Did Carter, Richards injuries cause loss to Penguins?
And so now the Flyers have come clean: Mike Richards played virtually the entire season with two bad shoulders that will require surgery, and Jeff Carter played most of the last four playoff games against Pittsburgh with a separated right shoulder that will not need surgery.
Did Carter, Richards injuries cause loss to Penguins?
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
And so now the Flyers have come clean: Mike Richards played virtually the entire season with two bad shoulders that will require surgery, and Jeff Carter played most of the last four playoff games against Pittsburgh with a separated right shoulder that will not need surgery.
Give both players cedit for their gritty efforts, but it doesn't change the disappointment of the first-round exit.
Carter's injurty occurred early in Game 3. With the Flyers holding a 2-1 lead late in pivotal Game 2, Carter appeared to have an open net but was robbed by goalie Marc-Andre Fleury with 8:30 left. He then committed a penalty in the waning minutes _ though it appeared Jordan Staal grabbed Carter's stick _ that led to a Pittsburgh power-play goal that tied the score and led to an eventual Penguins win.
Carter and Richards each scored just one goal in the playoffs in a combined 51 shots.
If they were healthy, would it have made a difference?
Doubtful, but it does explain some of the faceoff deficiencies. It should be noted that the Penguins were bothered by lots of injuries, too. The bottom line: Pittsburgh produced in the clutch and deserved to advance.
And when you cough up a 3-0 lead in an elimination game at home, you don't have the right to make excuses.
You are not allowed to cast doubt on the greatness of Mike Richards! He is the Obama of Flyers Hockey. Everything he does is awesome! He is the greatest leader ever! If his shoulders were not injured, he would be out curing swine flu. Who cares if his team blew a 3-0 lead while facing elimination? Who cares if his team stumbled into the playoffs? That is John Steven's fault. It's not like Richards has the title of official team leader or something like that. If Carter and Richards knew they were injured, why did the still take faceoffs? They should have said something to the coach. That is poor leadership. We still curse Blaine Bishop for doing the same thing.— AreaMan
Comment removed.- If they didn't get hurt, would it have made a diffence? Come on! If my sister had a **** she'd be my brother! If this! They lost! Period!— hexyscores
Injuries are part of Hockey. It provides a little cushion in how they might have approached the games. Being a bit more Ginger with their injured selves. But in the end It doesn't appear that they are or have been hiding behind their injuries. They seem to understand better than we do that you rarely end up playing without a little pain. I think it's great that we got such tough players, who are determined to win.— flyler- I applaud their stoic effort, but here's the rub, Carter was totally ineffective in the ENTIRE playoffs, whenever it was that he got hurt. If we are suddenly being honest, was he hurt the last 20 games of the regular season, cause he was no box of chocolates down the stretch either. I find the injury to Jeff Carter an excuse for the inability to make a clutch play. Just remember 8:34, cause that is the time of that non-goal by Carter that would have put the Flyers up 3-1 in game 3. That miss could have changed the series!!! Richie still played reckless hockey with his body, He, at least, played hard regardless of injury. Carter did nothing! Are we to suddenly let these two "leaders" off the hook because of the injury card for allowing a 3-0 home lead evaporate. If you can't take a face-off, don't try. If you can't score, don't play. No free passes here, this team underachieved regardless of the injury situation!— RJM16
- "Give both players cedit for their gritty efforts..." This is why you are a terrible choice to cover hockey. You do not understand the game. They do not require credit; they are hockey players. Playing through injuries that would land other sports' athletes on the LTIR is the same as being able to skate.— JS27
- Carters seperated shoulder prevented him from hustling back after Malkin stripped him of the puck at center ice in the last period? Let's not use the injury excuse again this year. Last year we only lost to the Penguins because Timmo and Coburn were hurt, remember????? They got beat by a better team, simple as that.— majorgas
- Hey Sam, how is "the best team that nobody knows" (Cal-Gary) doing in the playoffs these days? Oh yeah, they got bounced... How's 'the best team that you don't know?' The Canukies have yet to lose Sam. Watch these playoffs very closely, you could learn about hockey that way. I bet you had San Jose in the finals for the Western Conference right.. Oops... Wait, you must have Detroy-It cause that's what Vegas "oddsmakers" suggest. Laughable.— Lucky Luciano
- They said Carter got hurt in game 3. That was the only game he scored. He was awful in games 1 and 2 and his shoulders were fine. Enough excuses.— mjakes19
- no excuses for this team. if they were in that bad of shape I blame Stevens for playing them 19 minutes a game and in pivotal spots. they need to get much better.....not just get healthy
- Eric Cole came back for the Canes a couple years back from a broken neck and they won the cup...i don't want to hear about these typical time of year injuries...everyone has them— rothstein12
- Sam, if you make up your own article titles, you should be taken off all sports beats. The title and article do not necessarily agree because you do not allow for the injuries as an excuse, yet in typical grandiose fashion, the headline will draw people to the article. The headline either ticks people off (count me in that group) because of a lame excuse, or allows the whiners another reason why the Flyers did not win (again). I repeat; if you chose the title to go with the article you wrote, you need to work for some supermarket tabloid writing about Paris Hilton or some other human abomination on whom far too much ink and paper are wasted.— Per Djoos
- this is why I love hockey. but be careful of the criticism that they shouldn't try to play. isn't that what landed Lito Shephard in the birds' doghouse? hockey players would try to play on broken legs, and some have. This falls on the coach, squarely. It's his job to judge the effectiveness of the players, game to game, shift to shift. Steven's should have made some better decisions with these guys during the series. and, oh yeah, they outplayed and outscored. that too.— birdfannnj
- Injuries suck, but that is a weak excuse. I do still believe the Flyers should have won, but they did not and the Pens beat them. It sucks and the off season will be a long one, but hopefully the lose in this series can help them for next year. It may sound cheesy, but oh well.— cote32
- Injuries suck, but that is a weak excuse. I do still believe the Flyers should have won, but they did not and the Pens beat them. It sucks and the off season will be a long one, but hopefully the lose in this series can help them for next year. It may sound cheesy, but oh well.— cote32
