Tampa Bay Lightning: 24-27-6, 54 points
Philadelphia Flyers: 30-21-5, 65 points
Johan Holmqvist v. Martin Biron
The Flyers try to end their 4 game losing streak when they take on the Tampa Lightning, currently sitting at least place in the East. Make no mistake about it though; the Flyers struggle against Tampa, and are 2-10-1-1 in the last 14 meetings against them. The most recent one was a Flyers win.
Martin Biron will be back in net tonight. After taking the loss against Pittsburgh Sunday, Biron got the Islanders game off, despite having good career success against them. In his career against Tampa, Biron is 7-4-2 with a 2.36 GAA and .909 SV%.
The four game slide has to stop now. Despite where each team is in the standings, they could be heading in opposite directions. The Flyers are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games, while the Lightning are 6-3-1. As I mentioned before, the Lightning have owned the Flyers as of late, including the pre-lockout ECF defeat. The team needs to find a way to get past these guys and pick up some points.
When you're against the Lightning, you worry about one guy, and that's Vinny Lecavlier. He's developing into one of the league's best, and any line with him can generate a lot of scoring. He plays well on both ends of the ice, and he can hold his own against some of the highest scoring lines in the league. Brad Richards might be a guy you want to take advantage of. He's not good defensively, and the Flyers could use a little boost to score some more goals.
Bill Meltzer has scratches, but there is a lineup change he hasn't mentioned as of posting this.
Simon Gagne
Braydon Coburn
Scottie Upshall
Rory Fitzpatrick
Mike Rathje
Derian Hatcher is out of the lineup tonight. He's had knee problems all year, and John Stevens is giving him a break tonight. Lasse Kukkonen will be back in the lineup, so it looks like he could be a healthy scratch again when everyone is back healthy... if that ever happens. If I remember correctly, Hatcher had one of his better games against the Lightning, so this could be a bit of a loss tonight.
Showing posts with label flyers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flyers. Show all posts
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Game 54: Rangers at Flyers
New York Rangers: 27-24-6, 60 points
Philadelphia Flyers: 30-18-5, 65 points
Steve Valiquette v. Martin Biron (not positive on Biron; it would make sense though)
After two days off after a back to back set against Atlanta and Washington, the Flyers will begin another back to back set with the Rangers today and Penguins tomorrow. The Flyers are looking for retribution today; they want to get back at the Rangers for their humiliating 4-0 defeat recently, and they want to get back on the winning side after an all-around poor game against Washington on Wednesday.
Martin Biron should get his second straight start today. He didn't play well against Washington, but he has a 1.84 GAA in three appearances vs. the Rangers this year. Niittymaki would then likely get the nod tomorrow.
One key for the Flyers this afternoon will be solving Steve Vezinaquette. He earned his first career shutout against them in their last meeting, and they obviously need to score more than 0 goals to get the win today. There's a reason this guy averages one win per NHL season. He's not that good. Stay patient, pepper him with shots and catch some breaks. He's beatable.
Right now, the Atlantic Division is extremely close. The Flyers and Penguins are currently tied at the top with 65 points, but the Flyers have one game in hand. Pittsburgh hosts LA today. The Devils check in at third with 64 points, but they've played one more game than Pittsburgh. The Rangers are back in the mix; they're 5-4-1 in their last 10, and they're only 5 points behind the PA teams. However, with four more games played than the Flyers, they're going to have a lot of ground to make up. The Islanders just seem to be out of it right now.
The Flyers need to try and win both games this weekend. You cannot let the Rangers get two points closer, even if you have four games in hand over them. The Penguins are pretty hot right now, and keep in mind, they still don't have their best player. With the Pens playing back to back this weekend too, you're not losing the game in hand over them, but the win tomorrow is critical to lead the division outright.
Bill Meltzer. Scratches.
