Flyers lacking heart through first third
Daily News Flyers blog
Flyers lacking heart through first third
Frank Seravalli
MONTRÉAL -- Captain Claude Giroux called out his teammates for “going through the motions.”
Danny Briere said the Flyers “need to want it more.”
Kimmo Timonen pointed toward the Flyers’ attitude and said “it needs to change.”
“You have to go beat people to win games,” Timonen said. “The attitude has to be that ‘We’re the Flyers.’ We go into games and people should be afraid. They’re not.”
Canadiens backup goaltender Peter Budaj certainly wasn’t afraid on Saturday night at Bell Centre. Why should he have been? The Flyers managed just 2 shots in the first period - and 6 total through the first 32 minutes of the game. They were on-pace to set a new franchise record for fewest shots (13) in a game.
The end result, a thorough 4-1 beating, was predictable based on the start.
The harsh words from the Flyers post-game were just that: words. There is nothing this team has done on the ice this season to strike fear in any opponent. And it many ways, it is mind-boggling.
For once, it hasn’t been the goaltending. That trend continued on Saturday night, even as the Flyers turned to their backup - Brian Boucher - for the second time in 16 games this season.
It hasn’t been penalty kill. The Flyers have killed off 16 straight power plays and they’re 33-for-35 (94.3 percent) in their last 9 games.
It certainly can't be because of talent. Look at the rosters of the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, or Devils - teams they've lost to on this road trip. Can you say the Flyers are inferior to those teams talent-wise?
The offense deserves a lot the blame - from Giroux on down. The Flyers have failed to score more than 2 goals in 11 of their 16 games this season.
“With all of the scorers we have on this team, it’s tough to understand at this point,” Briere said. “There’s a lot of frustration.”
To me, the Flyers' offensive struggles, like almost every other deficiency with this team, seem to stem from their own brains.
How else do you explain going offsides 4 times in one period alone? Finishing second on seemingly every puck battle? A too-many-men on the ice penalty at a crucial point in the game? Three power plays without a single shot on net?
“We were not competing,” Giroux said. “We were not winning battles. It’s just frustrating to see. We need to cut those mistakes down. We’re aware that mental mistakes are out there. We need to cut that.”
It was amazing to see that no matter how bad the Flyers’ start was on Saturday, they were still trailing just 2-1 entering the third period. It was a very winnable game - even before you consider who was in net for Montreal.
Instead, it seemed like once Briere’s shot snuck through Budaj to cut the Canadiens’ lead in half, they settled rather than pushing the gas pedal to the floor.
“We need to just want to win more,” Giroux said. “In the third period we were down 2-1. We need to find a way to get it done.”
The same thing happened in New Jersey on Friday night. The Flyers battled for a 3-1 lead. Once they got it, they hit the snooze bar.
Twice this season, the Flyers have scored in the first minute of the game - as they did in Toronto last Monday night - and they’ve found a way to give it back rather quickly.
“Playing not to lose, that’s what comes to mind,” Timonen said. “It’s too much up and down. You can’t win games in this league that way.”
Yes, the Flyers have injuries to key players. Yes, their schedule has not been easy - they’ve played 5 back-to-back sets already of their 16 games. But they’re no different than any other team in the league in both of those categories.
It’s impossible to look at any one of the Flyers’ 9 losses and say they didn’t have a chance to at least take the game over at one point or another. They’ve been right there in a lot of games, and a lot of them have turned out to be lopsided losses. Four of them have been by 3 goals or more.
“We’re in the game and it’s like the game keeps slipping away from us,” Mike Knuble said. “We’re just having a hard time mustering the tying goal or the goal to get us back in the game. Once they get on top of us, it’s been easy for teams to close out the game on us. The game’s on the line and we’ve just kind of played it out. It’s the will to win, I don’t think it’s been there enough for us yet.”
It’s time to get concerned. Peter Laviolette said the Flyers were “concerned before the game,” and they’ll continue to be concerned. The Flyers are the first team in the NHL to have played a third of this 48-game schedule. They’re 2-8-0 on the road. Teams that they’re chasing for playoff spots - like the Jets, Rangers and Hurricanes - all have 3 games in-hand at this point.
