Posted: Thursday, March 19, 2009, 6:02 PM | 9 comments |
 

Flyers switching all 4 lines
options
 

     Flyers coach John Stevens made changes on all four lines during practice Thursday in Voorhees, a move he hopes will pay dividends Friday in Buffalo, where they will face the desperate Sabres .

      The changes were made to get Danny Briere more involved in the offense and to create more balance among the lines.

      Here is how the lines will look:

    ** Scott Hartnell-Jeff Carter-Briere.

    ** Simon Gagne-Claude Giroux-Mike Knuble.

    ** Daniel Carcillo-Mike Richards-Joffrey Lupul.

    ** Riley Cote-Darroll Powe-Arron Asham.

    For most of the season, the Flyers' first two lines have remained intact _ Richards centering Gagne and Knuble, and Carter centering Hartnell and Lupul.

    All six of those players have more than 20 goals.

    In the new set-up, each of the top three lines will have a pair of 20-plus goal scorers.

     "I think it forces you to focus a little more," Stevens said of the line changes, "and maybe communicate a little more. And maybe while you're sitting on the bench, talk about things a little more."

     Briere has been playing mostly on the fourth line since he returned to the lineup four games ago. Sidelined by groin and abdominal injuries for most of the season, Briere started to show positive signs in Tuesday's 3-2 loss in Detroit as he created a handful of scoring chances.

    "Nothing says he won't go back to the old combinations in a couple games, but he's just trying to find something new," Lupul said. "And sometimes it's good to shake things up. Guys get a little too comfortable in one situation."

     The Flyers have lost three of their last four games, during which they have not spent much time in their opponents' end. In those three losses, they have scored a total of four goals.

       The Flyers are tied for the No. 4 seeding in the East, but were just six points ahead of No. 9 Florida heading into Thursday night.

     If they don't get their act together quickly, they might have to huff and puff just to qualify for the playoffs. Like last year.

    "We have to start winning games," Hartnell said. "It's crunch time for us." 
Posted by Sam Carchidi @ 6:02 PM  Permalink | 9 comments
9
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:49 PM, 03/19/2009
    Coach Stevens pushes all the right buttons!
    — JBP
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:02 PM, 03/19/2009
    That's an awful lot of movement this late in the season.
    — mikemaddog
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:15 PM, 03/19/2009
    yeah but JS' wife is a real %$#@*. can we trade her?
    — TBR1209
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:38 PM, 03/19/2009
    I'm glad Stevens is focusing on the offense...yeah an offense that boasts the LEAGUE'S ONLY six 20 goal scorers!! Meanwhile the defense is, minus Timonen, is in shambles!! I say it again, Matt Carle is absolutely dreadful. He gambles entirely too much by skating into the opponents zone, and makes horrible passing/clearing attempts. I hope Stevens saved the game tape from Tuesday night!! Did anyone notice that Detroit can actually PASS the puck out of the defensive zone WITH ONE PASS!!! I love the offense, but why couldn't they part with some of that offense and get a stand up defenseman?? The Flyers will be lucky to make the playoffs, even if they do it will most likely be a fast exit(and it really kills me to say that). Imagine how improved BOTH goalies would be if we had another veteran D-lineman to follow up Kimmo. Hell I would rather they have kepy Lucas Sbisa!! He showed some real promise. Everyone says Carle is a future Norris Trophy winner...over the last 10 games he doesn't even belong in the LEAGUE!!! I hope the boys in Orange & Black prove me wrong, but I fear it won't happen.
    — rickah88
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:57 PM, 03/19/2009
    rickah88--good stuff!!!randy isn't good yet but w/o him we're suffering.
    — 82tank
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:18 PM, 03/19/2009
    Flyers lost 3 of last 4. And Marty is the ONLY reason they won that one game (Sat against Rangers). Marty is the ONLY reason the Flyers looked competitive against the Red Wings. Offense has suffered since Briere has returned and Upshall has departed. Defense wasn't that good to begin with, and if Jones is out, while he's not great, it stil hurts. Here's to hoping Briere plays better with the top lines, but there's not much time left if Stevens is wrong. I would like to believe the goaltending situation is settled once and for all with Marty taking the helm, so at least one problem is solved.
    — cnova000
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:22 PM, 03/20/2009
    I think Carle could use a tune up. But he's been very solid for us for most of the year. And I still think we got him for a steal. Briere is a small quick sniper/playmaker. His grinding has never been his strong suite. Like Giroux he needs top line minutes to be effective. Stevens needs to shake things up and he has. If you think he's done tinkering, you're crazy. He'll switch at least one of the lines back. Stevens isn't a guys who likes to fix what isn't broken. He has no respect for players and lines that aren't working. He's a good coach for this team, and this city.
    — flyler
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:14 PM, 03/20/2009
    This was very necessary action to be taken. If you think about it our offense was offensive the other night, outside the two goals we got, Detroit shut us down. Seems like the Biron will do his part, but he needs the help. Go Flyers!
    — cote32
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:08 AM, 03/21/2009
    Briere should ABSOLUTELY be on the same line as Richards! when we traded for prospal last year, Briere went off and was scoring goals pretty much every game, but did absolutely nothing for 2 months before that. as a goal scorer, he needs someone that will feed him the puck, and Carter shoots it every time himself.
    — DanGlesack


9 comments
About Sam Carchidi
Sam Carchidi is in his fourth year as the Flyers' beat reporter. He became an Inquirer staff writer in 1984 and covered mostly South Jersey high school sports and the Phillies before taking the Flyers beat.

Carchidi has written three books _ the nationally acclaimed Miracle in the Making: The Adam Taliaferro Story, which he co-authored with Scott Brown; Bill Campbell: The Voice of Philadelphia Sports; and Standing Tall: The Kevin Everett Story, which was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He also contributed to a 1993 Inquirer book on the Phillies.

A lifelong South Jersey resident, Carchidi lives in Wenonah with his wife, JoAnn, and their two children, Sara and Sammy.

Follow on Twitter

Advertise Here
Latest Flyers Videos