and crew deliver an early Christmas present to Philly
What the devil was that about?
Last night the orange and black got their Walt Disney Presents "The Flyers Six Game Road Trip" off to a good start by beating the Lightning 5-2. Blair "SNL Allegedly Fired Me For Dropping Too Many F-Bombs" Betts and Mike "Shadow" Richards each netted a pair of goals, while Michael Leighton stopped 31 of 33 shots on route to his second win of the season.
The Flyers won the game by doing the exact polar opposite of the type of nonsense they've been passing off for professional hockey lately. They scored first, they scored early, they scored on the power play and they scored often. They dominated the third period both in chances and in results, outshooting Tampa 15-10 and outscoring them 3-0 during the game's final frame.
Rookie yet studly defenseman Victor Hedman scored his third goal of the year, firing a laser beam past Leighton in the second to tie the game at two. Earlier in the period, the only guy in the NHL with more PIMs then Danny Carcillo and future Flyer Zenon Konopka scored his first goal in over three years to cut the orange and black's lead right in half. Props to Konopka not for the goal but for having the greatest first name at present in the NHL. His name sounds like it would fit in better on the Periodic Table of Elements then on an NHL score sheet and that is a wonderful thing.
For the good guys, Betts' first goal came off a gaping rebound left by Tampa goalie Mike Smith. Betts batted at the puck, but it was Tampa defenseman Andrej Meszaros who actually put the biscuit in the basket, as the kids say. About six minutes later Gagne converted a broken play in gold, finding Richards all alone down low for a slam dunk power play goal.
With things tied up at two midway through the third, Betts redirected a Oscars Bartulis shot past Smith to give the visitors a lead they wouldn't relinquish. After failing to score on a 2-1 break earlier in the period, Richards fired a hard wrister past Smith on his second odd man rush attempt to make it 4-2. With under a minute left to go, Gagne added an empty netter.
Well, I don't want to pat myself on the back too heartily for this, but here I go. It was just yesterday, after all, that I campaigned for Richards to be abandoned in the woods along with Scott Hartnell and Jeff Carter to re-enact the beloved children's film "Homeward Bound: The Incredible journey." Looks like "Shadow" Richards is off the cast for the time being but "Chance" Carter and "Sassy" Hartnell are still on board. The two were non-factors last night as alleged fourth-liners Betts and Laperriere logged more minutes then Hartnell and Carter respectively.
So where to go from here? Well the Flyers are off until after Christmas, when they take on the lowly Carolina Hurricanes. The team would be misguided to think this tailspin is over after just one win, however. These things don't just end with one game. You have to keep working every day. Look no further then the poor performances that followed recent wins against the Islanders and the Bruins for examples of this. One win does not a season make. Just because you beat the Lightning, it doesn't mean the Stanley Cup is your for the taking. The Flyers need to start stringing wins together and gain some ground in the standings. Playing a weak opponent like the Canes is nice, but you can't take them lightly. On any given night, Eric Staal may just decide he gives a crap and go off on one of his tears.
This calls to mind this past summer summer, when after every one save Brad Lidge converted, his season of horrors was suddenly pronounced to be over. He was finally back to the old Lidgey-poo that we all loved so much from the previous year. Then of course he would blow the next three saves and everyone would turn on him again. Then would come another save and he was BACK baby!
This crap went on all summer.
Like I said earlier, these ugly runs don't just stop with one good game. There is no internal switch that was suddenly flipped from "Suck" to "Awesome." Things don't work that way. If the Flyers go out there and underestimate the Canes, they will lose a very win-able game. If they fall back into the same bad habits that have been costing them in recent weeks they will also lose. Hard work and determination will end this madness and maybe no one will have to be traded away or left in the woods to face porcupines, water falls, cougars and all manner of other woodland perils.
Not the good kind of cougars either...
Merry Christmas eve to all...
Last night the orange and black got their Walt Disney Presents "The Flyers Six Game Road Trip" off to a good start by beating the Lightning 5-2. Blair "SNL Allegedly Fired Me For Dropping Too Many F-Bombs" Betts and Mike "Shadow" Richards each netted a pair of goals, while Michael Leighton stopped 31 of 33 shots on route to his second win of the season.
The Flyers won the game by doing the exact polar opposite of the type of nonsense they've been passing off for professional hockey lately. They scored first, they scored early, they scored on the power play and they scored often. They dominated the third period both in chances and in results, outshooting Tampa 15-10 and outscoring them 3-0 during the game's final frame.
Rookie yet studly defenseman Victor Hedman scored his third goal of the year, firing a laser beam past Leighton in the second to tie the game at two. Earlier in the period, the only guy in the NHL with more PIMs then Danny Carcillo and future Flyer Zenon Konopka scored his first goal in over three years to cut the orange and black's lead right in half. Props to Konopka not for the goal but for having the greatest first name at present in the NHL. His name sounds like it would fit in better on the Periodic Table of Elements then on an NHL score sheet and that is a wonderful thing.
For the good guys, Betts' first goal came off a gaping rebound left by Tampa goalie Mike Smith. Betts batted at the puck, but it was Tampa defenseman Andrej Meszaros who actually put the biscuit in the basket, as the kids say. About six minutes later Gagne converted a broken play in gold, finding Richards all alone down low for a slam dunk power play goal.
With things tied up at two midway through the third, Betts redirected a Oscars Bartulis shot past Smith to give the visitors a lead they wouldn't relinquish. After failing to score on a 2-1 break earlier in the period, Richards fired a hard wrister past Smith on his second odd man rush attempt to make it 4-2. With under a minute left to go, Gagne added an empty netter.
Well, I don't want to pat myself on the back too heartily for this, but here I go. It was just yesterday, after all, that I campaigned for Richards to be abandoned in the woods along with Scott Hartnell and Jeff Carter to re-enact the beloved children's film "Homeward Bound: The Incredible journey." Looks like "Shadow" Richards is off the cast for the time being but "Chance" Carter and "Sassy" Hartnell are still on board. The two were non-factors last night as alleged fourth-liners Betts and Laperriere logged more minutes then Hartnell and Carter respectively.
