Special teams cost Flyers in loss to Pens
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull
Special teams cost Flyers in loss to Pens
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Flyers' nationally televised 2-1 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins Sunday can be explained in two words: special teams.
The Flyers were just 1 for 9 on the power play, while Pittsburgh was 2 for 6, including Matt Cooke's winning goal with 1:47 left.
With the loss, the Flyers are 3-1 on the six-game homestand, which also has meetings with Atlanta and the Islanders.
Cooke scored his power-play goal while Kimmo Timonen was in the penalty box for flipping the puck over the glass and being called for delay of game.
“Well, it’s a tough rule, you know? It’s a rule, and it’s part of the game," said left winger Simon Gagne, who had one of his third-period shots bounce off the post. "...I’m not sure, [it] might have hit the stick from them, but the call was made....That’s not what you want, but it’s part of the game.
"We have to find a way to kill those, but we didn’t do it," Gagne added. "At the end of the day, like I said, all that good work for no points at the end – it’s tough to take.”
The Flyers outshout the Penguins, 28-22, won 61 percent of the faceoffs, and held Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin goal-less.
Afterward, Flyers coach Peter Laviolette vented.
“I guess I’m frustrated because for the last month and a half, we’ve been preaching discipline, preaching staying out of the box and our players have bought into that," Laviolette said. "We’ll kill the ones we have to take, but going back and looking at that game, there are just too many penalties that never happened.
"Simon Gagne didn’t high stick anybody. So it turns around and goes the other way. Scott Hartnell did not, in my opinion, interfere with the goaltender. I don’t know if it’s a reputation from the past, but you know we want to play tough, physical, but we don’t need to go to the box. But we’re still going there and our players aren’t taking penalties.”
The Flyers, who had a Mike Richards goal nullified by a penalty, didn't come close to generating the offense they displayed in a 7-4 win in Pittsburgh on Jan. 7. They had scored four goals or more in seven of their previous 10 games.
"I don’t think we were bad on the power play; we were just a second late, a half-second late on all the pucks around the net especially," forward Danny Briere said. "I don’t think our power play was as much the problem as the amount of penalties we took as well. You know we have been good in that department lately and not taking too many penalties I know their power play has been struggling all season, but when you have guys like (Sergei) Gonchar and Crosby and Malkin, you know at some point they can make a difference."
Penguins coach Dan Bylsma liked the way his team limited the Flyers' scoring chances.
“I think we haven’t played a game like this where we’ve played well defensively and kept the team down to one or less." he said. The Flyers "have playing very well as their record as of late indicates, and we’re coming off a tough game as well, so this was a big game for us to start our road trip. The guys battled hard and special teams won the game for us.”
Crosby was also pleased.
"It feels good. It’s not an easy place to play in, so it was a pretty intense game," he said. "You know, it’s a 12:30 game, guys are barely up and here we are with a game with that much intensity. It’s a good task and especially like I said, coming off Washington (a 6-3 loss), we had to bring that intensity right back up there again today and we did a great job of it.”
The Flyers are 13-11-2 under Laviolette _ virtually the same record they had under John Stevens (13-11-1).
Comments (67)
Sam, If you think this team looks anything like the sleepwalking zombies of the John Stevens era, then you're looking at a different team than I am. I don't care about the officiating. I do care that I'm seeing a higher level of play since Laviolette took over. As always I remain optimistic.— ColKurtz
Whatever happened to the supposed NHL rule that a team can't play twice in less than 24 hour period? That was the reason the Flyers-Lightning game could not be moved, even though it was the same time as the Eagles playoff game.— AreaMan
Timonens inexplicable flub.- I was always a denier of some Flyers fans' theories of anti-Flyers bias in the NHL... until today's first period. Two of the worst calls ever, and I am NOT a graduate of Glenn Beck's School of Psychotic Overstatements, Overanalyses and Neuroses (or SPOON for short). Absolutely atrocious and absurd!— Brian F.
