 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Going into Game 5 against the Canadiens in the previous series, Prospal and center Danny Briere had 24 postseason points between them when they were on the ice together. Since then, they've got nothing. If Briere is going to generate goals, he needs Prospal and Scott Hartnell creating for him.
"We need to find some intensity out there at the right times. We're just not gelling together," Hartnell said. "We've got a burst here. . . . It's a big onus on us to get some points on the board."
Prospal said he was not tired.
"We're not producing," Prospal said. Coach John Stevens "is telling us to put the puck in the net, and we haven't done anything in two games. It's frustrating for all of us. We have to get through it somehow. It has nothing to do with being tired. We have to create more."
Briere was not sure what the problem was with his line.
"In Game 2, I thought we created more. We had some chances. We didn't finish, and that's our job," Briere said. "We're not [Alex] Ovechkin or even [Evgeni] Malkin, where we rush the puck up and down the ice by ourselves and make plays by ourselves. We work give-and-go's a lot. We need all three to get going."
Stevens said Prospal needs to get his legs moving. He also said he would not change the lines.
"To me, that line has had times this year where they've had a lot of success," Stevens said. "The ingredients are there. To me, it's just in the hands of the players right now. We need Vinny to step up and be a good player for us. The good thing about Vinny is he takes responsibility for his play. He knows he can do more."
This isn't to say the Penguins haven't done a good job defensively on Briere's line, using three lines as the Flyers were fighting matchups in Pittsburgh.
"I know what they're capable of doing. That's why I'm not that surprised," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. "But you've got to give credit to our players. They stick to the plan. One guy's got success."
Therrien referred to Flyers center Mike Richards.
"He's gotten great in the playoffs," Therrien said. "He's a good leader. He's tough to contain."
Stevens pulled Prospal off the first-unit power play last night, replacing him with Mike Knuble.
Briere and Prospal each picked up an assist in the game.
"I didn't see [the shot]," Coburn said. "From looking at the video, it looked like it went straight up. I didn't duck or get out of the way there. I feel fine. My eye is swollen shut. That makes it a little hard to do things, but besides that, I feel all right."
Coburn said he will be back in the lineup when his eye heals, but that could take days. Last night was Parent's second playoff game this season. Obviously, the rookie was coming in cold.
"The main thing is I'm working hard in practice," Parent said. "Obviously, I don't have games to prepare, so I have to work hard in practice and make sure I stay in shape and at game speed."
It's a fair amount of pressure for a second-year pro. Coburn and Kimmo Timonen - out with a blood clot - were the Flyers' No. 1 defensive pair. Few teams survive a playoff series without their top pair.
Stevens opened last night's game pairing Parent with Jason Smith.
|
|
|
|
|
|
REGIONAL SCOREBOARD
Latest Sports Blogs
TOP STORIES
Green
today's poll
express headlines
Promotions
photo GALLERY
|
|
|
|
|
email this
print this
reprint or license this
Buy tickets online