Lasse Kukkonen
Scottie Upshall
Rory Fitzpatrick
Mike Rathje
Bill also posted some projected lines. Downie will join Hartnell on Briere's line, but I'm not sure that's going to work. Keeping Carter, Umberger and Knuble together is probably a good idea.
Philadelphia Flyers: 30-18-5, 65 points
Steve Valiquette v. Martin Biron (not positive on Biron; it would make sense though)
After two days off after a back to back set against Atlanta and Washington, the Flyers will begin another back to back set with the Rangers today and Penguins tomorrow. The Flyers are looking for retribution today; they want to get back at the Rangers for their humiliating 4-0 defeat recently, and they want to get back on the winning side after an all-around poor game against Washington on Wednesday.
Martin Biron should get his second straight start today. He didn't play well against Washington, but he has a 1.84 GAA in three appearances vs. the Rangers this year. Niittymaki would then likely get the nod tomorrow.
One key for the Flyers this afternoon will be solving Steve Vezinaquette. He earned his first career shutout against them in their last meeting, and they obviously need to score more than 0 goals to get the win today. There's a reason this guy averages one win per NHL season. He's not that good. Stay patient, pepper him with shots and catch some breaks. He's beatable.
Right now, the Atlantic Division is extremely close. The Flyers and Penguins are currently tied at the top with 65 points, but the Flyers have one game in hand. Pittsburgh hosts LA today. The Devils check in at third with 64 points, but they've played one more game than Pittsburgh. The Rangers are back in the mix; they're 5-4-1 in their last 10, and they're only 5 points behind the PA teams. However, with four more games played than the Flyers, they're going to have a lot of ground to make up. The Islanders just seem to be out of it right now.
The Flyers need to try and win both games this weekend. You cannot let the Rangers get two points closer, even if you have four games in hand over them. The Penguins are pretty hot right now, and keep in mind, they still don't have their best player. With the Pens playing back to back this weekend too, you're not losing the game in hand over them, but the win tomorrow is critical to lead the division outright.
Bill Meltzer. Scratches.
Lasse Kukkonen
Scottie Upshall
Rory Fitzpatrick
Mike Rathje
Bill also posted some projected lines. Downie will join Hartnell on Briere's line, but I'm not sure that's going to work. Keeping Carter, Umberger and Knuble together is probably a good idea.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Game 52: Flyers at Thrashers
Philadelphia Flyers: 29-17-5, 63 points
Atlanta Thrashers: 26-25-4, 56 points
Antero Nittymaki v. Kari Lehtonen
The Flyers temporarily hit the road tonight, when they follow in the 76ers footsteps and travel down to Atlanta before coming back home to face Washington tomorrow. The Flyers got a couple days off after the very physical 3-0 win over Anaheim before their busy schedule for the rest of the week, including games against Washington tomorrow and the Rangers this weekend.
Antero Nittymaki is back in net tonight. Although Martin Biron played well in the shutout of Anaheim, Niitty has Atlanta's number. In 7 career games against the Thrashers, he's 7-0-0 with a 1.58 Goals Against Average, stopping shots at a .947 clip. Biron should still have momentum from his game against the Ducks when he starts tomorrow. Kari Let'emin? Against the Flyers, it seems that way. Against the Flyers, he's 0-4-0 with a 3.31 GAA. Against Niittymaki, he's never won in pro hockey. I don't put too much stock in that last one, but I feel obligated to mention it.
The Thrashers just seem to get dominated by the Flyers. In two losses this year, Atlanta has been outscored 8-1. Last season, they got swept, even though the Flyers were the worst team in hockey. In fact, you'd have to go back to November of 2005 to find the last time the Thrashers have defeated the Flyers. It's the only time they've done that since the lockout.
Fortunately for the Flyers, it appears that Ilya Kovalchuk will again be out of the lineup. He has 13 goals in 22 career games against Philadelphia, and he's a threat to score every time he touches the puck. They've still rattled off three straight even without him, so despite their early season struggles, the Thrashers are doing well for themselves right now.
