Boucher injured as Flyers fall
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Boucher injured as Flyers fall
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Can it get any lower?
I don't see how.
The Flyers lost another goalie, lost another game, and were lost for answers after Monday's 4-1 loss to visiting Florida.
Brian Boucher cut the ring finger on his right hand while making a diving save early in the second period. He was replaced by Michael Leighton, who allowed the final two goals.
Boucher is expected to miss one game, and the Flyers plan to recall Johan Backlund for Wednesday's game in Tampa.
For Florida, it was sweet revenge for a 5-1 loss to the Flyers on Oct. 24, a game in which Mike Richards gave David Booth a concussion with an open-ice hit. Booth hasn't played since that night.
Florida dominated the special teams. The Panthers were 3 for 8 on the power play, and they killed all seven of their penalties.
"We came in here and I think we righted some wrongs," Florida coach Peter DeBoer said. "That’s why Bryan McCabe is our captain. He took care of business in the first period, set the tone for us, and we just competed hard tonight for sixty minutes. We got a lot of contributions from a lot of different people.”
McCabe fought Richards to a draw in the first period.
The Flyers have scored nine goals in their last 10 losses; they are 2-7-1 under new coach Peter Laviolette.
“There are players in there that have proven that they can play, win, and be successful," Laviolette said. "Right now that’s not happening for us. I think everybody has to take a look at it, dig a little bit deeper and work a little bit harder. We seem timid to make plays; we need to make plays, and there are skilled players in that room. Execute the plays, do it with a purpose and do it with a passion.”
The players say Laviolette's system isn't the problem; they say it's their execution.
Whatever the reason, the Flyers (15-18-2) are seven points out of the eighth playoff seeding. That seems impossible when you consider that the Flyers began the season 12-5-1 under John Stevens.
Comments (42)
The problem is the players. Time to change some faces-just have to decide if it's to save this season or to rebuild/retool for the future.— JSaq- Flyers season ticket holder who is seriously considering not to re-new for next year. Instead I will get Devil's season tickets, much better product.— zammer25
- Even the fights were lifeless and dull tonight.— AreaMan
- Legion of Suck at its finest...good to see not much has changed since 06...bring back Foppa and our journey towards the darkside will be complete!— pucky88
- It just amazes me how an entire team can be timid. I completely with PL about that. I went to the game on Saturday and even I picked up that the team was hesitating at taking shots, giving hits, and getting a little physical to take possession of a puck. I know that there are a lot of young guys on this team, but for the guys that have been around for 2-3 years, they should have learned from the veterans the intensity that needs to be brought to the ice for all 82 games. This should carry over to the young guys like JvR/Giroux, who should be hungry to prove that they are everything that they have been hyped up to be. I'm not seeing any of that. This whole team needs to step it up. This was supposed to be a Stanley Cup caliber club out there, but these guys should understand that predictions don't mean anything.— jpotts89
JVR is not NHL ready despite his 10 points in his 1st 12 games or whatever it was...what has he done since November 10th? Zip... I can't remember the last time I heard his name other than, "He dumps the puck in..." Giroux, Carter, and Carcillo, to me, seem to be the only ones who are giving 100% night in and night out. The only reason Richards fought tonight was because he was targeted by Florida after that hit on Booth. What is it going to take for them to strip the 'C' off of him and acknowledge that he is not ready for it? I guess the problem is that Pronger hasn't done squat to earn the C either... Carter is the only one who deserves to wear the Capataincy right now, except for Gagne, and that's because Gags gets a pass for missing the last 6 weeks or so. Heck, I would put it on Carcillo based on effort, but that would signify an epic failure.— kjuggs77- Bring Kovalchuk here. It can and has to be done.— ChopItDown
- I've never seen anything like this. This team all of a sudden can't score goals. Everyone doesn't go in a slump at the same time. This is mental. I've never been so frustrated with a Flyers team. It truly is pathetic. Trade the whole team away. I rather we bring in some new players as these guys have lost me.— ChrisM
- Mike Richards is no Bobby Clarke.— JBP
