Flyers' Hartnell: 'We just sat back'
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Flyers' Hartnell: 'We just sat back'
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
This is not a recording: The Flyers failed to play three good periods Thursday night and it cost them a win.
For the umpteenth time this season, the Flyers followed a great period with a clunker. The result: They blew a 4-1 lead and lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-4, at the Wells Fargo Center.
There are no excuses for lacking a killer instinct against their arch-rivals. The Flyers were home. They should have been a more desperate team because of the standings, and they should have had extra incentive because they were coming off a poor third period in a 4-2 loss to the Rangers on Tuesday.
Yet, after firing 18 shots in the first 20 minutes, they managed only seven shots in the next 27 minutes.
“It was a big letdown,” winger Scott Hartnell said. “I don’t know why we stopped playing from the way we were in the first period. We were fast, quick, hitting, getting into the extra-curricular activities after the whistle and we were playing Flyer hockey. Then we just sat back, and when you do that against (Evgeni) Malkin and (Sidney) Crosby, these guys are snipers and make plays.
“If we play like that, it will be a long summer.”
In the first period, the WFC was alive. After that, the crowd mimicked the team’s play on the ice. They were quiet. Very, very quiet.
The Flyers (11-13-1) blew a three-goal lead and lost in regulation for the first time since 1993, and they are now 0-5 this season in games that are tied heading into the final period. They fell two games under .500 and dropped into a tie for 10th in the Eastern Conference.
Normally, it wouldn’t be time panic after 25 games. But with just 23 games left in this shortened season, GM Paul Holmgren has to seriously consider a move.
Does he trade a high draft pick for a player (Jarome Iginla? Mark Streit?) who could become a free agent?
Stay tuned.
No Flyer team has ever been less of the sum of their parts, until now. They should be embarrassed to wear the orange and black. It is time to write off the season and cut some salary. This team is in need of a training camp and schooling on how to play a complete team game. Their defensive play is a mess and pee wee teams make better line changes. A trade made out of desperation might get them into the playoffs (probably not), but they won't get out of the first round. They need to give up on this loss season and work on improving the defense long term.— roclwyr- Having a mediocre, fundamentally flawed, incapable of making a huge save goalie, is one thing. Having an entire team that takes an entire period of a game off, is inexcusable. Like the Eagles, this Flyers squad has zero heart, and zero leadership. Just my .02 worth....— Mike Boryla
Mites make better line changes. Mites don't quit after one period. You can count on one hand the number of Flyers who showed up for this game: Simmonds, Hartnell, Voracek, Grossman, and Giroux. Luke Schenn is a waste of protoplasm. Danny Briere was a healthy scratch wasn't he?
Pulling Bryz was a mistake. Not one of those second period goals was on him. When you let teams like the Penguins dance around unmolested in the slot guess what? They're gonna score.
If most of these guys cash this month's pay check they should wear a ski mask when they do.
— backhand- Highly agree on the point about pulling Bryzgalov. But then again, I can't think of many times that Laviolette has made the right move. Calling timeout when you are already losing, is not a good coaching maneuver...it's a sign that you didn't coach prior to the game.
Perhaps they will get another full day off from practice tomorrow.— Hexy4GM - Maybe at some point in this season we can all celebrate them getting back to .500 again - maybe.
— jibberjabber - im still a fan, it aint over yet. bring on the bears!— arcadegm
- I truly hope we don't waste sending a high draft pick or any of our young players as the writer suggests for a veteran. This team is nowhere near a serious Cup contender this season. Please don't waste assets for a quick fix so we can maybe squeak into the playoffs and lose in the first round. Let the kids continue to grow, and try to upgrade the defense in the offseason. I'm concerned that whats best for the Flyers longterm, and whats best for Paul Holmgren to keep his job are not one in the same. I feel a desperation trade coming and its going to make me mad.— FlyerAdam30
- I agree. I heard a radio host mention Couturier. What?? This guy is not the problem, and he's a little off on the scoring touch, but that's a sophmore jinx. He's going to be a core player for a decade or more. Don't bail like we did on JVR.
— NHLfan - No team in the NHL has more losses than the Philadelphia Flyers do this season. That's a fact. The Columbus Blue Jackets have fewer. Also a fact....but then again, the schedule has been tough, and injuries, and insert other excuses.— Hexy4GM
- Fire the coach FFS and get someone behind the bench who can get 60 minutes out of this team. How much more obvious can it get that Lavi lost this team???— Fly Guy
- Briere is a master of assist. He works from behind the net. Crash the net with your stick on the ice and he will find your blade! Neither Simmonds nore Schenn understand this. True, both play hard skating around slapping at pucks...but they don't work well with Danny boy. Agree with above...no heart on this team. Bad hockey. Congrats to the refs...did a super job evening the penalty count...and it did cost us a few goals.— Phillyfan666
- Maybe, this time, it IS the coach.— mrjarn
- Ah, the standard idiotic response of "fire the coach" or "trade the core". Yeah, Richards and Carter will never win a Cup - I seem to remember reading that here. Yes, the team isnt that good. They need to think longer-term, instead of short-term. But they cannot think long-term with the inanely impatient fans that they have. How do you think the market will take it, if they do a Pens-style 2 year rebuild?— vkalia
- Ugh! It's gonna be really ugly in Boston on Saturday....— warreninrochester
- I,m working a half day today and going home. I,m sure that will be acceptable, and I,m also going to make about 25,000 for my lousy effort doing it. What a terrible team we have. Nothing but excuses for their terrible games. Wish they cancelled the whole season.— taydan