As per usual, Bill Meltzer has the scratches. Honestly, why would you even read this blog when I link to his regularly? He does a lot of great stuff and Flyers fans can't thank him enough for what he posts.
Lasse Kukkonen
Joffrey Lupul
Rory Fitzpatrick
Mike Rathje
Atlanta Thrashers: 26-25-4, 56 points
Antero Nittymaki v. Kari Lehtonen
The Flyers temporarily hit the road tonight, when they follow in the 76ers footsteps and travel down to Atlanta before coming back home to face Washington tomorrow. The Flyers got a couple days off after the very physical 3-0 win over Anaheim before their busy schedule for the rest of the week, including games against Washington tomorrow and the Rangers this weekend.
Antero Nittymaki is back in net tonight. Although Martin Biron played well in the shutout of Anaheim, Niitty has Atlanta's number. In 7 career games against the Thrashers, he's 7-0-0 with a 1.58 Goals Against Average, stopping shots at a .947 clip. Biron should still have momentum from his game against the Ducks when he starts tomorrow. Kari Let'emin? Against the Flyers, it seems that way. Against the Flyers, he's 0-4-0 with a 3.31 GAA. Against Niittymaki, he's never won in pro hockey. I don't put too much stock in that last one, but I feel obligated to mention it.
The Thrashers just seem to get dominated by the Flyers. In two losses this year, Atlanta has been outscored 8-1. Last season, they got swept, even though the Flyers were the worst team in hockey. In fact, you'd have to go back to November of 2005 to find the last time the Thrashers have defeated the Flyers. It's the only time they've done that since the lockout.
Fortunately for the Flyers, it appears that Ilya Kovalchuk will again be out of the lineup. He has 13 goals in 22 career games against Philadelphia, and he's a threat to score every time he touches the puck. They've still rattled off three straight even without him, so despite their early season struggles, the Thrashers are doing well for themselves right now.
As per usual, Bill Meltzer has the scratches. Honestly, why would you even read this blog when I link to his regularly? He does a lot of great stuff and Flyers fans can't thank him enough for what he posts.
Lasse Kukkonen
Joffrey Lupul
Rory Fitzpatrick
Mike Rathje
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Game 51: Ducks at Flyers
Anaheim Ducks: 27-21-7, 61 points
Philadelphia Flyers: 28-16-5, 61 points
Jean-Sebastien Giguere v. Martin Biron (not positive on Jiggy; Jonas Hiller typically starts during back to backs, but J.S. was great last night.)
The Flyers will take the ice for the first time after their embarrassing 4-0 loss at the hands of the Rangers on Thursday night. They had Friday off, which is something John Stevens typically doesn't do, so the Flyers potentially coming out a bit sluggish is something to look out for. They played an all-around awful game against New York; they didn't sustain any offensive pressure at all and were often times out of position defensively. These mistakes have to be taken care of against a team as good as Anaheim, the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Martin Biron will be back in net tonight. After being put in the game for a struggling Niittymaki on Thursday, Biron stopped all 15 shots he faced cold off the bench. I'd imagine Biron will start receiving a bulk of the starts again due to how poorly Niitty's been recently.
Will he or won't he? Earlier this week, it was speculated that Teemu Selanne would make his 2008 debut either yesterday or today, after choosing to come out of retirement and suit up with the Ducks again last week. He was scratched tonight, so if those reports are true, Selanne could be in the lineup tonight. The Ducks could really use him right now; in their current 5 game losing streak, they're being outscored 15-5, including a (1)-0 shutout loss against St. Louis last night. They still have five games left on this road trip, so they need to find some way to start playing much better hockey.
If Selanne does play tonight, wouldn't it be something if Forsberg announced his return to the Flyers during the game tonight? That would really steal the show. Peter Forsberg in Ed Snider's box. Of all the dramatic things...
This should be an entertaining game. Both of these teams play similar styles of hockey; they're physical, they fight, and they have a lot of skill too. It wouldn't surprise me to see a guy like George Parros or Riley Cote try to stir things up early to get their teams fired up. Hopefully the refs let these guys play, and let the fans see a very physical hockey game.