So where to go from here? Well the Flyers are off until after Christmas, when they take on the lowly Carolina Hurricanes. The team would be misguided to think this tailspin is over after just one win, however. These things don't just end with one game. You have to keep working every day. Look no further then the poor performances that followed recent wins against the Islanders and the Bruins for examples of this. One win does not a season make. Just because you beat the Lightning, it doesn't mean the Stanley Cup is your for the taking. The Flyers need to start stringing wins together and gain some ground in the standings. Playing a weak opponent like the Canes is nice, but you can't take them lightly. On any given night, Eric Staal may just decide he gives a crap and go off on one of his tears.
This calls to mind this past summer summer, when after every one save Brad Lidge converted, his season of horrors was suddenly pronounced to be over. He was finally back to the old Lidgey-poo that we all loved so much from the previous year. Then of course he would blow the next three saves and everyone would turn on him again. Then would come another save and he was BACK baby!
This crap went on all summer.
Like I said earlier, these ugly runs don't just stop with one good game. There is no internal switch that was suddenly flipped from "Suck" to "Awesome." Things don't work that way. If the Flyers go out there and underestimate the Canes, they will lose a very win-able game. If they fall back into the same bad habits that have been costing them in recent weeks they will also lose. Hard work and determination will end this madness and maybe no one will have to be traded away or left in the woods to face porcupines, water falls, cougars and all manner of other woodland perils.
Not the good kind of cougars either...
Merry Christmas eve to all...
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
A storm is a-brewin for the Flyers in Tampa
Another day, another Flyers loss. Whoops! Scratch that, they haven't even had the opportunity to lose yet. It seems I've confused this preview with a recap. No, no, the Flyers won't lose until... oh about exactly seven hours and five minutes from now when they give up the game's first goal in the first five minutes as per the checklist I set down for you all yesterday.
Hmm... it seems the snarkiness has come out a bit early today. I'll try and rein that in and actually give the Flyers the benefit of the doubt. Who knows? Maybe they'll actually come out with some heart tonight and play for 60 minutes... HAHA! Right and maybe I'll get a good job after graduation. Ah, laughter is good in these type of situations, it calms the mind. I mean, the only possible alternative to having a laugh about the pathetic state of my beloved Flyers involves me moving to Thailand and building a Buddhist temple ala Stallone in "Rambo III."
You know something? The Disney corporation gets a lot of flack for being sexist, racist, ageist and just about every other type of -ist that you can possible imagine. The folks at Disney aren't all bad, however. Lest we forget their association with Pixar. Or the fact that, thanks to "Disney on Ice," the Flyers will play their next six games on the road, giving the hometown crowd a break from paying to see the orange and black's particular brand of... "hockey." Finally, fans will get to watch a compelling on-ice product again. So next time you hear someone ripping on Disney, you give them a punch in the mouth for me, ok? That might be too extreme. How about you mention the "Disney on Ice" thing or better yet just agree with whatever hateful nonsense they may be spewing about the house that the mouse built for the sake of fitting in.
Hey, maybe a good road trip is just what the Flyers need to fix this mess. For starters, they can drive out to the middle of nowhere, shove Jeff Carter, Scott Hartnell and Mike Richards out of the team bus and drive away as fast as humanly possible.
The downside is that I've watched "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" enough times to know that these three will likely find their way home eventually but only after Mike Richards dramatically has to pull himself out of a pit near a rail road, Jeff Carter gets smacked in the face by a porcupine and Scott Hartnell tumbles down a waterfall and hangs out with a kindly old hermit for a bit.
For those of you keeping score at home, the would make Richards Shadow, the aging Labrador who leads the gang, Carter the brash young bull dog named Chance and Hartnell would be Sassy, the witty and snobby Siamese cat.
If only the Flyers played each night with the level of commitment those animals demonstrated... sad.
Well, Walt Disney presents "The Flyers Six Game Road Trip" opens tonight in Tampa Bay at 7:30 p.m. This will be the second meeting of the year for the two clubs. The Flyers pushed around the Lightning 6-2 on Nov. 2 on the strength of two-goal games by Shadow and Chance, I mean Richards and Carter... Tampa is riding high on a two game win streak as they head home after ending a six game road swing of their own.
Superstar center Vinny Lecavalier had one goal and nine assists when these two teams last met and had been demoted to the third line. He's up to nine goals and 24 assists, so he seems to have righted the ship significantly. The real threats on the Lightning are second year sniper Steven Stamkos (21 goals, 14 assists) and his playmaker Martin St. Louis (7 goals, 33 assists). Stamkos had one of the Lightning's two goals during the two team's first meeting.
The Lightning shouldn't have too much trouble scoring tonight as the Flyers are forced to start Michael "Please Be Kind" Leighton (1-4-1, 4.17 GAA, .851 SV%) in net tonight due to Brian Boucher's injured finger. If the orange and black want to win, they will have to provide Leighton with as much help as possible, maybe even play three defenseman at a time as opposed to the usual two. It would be a big help if they scored a whole bunch of goals too. Like 12, or how about an even 20 just to make things safe.
The Flyers have talked a lot about hard work and not quitting in recent weeks and here is yet another opportunity to finally live up to their word. I won't hold my breath, but we'll see what happens. If this thing gets ugly early, I may just pop in my VHS copy of "Homeward Bound" and remember this team during better times.
Hmm... it seems the snarkiness has come out a bit early today. I'll try and rein that in and actually give the Flyers the benefit of the doubt. Who knows? Maybe they'll actually come out with some heart tonight and play for 60 minutes... HAHA! Right and maybe I'll get a good job after graduation. Ah, laughter is good in these type of situations, it calms the mind. I mean, the only possible alternative to having a laugh about the pathetic state of my beloved Flyers involves me moving to Thailand and building a Buddhist temple ala Stallone in "Rambo III."
You know something? The Disney corporation gets a lot of flack for being sexist, racist, ageist and just about every other type of -ist that you can possible imagine. The folks at Disney aren't all bad, however. Lest we forget their association with Pixar. Or the fact that, thanks to "Disney on Ice," the Flyers will play their next six games on the road, giving the hometown crowd a break from paying to see the orange and black's particular brand of... "hockey." Finally, fans will get to watch a compelling on-ice product again. So next time you hear someone ripping on Disney, you give them a punch in the mouth for me, ok? That might be too extreme. How about you mention the "Disney on Ice" thing or better yet just agree with whatever hateful nonsense they may be spewing about the house that the mouse built for the sake of fitting in.
