Archive: November, 2010
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
As the Flyers prepared for Wednesday's game against visiting Boston _ the teams' first meeting since the Philly version of Miracle on Ice last spring _ they spent about half of Tuesday's practice trying to improve their struggling power play.
The PP has been ultra-streaky this season. It was 3 for 35 in its first eight games (8.6 percent), then went 14 for 43 (32.6 percent) in its next 10 games. It is 2 for 33 (6.1 percent) in its last seven games _ and 2 for its last 34 overall.
Earlier in the week, coach Peter Laviolette had dropped broad hints that Nik Zherdev would see more time on the power play Wednesday. During Tuesday's practice in Voorhees, however, Zherdev was not on either PP unit.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Despite not being on the all-star ballot, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and center Claude Giroux continue to get strong support as write-in candidates.
In voting results released Monday night, Bobrovsky is second among goalies, behind Montreal's Carey Price, while Giroux is ninth among forwards. Mike Richards is seventh.
Overall, the three leading write-in vote-getters are Price (145,726 votes), Bobrovsky (116,725) and Giroux (103,620).
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Referee Ghislain Hebert has some ‘splainin’ to do, Lucy.
So does the NHL.
Hebert, in his first full season as an NHL referee, needs to be held accountable for the manner in which he made a call Friday, costing the Flyers a victory over visiting Calgary.
But don’t hold your breath.
Hebert ruled that the Flyers’ Chris Pronger waved his hand in front of Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff and gave him a two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The call negated a Mike Richards overtime goal that would have given the Flyers a 3-2 win.
Instead, the Flyers lost in a shoot-out, 3-2.
Replays showed Pronger with his left arm raised and quickly brought down _ and no penalty called until three seconds later, after Richards’ shot went past Kiprusoff. When Richards took his shot, Pronger’s stick was down, with both hands clutching it.
After the game, reporters tried to find out why the ref waited three seconds before calling the penalty.
On Saturday, after my repeated calls and e-mails, the NHL issued a lame statement by Terry Gregson, the league’s senior VP and director of officiating:
"The spirit and intent of the unsportsmanlike conduct rule is to keep an acceptable hockey decorum in the game, in this case when a player is screening,” Gregson said. “This type of act is outside the normal boundaries and needs to be controlled for the good of the game.
"This type of action _ fortunately for the game and for our officials _ has been a rare occurrence (and) it must be penalized when witnessed."
Blah, blah, blah.
I told the PR executive who sent the statements that I needed to talk to Gregson, needed to find out why the call was not made immediately. I also had other questions _ such as why the NHL does not make it mandatory for a referee to explain a controversial decision, and if the fact Pronger had his back to the goalie would have affected the call.
I was told Gregson was traveling.
Several hours earlier, I gave the NHL my cell number and asked Gregson to call me.
He never did.
Draw your own conclusions.
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For constant Flyers updates, follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BroadStBull.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Flyers think they should have won Friday's game against visiting Calgary, 3-2, in overtime.
Instead, Calgary escaped with a 3-2 victory because it outscored the Flyers in the shoot-out.
The Flyers, then, picked up one point instead of two.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Flyers, 12-2-1 in their last 15 games, got home early Thursday morning after a long flight that followed their 6-1 win in Minnesota.
No matter. They still practiced on Thanksgiving afternoon, preparing for Friday's 1 p.m. contest against visiting Calgary.
"If you stay away, you stiffen up and lose your focus," coach Peter Laviolette explained. "To their credit, the players wanted to come in as well. It's about winning a hockey game (Friday). Holidays are great and all, but we have a big game we want to win."
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
ST. PAUL, Minn. _ After sitting out for two games, rookie goalie Sergei Bobrovsky will start against host Minnesota Wednesday night.
Bobrovsky is 11-3-1 with a 2.29 GAA and .925 save percentage, and he is among the NHL leaders in several categories.
Brian Boucher had started the previous two games _ a 5-4 shoot-out win in Washington, and a 3-2 victory over Montreal.
The Flyers (14-6-2) will face a 10-7-2 Wild team that thrives on its goaltending and its power play. Other than that, Minnesota is very mediocre.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Unassuming and quiet, second-year winger James van Riemsdyk may be the Flyers’ hardest worker. He stays late at practice and is frequently the last person to leave the ice.
That’s one of the reasons he is so well-respected and why his teammates were so excited after JVR finally registered his first goal of the season Monday.
It came at the most opportune time. Van Riemsdyk scored with 12:18 left, snapping a 2-2 tie and lifting the Flyers to a 3-2 comeback win over Montreal at the Wells Fargo Center.
Van Riemsdyk had not scored in his first 17 games this season.
“I think the key is to get him relaxed and have fun,” said goalie Brian Boucher, who has beaten two of the league’s elite teams _ Washington and Montreal _ in the Flyers’ last two games. “There’s a reason he was the second-overall pick” in 2007.
“We’ve got a lot of other good players in this locker room,” Boucher added. “He doesn’t have to feel the pressure to be THE guy. He should just worry about working on his game, showing up every night. Tonight he scored a big goal, so hopefully this is a sign of big things to come for him.”
Claude Giroux, who tied the score at 2-2 with his team-high 12th goal early in the third period, said “every guy on the bench was (happier) than him” when JVR scored.
Giroux paused.
“Well, maybe not,” he said with a smile.
Prior to taking a pass from Braydon Coburn and scoring what proved to be the winning goal, van Riemsdyk “beat P.K. (Subban) on the battle. That’s his game; anytime he wins the battle he gets pretty dangerous,” Giroux said. “That shift proved that.”
“He’s been working hard in practice, and off the ice,” captain Mike Richards said. “He hit some posts, hit some cross bars. It’s nice to see him get a bounce.”
All the near-misses have been frustrating for the 21-year-old van Riemsdyk.
“I mean, it drives you crazy,” said van Riemsdyk, who has four points in his last three games. “If you ask my parents and brothers, they probably said I wasn’t very fun to be around recently. It feels good to get that one there and I’ve just got to keep building off of it.”
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With the win, the Flyers (14-6-2) are the No. 1 overall seed in the 30-team NHL…..Giroux is now tied for fifth in the NHL with his 12 goals…..The Flyers won 73.8 percent (31 of 42) of their face-offs over the last two periods; Montreal won 63 percent in the first period…..The Flyers will practice in Voorhees at 11 a.m. on Tuesday and play in Minnesota on Wednesday night….The practice nets were used for the game; the NHL wanted to look at the game nets since a puck went through one of them last Thursday.
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For constant Flyers updates, follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BroadStBull.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Just say "Boosh."
After not starting for 12 straight games, backup goalie Brian Boucher has again received the nod as the Flyers face visiting Montreal on Monday. Boucher was the winner in the Flyers' 5-4 shoot-out triumph in Washington on Saturday.
If you can figure out coach Peter Laviolette's goalie logic, you should play the stock market.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
WASHINGTON _ Having blown late regulation leads of 3-1 and 4-3, the Flyers seemed to be headed toward a disastrous loss Saturday night at the Verizon Center.
But goalie Brian Boucher stood tall in the shoot-out, and the Flyers outlasted the Washington Capitals, 5-4.
Boucher played solidly most of the night, making the most of his first start in 26 days.
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
WASHINGTON _ In a stunning move, Flyers coach Peter Laviolette has decided to start backup goalie Brian Boucher Saturday night against the NHL's best team, the Washington Capitals.
Boucher will be making his first start since Oct. 25, a 2-1 loss in Columbus.
In a pregame interview, Bobrovsky said the rest would be good for him and the team.
