Flyers dig themselves a hole
Bruins 3, Flyers 2.
Flyers dig themselves a hole
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
The Flyers came to get a game, to take one of the first two on the road in their playoff series against the Boston Bruins. Instead, they left empty-handed.
When Milan Lucic wheeled and fired the puck past Flyers goaltender Brian Boucher at 17:03 of the third period, the Bruins had Game 2 by a 3-2 score. It was tight. It was tense. It was well-played. But it was a loss for the Flyers, who now trail the series by two games to none.
Now comes the test -- of their nerve, and their gumption, and all of that. The series must be disheartening but the 0-2 deficit does not have to be fatal. As they say, it isn’t a series until someone loses a home game -- and no one has, not yet.
Really, this could not be much tighter. The first period ended at 1-1, the second period at 2-2. Both times, the Bruins made the initial statement and the Flyers provided the late-period answer.
Mike Richards scored the Flyers’ first goal, at 17:06 of the first period. It was the product of coach Peter Laviolette’s trying to find a way to scheme a way to get Richards more ice time away from Zdeno Chara, the Bruins’ top defenseman. Chara shadowed Richards relentlessly in Game 1. So, in this one, Laviolette clearly attempted to find chances for Richards to get away from big No. 33. On this one, the coach sent Richards over the boards in the middle of another line’s shift and, without Chara patrolling, Richards was able to maneuver in the offensive zone, wheel around and fire in the goal that made it 1-1.
A period later, Danny Briere scored the goal that made it 2-2. Jumping out of the penalty box after being called for hooking, Briere roared in on the right wing and scored a sniper’s goal, a laser just inside the far post with just 25 seconds remaining in the period. On the Bruins’ bench, coach Claude Julien could be seen turning and angrily punching the glass behind him.
The third period was close, too, exhaustingly so. And when Lucic took a pass from behind the net, turned and fired from between the circles, that was it.
Now, for the Flyers, the real test begins.
Right before the second bruins goal. I guess Betts went flying and spun in the air by himself??— sawgrass- Does Hartnell even have a single clue as to what he is suppose to do out on the ice ? Bench'em! He's more of a liability than anything else, he can't even get out of his own teammates way on rush's. I'd rather have Patrick Stefan (very first draft pick of the old atlanta flames) out there and he sucked. At least he stayed out of the corners, did his figure 8's at center ice, but stayed out of the way. hartnell's gotta go, give me back Knuble.— edseagles
- Come on we could have won that game. If we score instead of the B's then all is OK but we didn't and it's doom and gloom. We'll be amp'd up in Philly, crowd will make sure of it. I felt the thud right through my TV when Hartnell labeled that B Player.— sonic
Comment removed.- First off- Rask is not outplaying Boucher in general, both goalies gave up weak goals tonight it's just a matter of Bouch giving up 1 more weak goal. The PP was really out of whack tonight, but I'll give alot of credit to Carcillo not just for drawing the penalties but also showing brains enough not to get in trouble himself. Flyers can still win the series only if they sweep the home games though. Though as a sidenote I'd like to not see Pronger looking so cocky after the team goes down 2-0, this is the playoffs Chris.— Phillyaddicted
- sloppy play, poor defense clearing the punk, dump and chase behind the net over and over, dumb penalties, 5-1 bruins advance....next season get rid of scotty and few other chokers on this team...GO FLYERS!— phillyfan19335
- Flyers win both at home and take it back to Boston tied. They haven't played close to their best hockey and they lost 2, 1 goal games. Rask hasn't even been tested yet...the floodgates will open in game 3— marley66
- I'm getting tired of seeing the Flyers all bunched up in the defensive zone, wingers never cover the point, it looks like pee wee hockey, aimlessly chasing the puck around. At the same time, consistantly getting beaten in the defensive corners and along the boards. What kind of defensive system are they running?— mocorob
I just not feeling overly-bummed about this situation. If they lose, remember that they beat the two-seed in the first round after having barely scraped into the playoffs, have three valuable players out, and a back-up goaltender that's not exactly standing on his head in this series. At least they're competetive, because everything after the first round for this team has got be considered gravy. I don't know what's going to happen, but it certainly seems within the realm of possibility that the Flyers could win two at home against this Bruin team.— Hame of Famer
Look...Without Gagne and Richards, I didn't expect the Flyers to get this far. The real problem is the lack of a bonafide, number one, franchise goaltender. Boucher should have made the save on Lucic's goal. The last, true Franchise goalie was Bernie Parent with Hextall getting honorable mention. Look at the teams who go deep every year; what do they have in common? Great goaltending. Pronger is 5 years too late. Timmonen is too small. Carle is a keeper. Forwards? You can't win with a bunch of role players. Like the Sixers: Blow this up and let's start over again.- Dear Flyers; hmmm really?....."Relentless Pursuit of the Cup" you might want to re-think that one.....how about "35 years and still counting".... Well thanks for another year of sucking the wind out of my sails once again come playoff hockey time, thank you to Briere and Richards, Pronger, Boucher who obviously came to play with the logo on the front and a disregard for the name on the back.....however where the HELL are the rest of you? I see NO energy, NO drive, NO passion, NO determination, NO win at all cost, NO must win, NO RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF THE CUP - just a bunch of muckers and grinders with ZERO skill, ZERO scoring touch and ZERO determination on the ice....You know who you all are - YOUR a digrace! For all of you, pack your lousy bags and get your golf cart ready and do us all a favor and get the hell out of town and dont come back! Snider, time to get rid of this whole bunch starting with Homer! Start earning those bucks!— dawetzel
- Have faith peeps. Did you see the lowly habs give up down 3-1? No way. We're down 2-0 against BOSTON. This team is beatable, even with all our injuries. Still going with Flyers in 6. Boston ain't that great so get your finger our Flyers and WIN!— Kanayd
- Moments before the game winning goal I was wondering about Krycek and Parent getting a shift so late in a tie game. It's time for heroics again. These guys play careers for playoff moments like this. Get going, even the series at home and then take it away from the Bruins in the last three. Boosh needs to be better than he was in Games #1 and #2.— RI_flyers_guy