Hey, maybe a good road trip is just what the Flyers need to fix this mess. For starters, they can drive out to the middle of nowhere, shove Jeff Carter, Scott Hartnell and Mike Richards out of the team bus and drive away as fast as humanly possible.
The downside is that I've watched "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey" enough times to know that these three will likely find their way home eventually but only after Mike Richards dramatically has to pull himself out of a pit near a rail road, Jeff Carter gets smacked in the face by a porcupine and Scott Hartnell tumbles down a waterfall and hangs out with a kindly old hermit for a bit.
For those of you keeping score at home, the would make Richards Shadow, the aging Labrador who leads the gang, Carter the brash young bull dog named Chance and Hartnell would be Sassy, the witty and snobby Siamese cat.
If only the Flyers played each night with the level of commitment those animals demonstrated... sad.
Well, Walt Disney presents "The Flyers Six Game Road Trip" opens tonight in Tampa Bay at 7:30 p.m. This will be the second meeting of the year for the two clubs. The Flyers pushed around the Lightning 6-2 on Nov. 2 on the strength of two-goal games by Shadow and Chance, I mean Richards and Carter... Tampa is riding high on a two game win streak as they head home after ending a six game road swing of their own.
Superstar center Vinny Lecavalier had one goal and nine assists when these two teams last met and had been demoted to the third line. He's up to nine goals and 24 assists, so he seems to have righted the ship significantly. The real threats on the Lightning are second year sniper Steven Stamkos (21 goals, 14 assists) and his playmaker Martin St. Louis (7 goals, 33 assists). Stamkos had one of the Lightning's two goals during the two team's first meeting.
The Lightning shouldn't have too much trouble scoring tonight as the Flyers are forced to start Michael "Please Be Kind" Leighton (1-4-1, 4.17 GAA, .851 SV%) in net tonight due to Brian Boucher's injured finger. If the orange and black want to win, they will have to provide Leighton with as much help as possible, maybe even play three defenseman at a time as opposed to the usual two. It would be a big help if they scored a whole bunch of goals too. Like 12, or how about an even 20 just to make things safe.
The Flyers have talked a lot about hard work and not quitting in recent weeks and here is yet another opportunity to finally live up to their word. I won't hold my breath, but we'll see what happens. If this thing gets ugly early, I may just pop in my VHS copy of "Homeward Bound" and remember this team during better times.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Panthers enjoy night off, smack around Flyers 4-1 just for fun
Ever seen the movie "Black Christmas?" It's about a crazed serial killer stalking a sorority house during the holiday season. If you're looking for a little bit of Christmas cheer, I'd recommend skipping the next Flyers game and watching this bad boy. I promise it will be significantly less of a downer. Hell, at this point I'd rather watch the godawful remake, "Black X-mas" then have to sit through another night of the Flyers skating in circles while the opposition plays their best game of the year.
I missed last night's "game" because I finally decided to do a little Christmas shopping. No hurry or anything, right? That said, I caught some of it one the radio as I traveled from mall to mall and followed it a bit on my cell phone when I could. Seeing as though I didn't actually watch the mess unfold, I'll try and keep this brief.
Everything went almost according to the script for the orange and black last night as they fell to the visiting Florida Panthers 4-1 in a rough affair.
I missed last night's "game" because I finally decided to do a little Christmas shopping. No hurry or anything, right? That said, I caught some of it one the radio as I traveled from mall to mall and followed it a bit on my cell phone when I could. Seeing as though I didn't actually watch the mess unfold, I'll try and keep this brief.
Everything went almost according to the script for the orange and black last night as they fell to the visiting Florida Panthers 4-1 in a rough affair.
- Give up the game's first goal in the game's first five minutes: Check. Nathan Horton scored at 4:53, close but they pulled it off.
- Give up as many power play goals as you possibly can: Check. Florida went 3 for 8 with the man advantage. Sure they could have scored a few more, but still pretty good. I mean, they're not the Capitals after all.
- Do nothing with your own Power Plays: Check. Flyers went a laughable 0-8 with the extra man. The only thing missing was giving up a shorthanded goal. Oh well. They tried at least.
- Turn the Penalty Box into your own personal clown car: Check. Flyers gave the Panthers an eight power plays. Ian Laperriere put Dan Carcillo to shame with a remarkable 30 PIM performance last night, though I'll give him a pass for it. I mean, the guy took a puck to the face a few weeks ago and fights THREE times in one game? If the rest of the team had that level of commitment, we wouldn't be having this conversation. With his double minor for high-sticking, Danny Briere continued his quest to usurp Scott Hartnell's title of the Clown Prince of the NHL. Earlier in the game, Hartnell demonstrated his desire to keep the title, when seconds after drawing a Flyers power play he took a lazy penalty and negated it.
- Dominate the third period due to an indifferent opponent and then announce after the game it was something to build on: Minus. Florida, still seething as a result of Mike Richards hit on David Booth from two months ago had no intentions of letting the indifferent Flyers off the hook in the third and scored twice to the Flyers once.
- Get booed off the ice after every period: Check. This one doesn't need much explanation really.
- Get Shut out: Minus. They tried their best but Braydon Coburn ruined everything when he scored his fifth goal of the year to cut the lead to a mere three goals at the 13:47 mark of the final period.
Well, that's about it. Goalie Brian Boucher (11 saves on 13 shots) left the game early in the second period with a finger injury that will likely keep him out of Wednesday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Not that it will matter really. As mediocre as the goaltending as been at times this season, this team doesn't score anymore. No goalie would have success here, its just that simple. Back-up Michael Leighton finished the game, making 15 saves on 17 shots and will get the start on Wednesday.
So there you go. The NHL roster freeze ends on Dec. 27 and the Winter Classic will be held in Boston on Jan. 1. If this ship is righted soon, the Flyers will be humiliated on national TV in the event that is currently a bigger deal then the Stanley Cup amongst casual fans. The only time the NHL receives more attention from the national media is when something bad happens, so unless Dan Carcillo snaps and kills someone soon, this is as big as it gets for the entire sport.