The Flyers are 2-0-1 in games I attend, including 1-0-0 against top teams of the Western Conference. This will be the first time I go to a game and see a Flyers goalie I've already seen. First it was Michael Leighton v. Detroit, then Martin Biron v. New York (I), and then Antero Niittymaki v. Boston.
Bill Meltzer will have scartches for you when his preview gets up.
Will Jim Vandermeer be in the lineup again? He has not been good since his return to the Flyers, and Thursday might have been his worst game. A lot of fans have been waiting to see if Lasse Kukkonen gets back in the lineup after how much Vandy struggled against the Rangers.
Philadelphia Flyers: 28-16-5, 61 points
Jean-Sebastien Giguere v. Martin Biron (not positive on Jiggy; Jonas Hiller typically starts during back to backs, but J.S. was great last night.)
The Flyers will take the ice for the first time after their embarrassing 4-0 loss at the hands of the Rangers on Thursday night. They had Friday off, which is something John Stevens typically doesn't do, so the Flyers potentially coming out a bit sluggish is something to look out for. They played an all-around awful game against New York; they didn't sustain any offensive pressure at all and were often times out of position defensively. These mistakes have to be taken care of against a team as good as Anaheim, the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Martin Biron will be back in net tonight. After being put in the game for a struggling Niittymaki on Thursday, Biron stopped all 15 shots he faced cold off the bench. I'd imagine Biron will start receiving a bulk of the starts again due to how poorly Niitty's been recently.
Will he or won't he? Earlier this week, it was speculated that Teemu Selanne would make his 2008 debut either yesterday or today, after choosing to come out of retirement and suit up with the Ducks again last week. He was scratched tonight, so if those reports are true, Selanne could be in the lineup tonight. The Ducks could really use him right now; in their current 5 game losing streak, they're being outscored 15-5, including a (1)-0 shutout loss against St. Louis last night. They still have five games left on this road trip, so they need to find some way to start playing much better hockey.
If Selanne does play tonight, wouldn't it be something if Forsberg announced his return to the Flyers during the game tonight? That would really steal the show. Peter Forsberg in Ed Snider's box. Of all the dramatic things...
This should be an entertaining game. Both of these teams play similar styles of hockey; they're physical, they fight, and they have a lot of skill too. It wouldn't surprise me to see a guy like George Parros or Riley Cote try to stir things up early to get their teams fired up. Hopefully the refs let these guys play, and let the fans see a very physical hockey game.
The Flyers are 2-0-1 in games I attend, including 1-0-0 against top teams of the Western Conference. This will be the first time I go to a game and see a Flyers goalie I've already seen. First it was Michael Leighton v. Detroit, then Martin Biron v. New York (I), and then Antero Niittymaki v. Boston.
Bill Meltzer will have scartches for you when his preview gets up.
Will Jim Vandermeer be in the lineup again? He has not been good since his return to the Flyers, and Thursday might have been his worst game. A lot of fans have been waiting to see if Lasse Kukkonen gets back in the lineup after how much Vandy struggled against the Rangers.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Game 50: Rangers at Flyers
New York Rangers: 24-22-6, 54 points
Philadelphia Flyers: 28-16-5, 61 points
Steve Valiquette v. Antero Niittymaki
After a 3-2 overtime win against the Kings on Tuesday, the Flyers return to action tonight against the rival Rangers. Since a January 10th meeting at Madison Cube Garden in which the Flyers sent many Rangers fans home early with a 6-2 win, the Flyers are 6-1-1 and have risen to the top of the division. The Rangers have been 4-3-1 since that game, and are fighitng hard to get out of the bottom of the Atlantic.
