Flyers show character flaws - again
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Flyers show character flaws - again
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
PITTSBURGH - The Flyers, it has become clear, have serious character flaws.
When they get a break - like the gift goal goalie Marc-Andre Fleury handed them early in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins - they fail to keep a deflated opponent down.
And when they face adversity - like when Simon Gagne’s second-period goal, which would have given the Flyers a 2-1 lead, was disallowed - they fold.
About a minute after the goal was nullified because Ville Leino made what the referees called “incidental contact” with Fleury, Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead of its own.
Funny team, these Flyers. They were woefully inconsistent under John Stevens. Up and down. Up and down. The same thing has happened under Peter Laviolette.
This just in: It’s the players, not the coaches.
This team lacks leadership and character.
Not to mention goal scorers.
Trailing 2-1 in Saturday’s second period, the Flyers’ Claude Giroux broke in alone, but lost control of the puck and got off a weak shot.
Giroux is going to be a terrific player down the road. Right now, though, he and most of his teammates are in hard-to-fathom scoring funks.
Consider the following slumping players:
- Darroll Powe: 0 goals in his last 27 games.
- James van Riemsdyk: 0 goals in his last 14 games.
- Arron Asham: 1 goal (scored Saturday) in his last 14 games.
- Dan Carcillo: 2 goals in his last 14 games.
- Danny Briere: 1 goal in his last 11 games.
- Giroux: 2 goals in his last 21 games.
- Mike Richards: 2 goals in his last 12 games.
- Scott Hartnell: 3 goals in his last 29 games.
The Flyers, who suffered another goalie injury (see accompanying story), fell to eighth place in the Eastern Conference on Saturday, and they are in danger of falling out of the playoffs. Atlanta, which is in ninth, can climb to within two points of the Flyers with a win Saturday night.
Flyers fans deserve better. They have filled the Wachovia Center to 99.8 percent capacity this season. They are being cheated of their hard-earned money by a team that takes periods off and, too frequently, plays without a sense of urgency.
Sam, you are now barred from the Flyers dressing room, per Peter Luukko.— BobbyD- Nothing will change until Snider stops running the Flyers. Sam, could you PLEASE speak with someone at Comcast and let us know WHY they have Snider running the Flyers. If it's a contractual thing, then I can at least UNDERSTAND why. I know he has managed the Flyers very profitably for them (did I answer my own question), but that appears likely to change. There MUST be someone out there that can manage the Flyers with an eye towards the future instead of constantly looking to the distant past for success. Can we please get someone from Comcast to comment on the state of the franchise??!— FlyFifty8
- One more stat: Snider, 0 Stanley Cups in last 35 years.— FlyFifty8
- This group of players is heartless and/or gutless. A total lame effort from start to finish. They are an embarrassment to the orange and the black.— AreaMan
- Glad to see you calling these players out, I think even the Stepfords are getting fed up with this team. I wonder how long Richards will freeze you out if he reads this?— ForWhoForWhat?
- Agree They can't score even with all the money they shelled out . . lemme tell you .. . . Flyers ain't cheap . . they've paid their players well and they're treated well . . . this is becoming really hard to watch . . an i'm a big fan— ingy9
- You summed it up perfectly. This will be no one year turnaround.— pointgiven28
Finally! A Flyers beat writer who has the guts to state the obvious: No Character, No Leadership in the room. Wow, you're going to be chastised and ostracized now, Sam -- but good for you. Where's Seravalli and @tpanotch with these words? Richards is too young to wear the C, it should be Pronger's. And the NTC/NMC guys (Briere, Hartnell, Gagne) certainly aren't earning their over-inflated salaries. Gotta break up this core of gliders and get some more guys who care in here. Can the heart of Lappy and Betts be transplanted into these other prima donna's, please?!?- Nothing new to report here. Can't call the young guys young anymore. Last time I checked, Ovechkin and Crosby are the same age as Captain incredible Mike Richards. Rip the C off his chest, give it to Pronger next year. Trade him for all I care. Team has gotten progressively worse since they lost to Penguins the in Stanely Cup Finals three years ago.— PhillyWise
Richards no longer playing with"an edge". Poor team motivator; in fact I don't know who could be captain...Pronger seems content to play uninspired and collect his big $$. Time to follow the Phillies and stop this self-abuse of watching a team with lackluster play prolong any further agony.— dogman5- Trading all those draft picks for Pronger is really going to hurt now. That is NOT a knock against Pronger - he's easily our best d-man, and maybe he should wear the C and really lay into some of the other players on this team like the deserve to be. If I hear about one more "team meeting" I'm going to puke. The time for meetings is over. It's obvious they have the talent to beat teams at will and this is (at least offensively) a mental and leadership issue.— jimmycrackcorn
- This team is filled with players who don't care whether they win or lose. They need to blow this team up and trade EVERYBODY they can next season and get a good young goalie to build a team around. Mike Richards can be the first to go. He is a pathetic excuse for a captain of a hockey team. Ed Snider and Peter Luukko - PLEASE RESIGN IMMEDIATELY. You've helped destroy this franchise.— jibberjabber
- Get a goalie. There are no untouchables here. JVR for Halak. Carter for Halak. Richards for Halak. You can trade Briere and Hartnell. Soft, soft, soft. Make them an offer they can't refuse, or let em play in the AHL. Give up a prima donna to get rid of these contracts. Kerry Price if you can't get Halak. They can't keep both. Get a goalie.— JimDunfee
- Well it won;t get better in the off season. No 1st round picks, large multi-year contacts, and no trade clauses means more of the same. I like Homer but his player management/trades leave lots to be desired. If I managed my department at work like this the CEO would cut me loose.— whsbuss
- wow is this where sports writing has gone...do we take it this seriously...these games...for some putz to sit behind a word processor and demean athletes who simply lost a game. I have more respect for players who are out there trying something than some guy who only fantacises about playing sports at that level.— retzlaff