What a position the Flyers are in. Second worst team in the NHL and playing in the league's biggest event. The only question remains is what happens if the Flyers come out and stink up the joint? You know, the usual? Is it possible that they are so bad that they could kill the Winter Classic? Could they scare away the casual fans who watch that day forever with their atrocious brand of "hockey," driving home the final nail in the NHL's TV coffin?
Can they not only kill THEIR season, but ruin things for the rest of the league as well, like some type of putrid super virus? The answer is obvious, right now the Flyers are more dangerous to the NHL then Swine Flu and the Bubonic Plaque combined...
Monday, December 21, 2009
Flyers hope snow scares away cats
Boy this is the life. Winter break is in full swing, sleeping til I please, waking up and writing about the Flyers, who I shall get to watch later on and maybe even write some more about. No sir, can't complain about that... well, lately watching the orange and black has become a bit of a chore, so maybe... no. I will remain steadfast. They will win tonight... or I will likely blow a major gasket and wander off into the woods to start filming "Into the Wild 2: Electric Boogaloo."
Consider yourself warned Flyers. I'm not sayin' but I'm just sayin'.
I was able to spend yesterday watching one of the area's non-inglourious teams clinch a playoff spot in person as the Eagles rolled over the 49ers, 27-13. Good times were had by all, despite the fact that a few obnoxious fans decided to start pelting the field with snow balls during the third quarter. Also, thanks to the winter storm that rocked the area over the weekend, the parking lot was covered in a watery-slush like mixture. This was a problem for those of us wearing boots with holes in them.... which I'm sure was just me.
Oh well. I've heard that having trench foot is actually quite the pleasant experience. At least, that's what I've read on Wikipedia anyway and that's where I get all my information. It's because of that fine site that I know Abraham Lincoln was the 3oth President of the United States and that cheetahs can breath underwater, making them nature's most lethal predator on both land and sea.
Alright, well you've come here for hockey and so far I've given you football and a not-so-brief run down of what's going on with my feet. I can only assume that, as much as you've enjoyed all that gibberish, you would like hockey so here we go.
You know what else is weird about my feet? I kid, I kid.
Tonight the Panthers are in town for their third go-around with the Flyers this season. The teams have split the series so far with each team winning at home. Florida won the first game, 4-2 and the Flyers took the second, 5-1.
It was during this last game that Flyers center Mike Richards demolished Panthers star winger David Booth with a highly controversial hit in open ice. Fans are still mixed on whether it was clean or not but Richards wasn't suspended for the play. Booth suffered a concussion and hasn't played since.
Check out the hit for yourself
In my humble opinion, the hit looked clean, but I wouldn't have complained too loudly had he gotten suspended for it. The thing was just too close to call. After the game, Richie kept saying that he was just trying to get Booth off the puck, even though replays show that Booth had just passed the puck before getting hit. In all likely hood, Richie couldn't see where the puck actually was and wouldn't have had time to pull up even if he did. As I said, if he got suspended, I wouldn't have had a problem, it was just that close.
The Panthers have been plodding along around .500 since then, but recent games have seen young center Stephen Weiss turn into a legitimate NHL star. If the Flyers plan on winning this one, they'll likely need to shut down the duo of Weiss and Nathan Horton, who have been carrying a lot of the offensive load in Booth's absence.
Also, the Flyers should try scoring goals. I can't give them any more advice then that. Hopefully, Simon Gagne will continue to play well as he gets back into game shape after missing almost two months with a groin injury.
Lastly, I don't want to hear any of this "build on Saturday's third period" nonsense. Honestly, the Rangers were very, VERY content to win that game 2-1, hence they put very little pressure on the orange and black the entire period. They simply sat back and let their world class netminder Henrik Lundqvist handle things. The Flyers will need to do more then out shoot a disinterested team if they plan on beating the Panthers, who have won four of their last six games and have points in five of those six.
Predicted Player of the game: Danny Briere
Consider yourself warned Flyers. I'm not sayin' but I'm just sayin'.
I was able to spend yesterday watching one of the area's non-inglourious teams clinch a playoff spot in person as the Eagles rolled over the 49ers, 27-13. Good times were had by all, despite the fact that a few obnoxious fans decided to start pelting the field with snow balls during the third quarter. Also, thanks to the winter storm that rocked the area over the weekend, the parking lot was covered in a watery-slush like mixture. This was a problem for those of us wearing boots with holes in them.... which I'm sure was just me.
Oh well. I've heard that having trench foot is actually quite the pleasant experience. At least, that's what I've read on Wikipedia anyway and that's where I get all my information. It's because of that fine site that I know Abraham Lincoln was the 3oth President of the United States and that cheetahs can breath underwater, making them nature's most lethal predator on both land and sea.
Alright, well you've come here for hockey and so far I've given you football and a not-so-brief run down of what's going on with my feet. I can only assume that, as much as you've enjoyed all that gibberish, you would like hockey so here we go.
You know what else is weird about my feet? I kid, I kid.
Tonight the Panthers are in town for their third go-around with the Flyers this season. The teams have split the series so far with each team winning at home. Florida won the first game, 4-2 and the Flyers took the second, 5-1.
It was during this last game that Flyers center Mike Richards demolished Panthers star winger David Booth with a highly controversial hit in open ice. Fans are still mixed on whether it was clean or not but Richards wasn't suspended for the play. Booth suffered a concussion and hasn't played since.
Check out the hit for yourself
In my humble opinion, the hit looked clean, but I wouldn't have complained too loudly had he gotten suspended for it. The thing was just too close to call. After the game, Richie kept saying that he was just trying to get Booth off the puck, even though replays show that Booth had just passed the puck before getting hit. In all likely hood, Richie couldn't see where the puck actually was and wouldn't have had time to pull up even if he did. As I said, if he got suspended, I wouldn't have had a problem, it was just that close.
The Panthers have been plodding along around .500 since then, but recent games have seen young center Stephen Weiss turn into a legitimate NHL star. If the Flyers plan on winning this one, they'll likely need to shut down the duo of Weiss and Nathan Horton, who have been carrying a lot of the offensive load in Booth's absence.
Also, the Flyers should try scoring goals. I can't give them any more advice then that. Hopefully, Simon Gagne will continue to play well as he gets back into game shape after missing almost two months with a groin injury.