- Flyers deserved a win today.— bobbyd24
- 1975— 1975goons
Another penguins game, another Flyers goal stolen by officiating shenanigans. There was no call on the ice until after richards scored. On top of that, they let Malkin go headhunting, yet gave gagne a penalty for reacting to it, and the Penguins scored on the ensuing pp, so the Penguins got a 2 point swing from the refs. The video scandal in pittsburgh proved the NHL is biased against the flyers, and this just puts more wood on the fire.— Pelti- third game in four days, thank-you olympics. Its hard to gauge anything untill those games are over. Some big names on the trading block that would look nice on the orange and black.— bigphillydad
- Just like Flyer's fans to blame a loss on the refs. How about 1 for 9 on the power play? How about stone hands Asham and Carcillo?? Minor league team.— The-Terminator
- And 9 powerplays is a bit misleading, 2 of them were split by the intermission, one was less than a minute because of the end of the game, and 3 others were cut short by specious make up calls. In reality, they only got about 3 full powerplays, and scored on one of them. The question is, how many actually minutes of powerplay did they have, maybe about 9?— Pelti
- Kimmo made a mistake. Pure and simple. Evenly matched game in all regards. Pittsburgh is #4, Flyers are #6. Now we know the Fylers are as good as #4, or maybe even better. Laviolette is the difference. He has saved Holmgren.— ByeByeButtman
- The Flyers can rely on Coburn to see what he thought of the two Pittsburgh goals. He had a great view of both them while standing on the ice doing nothing. I have more faith in Bartulis and Syvret then I do in Coburn right now. No blaming the Refs today, the Flyers were 1-9 on the power play. There is no excuse for that.— AreaMan
- Areaman, I don't think the NHL is going to overturn the game because the flyers had a start 23 1/2 hours later.— mjakes19
- Whatever happened to guys who went down and blocked shots....oh that's right, it's the other team.— The Truth Hurts
Put the blame for this where it should be, on Gange. He plays soft all year then decides to get scrappy in the offensive zone. Is he nuts! Then on the PK he plats soft and lets the shot get taken from the point w/o challenging. He's soft, slow, and a liability. If he played solid D he'd be worth having around but lately he's just an anchor.— RUAngry- Pelti, if you lose a power play chance because another penalty is taken it's that teams fault. Flyers also had a two man advantage and couldn't score. In a seven game series the Flyers don't have a chance. If Fleury was in net today this game could have been a shutout. They didn't have one good scoring chance that they put on net. The goal came on a fluke because of bad coverage on the post by Johnson.— epbowls
- If any one thought that the Flyers play in the NHL, got a rude awakening today...They are not a part of the National Hockey League, but a part of the NPL (National Penguin League). First, take a look at the schedule ...This was the 11'th time this season the Penguins are palying a team on the backend of a back to back while they had the previous day off. Second, the replay that was withheld...how easily the NHL bosses brushed it under their smelly carpet..no investigation was ordered to go back and re-check the replay archives to see if this was a much deeper conspiracy.Third check out the power play stats, the pens by far have the most power plays in the league. Dan Blysma is no wizard, and Crosby/Malkin,though good players, are not as good as their stats indicate...most NHL teams and players would have the similar succes and stats if they were the beneficiary of such opportunities..— kadhia
- The flyers had the chances, just could'nt put the puck in the net, and Pittsburghs passes were right on the money— ziller0604
- Just another example of the "new" NHL and its stupid rules. You can shoot the puck out of play anywhere on the ice, but NOT in your own zone? And the officiating NEVER ceases to amaze me! Go back to one referee please! This way there is one less official on the ice that feels compelled to HAVE to make a call to prove he belongs out there. Third rate league with third rate rules!— beermoney