Despite two straight wins from Martin Biron, Antero Niittymaki will get the start tonight. Biron had a good game on Tuesday despite not being tested very much, and he will get Saturday's start against Anaheim. Considering how well he played down the stretch in the first half, getting Niittymaki some work might not be a bad idea, especially considering he stopped 39 of 41 shots against the Rangers in that 6-2 win earlier this month.
The Flyers catch a huge break tonight. Steve Valiquette will be in net for the Rangers. Although it seems like Lundqvist never plays his best hockey against the Flyers, it's never bad to get some shots at the opponent's backup. There's a reason why Lundvqist plays so much, and the Flyers should look to take advantage of the lineup change and put on lots of pressure with lots of shots.
Before the 6-2 win in New York, the Flyers were 0-1-1 in meeting with the Rangers this year. Lundvist shut them out in the first meeting, and the Rangers emerged victorious in a shootout in the second.
Cue Bill Meltzer with the scratches:
Lasse Kukkonen
Joffrey Lupul
Rory Fitzpatrick
After only playing 8 minutes and change against the Kings, Steve Downie is likely to return to the line featuring Scott Hartnell and Mike Richards. Downie committed a couple of giveaways that could've hurt the Flyers, so he had his ice time reduced in the third in favor of Sami Kapanen. He probably wasn't the only player that struggled in returning from the weekend off. At times, the Flyers seemed rusty, and they won't be able to get away with mistakes against the superior Rangers.
Philadelphia Flyers: 28-16-5, 61 points
Steve Valiquette v. Antero Niittymaki
After a 3-2 overtime win against the Kings on Tuesday, the Flyers return to action tonight against the rival Rangers. Since a January 10th meeting at Madison Cube Garden in which the Flyers sent many Rangers fans home early with a 6-2 win, the Flyers are 6-1-1 and have risen to the top of the division. The Rangers have been 4-3-1 since that game, and are fighitng hard to get out of the bottom of the Atlantic.
Despite two straight wins from Martin Biron, Antero Niittymaki will get the start tonight. Biron had a good game on Tuesday despite not being tested very much, and he will get Saturday's start against Anaheim. Considering how well he played down the stretch in the first half, getting Niittymaki some work might not be a bad idea, especially considering he stopped 39 of 41 shots against the Rangers in that 6-2 win earlier this month.
The Flyers catch a huge break tonight. Steve Valiquette will be in net for the Rangers. Although it seems like Lundqvist never plays his best hockey against the Flyers, it's never bad to get some shots at the opponent's backup. There's a reason why Lundvqist plays so much, and the Flyers should look to take advantage of the lineup change and put on lots of pressure with lots of shots.
Before the 6-2 win in New York, the Flyers were 0-1-1 in meeting with the Rangers this year. Lundvist shut them out in the first meeting, and the Rangers emerged victorious in a shootout in the second.
Cue Bill Meltzer with the scratches:
Lasse Kukkonen
Joffrey Lupul
Rory Fitzpatrick
After only playing 8 minutes and change against the Kings, Steve Downie is likely to return to the line featuring Scott Hartnell and Mike Richards. Downie committed a couple of giveaways that could've hurt the Flyers, so he had his ice time reduced in the third in favor of Sami Kapanen. He probably wasn't the only player that struggled in returning from the weekend off. At times, the Flyers seemed rusty, and they won't be able to get away with mistakes against the superior Rangers.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Game 49: Kings at Flyers and Georges Laraque
Los Angeles Kings: 20-29-2, 42 points
Philadelphia Flyers: 27-16-5, 59 points
Jason Labarbera v. Martin Biron
The Kings and Flyers will kick off their second half schedule tonight in this 7 PM meeting at the Wachovia Center. This game is in the midst of a six game home stand for the Flyers and will kick off an 8 game road trip for the Kings. It's important for both teams to start off the second half with a win to get momentum. The Flyers were red hot to close out the first half, and they want to try and keep that up and gain some ground on the Atlantic. The Kings are in the cellar right now, and a few road wins can help them gain confidence and turn the season around.
