Posted: Monday, March 8, 2010, 9:53 PM | 11 comments |
 

Flyers try to continue dominance of Isles
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     Sooner or later, the Flyers’ mastery of the New York Islanders has to end.
     They just hope it’s not Tuesday night at the Wachovia Center.
     The Flyers have won 14 straight against the Islanders, the longest current streak by any NHL team over an opponent.
     That matches the Flyers' longest winning streak against any team. They also won 14 in a row against Atlanta (2005-09) and Los Angeles (1978-81).
     The NHL record for consecutive wins against an opponent is 23, set by Montreal against Washington from 1974 through 1978.
     During their 14-game winning streak over the Isles _ including four victories this season _ the Flyers have outscored New York, 48-23. The Isles have scored two goals or fewer in 12 of the 14 games.
     “They’ve obviously had a good run against us,” Islanders coach Scott Gordon told the Ledger of Newark. “It’s only a matter of time before it turns the other way.”
     Tuesday’s game matches two of the NHL’s top rookies _ the Islanders’ John Tavares and the Flyers’ James van Riemsdyk. Both have been slumping lately, however.
     Tavares hasn’t scored a goal in his last 17 games, and he has just two goals in his last 33 contests. He still ranks second among NHL rookies with 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists), behind Colorado’s Matt Duchene (45 points).
     Van Riemsdyk is fourth among rookie scorers with 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists), but he has just two goals in his last 15 games. Van Riemsdyk is tied for second (with Dan Carcillo) among Flyers forwards at plus-7.
     You may be surprised that fourth-line center Blair Betts leads Flyers forwards at plus-9 _ an indication of the effectiveness of that checking unit.
     * * * * * * * * * * * * 

     Breakaways. Tuesday’s game is on Versus at 7:30 p.m….Chris Pronger (plus-24) and his defensive partner, Matt Carle (plus-20), are the Flyers’ plus-minus leaders….The 35-year-old Pronger (eight goals, 39 assists) already has 47 points _ one less than he scored in 82 games for Anaheim last season.
 
Posted by Sam Carchidi @ 9:53 PM  Permalink | 11 comments
11
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:05 PM, 03/08/2010
    Actually, I am not surprised at the Blair Betts stat at all, nor was it surprising that the team hit a slump without him in the lineup earlier in the year. He is no superstar, but he is worth every penny, which you can't say about some of the other forwards. In a salary cap world, return on investment is what makes all the difference.
    — puttinonthefoil
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:28 PM, 03/08/2010
    concur with betts. pronger is as good as advertised.
    — give me liberty or death
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:38 AM, 03/09/2010
    Betts has been awesome. He plays smart, hard working, mistake free hockey unlike any muck n grinder I've seen the Flyers have in a while. I haven't seen him make any costly mistakes, and he has scored when he had to. Unlikely Kent Manderville.....to this day I STILL CAN'T GET OVER Kent Manderville blowing all those chances in the playoffs. I had to admit it, but I was begging for him to get hurt.
    — the Guffaw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:49 AM, 03/09/2010
    actually i like the whole team except for Hartnell, and sometimes Coburn.
    — specterlaw
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:40 AM, 03/09/2010
    sit Hartnell for Leino.
    — BFisch
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:15 AM, 03/09/2010
    Will Mike Richards show up tomorrow? I think he is due. It's been two games already. He always shows up every third game right guys!?!
    — djax10
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:17 AM, 03/09/2010
    I think that if you've been watching the Flyers this season, it's no suprise that Betts leads in +/- or that Laperierre leads in won fights... I can't beleive what a punk move Carcillo pulled the other night against Orr, though. He seems so quick to fight nonfighters any other game. Donh Cherry called him out on that exact thing 3 weeks ago.
    — kjuggs77
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:35 AM, 03/09/2010
    Did someone really just bring up Kent Manderville?
    — delcofan
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:56 AM, 03/09/2010
    Wow...The Hound of the Mandervilles. Haven't heard that name in a good bit.
    — MH
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:42 AM, 03/09/2010
    Carchidi, why are you so dumb as to jinx the team...whenever you point out a streak like that it is bound to end. Kjuggs77, uh Orr is the punk, better to get us 4 minute powerplay then fight that scrub and get us nothing. Don Cherry is good only for his rockin' sock em' videos, I don't worry about anything that guy says. Betts was a terrific pickup - would like to Leino on the ice more and Hartnell less. Hope we can win tonight with Carchidi's hex on us.
    — ferg_1977


11 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.

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