- The officiating in the NHL is generally bad. Today the Penguins got the benefits. Hartnell was pushed into the goaltender and got an interference call. I was at the game and I'm pretty sure the announcer said the goal was negated because the official lost sight of the puck. I'm pretty sure the infraction Gagne was called for occured after the goal was scored. The official behind the goal waived off the goal and he was in no position to call a penalty on Gagne before the goal was scored. He was suppose to be watching the net, not what is going on along the boards. That the job of the trailing official. Timmons delay of game penatly may not have been a penalty. It was hard to tell, but a Pittsburgh player may have touched the puck. I couldn't tell on replay, so I don't know how the ref was so sure. The NHL needs to do something about the officiating. You can understand how officiating can vary from game to game. However, penalty calls vary from shift to shift. I sit in the stands and it seems to me that penalty calls are complete at the refree's discretion. There are no consistent standards. The NHL needs to pay refs more. Maybe, they'll get people who are more qualified for the job.— Flyers_Fan
- Pelti - come on.. Always back to the refs. Again and again. Both teams played hard, both goalies stood on their heads, and both teams were called for tick tack calls. Bottom line is that your top d-man shot the puck over the glass.— ThomasPaine
- Gagne cost us this game more than anyone...stupid offensive zone penalty and the primary screen on the final goal. That's just realty.— ant8817
- We played a good team and didn't capitalize on our power plays. i agree that a lot of the calls on the Flyers were soft, but the point is, we got 9 power plays, so we can't really complain too much about that. We played well in limited their stars' opportunities, but played a good game against a good team and the bounce didn't go our way. I can live with this one. Though I agree with RUAngry that Gagne's been looking really slugish out there recently. He just looks like he's slowing down - maybe his groin's tweaked again or something, I don't know. But he's not been cashing on on his opportunities recently. Hopefully the Olympic break will help.— elpel
- I just want to see a game against the penguins where every puck the Flyers put in the net counts. They came up with a penalty AFTER Richards scored to steal the goal from him. They keep coming up with new ways to reb the Flyers.— Pelti
- I wouldn't say it was so much the special teams that cost us this game but more a lack of scoring. You aren't going to win too many games scoring only one goal. Still, this team is FAR better than it was under Stevens, and if we can just stay focused and play every game like we care then it won't matter where we fall in the standings as long as we're in the top 8. Whether you're the 1st, 5th, or 8th seed only determines who and where you play, but just like being in OT, once you're in the playoffs ANYTHING is possible and us beating the Habs in 08 to advance to the ECF is proof. Have some faith, people.— Kanayd
- Nice cheap shot (elbow to the head) by Malkin on a guy that has struggled over the past couple of years with concussions!!!!— sawgrass
- Everytime someone got control of the puck on the power play they were on the backhand. That can't be by design. Not that they can practice the power play with this stupid schedule because of the Olympics. What other sport would halt their season in the middle so they can play in the Olympics. I hope someone vital to the league gets hurt in the Olmpics maybe then they will stop this BS!!!!— sawgrass
- riiiiiiight, the nhl is biased against the flyers and wants nothing less than pittsburgh back in the finals. losers make excuses and tries to blame everyone else. don't take stupid penalities and your chances are much better to win. hartnell got that penality because of his rep, get used to it bums like him would rather act like an idiot then actually play. its a shame because unlike most cheapshot guys he actually has talent. much more then our guy matt cooke. there were just as many no calls for both teams. stop making lame excuses philly.— Pensrockcryers
- EXCUSES, EXCUSES, EXCUSES........Jeez stepford fans..... are you drowning on the Kool aid??? The refs are against you, NBC is against you, the NHL is against you, you're too tired...... Waaaaaaa waaaaaaaaa waaaaaa You all sound like captain Mike Richards. Stick a bottle in your mouth. I think it's time for your diaper change. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa— jibberjabber
- BoneHead of the game: Simon Gagne. Flat out AWFUL. His brain dead play was a 2 goal swing. His penalties nullified a goal by Richards and then Pitt scored on the PP. DUMB! A total of 6 PIM for Simon today. He also blew a few good scoring chances. My other complaint about today (No, not the refs) was Coach Laviloette. Why did you shorten the bench in the 3rd period on game 2 of a back2back? Neither of the top 2 lines were getting it done, give Asham, Powe and JVR a chance to see the ice. They were generating scoring chances....I don't get it.— Tar Heel 1
