Flyers dumped in OT
Devils 4, Flyers 3 (overtime)
Flyers dumped in OT
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
NEWARK, N.J. -- For people who play hockey at this time of year, the desperate search is for victory in any of its many shapes and forms: pretty, ugly, does not matter. For people who watch hockey and write about hockey at this time of year, the quest is for a narrative to explain it all, to validate every personal preconception and cover every eventuality.
So far, through three games of Flyers and Devils, that story cannot yet be written. The plot has not yet been fleshed out, and preconception has been turned on its head. Each team has taken turns making the other side look slow and inept, and there still is no obvious explanation for why the momentum has switched and then switched back and then switched again.
There is only this:
For the Flyers, a sense of creeping danger.
The game was 2-2 after the second period. When Zach Parise scored at 7:29 to give the New Jersey the lead, it seemed as if the Devils were on the verge of grabbing control of the series. When Danny Briere did what Danny Briere does -- that is, score a goal in the spring, this time by choppingj at a bouncing rebound and making enough contact to get the puck past Marty Brodeur -- it was tied again at 3-3. Ebb was flow and flow was ebb and the only certainty was that someone was ultimately going to be knocked over by a wave they did not see coming.
And then it happened: In overtime, a thrilling overtime, the Devils' Alexei Ponikarovsky banged in his own rebound at 17:21 and New Jersey took the game, 4-3. The Devils now lead the series, two games to one.
And now, for the Flyers, it gets interesting.
In about 10 periods of hockey, the Flyers have dominated about 3 1/2 of them and the Devils have dominated about 4 1/2 of them. There has not been a lot to choose from the two sides, when you tote it up that way. The Flyers have yet to match the dominance that the Devils showed in Game 2 on Tuesday night, but when they have been good, they have been very good.
The second period Thursday night was crucial for the Flyers. After being run out of the Wells Fargo Center in the last two periods of Game 2, they again were dominated completely in the first period of Game 3. The two-day break solved none of their problems. They looked slow, and very tentative trying to bring the puck out of their zone against the Devils’ forecheck.
Two periods on one day is still only one bad day. But the carryover into Game 3 threatened to become a baffling trend, one for which there was no obvious answer. The Flyers had to re-establish something, and quickly, or risk being run out of a series that seemed theirs for the taking after they dominated Game 1.
It is why the second period was so important -- because the Flyers did re-establish themselves, both in a physical way and a speed way. The passes out of their end were quicker and the neutral zone became friendlier as a result. They had nine shots in the period to the Devils’ four. They got the tying goal from Matt Carle, after a nice pass from Jakub Voracek. They thought they got the go-ahead goal on a power play from James van Riemsdyk, but it was immediately disallowed because of a whiff of goaltender interference by Brayden Schenn against Brodeur. Then again, the Flyers never should have been on the power play in the first place because the officials missed the fact that Ilya Kovalchuk did not shoot the puck out of the rink for delay of game, but rather deflected it off of Matt Read’s stick.
Whatever. The point was, the Flyers did stabilize things. They did re-find their legs. The third period still somewhat belonged to the Devils, but it was very competitive. There was some equilibrium. And then, into overtime it went.
It was a long game. It still looks like it is going to be a long series. Other than that, it is hard to know what to say.
Narrative to follow.
They blew this one when they could not do anything with two power plays in ot. That was a blown opportunity— ziller0604- That was a typical Philadelphia professional sports team post-season performance: sub-par effort, blown opportunities, and a loss— 5280philly
- Get out those old VHS tapes of the 1970 cup years cause this team isn't going no where. 2 power plays in OT and maybe one shot. HORRIBLE!!! As they say in the Flyers locker room every year since 1974-Always next year!!! Devils in 5 now.— slade1955
- To be down 2 games to 1 to that team is absolutely embarrassing! To have one pathetic shot on goal in 2 clueless power plays in overtime is equally humiliating! There is no comparison in talent between these two teams, yet the arrogant Flyers somehow find themselves down 2 games to 1. UNBELIEVABLE! And oh, yeah...the best player on the planet and his two line mates have been nearly invisible the entire series! I love Giroux, but if he's going to be touted as the best player on the planet, then he better start showing it in this series damned soon! And against a nothing special, no-name defense at that! They better get their collective heads out of their butts in the next 2 days. Sad and pathetic!— flyers1313
- There is no question the Devils were the better team again. They dominated the first, the Flyers were better in the 2nd, but the Devils controlled the better part of the 3rd period also. Throw in the fact they have better chances while shorthanded in OT. Our first PP unit of Giroux, hartnell and simmonds has been horrible. Hartnell has been MIA, Simmonds looks lost and Giroux was barely even noticeable again tonight. I agree with the posters who say they look like a team hoping to win rather than going for the jugular and trying to win the game. The 2 PPs in OT were pathetic. They looked like they were trying to not make a mistake. Lilja is atrocious. Carle despite his goal continues to be a disaster in his own end, heck he even shot one on his own net.