Lastly, I don't want to hear any of this "build on Saturday's third period" nonsense. Honestly, the Rangers were very, VERY content to win that game 2-1, hence they put very little pressure on the orange and black the entire period. They simply sat back and let their world class netminder Henrik Lundqvist handle things. The Flyers will need to do more then out shoot a disinterested team if they plan on beating the Panthers, who have won four of their last six games and have points in five of those six.
Predicted Player of the game: Danny Briere
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Storm freezes PA, Christmas freezes NHL rosters... for now
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. And wolves dressed as sheep.
These are the cliches that Flyers GM Paul Holmgren better start brushing up on as he prepares for what will in all likely hood be a very busy Dec. 27 as he looks to fix a very, very broken team. A team that has already quit on one head coach and now seems to be quitting on themselves and the snow-laden city that loves them.
Homer's got quite the task in front of him and he needs to resist the urge to make just any move. Obviously changes need to be made. Cages need to be rattled and skulls need to be cracked. Sadly, as the NHL is trying to cut down on blows to the head, Homer won't be allowed to crack any one's skull literally, as much as some players on this team may deserve such treatment.
So what to do, what to do. The biggest names who are rumored to be packing their bags are pretty boy Jeff Carter and his line mate Scottie "I'm won't cut my hair until I learn not to take stupid penalties" Hartnell. These are the only really tradable Flyers who may bring something back in return, though Hartnell's value may be a little low at this point. As for Carter... well, he's definitely been more attractive transactionally-speaking but he should still bring some solid players back.
Who would have thought it would come to this? This team used to be a contender, now they're just a bunch of over paid lay-abouts. Sadly, Carter and Hartnell have been two of the Flyers better players of late, but of course that hasn't exactly translated into filling the net with pucks. At least they're trying... sort of.
So, if you're out there reading audience, where do the orange and black go from here? A trade seems like a must, or do you see things differently? Who stays, who goes? Are the Carter and Braydon Coburn for Carolina's Eric Staal rumors effectively done now that Carolina has discovered how to win games again?
Six days and 15 minutes until the gossip could turn to reality. I like this team as presently constructed and they are clearly good enough on paper to compete with any team in the league. Sadly, as yet another cliche goes that's why you play the games. The Flyers have no heart or soul. They have no drive to win. The more games you watch them throw away, the less likely it seems that they will pull themselves out of this monumental tailspin. The coach has been changed. You could change the GM, but to me that seems like admitting that the team is built wrong, which basically means the season is over. No, if Homer goes, chances are it will be during the off season, unless the wheels really come off this thing. It's hard to imagine them coming off more, actually...
The only thing left to change is the players. A good, likeable group, but one that doesn't seem to have the spice anymore. Who knows why. They had it earlier this season, as little as three weeks ago they looked unbeatable. Now, it seems as though the mites on ice games that take place during intermission are providing a better product.
Sad times...
These are the cliches that Flyers GM Paul Holmgren better start brushing up on as he prepares for what will in all likely hood be a very busy Dec. 27 as he looks to fix a very, very broken team. A team that has already quit on one head coach and now seems to be quitting on themselves and the snow-laden city that loves them.
Homer's got quite the task in front of him and he needs to resist the urge to make just any move. Obviously changes need to be made. Cages need to be rattled and skulls need to be cracked. Sadly, as the NHL is trying to cut down on blows to the head, Homer won't be allowed to crack any one's skull literally, as much as some players on this team may deserve such treatment.
So what to do, what to do. The biggest names who are rumored to be packing their bags are pretty boy Jeff Carter and his line mate Scottie "I'm won't cut my hair until I learn not to take stupid penalties" Hartnell. These are the only really tradable Flyers who may bring something back in return, though Hartnell's value may be a little low at this point. As for Carter... well, he's definitely been more attractive transactionally-speaking but he should still bring some solid players back.
Who would have thought it would come to this? This team used to be a contender, now they're just a bunch of over paid lay-abouts. Sadly, Carter and Hartnell have been two of the Flyers better players of late, but of course that hasn't exactly translated into filling the net with pucks. At least they're trying... sort of.
So, if you're out there reading audience, where do the orange and black go from here? A trade seems like a must, or do you see things differently? Who stays, who goes? Are the Carter and Braydon Coburn for Carolina's Eric Staal rumors effectively done now that Carolina has discovered how to win games again?
Six days and 15 minutes until the gossip could turn to reality. I like this team as presently constructed and they are clearly good enough on paper to compete with any team in the league. Sadly, as yet another cliche goes that's why you play the games. The Flyers have no heart or soul. They have no drive to win. The more games you watch them throw away, the less likely it seems that they will pull themselves out of this monumental tailspin. The coach has been changed. You could change the GM, but to me that seems like admitting that the team is built wrong, which basically means the season is over. No, if Homer goes, chances are it will be during the off season, unless the wheels really come off this thing. It's hard to imagine them coming off more, actually...
The only thing left to change is the players. A good, likeable group, but one that doesn't seem to have the spice anymore. Who knows why. They had it earlier this season, as little as three weeks ago they looked unbeatable. Now, it seems as though the mites on ice games that take place during intermission are providing a better product.
Sad times...
Flyers jackhammer their way through rock bottom
Earlier today in South Philly, a surprising number of hearty fans risked their lives, endured horrific conditions and trudged through muck neck high. Oh yeah and it snowed a lot. That first sentence just refers to today's latest Flyers loss, a 2-1 barn-burner against the NY Rangers.
Once again the Flyers came out flat footed, gave up the first goal, allowed their opposition to dictate the pace until the third period and once again, dominating the final stanza due to an indifferent opponent just wasn't good enough. Remember Thursday's moral victory that came in the form of a 3-2 shootout loss to the Pens? Yeah, neither did the orange and black.
The Rangers jumped on the very delicate and very UN-inglourious home team early thanks to a Claude Giroux turnover, which Chris Drury spun around and flicked past Brian Boucher. The goal wasn't Boucher's finest hour, but once again he wasn't the reason for the loss. He stopped 22 of 24 shots while watching his teammates squander another good outing.