- You people can't look at anything objectively. The refs arm is up as richards puts the puck in the net for a good call. You can see an angle that shows Gagne hugging Malkin, richards shooting the puck and the ref holding his arm up before it is shot. There wouldn't have been an interference call after the play was over, think about it, it doesn't make sense. You lost a game. You had one more power play than the opponent did but couldn't convert and you couldn't keep the Pens from scoring every chance they had.— epbowls
- Folks, look at the replay... No ref had their hand up until after the goal was scored, then the trailing official overruled the lead official in the zone. Brutal call...typical Gary B"u"ttman leadership...one cannot let Cindy and the girls get upset.— sugardoc54
- Sugar, since i'm sure you only watch hockey when you are flicking through the channels and stop to scratch yourself let me tell you that it only takes one ref to raise their arm to make the call. It doesn't require every person on the ice. Do you even know how many of the four officials raise their arm for penalties, I'm guessing no. You are why people hate philly sports fans. Even if a ref didn't have his arm up (which he does) you can see angles where you can see the interference while Richards is shooting so you can make up your own mind. It was a good call, get over it.— epbowls
Comment removed.- epbowls, a crosby fan has no place talking about objectivity, go back to your pitt.— Pelti
- hopefully Laviolette gets fined to call attention to this officiating debacle that has become all to regular when the Flyers face the Penguins. Someone find me a clip of the alleged referee with his arm up, because I didn't see it on NBC.— Pelti
- Should have been 2-0 and no penalty call. At least the Penguins didn't have their media to help them cheat this time.— samtheshampharaoh
- http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20092010,2,772 at about the 2:22 mark, the goal is already in around the time gagne and malkin tie up, no way the refs arm could have been up already, unless he was calling Malkin for the late headhunting cheapshot.— Pelti
- Well, Malkin deserved 2 for his cheapshot, and then both deserved a roughing call, but that would not have negated the goal. Like I said, every time they play the Penguins, the Flyers can count on having a goal stolen from them by the officials.— Pelti
- Braydon Coburn is the WORST defenseman i have EVER seen. All he does is stand around the net like a big goof and do NOTHING while the other team scores. He was on the ice for both Pittsburgh goals. Just check his plus/minus for the year, horrendous.— BleedingMe
- Oh my God......get it over it people. FLYERS LOST! There is no JFK-like conspiracy against you. The Flyers are just NOT GOOD ENOUGH. If you think otherwise, you are kidding yourself. Good teams find a way to win, bad teams find a way to lose. Too bad the Flyers don't play the Hurricanes or Blue Jackets every night. Flyers are paper tigers. When it matters, Richards and Carter are at the bar buying another round....— jibberjabber
- How could the refs miss malkin's elbow on Gagne anyway. This is the reason why the NHL has bad ratings. The ref's are so bad, and unfair most of the time....there are teams they favor, and obviously the Pens are one of them.— oldhat
- The Flyers could have won this one, but here's a thought: why did they play this game after playing a game on Saturday? The Penguins did not. In fact, it was brought up during the game that the Penguins have played 12 games this season against teams playing the day before and they being off. Their record is 8-3-1 and they will have a few more games like that. Is the NHL playing favorites with the Pens?.— mike l
- Hey jibber why dont you go jabber somewhere else...apparently you're not a hockey fan...all you do is come here and, well, jibberjabber!— oldhat
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- I know everything about everything, my friends. I tell YOU it like it is. If that bothers you, then you need to get over it. You should be glad I'm here to set you straight. If YOU can't handle it, then TOO BAD! Flyers = not a cup contender. Get over it. I don't drink the KOOL AID. Flyers are an average team at best. Sorry if you want to blame everyone but the players and management, but that's how it is. NOT GOOD ENOUGH. 2010 = NO CUP FOR YOU!— jibberjabber