“The league’s not going to wait around,” Knuble said. “Nobody’s happy about it. That’s unacceptable for our group, from our last player to our top guy. You don’t have time to practice your way out of it, you don’t have time to play your way out of it. The urgency, it’s got to be there. You’ve got 60 possible points left to get. Other teams are going to win their share of games, it’s going to get harder and harder to climb your way up the ladder.”
For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers
Briere? Really? He is the only guy on this team that thinks to shoot. This team dumped their Captain...sent him to the lowly Kings...in return we get two players that were so talented that they couldn't get ice time on a bad team. Result? Richards hoist the Cup...Philly? Put those losers on top two lines and endure the worst down spin in years. Giroux is talented...he is NOT goal scorer.— Phillyfan666- Lavy starting to resemble Dead Man Walking.— potus
- When Sestito - who I think has a great NHL career ahead of him -scored 2 goals, the only goals, against the highest scoring team in the league, the alarms went off for me. It was a great to see him produce but what about the rest of the payroll? Rinaldo that night had one the greatest fights in Flyers history as well. Are these the only guys that want it? As it stands now, the Flyers will not survive against teams like Chicago, Anaheim, Vancouver, NJ to name a few. There's more but I'm tired of typing for team that doesn't appreciate its fans enough (again) to give it there all.....— petefreans
- If things don't turn around by the deadline, the Flyers would be smart to move Briere. He, along with Crosby, is one of only two players to average a point a game in the playoffs at the moment. You'd have to think at least one team would be willing to make a reasonable offer to Holmgren at the deadline for a player, 35 years or not, that shows up when the games matter. Unfortunately, Danny is about the only vet on our roster that would net something nice in return. I wouldn't move Hartnell and Kimo just re-signed.
Oh, and I'd throw Lavy in on any deal for a bag of pucks in return. I've wondered about his system since the Devils playoff series last year. We have big, slower DMen who back in at the defensive blueline and let the other team either dump and chase or cross the line at will. Oh, and Bryz being a terrible puckhandler doesn't help things either. I'm not blaming him at the moment as I think he's been fine this year for the most part but our system looks out of sync. WHAT exactly IS our system? Where have the Flyers of past gone? I don't mean the "bullies" but the teams that played with FIRE...with passion. Teams that may have lost the game but made the other team work their butts off for it (and feel it the next day). What's Mike Keenan up to these days? (I joke). I sincerely hope Lavy's days are numbered by the start of next season at the latest and someone with fire is brought in to shake things up. Just my two cents...— frequentflyer - If any changes are made, it will probably continue to be Ex Flyers as coaches and players. Until this team looks outside the organization they will continue struggle— ghost78
- flyerdommo, I commend the idea of staying positive, but it is not warranted to support the off season Homer had. Luke Schenn is playing ok, sure. But it was not enough return for what was given up. They needed to keep JVR for a bigger, better deal for a defenseman, instead of trading for someone who is "ok" - assuming JVR should have been traded at all. If they gave Carle a raise, it prevents having to trade a player (JVR) to get another defenseman. But too often management places too much emphasis on the free agent market, and while chasing Weber/Parise, guys were exiting out the back door. If you read Bill Meltzer's article last week discussing what types of players this team needs, he listed two wingers and a mobile defenseman. People...those are the 3 guys who left for more money. The answer was here already, and they let it go. Now Jagr leads Dallas in overall points. Matt Carle has more points than most of our forwards, and we all know how JVR is doing - he beat Schenn Monday night for is 8th goal.
