Flyers on road to nowhere
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Flyers on road to nowhere
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
TORONTO _ The Flyers are not going to be playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs if this trend doesn’t end.
Soon.
After dropping a 5-2 decision in Toronto on Monday, they are 1-6 on the road.
On merit.
Forget about the fact they outshot Toronto by a misleading 46-24 margin.
After scoring in the opening minute, the Flyers (5-7-1) were beaten to loose pucks all night by the speedier Maple Leafs, and their defense was, in a word, atrocious.
“We need to play with more composure,” said Nick Grossmann, who took the blame for defensive lapses that led to two of the Leafs’ goals.
Six losses in seven road games. That is not a recipe for a playoff berth.
“The good thing is that we have a chance to come right back,” said winger Wayne Simmonds, referring to Tuesday’s game in Winnipeg.
Monday was the start of a season-high, six-game road trip that will also have stops in Winnipeg, New Jersey, Montreal, New York (Islanders) and Pittsburgh.
It may not be the make-or-break point of the 48-game season, but it’s close.
This is a franchise that, through the years, has prided itself on playing with an edge on the road.
This is a franchise that had a 25-13-3 road record last season, tying Boston for the most wins away from home.
This is a franchise that, to borrow a Bryzism, looks lost in the woods when it is playing on enemy ice.
“We don’t change our style,” insisted Simmonds, who gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead 38 seconds into the game.
Flyers goalie, Ilya Bryzgalov allowed four goals and was yanked in the second period. Bryzgalov, who has been the Flyers’ MVP in the first 13 games, went out a back door after the game and skipped talking with the media.
Maybe he had used up all his conversation while joking with a fan while he sat at the end of the bench after being removed from the game.
Bryzgalov wasn’t the problem Monday. It was the backpedalling defense. It was the ineffective power play. It was the costly turnovers that Toronto converted into goals.
It was a pop-gun offense that has produced a grand total of nine goals in its six road losses. In those losses, the Flyers’ power play is 2 for 28 _ 7.1 percent.
At home, the power play is clicking at 25 percent.
Maybe the Flyers’ road woes are an aberration. Maybe when Scott Hartnell and Andrej Meszaros return from injuries, they will steady themselves.
Maybe.
But it will probably be almost two more weeks before those key players are back. That makes this road trip critical because if you fall into a deep hole in an abbreviated season, there’s not much time to climb out of it.
Breakaways. Captain Claude Giroux, who was visibly upset after the loss, went pointless for the eighth time in 13 games…..Coach Peter Laviolette was expected to give backup goalie Brian Boucher the start in Winnipeg Tuesday. But Monday’s turn of events may cause him to go back to Bryzgalov, who has started 12 of the first 13 games....Sean Couturier missed the game with the flu and reportedly was sent back to Philadelphia. Adirondack's Harry Zolnierczyk will join the team in Winnipeg, according to the Glens Falls Post-Star.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
... but the Flyers and. Ed "I am getting married again on your ticket money" Snider believe they are an elite team. Time to dust off Kate Smith, God Bless America" and the tapes of Bobby Clarke skating the Cup around the ice in 1976.— HappyBob- Sam: Real cheap shot on Bryz. I guess he has blown you off on a couple interview requests?
— Vituperator - There is a great lack of skill on this team. There are too many guys like Knuble, Fedetenko, Rinaldo, and Sestito, who cough up the puck too easy. Add in Brayden Schenn wnd this team is a turnover machine when the opponent applies just a little bit of pressure. And when they don't turn it over, they don't have the skill set to score regularly.— mikeyhigs
- G is half the player he was last year; gets frustrated too easily. Jagr had lots of intangibles apparently, maybe he was worth $4million. Can someone start calling G "little Mario". Please.— potus
- 76 ?? Better check your history book Clownhead !!!— JMacFla
- 76 ?? Better check your history book Clownhead !!!— JMacFla
- Correction, HappyBob. That was 1975.— Philly Born
- You are correct Mr. PhillyBorn. I think Mr. JMacFla is one of those Flyer's Season Ticket Holder sheep that buy into the "Flyer's are an elite team" nonsense and is upset about another year without the Cup. — HappyBob
- You are correct Mr. PhillyBorn. I think Mr. JMacFla is one of those Flyer's Season Ticket Holder sheep that buy into the "Flyer's are an elite team" nonsense and is upset about another year without the Cup. — HappyBob
- We need a trade to get a good player that can anchor our defense for the next several years. I say get Keith Yandle from Phoenix for the Schenn brothers, and maybe throw in another players int he minors if need be, we got to get some skill and composure on defense!— jdeang
- I was at that game. A die hard Flyer fan..living in Toronto. It was very painful. I really didnt think they would finish higher than 8th this year. The defense is horrible, Gervais and Foster are simply 7 and 8 Dman. Knuble..god love him..but he is done. Danny B..love what you have done for us...but you are also done. JVR for SCHENN=RIP OFF. I am just hoping for a severe push to get Weber in the off season, along with a free agent or two and a buyout!— CanadianFlyer
- That has been their mantra for 37 years....on the road to nowhere......— STEPHEN1988
- "when the greatest player in the world comes to you during the pre-game skate and asks to start, well, I started him, and Nazem Kadri proved himself tonight" said Carlysle but please Lavie, Giroux was invisible and not many players come into the center of the hockey universe (more sarcasm) with such high accolades and are completely invisible! (HTML deleted)— Kulpie
- On to Winnipeg, another team that always seems to beat the Flyers.....— BobbyD
- G is hurt, its beyond obvious. We are also without top GOAL SCORER! take away the top guy from Pitt, NYR, Tampa, they would stink too. Not as bad as us but still.... Time to trade for Ryan, Perry, Yandle etc....— fman727