- Today's game was the third time the Flyers played the Pens on the backend of back to back games while the Pens rested. Who's making the schedule Mario Lemieux? or Gary Bettman?— oldhat
- Ok I will put the blame for this loss on both Flyers caught between the puck and Ray Emery, would it kill you to lay down for 1 shot? LaPierriere (sp?) doesn't mind losing 7 teeth cuz he's a hockey player, but you guys just stand in the lane and create an impossible screen for Emery to negotiate. Other than that Emery proved that he's getting better, though I still feel bad for Boucher since he's a victim of previously bad offense, cut finger and a rookie goalie who's hotter than the sun. Emery and Leighton look to have the goalie situation figured out, hopefully Emery has shaped up— Phillyaddicted
- Give it up. Here we have one of the best franchises in the NHL if not the best. Yet, year after year we occasionally get close to winning a cup. It's been almost 35 years since we won a cup. When are you writers going to attack this insulting NHL League. They have and always will put down the Flyers. Bad calls again, today. It's happens I know but it happens with the Flyers always. The fix is in and someone outside the NHL should investigate this league. I think they fix the games. Also, we have these jealous a_holes at mid period insulting our intelligence. Millbury said that Carcillo attacked Gaborok, what game was he watching, what replay? An announcer for Pittsburgh in the last Pitt game said that Fox didn't send over the replays of Gagne's goal. Big Money can fix anything and the NHL believe me has big money. Also, it's insulting when you can't report the truth. Sam, how about you writers calling a spade a spade for the sake of the fans and bring fairness to the NHL.— Joe Vegas
- Does anyone else notice or forget that we played yesterday? Look at the schedule folks. It is set up so often where we play the pens on back to back games. They didn't play yesterday. By the way I thought we skated pretty strong. The condtioning is coming along nicely. We just gotta get in the playoffs and then who knows what could happen.— yehthatsrite
- We have become so conditioned to blaming everything on poor officiating by the Comcast talking heads who have never seen a good call on the Flyers or a bad one on the opposition. This team simply lacks enough talent to be a serious cpntender.— richw38
- Waaah! Waaah! Waah! No wonder the players always make excuses. They are just following their leader. Just another typical Philly neanderthal effort. Philly concentrates on hitting and fighting. Pittsburgh concentrates on winning. I love the smell of excuses in the morning!— Rhino
- RUAngry, you can't blame that last goal on Gagne. Did you see the replay? The puck going between his skates was almost an act of god. I'd blame coburn for standing directly in front of emery and leaving cooke untouched, heck he helped cooke do his job. you can't play a game less than 24 hours before, spend as much time as the flyers did in the box, and expect to win a game. i'm actually pleased the flyers kept a rested pens at bay all game, although it would have been nice to get the 2 points. That overturned goal was huge. also i wonder of malkin's forearm to gagne's head will be reviewed by the nhl. guarantee there won't be a suspension though, i mean if gonchar can get away with that steve downie impression, what could they possibly do to malkin— tomb022
- When if ever will Flyers defenseman stop watching the puck and start manning up on the PP kill?? These guys are paid professionals. Yet guys like Coburn will ignore the opposing forward camped in front of the goal and watch the shot from the point, not block any shot, and allow players to set up behind them. Again, again, and again.....— Huzzy
- As for the officiating, it is absolutely BRUTAL. Regardless of whatever team is victimized. Their fingerprints are all over the games' outcome. UNACCEPTABLE. Officials are impacting the games with both horrible calls as well as horrible non calls. The NHL is becoming unwatchable because of the refs. Richard's goal disallowed??? There was no whistle. There was no high stick. What are they calling? Where is the accountability??? Perform like that in the real world, you get fired! FIRE THOSE ZEROS.— Huzzy
- Hmm Asham complains he was bit by Matt Cooke during the game, and philly.com has no mention of it...maybe if the beat writer wasn't hunting down stories of debauchery at the local pubs, we'd have heard about this.— JSaq