They do look mentally gassed. No excuse for them but give NJ credit as they are suffocating them and giving them no time to make passes.
Terrible attempt a line change by Schenn and Eric G on the game winning goal.— Back up the Bus for Gload and Bowker - whatever the Devils are doing has taken the Flyers game totally out of its groove...no flow, horrible passing and turnovers, they need to make some changes in game 5...— soalivetoday
- amazing the swing of conclusions on these forums from game 1 to now. this is why they play the games, kids.
G is (as overused as the saying is..) squeezing his stick too tight. It's not unnoticed by the rest of the team.
They'll get it together. Flyers win game 6.
and game 7
— raoool - Next game will determine a lot for all of us Flyer fans. Will the new, young, fast, relentless Flyers of 2012 show up...or will the Flyers of yesteryear (who seem to be haunted by the Devils, bad goaltending and poor play at the worst time) show up. I'm not giving up on this team yet. They've got too much talent, a great coach and the ability to win when their backs are against the wall. Let's keep the faith and and see how Game 4 goes. If they lose Game 4, then we're in trouble...but if we win - look out NJ!!!— Flyerfan085
- Seeing all these comments makes me laugh. What happened to the most passionate fans in hockey? Giving up on this team so soon? Saying they have no heart? they are playing a series that was close throughout the regular season and has been a long-standing rivalry. These are the types of series that go 7 games. At some point, the offense will find a way to get things done, but the defense has to step up a couple notches, start taking the body and establish a physical presence and say "we're right here motherf****ers" But as for this game, the flyers controlled the pace for most of the OT session, but a boneheaded change by schenn and Gus deservedly cost them the game. I know they were coming off of a long shitf, but at least make sure you clear the puck somewhat deep or have some sor of control before you make that change. One more point, I await the day that Carle and Lilja are no longer flyers, watching them play "defense" makes my blood boil. Lilja is way past his prime, and Carle has just fallen off the face of the earth since his first year here.
I just wrote a novel, but that's besides the point. Lets go get this thing on sunday boys. Flyers in 7.— Omorales510 - And someone needs to grab Jags by the balls and do something to wake him up because his age is showing in this series and it doesn't look good. Adjust the lines to create some energy, limit his shifts like the caps did with Ovi, do something, because he has been completely invisible int he first 3 games of the series, same with Hartnell. Too many players not playing up to the level they did in the pens series (coots, jags, G, Hartsy, Grossman...the list can go on and on.) The rooks are hitting the wall right now aside from schenn, who played well up untill that boneheaded change at the end. Game 4 will tell us more about the flyers than any other game in this series. NJ doesn't wanna come back to the Well all knotted at 2-2.— Omorales510
- Great points Omorales and I agree 100%. These types of series always seem to go 7. They are won with heart and passion. One on one battles are huge, a little play becomes a big play, goaltending needs to be flawless, a big hit can mean a momentum swing...we've gotten spoiled with how well this team has performed and it's frustrating to see another team come in and beat us in those categories...but I think this team has more in the tank. Like I said in an earlier post, Game 4 will tell us a lot about this team...I think they will be ready for the challenge and I'm already getting ready for Sunday - LET'S GO FLYERS!!!
— Flyerfan085 - It looks like boys against men.....WTF?— Mike Boryla
- Playoff games are won and lost along the boards. The Flyers, even when they've hung in with the Devils, have looked lost in the corners. The Devils forecheck with anger as if they own the puck. The Flyers can neither dump in effectively (stop being so damned afraid of Brodeur - he's good at handling but he also handed you a goal in game one) nor clear the zone effectively, settling instead for halfhearted hot potato hacks at the puck. I don't know whether they have any heart or not, but they certainly don't seem to have any intelligence about play along the boards, either defensively or offensively. I don't see them winning another game.— digs0
- P.s. if you'd told me three years ago that I'd be seeing Richards, Gagne and Carter breezing through the 2012 playoffs en route to winning the Stanley cup as an 8 seed I'd have been pretty happy for the déjà vu. Looks like Flyers West may accomplish what the real team apparently never will.— digs0
- "Flyers West" have some Dmen and a goalie.....— Mike Boryla