flyerdommo, look at the stats. Its not the secondary scoring, its the PRIMARY scoring. The last game was won with two Tom Sestito goals. With an aging, injury prone blue line, and a thin free 2014 agent market, this organization needs to start drafting. In the meantime, they should turn the blue line over to Bourdon/Gustafsson/Manning etc., when they are ready-this year. Because what they've got now is too slow to keep pace with the other NHL teams. Give them the minutes this season to gain the necessary experience, because it is already lost.— Danno - Hartnell's return should help the struggling offense, but defense and goaltending will remain weaknesses. Game tied against Devils and Coburn stands idly behind Clarkson who deflects in winning goal. Bryzgalov lets in a couple goals that need to be stopped. Boucher is a pretty mediocre backup. How do they cure these shortcomings? Holmgren will probably trade their first round pick, which will probably be a top five, and get some big old and slow, washed-up defenseman. Is that a little too cynical?— WillyC
- The truth is this - this team lacks CHEMISTRY, an identity if you will. Look at the current composition of this team, and it's easy to ascertain, they need to play a more defensive style of hockey. They lack great speed & scoring. They lack that mandatory top-pairing Dmen to be a serious Cup contender. Lavi needs tobrecognize that and change course. They need to play to their strengths - grind-it-out defensive hockey and hope Bryz continues to play well. But let's be honest - this team is a top scorer & a #1 Dman away from being a serious Cup contender. Homer has a tough task in the offseason finding them.— TruthTeller01
- If for only one season you can have a KEITH ALLEN or a FRED SHERO come back to straighten out this flyers circus. there players played the game for peanuts but played with big hearts as a team. these millionaries players of today could care less about the fans of young and old.— t. cap
- If for only one season you can have a KEITH ALLEN or a FRED SHERO come back to straighten out this flyers circus. there players played the game for peanuts but played with big hearts as a team. these millionaries players of today could care less about the fans of young and old.— t. cap
- Hard to believe we are one of the worst teams in the league. The "organization" has to look out of the "organization" to get this team back in the finals. Lavi and Holmgren have to go! While their at it, take Coatsie too, tired of hearing his stories and excuses. WE NEED A LOCKOUT.— nichols105
- Hard to believe we are one of the worst teams in the league. The "organization" has to look out of the "organization" to get this team back in the finals. Lavi and Holmgren have to go! While their at it, take Coatsie too, tired of hearing his stories and excuses. WE NEED A LOCKOUT.— nichols105
Firing Lavi is NOT the answer. Just like firing John Stevens, Hitch, and Bill Barber wasn't the answer. This team needs a REAL captain. A veteran presence to take the bull by the horns and LEAD. You would think they would have learned with Lindros, Forsberg, and Richards that the best player on the ice isn't necessarily the best leader in the locker roo. Giroux has NO business being captain. It should have gone to Briere or Hartnell.— 7xChamp- Firing Lavi is NOT the answer. Just like firing John Stevens, Hitch, and Bill Barber wasn't the answer. This team needs a REAL captain. A veteran presence to take the bull by the horns and LEAD. You would think they would have learned with Lindros, Forsberg, and Richards that the best player on the ice isn't necessarily the best leader in the locker roo. Giroux has NO business being captain. It should have gone to Briere or Hartnell.— 7xChamp
- This completely disorganized mess.
This totally undiciplined play and this total lack of interest is not new. It's been going on for years now.
And it's only due to one reason.
Because it's ALLOWED to continue by a coach that's either unable to fix it, doesn't care to fix it, or worse, doesn't thnk anything is wrong.
In any case, Laviolette is the problem.
Not the players... The LA Kins are no more talented than we are... Heck, They ARE the Flyers..
We've even changed 10 players last year...
So how can they be blamed when there is no system in place..no one knows where to play, knows what they're responsible for and on top of it know they are not being held responsible for their play.
I've been watching this team since 67'.
I'm old enough to have seen the Ramblers.
I'm telling you now, Laviolette is by far the worse coach this team has ever had.
I wasn't his biggest fan, but this team needs an Iron Mike again to kick it every day, every game, every shift.
To drill into it's head the players need to eat, sleeep, drink and expel hockey 24/7.
They need a system in place they understand and are responsible for playing every time they take the ice.
They need to be READY to take the ice when the puck drops so thwy stop giving up goals in the 1st minute of play. That's also been going on for years now..I'm sick of it. I'm sick of nothing being done about it.
Homer needs to replace Lavy sooner rather than later. And if he doesn't, then Snider needs to step in and take charge and get rid of both of them.— dedhed