- Hey Carchidi- those two words you're looking for aren't SPECIAL TEAMS- they're BAD CALLS. Gags didn't cost us the game. His high-sticking penalty never happened. Good for him for going after Malkin with the cheap shot elbow to his head- he's protecting himself- since obviously the refs decided to look the other way on that call. Any other team, and the shot to Gagne's head would have been called- but the Penguins can do no wrong under the cover of Gary Bettman. And Hartnell's goalie interference call was absolutely absurd- did no one see that he was cross-checked and therefore slammed into the goalie? If it had been any other player(because Hartnell is a liability when it comes to penalties) or any team other than the Pens, he would have drawn a penalty rather than being called for one. The NHL hates the Flyers and loves the Penguins. It is so obvious by all the bad calls- not just this game- but all the games vs the Pens. Crosby is untouchable- the NHL's golden boy- I mean literally, you pretty much are going to the sin bin if you touch the guy. Hold the refs accountable- hire some who are completely impartial to Gary Bettman's stupid dictatorship.— Flyers Girl
- Coburn is the McGillis of the current Flyers. McGillis was horrible his last two years and Coburn is just as bad. He is going to cost this team BIG in the playoffs if he's still around. He is slow and loses too many pucks in the D-zone. It seems that he is on the ice for EVERY goal against.— Exiled Flyers Fan
We have to face it this team is just not doing all of the things a Cup contender needs to do yet. Lav's new system has given them something to rally around but they still dont have the mental discipline yet not to take stupid penalties or make one too many cutsie passes instead of taking a high percentage shot. Its coming though I just hope its comes this year and we dont have to wait a whole off season again.- How about Orpik shoving Hartnell into the goalie and then having goalie interference called on Hartnell. What a joke the penalties were yesterday.— d.w.d.
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- I doubt there is a league-wide conspiracy against the Flyers, but this pathetic franchise certainly deserves it for dragging a beautiful game through the mud over the years. I am old enough to remember the CSKA club getting assaulted by the Philadelphia goons in the 70s. Silly Russians - they thought this was going to be a hockey game. Nothing but criminality and cheap goonery, going on year after year. Face it, this team does not belong in any self-respecting league with "Hockey" in its name. The Penguins did the league and humanity as a whole a favor by bouncing the 2009-10 collection of Flyer thugs out of the playoffs. Hopefully, some team or another will do so quickly in this year's playoffs, so that hockey fans all over can rejoice, and enjoy the playoff season.— Samodelka
Lousy officiating, scheduling conspiracy, back-to-back games when the other team had the day before off, anti-Flyers bias; Blah blah blah!- I guess the Flyers are doing better the last 15 games or so but one thing they haven't done is beat the big guys - Pens and CAPS (can't believe I'm calling this team down here "big guys" especially with the weenie fans they have). It would be nice to have a Winter team to root for though. I'm hoping not to have to wait until baseball season starts.— Phillyexp
- There is so much whining on these boards, it's embarassing. Back-to-back games? The Pens played the Rangers tonight (Monday), I didn't hear any of them whine about playing back-to-back road games. They just go out and win, no excuses.— St.Patrick33
- Comment removed.
- To sportsman: I watched the Flyers / CSKA Red Army game from that series in 1976 when I was still living in Russia. I watched every game, of course. The CSKA/Habs game of that series(a 3-3 tie) was the best hockey game I ever saw before or since. And the CSKA/Flyers was the biggest disgrace on ice I saw before or since. You say: "As far as goonery,the flyers were forced to take that path." If other teams behaved like the Flyers the NHL would be a cheap wrassling/rollerball spectacle. Like the last scene of Slapshot. Hockey exists and is worth watching thanks to teams and players that play with skill and imagination, and despite the cheap shot headhunters and thugs that are Philadelphia "hockey".— Samodelka
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Broad Street Bull is the Inquirer's blog covering the Philadelphia Flyers and the National Hockey League.
Reach Sam at scarchidi@phillynews.com.
Sam Carchidi
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