Posted: Friday, October 17, 2008, 1:54 AM | 12 comments |
 

Stevens steaming at listless Flyers
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    DENVER _ The Flyers should be grateful that the city has turned its attention toward the World Series-bound Phillies.

     The Phillies' surge has taken the spotlight from a Flyers team that played its most listless game of the season tonight, dropping a 5-2 decision to Colorado _ which had been 0-3 _ and raising the ire of normally mild-mannered coach John Stevens.

    After the game, Stevens met with captain Mike Richards and alternates Kimmo Timonen and Simon Gagne and voiced his displeasure with the club. He will meet with many other players Friday in San Jose. They will not be touchy-feely conversations.

 “There’s no secret, we got outworked,” Stevens said. “When you do all the little things so poorly, we ended up being a very easy team to play against and they took advantage of it. They’re a desperate team; they hadn’t won a game yet, either. And they come out and get every loose puck, every board battle, every puck recovery. It was lopsided tonight and you can’t win a hockey game like that. Period.”

   The Flyers are now 0-3-1, matching the worst four-game start in their history. And they play talented San Jose Saturday.

    In tonight's game, the Flyers were outshot, 34-18, and they won just 20 of 50 faceoffs (40 percent). The Flyers were guilty of 12 of the 20 penalties called, and they allowed three goals in 11 shorthanded situations. The Flyers were 1 for 7 on the power play and are just 3 for 26 on the season.

    And, remember, the Flyers have most of the core players back from the team that reached the conference final last season _ plus a healthy Gagne.

     If you saw this poor start coming, you're in the minority.

     Richards plans to talk with his teammates Friday. He said he has to play better and set a better example. Richards (three goals), however, hasn't been the problem. Neither has Simon Gagne (four goals, including tonight's penalty shot). They have scored seven of the team's 10 goals.

   The rest of the offense needs to wake up. Quickly.

   And while the Flyers' top line (Richards, Gagne and Danny Briere) has been very solid, one wonders if Stevens will shift Richards to the second line and bump center Jeff Carter to the third line. That might give the club three effective lines _ two more than they've had in the first four games.

_ Sam Carchidi

 

 

 
Posted by Sam Carchidi @ 1:54 AM  Permalink | 12 comments
12
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:09 AM, 10/17/2008
    The Sarah Palin curse has followed us out West. Thanks ED. You're a genius for endorsing that lady who's running for office. The Flyers don't look to good. San jose is going to smoke us on Sat. They're undefeated.
    — jmargo23
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:52 AM, 10/17/2008
    This team continues to specialize in giving up last second goals. Mr. Snyder is getting his just deserts for endorsing Mrs. Palin. They deserve eachother.
    — richw38
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:58 AM, 10/17/2008
    This start was no surprise. I was lambasted when I commented that the Flyers better not play as badly when the season starts, as they did when they lost their last pre-season game to the Phantoms. It was an exhibition..it was a meaningless game for the crowd to enjoy..it meant nothing. These were the rebuts I received to my post, yet I saw a weakness. My kean eye and hockey acumen sent a message through my utter existence, that shivered me down my very spine. The goaltending stinks and Niitty needs to be in net until Marty gets it worked out or settles in as the number 2. Downie needs to be with better lines and players. Cote and Asham got to start playin' period. Guys like Lupul, Hartnell and Upshall got to start developing a game. Richard, Briere and Gagne at least look like they have an idea but after that line it seems like an aimless attack. The Avs had a plan and skated and passed to perfection last night and the Flyers had no clue.
    — rockinrob
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:11 AM, 10/17/2008
    On television today a Democratic operative pointed out that when Obama holds a rally 25,000-30,000 people show up, whereas when McCain holds one he only draws 10,000-15,000. The Republican spokesman replied, 'That's because McCain's supporters are at work.' ....so does this mean the Flyers are Obama supporters?
    — Clarkeisgod
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:08 PM, 10/17/2008
    This season is starting to look like 2006-07 again.
    — davedontcave
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:09 PM, 10/17/2008
    Seems everyone here has no faith in Richards to right all these wrongs, but I do. Its a bad start but not the end of the season that so many of you are predicting.
    — bobbyacro
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:04 PM, 10/17/2008
    Did everyone see how poorly they ended the pre-season? This start isn't such a huge surprise.
    — JSaq
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:19 PM, 10/17/2008
    palin was a curse ,trading Umberger might have been worse.Flyers are ruderless ship and Carter way over rated.The blue line w/o some size just getting beat-up.#1 reason Palin which sent a chill down this Flyers fan and the emotional impact on many fans can not be underestimated
    — lawrence2465
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:43 PM, 10/20/2008
    Flyers just sent Downie and Ross to Phantoms which leaves them with just 11 forwards. Are they about to make a trade?
    — BobbyD
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:30 PM, 10/21/2008
    is jeff carter circumcised?
    — mariomick


12 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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