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Friday, October 24, 2008
Palin (and NJ) Curse ends; Briere sidelined; Stevens' job secure

    General manager Paul Holmgren gave coach John Stevens a vote of confidence _ deservedly so _ before the Flyers ended their season-starting, six-game winless streak with an impressive 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils in Newark tonight.

    “I think if things continue to go like they’re going, we have to start changing some people around,” Holmgren said prior to the elusive win. “I don’t mean coaches; I mean other people. Changing the coach sends the wrong message. I believe we’re a good team. I believe that we lost three and (tied) three is a little misleading…I think we’re better than that.”

 

    The Flyers (1-3-3) then made Martin Brodeur look like an average goalie instead of a future Hall of Famer. They dominated the game after the first period and were led by Mike Richards' career-high four assists and Scott Hartnell's two goals, including an empty netter.

   Another positive: The power play was 2 for 4 and is 4 for 7 in the last two games.

   The Sarah Palin Curse is over.

   So is the New Jersey Curse. The Flyers had been 0-11-1 in NJ since March 9, 2004.

   * * * * * * * *

    Before the game, the Flyers learned that their leading scorer, Danny Briere, would have abdominal surgery Saturday and will miss three to four weeks.

    Glen Metropolit stepped into Briere's spot on the top line and played admirably, especially on defense.

   Goalie Marty Biron allowed three first-period goals _ one deflected off teammate Braydon Coburn _ and then shut down the Devils (5-2) the rest of the way.

   _ Sam Carchidi

   

Posted by Sam Carchidi @ 11:16 PM  Permalink | 3 comments
3
Comments   
Posted 10:55 AM, 10/27/2008
fly58
Step away from the keyboard "lonewolf". Put down that coffee, and take your medicine. Now don't you feel better? Looks like Stevens is Holmgren's pet also. Which matters more than Sam's opinion, and better yet yours. You're obviously a quick tempered twit. If this writer annoys you so much, don't read his articles. However, you're probably the type that's annoyed by a lot of things.
Posted 01:28 PM, 10/27/2008
Tech_Triumph
It's funny, the Palin curse lasted a whole one game for the Blues. I wonder what other anomalies will create 1 game losing streaks for other NHL teams.
Posted 03:22 PM, 10/27/2008
E.Plebnista
One game? Manny Legace's hip says "hello"
About Sam Carchidi
Sam Carchidi, who has covered primarily South Jersey high school sports and the Phillies for three decades, is in his second year as the Flyers’ beat writer. He has followed the Flyers since their inception in 1967-68, and remembers when only the third periods of their games were broadcast on the radio - just seven years before they became the city's most popular franchise.

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.

A lifelong South Jersey resident, Carchidi lives in Wenonah, N.J., with his wife, JoAnn, and he is a passionate sports fan of the colleges attended by his daughter, Sara (tiny Mount St. Mary’s in Maryland, which qualified for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament last season and is unbeaten in football since 1951) and his son, Sammy (West Virginia, an annual challenger for the nation’s No. 1 ranking in football and men’s basketball).
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