After allowing 3 goals on 24 shots against Pittsburgh, Martin Biron will make his second straight start. It wasn't a great game at all, but after Niittymaki's showing against New Jersey, it's good that Biron's getting a chance to show what he can do again. These two goalies are close. John Stevens needs to continue to play the hot hand.
Do not sleep on the Kings. They may have the worst record in the league, but one of their strengths is their power play: ranked 5th in the league. As the Flyers have shown as of late, the penalty kill is a weakness. They need to stay focused, stay out of the box and don't let the Kings' PP hurt you.
The Flyers are 6-1-1 against the Kings in their last 8 meetings. They haven't traveled to Philadelphia since 2003, thanks to the unbalanced schedule Gary Bettman introduced. The last time these two teams met, the Flyers won 4-3 in Los Angeles in 2006.
Bill Meltzer has tonight's scratches:
Lasse Kukkonen
Jesse Boulerice
Joffrey Lupul
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Georges Laraque will not be suspended for his hit on Steve Downie on Thursday. On the play, he received a five minute major and a game misconduct. Downie returned to play in the third period.
I really have to question what the NHL is doing. They want to send a message about hits from behind. This was a hit from behind. Where's the suspension?
If you're going to suspend Randy Jones, you have to suspend Georges Laraque. If you're going to suspend Scott Hartnell, you have to suspend Georges Laraque. If you're going to suspend Ilya Kovalchuk, you have to suspend Georges Laraque. Colin Campbell, can we please get some consistency here? I subscribe to the opinion that Jones' hit wasn't too bad, and if they absolutely had to suspend him, 2 games was okay. Laraque's hit was of the same nature, even though it might've been closer to Hartnell's. Downie's head got slammed into the boards. It was a hit from behind, he charged him, he boarded him, he elbowed him, how much more did he have to do?
One of the NHL's criteria for awarding suspensions is past incidents. I don't know if Laraque has been suspended before, and a quick search yielded no results, but he definitely has a reputation of being a tough guy and a big fighter. Downie's suspension might've been as big as it was because Campbell held some things he did in juniors against them. I don't know if this was the case, but if pre-NHL incidents count in this system, why doesn't being a hard hitting, aggressive checker?
Was it because Downie came back to play in the 3rd period? It always appears that the NHL adjusts suspensions based on injury received. If that is truly the case, it's unfortunate. A hit from behind is a hit from behind. Whether you're Steve Downie who can come back and play or Patrice Bergeron who will likely miss the rest of the season, it's the same thing. It was an illegal hit. Laraque should've been suspended for 1 or 2 games.
Is there an anti-Flyers bias in the league offices? Does Colin Campbell not like Steve Downie? I can't answer these questions. However, their record on suspensions this year may give you the answer you're looking for.
Philadelphia Flyers: 27-16-5, 59 points
Jason Labarbera v. Martin Biron
The Kings and Flyers will kick off their second half schedule tonight in this 7 PM meeting at the Wachovia Center. This game is in the midst of a six game home stand for the Flyers and will kick off an 8 game road trip for the Kings. It's important for both teams to start off the second half with a win to get momentum. The Flyers were red hot to close out the first half, and they want to try and keep that up and gain some ground on the Atlantic. The Kings are in the cellar right now, and a few road wins can help them gain confidence and turn the season around.
After allowing 3 goals on 24 shots against Pittsburgh, Martin Biron will make his second straight start. It wasn't a great game at all, but after Niittymaki's showing against New Jersey, it's good that Biron's getting a chance to show what he can do again. These two goalies are close. John Stevens needs to continue to play the hot hand.
Do not sleep on the Kings. They may have the worst record in the league, but one of their strengths is their power play: ranked 5th in the league. As the Flyers have shown as of late, the penalty kill is a weakness. They need to stay focused, stay out of the box and don't let the Kings' PP hurt you.