The Flyers actually answered back (GASP!) only three minutes later when Chris Pronger fired a hard wrister from the blue line on the power play. Giroux redeemed himself with an assist on the play, but it was the hard work of the returning Simon Gagne that made it possible. Gagne was a force all day, playing a remarkable 20:16 in his first game since Oct. 25 and registering 2 shots and 2 very suspicious PIMs which looked more like hard work to me, but I digress. Gags won the board battle that set up the goal and used his speed effectively all game. I guess no one told him that effort and hard work are no longer on the Flyers menu.
And surprise surprise, that was the only time the Flyers would find the back of the net for the rest of the day. Oh, they had their chances, but few were anything special and when they were Lundqvist was there to make the save. A lucky bounce off of defenseman Ryan Parent into his own net was the difference in this one. The fluky goal was eventually credited to Artem Anisimov.
That was the ball game folks. The Flyers out shot the Rangers 16-5 in the third period, but it was due more to the Rangers sitting on their one goal lead then to anything the orange and black did.
Props to the Flyers for shutting down superstar Marian Gaborik, who mustered only 1 shot and 2 PIMs in 20:57. Normally, shutting down the opposition's best player and only allowing 2 goals is the recipe (recipes?) for victory. That's not how the Flyers roll, at least not lately.
No more moral victories. No more "we played well and deserved a better fate." No more excuses. No more post game interviews where the players say all the right things but translate nothing to the ice. No more.
The only thing that counts from here on out is winning games. If you don't pick up the two points, the game is wasted. You would think pride would start to factor in somewhere. That at some point the guys would get tired of losing and being embarrassed every night.
I guess we haven't hit that point yet. We haven't sank quite so low. Or is it that this team doesn't have any pride? Maybe they just don't care, which would be a tremendous shame.
Those fans who braved ridiculous elements to go to today's game clearly care. It's too bad that the team they love couldn't demonstrate the same level of passion.
Once again the Flyers came out flat footed, gave up the first goal, allowed their opposition to dictate the pace until the third period and once again, dominating the final stanza due to an indifferent opponent just wasn't good enough. Remember Thursday's moral victory that came in the form of a 3-2 shootout loss to the Pens? Yeah, neither did the orange and black.
The Rangers jumped on the very delicate and very UN-inglourious home team early thanks to a Claude Giroux turnover, which Chris Drury spun around and flicked past Brian Boucher. The goal wasn't Boucher's finest hour, but once again he wasn't the reason for the loss. He stopped 22 of 24 shots while watching his teammates squander another good outing.
The Flyers actually answered back (GASP!) only three minutes later when Chris Pronger fired a hard wrister from the blue line on the power play. Giroux redeemed himself with an assist on the play, but it was the hard work of the returning Simon Gagne that made it possible. Gagne was a force all day, playing a remarkable 20:16 in his first game since Oct. 25 and registering 2 shots and 2 very suspicious PIMs which looked more like hard work to me, but I digress. Gags won the board battle that set up the goal and used his speed effectively all game. I guess no one told him that effort and hard work are no longer on the Flyers menu.
And surprise surprise, that was the only time the Flyers would find the back of the net for the rest of the day. Oh, they had their chances, but few were anything special and when they were Lundqvist was there to make the save. A lucky bounce off of defenseman Ryan Parent into his own net was the difference in this one. The fluky goal was eventually credited to Artem Anisimov.
That was the ball game folks. The Flyers out shot the Rangers 16-5 in the third period, but it was due more to the Rangers sitting on their one goal lead then to anything the orange and black did.
Props to the Flyers for shutting down superstar Marian Gaborik, who mustered only 1 shot and 2 PIMs in 20:57. Normally, shutting down the opposition's best player and only allowing 2 goals is the recipe (recipes?) for victory. That's not how the Flyers roll, at least not lately.
No more moral victories. No more "we played well and deserved a better fate." No more excuses. No more post game interviews where the players say all the right things but translate nothing to the ice. No more.
The only thing that counts from here on out is winning games. If you don't pick up the two points, the game is wasted. You would think pride would start to factor in somewhere. That at some point the guys would get tired of losing and being embarrassed every night.
I guess we haven't hit that point yet. We haven't sank quite so low. Or is it that this team doesn't have any pride? Maybe they just don't care, which would be a tremendous shame.
Those fans who braved ridiculous elements to go to today's game clearly care. It's too bad that the team they love couldn't demonstrate the same level of passion.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Gabbing about bears, hockey and the fall of Rome... not necessarily in that order
I've always admired and respected the bear.
What a glorious (inglourious?) and noble creature the bear is. Hangs out in the woods for most of the year, swipes pic-a-nic baskets at its heart's content and basically enjoys all the things that go with being a large, furry mammal.
I would be remiss to forget to mention my favorite part of "bear-life," which is of course hibernation. That's right, once winter rolls around your average bear will find itself a nice warm cave to curl up in and sleep away the cold weather. What a life. If only I could somehow sleep away these winter months and wake up on the verge of being a college graduate.
Ah hell, I'm not sentimental. Rouse me from my slumber about 45 seconds before graduation and I'll be fine. I don't need one last, five month long victory lap.
Dear god! This is supposed to be a blog about hockey and hear I am talking your ears off about bears and graduation! What was the root of this craziness? Ah yes, hibernation. While I may not be sleeping straight through until spring, I'm going to be doing my best bear impression over the next month and enjoying doing absolutely nothing of value over Christmas break. No sir, no job for me. I'm free as a bird. A big, dumb bird with no direction in life, that is.
I shouldn't say that I'll be doing NOTHING over break. I mean, I'll have to eat at some point and it seems unwise to stop breathing. Outside of doing the things that will keep me alive, I plan on taking it easy... and blogging, which in some circles is considered taking it easy. Not by me though. Never by me.
Recently I read an article that listed blogging as the world's third most dangerous profession, right behind lion mane comber and publicist for Meghan Fox. Despite the dangers of the "web log," be they real or merely the result of eating spicy food very late at night, I will soldier forth, resuming my goal to bring you all things Flyers during this very long and dark month of December.
Yikes. I can't believe that it has taken me so long to mention the Flyers, who are actually the whole purpose behind this blog. As I mentioned early, I won't have a job over break so be prepared, brave readers, for more ugly manifestos of this nature proclaiming my love for beavers and wolves and all manner of furry mammals that would kill you and your entire family if you ever gave them the chance.
Mark my words.