- Right now it is all about lack of confidence. You can see it so clearly on the ice. They are hesitant about everything and right now the defense is in a mess as well. Bringing Hartnell to the Flyers was a huge mistake. The guy makes 4 million and all he is doing is taking stupid penalties. I never want to see that clown in a Flyers jersey anymore. Maybe Holmgren (and the rest of us) did overestimate the Flyers this year. But no matter what, the team is NOT this terribly bad! I think it's too late to make any major changes this year. Let it play and see what happens. I would strip Richards of his C and try to get rid of Hartnell and possibly even Briere or Gagne if that is possible after this season. Gagne is a great player but he is over the top. And Briere has a silly contract that should have never been signed.— Ruffles
- The Flyers are 6 games under .500 since the Upshall-Carcilla trade. While the guy gives an effort everynight, he's not a good NHL player. He can't take a pass cleanly, he hesitates w the puck on breakouts causing offsides, and while he brings energy, it's mostly misdirected, like instead of digging out a puck in the offensive zone, he starts shoving matches, or my fav is when he starts a shoving match in the d zone while the Flyers are moving up ice on an odd man rush. But at this point the team is filled with DUMB players, so Carcilla fits right in.— Zeke24a
- I'm out of words to describe this mess. Even Pronger looked lazy. Carcillo looks like the best player out there. I don't get it. I'll say it again, blow it up already.— rob611
Richards doesnt want to be a hockey player anymore. Its too much hard work— Inchon- I think they're trying too hard, they need to stop thinking and play hockey, operative word PLAY— imnamerican
- I am not loving Laviolette's new system. Someone please help this team!!!!!— jacdjc1
- Zeke....do you really think not having Scotty Upshall is the problem here? Sure it was a bad trade, but Upshall isn't an offensive juggernaut by any means. And KJUGGS...Carter deserves the C? Are you serious? He deserves nothing but to get traded. The whole team is just awful right now.— FlyersKevin
- Who is Carcilla Zeke? Shows how much you really watch the Flyers.— spj108
Comment removed.- Why is Backlund a backup again...let the kid start a game and let see what happens...— Ct Flyer Fan
- In the last month I have watched some of the worst games I ever saw the Flyers play,and I've been watching since the inaugaural year. I think getting rid of Stevens was a mistake, he was a good coach. I fear that this conglomeration of players peaked in it's playoff series against Montreal two years ago, and that the beginning of the end was to be up three goals against Pittsburg in a must win playoff game, and to have Carcillo get into a needless fight, and then total collapse. The players who are supposed to be the young stars, like Richards and Carter, are solid NHL players, but may not be stars that you can count on to score lots of goals every year. The playoffs are still within their reach, if they turn it around quickly, but based upon objective observation, I'm not counting on it. It may be time to make trades, the defense is fine, but they need more snipers. Not sure about Emery, he looked good before he was injured, given how lousy the team is playing, no reason not to let him play out the season and see how he does.— diverjm
- I am sure I am not the only one shaking my head asking what the heck went wrong. But this team should still have the talent to win so it has to be the will and desire. I am guessing problems in the dressing room. I know Pronger is a big personality and likes to be boss and perhaps that has changed the dynamic of the team. Maybe we need to strip the "C" from Ritchie and give it to someone else. Someone other than Pronger though cause he is a bit of a jerk.— Hockey Dad
- HA haHAHA PENQUINS STANLEY CUP CHAMPS and Flyers are the joke of the NHL. This is a great year to hate the Flyers!— dead-eye
- They should call up Legein from the Phantoms, give him Hartnell's spot on the 2nd line and drop Hartnell to the 4th line, playing Cote minutes. That should send a message and also bring something fresh into the top 2 lines. They cannot keep going with the same players in the same roles and expect something different.— mikemcnhl
I keep hearing the press and the Flyers commentators say it cant get any lower and yet each game the team finds a new and uninspired way to go lower. No parachute for these guys...whats the opposite of the saying "the sky's the limit"? That seems to be what the boys are going for.- While Pronger hasn't looked amazing this year, the guy is still logging tons of ice time and is a PLUS/Minus leader in the PLUS. Hockey players are simple. Pronger and LaPierre (and Kimmo and Danny) are brought here and told "Richards is the Captain" and that's how it goes.— MichaelZoe
- Send any of these mongrels who don't have no movement clauses to the AHL and let them stew in their juices for awhile. Problem is, the Wizard of Homey doled out NMCs to too many players. These gutless turds have no reason to put forth extra effort. Well done Homey. You are the king of assembling a World Class team of mongrels. The Tonner hopes the NHL does away with guaranteed contracts before it ruins the league the same as it's ruined the NBA. The Tonner thinks maybe it's already happened to the NHL.
