Posted: Monday, November 23, 2009, 3:27 AM | 16 comments |
 

Carter, Richards need to step up
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    DENVER _ The Flyers need their two marquee offensive players _ Jeff Carter and Mike Richards _ to step up and lead the team out of their current funk.

   Both have been glaringly unproductive in recent games. 
      Carter, who scored 46 goals last season, is scoreless in the last four games _ and has just one goal in his last eight contests. All told, he has seven goals; he had 15 at the same point last season.
     After a fast start, Richards is also scuffling. He, too, has just one goal in his last eight games. After scoring six goals in his first five games, the Flyers’ captain has three goals in the last 15 contests. He had zero shots in Saturday's 3-1 loss to Phoenix.
       The Flyers are 1-2 on their five-game trip, one that  finishes with matchups against two of the league's most surprising teams _ Colorado (Monday) and the New York Islanders (Wednesday).

        * * * * * 

       Because of injuries to Blair Betts and Darroll Powe, the Flyers on Sunday recalled center Jared Ross and right winger Andreas Nodl from the AHL Phantoms. Both will be trying to improve on their performances with the Flyers last season _ Nodl had one goal and was minus-15 in 38 games, while Ross had zero goals in 10 games and was minus-4.

       Nodl had three goals in 16 games with the Phantoms this season; Ross had one goal and six assists in 15 games with the AHL affiliate.

       Betts, one of the Flyers' top penalty killers and faceoff men, and Powe will miss four to six weeks with shoulder injuries.

      The Flyers are 10-3 with Betts in the lineup, and 2-4-1 without him.

       * * * * * 

       Colorado (13-7-3), like the Flyers (12-7-1), got off to a good start but has lost its last two games; the Avs are just 3-6-1 in the last 10 games.
       Goalie Craig Anderson, who has a 2.52 goals-against average and .923 save percentage, has been shaky in two of his last three starts for Colorado. The Avs' offense has featured LW Wojtek Wolski (9 goals, 11 assists, 20 points), C Paul Stastny (4-16-20), RW Milan Hejduk (10-7-17) and impressive rookie C Ryan O'Reilly (4-11-15), who leads the team with a plus-9 rating.
Posted by Sam Carchidi @ 3:27 AM  Permalink | 16 comments
16
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:36 AM, 11/23/2009
    Its hard to sell that Carter and Richards are in slumps consider that they are both leading the team with 19 points in 20 games each (Carts 7 and 12 and Richie 9 and 10). Still, it would be nice to see more goals come from them, and with the new injuries they do have to pick up the pace a bit.
    — Inchon
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:36 AM, 11/23/2009
    edvanimpelives, why are you here? get a life loser!
    — cote32
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:57 AM, 11/23/2009
    Inchon: though I applaud your optimism, I would suggest you reread those stats. Consider, high paid athletes get paid to perform, not just give a strong effort. Carter, scoreless in his last four. Richards, 3 goals in his last 15. I ask, if this does indicate that a player is slumping to you, what does? I see your point about their season totals to this point, however, none of Carter's 46 goals last season seemed to matter much in the playoffs much like Richie's early season success isn't helping the team now. Optimism is one thing, realism is another.
    — Flyers in 5
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:02 PM, 11/23/2009
    I agree that these 2 need to step up. That seems to be what is missing on this team, even when they have won (except for the WASH game where Richie had 3 goals). Your big players need to set the example when your team needs a win.
    — mikemcnhl
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:26 PM, 11/23/2009
    I don't really care if Carter and Richards don't score any goals, as long as their lines are productive. Carters line with Briere and JVR has been impressive and Richie has been good on the PP. If you don't good line mates, you can't really dominate and score goals. With all these injuries, don't expect Richards to "but out" and start scoring goals, Carter, maybe. Assists are just as good as goals (as Thornton showed a few nights agao). This will never be a concern of mine unless the other guys are not scoring...
    — sima_down_nah
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:41 PM, 11/23/2009
    The Right to Free Speech is the First Amendment, brainiac. The Fifth Amendment is the Right to Persons and due process. Sleeping through elementary Social Studies? Someone as ill-informed as Big Tom must also be another Rangers fan. I do share Inchon's optimism. This isn't the Flyers of last year. Sure, our leaders need to step it up and be leaders, but the picture isn't as quite as grim as some may have you believe.
    — TheSpectularGirouX
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:18 PM, 11/23/2009
    blaah blaah blaah!! just when the next 2 games!! is that really a lot to ask from one of higest salaries (overall) in the league?
    — flip77
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:40 PM, 11/23/2009
    Big Tom threw 3!, shut up loser
    — cote32
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:43 PM, 11/23/2009
    Its funny that usually I am a pessimist. However, despite what they pay for Richie and Carts (another story), they are still performing at a good pace - nearly a point per game. For me, that is the mark of a good player and most definitely a "performing player". All players will go up and down in their numbers throughout the season. They are down in the last few games, thats the point of the article. My point is that overall, a point per game impresses me. And that stuff about the 1st amendment and 5th amendment made me laugh. thanks guys...
    — Inchon
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:35 PM, 11/23/2009
    what a douchbag edvanimpelives is
    — jamarder


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About Sam Carchidi
Sam Carchidi is in his fourth year as the Flyers' beat reporter. He became an Inquirer staff writer in 1984 and covered mostly South Jersey high school sports and the Phillies before taking the Flyers beat.

Carchidi has written three books _ the nationally acclaimed Miracle in the Making: The Adam Taliaferro Story, which he co-authored with Scott Brown; Bill Campbell: The Voice of Philadelphia Sports; and Standing Tall: The Kevin Everett Story, which was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He also contributed to a 1993 Inquirer book on the Phillies.

A lifelong South Jersey resident, Carchidi lives in Wenonah with his wife, JoAnn, and their two children, Sara and Sammy.

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