Flyers keep getting points, but need to get act together
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Flyers keep getting points, but need to get act together
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Flyers extended their points streak to eight consecutive games on Thursday night.
But no one was celebrating.
Not after being dominated by the Penguins, who emerged with a 2-1 shootout win at the Wells Fargo Center.
Not after looking like the second-best conditioned team on the ice for most of the night.
Not after managing just 20 shots, equaling a season low.
It’s been a strange week in Flyerdom.
In back-to-back games, the Flyers lost shootouts to their closest Eastern Conference pursuers, Washington and Pittsburgh.
They felt good about the former _ they controlled the game against the Capitals _ and awful about the latter.
“Today we thought we could skate through and it would be an easy game, but there is no easy game in this league,” defenseman Kimmo Timonen said. “They outworked us and won all the one-on-one battles. If you don’t work, you’re in trouble.”
And if you don’t work _ even against teams that are missing their star players __ you are not going to go far in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
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Despite their inconsistent play recently, the Flyers are four points ahead of the Penguins in the Atlantic Division and two points ahead of the Caps in the East. The Flyers, who have nine games remaining, have a game in hand on both teams.
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The Flyers went to the shootout for the fourth consecutive game, marking the first time that has happened since the inception of the event in 2005-06. They are 3-6 in shootouts this season, and have gone 1-3 in this four-game shootout stretch.
Danny Briere was the only Flyer to score in Thursday’s shootout out of four shooters. Briere is 3 for 9 this season. Claude Giroux (2 for 8), Ville Leino (2 for 4) and Mike Richards (1 for 5) failed to connect Thursday.
Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, now 1-3 in shootouts, has stopped eight of 15 in shootouts this season.
Bobrovsky played superbly after a shaky effort against Washington on Tuesday.
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And, yes, shifty Nik Zherdev would have been one of the shooters in the shootout if he wasn't a healthy scratch. Again. (It's a shame he can't be used as a pinch-hitter.) Dan Carcillo played just 5:30.
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The Flyers' PP was 0 for 3 against the Pens, who were 1 for 2 _ scoring after a borderline goaltender- interference penalty on Andreas Nodl.
The Flyers are 0 for 14 on the PP in the last five-plus games. And, yes, they miss Chris Pronger at the point.
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For contant Flyers updates, follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BroadStBull.
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inkd...that Carolina team that won the cup was not physical? They didn't fight, but they were definitely grinding and physical. Zherdev does sit because he isn't physical. Most of the time that is the same as lazy. Not going into the corners to get the puck out, with body position, and lower body strength, is lazy. It is also not being physical. Zherdev sits outside the battles trying to fish the puck out with his stick. He doesn't protect the ice inside his blue line. He is rarely there to chip pucks out. The Flyers can be called many things, but soft is not one of them. Mostly, they can be called inconsistent. The effort against Washington was not soft, and they won every puck battle. The effort in Dallas was gritty as well.— Hexy4GM- Hexy... that carolina team was not physical, no they werent. I think youre confusing pressure with physical. Did they play a high pressure system? yes. Its the exact same system as here and now.
The effort against washington was honestly the first game all year they played with an edge and some type of physical game. The Dallas game was far from the washinton effort... for every Dallas game, i can give you a Rangers or Ottowa game.
This team showed heart against washington... thats exactly why im calling out lavi on this "soft" comment. The players took it on themselves to pick up bob. This system, the tightness and restriction of it has made them soft... they arent a soft team... thats exactly what the problem is.
The deal on Zherdev is this... Hes lazy period. Hes a selfish, ummm "playground" type player for lack of a better word. He doesnt play in any type of system... thats why he sits... nothing deeper than that, has nothing to do with being physical. If thats the case... why isnt Carter sitting? Dont say talent, cause Zherdev is actually as talented, just more stubborn. Carter rarely plays defense and is far from a physical player? In fact, Ill start counting the battles he loses along the walls or better yet, the ones he actually is involved with.
The overall point is this from my opinion... This team needs an edge to be effective. Its just who they are... To say Lavi hasnt taken that away, its just not true. He has, and to some extent, i agree that he had to. We took way too many dumb penalties... There is a medium is what im saying.— inkd0874 - I think both you and Hexy make valid points. And I really appreciate your characterization of Zherdev as a "playground" type player (although we call them a "pickup game player: same thing, selfish). Zherdev's idea of a pass is the Kyber. You could sum up his cooperative spirit as "I've got the puck, boy are you SOL".
You and Hexy should continue the debate, it's thought provoking. It makes me think too. - inkd0874
Its Ottawa.— mean mean pride,mean mean pride.
