Penguins steal series from Flyers; what's next?
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Penguins steal series from Flyers; what's next?
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Somehow, the Flyers aren’t going to Pittsburgh on Monday.
Somehow, they blew a 3-0 lead and dropped a season-ending 5-3 decision to the resilient Pittsburgh Penguins before a stunned sellout crowd at the Wachovia Center Saturday.
Somehow, they lost the series, four games to two, even though they outplayed the Penguins from the second period of Game 2 until early in the second period of Saturday’s Game 6.
They lost, in part, because the Penguins’ marquee players, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, totally outplayed Flyers’ stars Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. And because the Flyers, with their season on the line, were outshot by a 28-14 margin in the final two periods Saturday.
Outshot and outplayed.
So where do the Flyers go from here?
Well, because a $29 million cap hit next year will be tied to five players _ Carter, Richards, Danny Briere, Simon Gagne and Kimmo Timonen _ the Flyers won’t have a lot of flexibility in the off-season.
That said, it’s important to remember that this series was virtually even, that the Flyers could have easily won it with a call here, a save there.
Wholesale changes aren’t needed. But the team needs more physicality from its defensemen.
Never was that more evident than Saturday, when two of the Penguins’ goals were scored when players batted pucks out of the air and into the net.
I’m in the minority of people who think the Flyers can compete for the Stanley Cup with Marty Biron as the goalie.
Biron wasn’t why the Flyers lost this series. He had a 2.29 goals-against average before Saturday, and only two of the Game 6 goals were his fault.
Re-sign Biron and get a crease-clearing defenseman like Montreal’s Mike Komisarek, a potential free agent. The Flyers missed the injured Derian Hatcher this year more than they will admit.
They need to sign or trade for a player with that type of grit, that kind of physical presence in front of the net.
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Pens fans - why are you still here? Will you come back and post some more once you get thrashed by either NJ or Boston?— lowbiddodotcom- Last year we had a great series against Washington and I found a new respect for brilliant #8. That guy plays with grit, heart, passion and boat load of skill to boot. He is definitely in BCW (Bathroom can wait category) - the goal the other night against the Rangers just proves my point. When you compare him to that whiny #87, there is just no comparison. This is not just sour grapes - now that the Flyers are done, I am actually hoping for Caps/Pens match so that I can see Ovie beat Cindy both physically and on the scoreboard....— lowbiddodotcom
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- The Penguins did not 'steal' this series, they won it. In my years of watching sports, a sign of a good winning team is a team that can win even though they are not always playing their best and are off their 'game'. The Flyers were that type of team back in the 1970s when I first started going to hockey games to watch my Penguins. I have always enjoy the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh match-ups in any sport. I am glad to see it between the Flyers and Penguins. (I really miss the Phillies - Pirates match-ups that used to happen before the 3 division thing.)— Lamp56
- I can't believe the Flyers lost! They never lose in the playoffs!— The-Roof-Is-On-Fire
- r u kiiding me sam, the best team won!!— eagles2010
- The best team in this series did win. More than a few changes need to happen for the Flyers to be more competitive. Last year's playoff run now seem like a mirage. Let's start at the defense.... M. Carle was less than stellar and caused too many turnovers. Goaltending - Biron is what he is...... good but not a cup winning performer. Centers - I don't know the actual stats for faceoffs, but it seemed like the Pens won every faceoff in their defensive zone. Coaching - after 3 seasons and a first round defeat at home in a game won in the 1st period, upper management must address the lack of focus/intensity evident since after the all-star game. There are more than just a few problems with this team and if not addressed, we will see future seasons like the Clarke-GM era...... no cup here.— whsbuss
- The Flyers need a coach who will bring in a better defensive system. And a new goalie is needed.— smush
- The Flyers never play above their heads. They are probably the 5th or 6th best team in the league and will never beat anyone above them in games that count. The Penguins are just better. And why doesnt anyone talk about all of the mistakes Mike Richards makes on the ice and in the locker room?— Tripod
- Both Richards and Carter did not play like they needed to. Gagne and Lupul were virtually invisible. Defence is slow and not very physical. Biron is a average NHL goaltender...tough to go far in the playoffs with an average goaltender. The series was a disappointment with the exception of the play of Claude Giroux.— phillyjames
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- Too bad there is not a stat for "soft" goals....Biron would lead that catagory hands down....Crosby and Malkin for all the skill they possess, still needed their goalie to carry them through this series. Pens will only go as far as Fluery will carry them...if he continues to play like he did this series, it will be all the way to the cup.— flyerrod
- The positives from this year and series have been the emergence of Giroux, and Powe, making Briere even more expendable. Look for wholesale changes..Homer will try to move Briere, Lupul, Jones, Knuble will not be resigned (JVR can take his role). I wouldn't be averse to trading Gagne, while he still has value and can help bring in a goalie. And Homer must address the lapses and periods of complacency they showed all year during games...that falls on Stevens— flyerdog
- All I can say is the Pittsburg newspaper must really bite because all four of the Pittsburgh People that can read are reading the Philly Newspapers.— latur99