- Upshall scored 2 last night. We had (5) 25 goal scorers last year. I miss Lupul too. Pronger's a name just like Hatcher was, he's overrated. Flyers always want to have these big slow tough guys and the team. (ghost of Bobby Clarke). I can't believe they've reverted back to dump and chase hockey---yawn. They should get handzus back while they're at it. I hear Carter's being shopped around.— kolocop
- For $2.75 million (maybe less), they could have cut some losers and gotten John Madden this off season. He's 12th in Face-off wins, kills penalities, has 11 goals 10 assists, and WOW, would that Cup Winning forward have been great next to Richards. He is a classic example of what Paul Holmgrem doesn't value in a player.— MichaelZoe
- kolocop: Pronger is a league MVP, Cup winner and Norris trophy winner and previous team Captain. Hatcher won the Cup, but was never the MVP of the league type player playing 28 mins a game.— MichaelZoe
- Get rid of the front office, that would be a good start. Upshall has 12 goals, kind makes one get mad just thinking about that, terrible cap management by Homer, pathetic team to watch. It is not Carcillo's fault, he did not make the trade, Ed Snider = Al Davis, both the Sixers and Flyers stink!!— zammer25
- The Upshall trade ripped the passion out of this team...chemistry is a delicate balance and it is lost. The management has been horrendous. I can’t understand how you trade a guy who scores 10 goals for you in the playoffs…I can’t think of one good move since letting him go. You have a group of guy’s who obviously care about each other and therefore play for one another… and you break em up. This team is done. The only hope we have is that we can unload some dead weight & millions of dollars at the deadline.— michaelthegreat
- how can you "retool for the future"? we just mortgaged the future sending sbisa and 2 1st round picks for pronger. that deal was supposed to make us an elite team but it didn't.— philly57
- Mike Richards the captain is getting overshadowed by Chris Pronger. Mike is a very young captain and probably can't yell at the veterans who are older and the younger guys see that and loose respect for Mike. No win situation for Mike.— DeTom
- Comment removed.
JVR is not the problem. Its the Flyers go to players, Carter, Richards, Gagne (though he was hurt), Cobourn, etc.... its time for a major shakeup of this team. I recommend Carter...trade him and Brenda Cobourn for a top defenseman now, move Briere back to center. And I do think this team misses a guy like Scotty Upshall— jamarder- UPSHALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the Worst trades in Flyers history, let's bring in a real GM that knows how to put together a team, and get ride of these EX-Flyer GM's!!!!— geoff02
- UPSHALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the Worst trades in Flyers history, let's bring in a real GM that knows how to put together a team, and get ride of these EX-Flyer GM's!!!!— geoff02
- UPSHALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the Worst trades in Flyers history, let's bring in a real GM that knows how to put together a team, and get ride of these EX-Flyer GM's!!!!— geoff02
- If someone gave me a nickel every time a Flyers player mishandled the puck on flubbed a pass, I'd almost have enough money to be injured as much as Briere.— elpel
- One of the biggest problems this team has is depth. The trade for Pronger cost Philly some depth, along with the Carcillo-Upshall trade. To trade for Kovalchuk, at a price of 2 forwards, will only deepen the hole. They cannot score, and have no threats to score on the 3rd and 4th lines....— hospodar
- The team needs to take one of those team building exercise weekends. I think Boucher has tried to do a good job, he just isn't a number 1 goalie, with Emery out, they need either to run with the back ups or pick someone else up and trade - that would turn this team around. Great goaltending makes the team feel more confident, when defense makes a mistake, the goalie saves them and the offense can concentrate on scoring goals! I remember games when Nitty would come in to play and the team would try harder, he would make amazing saves and that fueled the team into competing. Hopefully they can squeak out a win and turn this thing around.
One goalie to look at in future trades is San Jose's Thomas Greiss. He is not going to be the starter any time soon there because of Nabokov, but he is a hord worker, very reliable and only 23.
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Broad Street Bull is the Inquirer's blog covering the Philadelphia Flyers and the National Hockey League.
Reach Sam at scarchidi@phillynews.com.
Sam Carchidi
Inquirer Staff Writer
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