So hockey. How about it? The Flyers lost (again) on Thursday to the Penguins, but hey it was in a shootout so who really cares? I mean outside of Gary Bettman and the fringe fans that the game-ending spectacle caters to, that is.
I missed the whole thing due to a prior commitment, but I heard good things. They seemed to battle and gained themselves a point against a team that, according to the current NHL standings, the Flyers aren't even playing the same sport as anymore.
The real test boys and girls is coming up tomorrow when the New York Rangers plural (formerly Ranger, singular) visit for a 1 p.m. matinee. I say plural because this ain't your last year's Ranger team! No more of that sitting back and letting their beastly goalie Henrik Lundqvist do all the work. Those days are gone, baby, gone.
Now the Rangers like to sit back and let Henrik Lundqvist (13-13-3, 2.55 GAA, .920 SV%) AND Marian Gaborik (24 goals, 21 assists, 45 points in 32 games. Only four LESS points then number two and three on the Rangers scoring list combined) do all the work. See? Totally different. Granted now that I said that, Ales Kotalik is going to score seven goals tomorrow and assist on 14 others, but oh well. The point needed to be said, regardless of the jinx factor that comes with it (knock on wood for good measure anyway).
If I were Flyers Coach Peter Laviolette, I'd put Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen together and have them just follow Gaborik every time he touches the ice, which if recent trends hold true will likely be closer to 30 minutes then 20. But hey, I'm not him so we'll just have to see what happens. Hopefully, the Flyers can build on their good effort against the Pens and if they do, guess what? They suddenly have points in three of their last four games and look primed to show just how premature their recent obituaries were. Or, they'll just roll over and yell at the undertakers to bury them faster, they haven't got all day.
Eww, got a bit morbid at the end there. Must be the cold weather. Or Tuesday's 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Pens. Either or...
What a glorious (inglourious?) and noble creature the bear is. Hangs out in the woods for most of the year, swipes pic-a-nic baskets at its heart's content and basically enjoys all the things that go with being a large, furry mammal.
I would be remiss to forget to mention my favorite part of "bear-life," which is of course hibernation. That's right, once winter rolls around your average bear will find itself a nice warm cave to curl up in and sleep away the cold weather. What a life. If only I could somehow sleep away these winter months and wake up on the verge of being a college graduate.
Ah hell, I'm not sentimental. Rouse me from my slumber about 45 seconds before graduation and I'll be fine. I don't need one last, five month long victory lap.
Dear god! This is supposed to be a blog about hockey and hear I am talking your ears off about bears and graduation! What was the root of this craziness? Ah yes, hibernation. While I may not be sleeping straight through until spring, I'm going to be doing my best bear impression over the next month and enjoying doing absolutely nothing of value over Christmas break. No sir, no job for me. I'm free as a bird. A big, dumb bird with no direction in life, that is.
I shouldn't say that I'll be doing NOTHING over break. I mean, I'll have to eat at some point and it seems unwise to stop breathing. Outside of doing the things that will keep me alive, I plan on taking it easy... and blogging, which in some circles is considered taking it easy. Not by me though. Never by me.
Recently I read an article that listed blogging as the world's third most dangerous profession, right behind lion mane comber and publicist for Meghan Fox. Despite the dangers of the "web log," be they real or merely the result of eating spicy food very late at night, I will soldier forth, resuming my goal to bring you all things Flyers during this very long and dark month of December.
Yikes. I can't believe that it has taken me so long to mention the Flyers, who are actually the whole purpose behind this blog. As I mentioned early, I won't have a job over break so be prepared, brave readers, for more ugly manifestos of this nature proclaiming my love for beavers and wolves and all manner of furry mammals that would kill you and your entire family if you ever gave them the chance.
Mark my words.
So hockey. How about it? The Flyers lost (again) on Thursday to the Penguins, but hey it was in a shootout so who really cares? I mean outside of Gary Bettman and the fringe fans that the game-ending spectacle caters to, that is.
I missed the whole thing due to a prior commitment, but I heard good things. They seemed to battle and gained themselves a point against a team that, according to the current NHL standings, the Flyers aren't even playing the same sport as anymore.
The real test boys and girls is coming up tomorrow when the New York Rangers plural (formerly Ranger, singular) visit for a 1 p.m. matinee. I say plural because this ain't your last year's Ranger team! No more of that sitting back and letting their beastly goalie Henrik Lundqvist do all the work. Those days are gone, baby, gone.
Now the Rangers like to sit back and let Henrik Lundqvist (13-13-3, 2.55 GAA, .920 SV%) AND Marian Gaborik (24 goals, 21 assists, 45 points in 32 games. Only four LESS points then number two and three on the Rangers scoring list combined) do all the work. See? Totally different. Granted now that I said that, Ales Kotalik is going to score seven goals tomorrow and assist on 14 others, but oh well. The point needed to be said, regardless of the jinx factor that comes with it (knock on wood for good measure anyway).
If I were Flyers Coach Peter Laviolette, I'd put Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen together and have them just follow Gaborik every time he touches the ice, which if recent trends hold true will likely be closer to 30 minutes then 20. But hey, I'm not him so we'll just have to see what happens. Hopefully, the Flyers can build on their good effort against the Pens and if they do, guess what? They suddenly have points in three of their last four games and look primed to show just how premature their recent obituaries were. Or, they'll just roll over and yell at the undertakers to bury them faster, they haven't got all day.
Eww, got a bit morbid at the end there. Must be the cold weather. Or Tuesday's 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Pens. Either or...
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
A long December?
The head coach is gone and the fan base is left wondering whether or not the team has finally hit rock bottom. Whether or not the free fall is finally over.
After losing six of their last seven games and being shut out in back to back contests, the Flyers have fired head coach John Stevens, ending his three plus years at the helm. Also let go was assistant coach Jack McIlhargey.
Welcome to the start of what could be a very long month for fans of the orange and black.
Now, there's no one left to blame but the players on the ice... and maybe the man who put them there, general manager Paul Holmgren.
Taking over for Stevens is Peter Laviolette, the man who led the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup title. Also in is Kevin McCarthy, who will replace McIlhargey.
I don't know much about Laviolette, outside of the fact that he replaced Paul Maurice as the Hurricanes coach during the 03-04 season, only to have Maurice return the favor and replace HIM in December of last year.