The Flyers are 6-1-1 against the Kings in their last 8 meetings. They haven't traveled to Philadelphia since 2003, thanks to the unbalanced schedule Gary Bettman introduced. The last time these two teams met, the Flyers won 4-3 in Los Angeles in 2006.
Bill Meltzer has tonight's scratches:
Lasse Kukkonen
Jesse Boulerice
Joffrey Lupul
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Georges Laraque will not be suspended for his hit on Steve Downie on Thursday. On the play, he received a five minute major and a game misconduct. Downie returned to play in the third period.
I really have to question what the NHL is doing. They want to send a message about hits from behind. This was a hit from behind. Where's the suspension?
If you're going to suspend Randy Jones, you have to suspend Georges Laraque. If you're going to suspend Scott Hartnell, you have to suspend Georges Laraque. If you're going to suspend Ilya Kovalchuk, you have to suspend Georges Laraque. Colin Campbell, can we please get some consistency here? I subscribe to the opinion that Jones' hit wasn't too bad, and if they absolutely had to suspend him, 2 games was okay. Laraque's hit was of the same nature, even though it might've been closer to Hartnell's. Downie's head got slammed into the boards. It was a hit from behind, he charged him, he boarded him, he elbowed him, how much more did he have to do?
One of the NHL's criteria for awarding suspensions is past incidents. I don't know if Laraque has been suspended before, and a quick search yielded no results, but he definitely has a reputation of being a tough guy and a big fighter. Downie's suspension might've been as big as it was because Campbell held some things he did in juniors against them. I don't know if this was the case, but if pre-NHL incidents count in this system, why doesn't being a hard hitting, aggressive checker?
Was it because Downie came back to play in the 3rd period? It always appears that the NHL adjusts suspensions based on injury received. If that is truly the case, it's unfortunate. A hit from behind is a hit from behind. Whether you're Steve Downie who can come back and play or Patrice Bergeron who will likely miss the rest of the season, it's the same thing. It was an illegal hit. Laraque should've been suspended for 1 or 2 games.
Is there an anti-Flyers bias in the league offices? Does Colin Campbell not like Steve Downie? I can't answer these questions. However, their record on suspensions this year may give you the answer you're looking for.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Game 48: Penguins at Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins: 27-17-4, 58 points
Philadelphia Flyers: 26-16-5, 57 points
Ty Conklin v. Martin Biron
In the Flyers' final game before the All-Star break, they'll try and rebound from a humiliating 7-3 loss against New Jersey on Tuesday. There's a lot at stake here; if Pittsburgh wins and New Jersey loses, they'll take over first in the division. If the Flyers win and New Jersey loses, the division is tied. No matter what happens, the Atlantic Division will remain tight throughout the rest of the season.
Martin Biron will be back between the pipes tonight. He gave up two goals in a period and change on Tuesday, and this will be his first start since Saturday. After Niittymaki struggled against the Devils, it's time to get Biron some more action and see if he can regain his early season form.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Penguins can succeed without their superstar Sidney Crosby. Don't get me wrong; they still have a lot of talent besides him, but you never know how much you'll miss a guy until you actually lose him. They're 1-0-1 since he went out with his ankle injury, and scoring hasn't been their problem.
So far this season, the Flyers have dominated the Penguins in three meetings, putting up a 3-0-0 record in those and outscoring the cross-state rival 16-5. This comes after an 06-07 season which saw Pittsburgh complete a rare season sweep of Philadelphia. The next meeting between these teams will be February 10th.
Bill Meltzer provides us with tonight's scratches:
Lasse Kukkonen
Joffrey Lupul
Jesse Boulerice
Rory Fitzpatrick
Boulerice has been on and off the active roster all year, which is why he is still serving his suspension from an incident in the third game of the year.
Philadelphia Flyers: 26-16-5, 57 points
Ty Conklin v. Martin Biron
In the Flyers' final game before the All-Star break, they'll try and rebound from a humiliating 7-3 loss against New Jersey on Tuesday. There's a lot at stake here; if Pittsburgh wins and New Jersey loses, they'll take over first in the division. If the Flyers win and New Jersey loses, the division is tied. No matter what happens, the Atlantic Division will remain tight throughout the rest of the season.