Laviolette was a runner-up for the Jack Adams award for best coach in 2006 and coached the US Men's Olympic hockey team in Turin, Italy. Lately, Laviolette has been keeping himself busy working the Vs. Intermission Report and doing a decent if not spectacular job of it.
610 WIP's Paul Jolovitz put it best tonight when he said that "the players got their coach fired today." This is one of the best and sanest things to be spoken over WIP's airwaves in years. Maybe ever. I'm sure Jolly will be promptly fired for it. They don't tolerate that type of crap at WIP.
The Flyers didn't so much quit on John Stevens as they quit on the game of hockey in general. During a 3-0 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, the Flyers best two players on the ice were back-up goalie Brian Boucher and tough guy Arron Asham. Almost everyone else looked indifferent, content to wildly throw the puck around like a small, disc-shapped hot potato.
The Flyers put some 38 shots on superstar goalie Roberto Luongo, few of which were any real test. Most of them came from the outside, with no screen for him to worry about. As he has been for the last month or so, captain Mike Richards did his best to force every shot or pass he attempted through at least three opponents. If by some strange twist of fate someone on the ice with Richards actually manages to get open, Richie will look elsewhere. I mean, where's the fun in passing to an open guy? Or shooting when you have a lane or a screen?
Jeff Carter.
Oh, you want more? Well Carts has had the least productive almost point per game start to a season ever (9 goals, 14 assists, 23 points in 25 games). Some games I forget Carter is on the team or assume that he's hurt. But no, he's there. He's just not doing much of note. As he did last year and the years before, Carter continues to be one of the streakest players this side of Eric Staal. Good news is that Laviolette managed to squeeze a cup out of the eldest Staal bro, so maybe he can do the same for the Flyers pretty boy.
I could go on like this. There are a handful of players on this team who can look in the mirror and say, "yeah, I've done my best." Ian Laperriere, Danny Carcillo, Arron Asham, James van Riemsdyk, Chris Pronger, Brian Boucher and Matt Carle. The rest of the team should know that John Stevens, a good man and a good coach, is now unemployed because of them.
If they don't turn this thing around soon, the Flyers locker room could look very different by the time the Olympic break rolls around in February.
I've said it before in reference to Marty Biron, but the same is true of Stevens. He was good enough to win a cup with. He was. Sure, his level headed demeanor rubbed some the wrong way and maybe the Flyers needed someone to light a fire under their butts better then the even-keeled Stevens. Its a shame because there is no reason he couldn't have won a cup here. The pieces are in place, the team just wasn't willing to let it happen.
The entire locker room should be ashamed of what they let happen, none moreso then Carter and Richards, who won an AHL Calder Cup with Stevens in 04-05. Two players who grew into superstars under Stevens. Two guys who stood back and did almost nothing when their coach needed them most...
After losing six of their last seven games and being shut out in back to back contests, the Flyers have fired head coach John Stevens, ending his three plus years at the helm. Also let go was assistant coach Jack McIlhargey.
Welcome to the start of what could be a very long month for fans of the orange and black.
Now, there's no one left to blame but the players on the ice... and maybe the man who put them there, general manager Paul Holmgren.
Taking over for Stevens is Peter Laviolette, the man who led the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup title. Also in is Kevin McCarthy, who will replace McIlhargey.
I don't know much about Laviolette, outside of the fact that he replaced Paul Maurice as the Hurricanes coach during the 03-04 season, only to have Maurice return the favor and replace HIM in December of last year.
Laviolette was a runner-up for the Jack Adams award for best coach in 2006 and coached the US Men's Olympic hockey team in Turin, Italy. Lately, Laviolette has been keeping himself busy working the Vs. Intermission Report and doing a decent if not spectacular job of it.
610 WIP's Paul Jolovitz put it best tonight when he said that "the players got their coach fired today." This is one of the best and sanest things to be spoken over WIP's airwaves in years. Maybe ever. I'm sure Jolly will be promptly fired for it. They don't tolerate that type of crap at WIP.
The Flyers didn't so much quit on John Stevens as they quit on the game of hockey in general. During a 3-0 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, the Flyers best two players on the ice were back-up goalie Brian Boucher and tough guy Arron Asham. Almost everyone else looked indifferent, content to wildly throw the puck around like a small, disc-shapped hot potato.
The Flyers put some 38 shots on superstar goalie Roberto Luongo, few of which were any real test. Most of them came from the outside, with no screen for him to worry about. As he has been for the last month or so, captain Mike Richards did his best to force every shot or pass he attempted through at least three opponents. If by some strange twist of fate someone on the ice with Richards actually manages to get open, Richie will look elsewhere. I mean, where's the fun in passing to an open guy? Or shooting when you have a lane or a screen?
Jeff Carter.
Oh, you want more? Well Carts has had the least productive almost point per game start to a season ever (9 goals, 14 assists, 23 points in 25 games). Some games I forget Carter is on the team or assume that he's hurt. But no, he's there. He's just not doing much of note. As he did last year and the years before, Carter continues to be one of the streakest players this side of Eric Staal. Good news is that Laviolette managed to squeeze a cup out of the eldest Staal bro, so maybe he can do the same for the Flyers pretty boy.
I could go on like this. There are a handful of players on this team who can look in the mirror and say, "yeah, I've done my best." Ian Laperriere, Danny Carcillo, Arron Asham, James van Riemsdyk, Chris Pronger, Brian Boucher and Matt Carle. The rest of the team should know that John Stevens, a good man and a good coach, is now unemployed because of them.
If they don't turn this thing around soon, the Flyers locker room could look very different by the time the Olympic break rolls around in February.
I've said it before in reference to Marty Biron, but the same is true of Stevens. He was good enough to win a cup with. He was. Sure, his level headed demeanor rubbed some the wrong way and maybe the Flyers needed someone to light a fire under their butts better then the even-keeled Stevens. Its a shame because there is no reason he couldn't have won a cup here. The pieces are in place, the team just wasn't willing to let it happen.
The entire locker room should be ashamed of what they let happen, none moreso then Carter and Richards, who won an AHL Calder Cup with Stevens in 04-05. Two players who grew into superstars under Stevens. Two guys who stood back and did almost nothing when their coach needed them most...
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