Martin Biron will be back between the pipes tonight. He gave up two goals in a period and change on Tuesday, and this will be his first start since Saturday. After Niittymaki struggled against the Devils, it's time to get Biron some more action and see if he can regain his early season form.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Penguins can succeed without their superstar Sidney Crosby. Don't get me wrong; they still have a lot of talent besides him, but you never know how much you'll miss a guy until you actually lose him. They're 1-0-1 since he went out with his ankle injury, and scoring hasn't been their problem.
So far this season, the Flyers have dominated the Penguins in three meetings, putting up a 3-0-0 record in those and outscoring the cross-state rival 16-5. This comes after an 06-07 season which saw Pittsburgh complete a rare season sweep of Philadelphia. The next meeting between these teams will be February 10th.
Bill Meltzer provides us with tonight's scratches:
Lasse Kukkonen
Joffrey Lupul
Jesse Boulerice
Rory Fitzpatrick
Boulerice has been on and off the active roster all year, which is why he is still serving his suspension from an incident in the third game of the year.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Game 47: Devils at Flyers
New Jersey Devils: 27-17-3, 57 points
Philadelphia Flyers: 26-15-5, 57 points
Martin Brodeur v. Antero Niittymaki
This is as big of a pre All-Star break game as you can get. The Devils and Flyers currently sit tied in second in the Atlantic Division, the league's best and most competitive. Whoever wins this game will take over first place for the time being, because the division leading Penguins are off tonight.
Antero Niittymaki will get his second straight start in goal tonight, after making 25 saves on 26 shots against the East-leading Senators on Sunday. He has posted a 6-0-1 record over the past month, and he's a huge reason why the Flyers are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
However, it seems that no matter how hot the Flyers or any individual player is, the true litmus test is how they stand up against the Devils. The Flyers are 1-4-0 against New Jersey this season, including dropping their last four. The Flyers cannot succeed in the playoffs unless they can overcome this mental block and beat the Devils.
The Flyers need to stay patient and avoid mistakes. New Jersey has always thrived off of taking advantage of turnovers and bad penalties, and it's important to stay out of the box and remained focus. It's well documented that the Devils are a tough team to come from behind against, so starting fast should be the Flyers' number one priority tonight.
Tonight's scratches, according to Bill Meltzer:
Lasse Kukkonen
Joffrey Lupul
Rory Fitzpatrick
Dennis Tolpeko has be reassigned to the Phantoms after recovering from his injury.
Philadelphia Flyers: 26-15-5, 57 points
Martin Brodeur v. Antero Niittymaki
This is as big of a pre All-Star break game as you can get. The Devils and Flyers currently sit tied in second in the Atlantic Division, the league's best and most competitive. Whoever wins this game will take over first place for the time being, because the division leading Penguins are off tonight.
Antero Niittymaki will get his second straight start in goal tonight, after making 25 saves on 26 shots against the East-leading Senators on Sunday. He has posted a 6-0-1 record over the past month, and he's a huge reason why the Flyers are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.
However, it seems that no matter how hot the Flyers or any individual player is, the true litmus test is how they stand up against the Devils. The Flyers are 1-4-0 against New Jersey this season, including dropping their last four. The Flyers cannot succeed in the playoffs unless they can overcome this mental block and beat the Devils.
The Flyers need to stay patient and avoid mistakes. New Jersey has always thrived off of taking advantage of turnovers and bad penalties, and it's important to stay out of the box and remained focus. It's well documented that the Devils are a tough team to come from behind against, so starting fast should be the Flyers' number one priority tonight.
Tonight's scratches, according to Bill Meltzer:
Lasse Kukkonen
Joffrey Lupul
Rory Fitzpatrick
Dennis Tolpeko has be reassigned to the Phantoms after recovering from his injury.
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