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Flyers Gameday: 1-13-09 vs. Pens |
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Wrapup
The Flyers did not look sharp mentally or physically tonight and were richly deserving of the 4-2 defeat the Penguins laid on them tonight. Pittsburgh was the better team in board battles, contained the Flyers in the neutral zone, took better care of the puck and were the more disciplined and opportunistic team.
Even after the Flyers capitalized on a favorable bounce of the puck to grab an early lead, they never really elevated their games until the third period. They played a tentative, reactive game and allowed Pittsburgh to dictate the pace. Philly also did a poor job of trying to get through the Penguins' trap.
In the third period, the Flyers took several undisciplined penalties that ruined any faint hopes of a comeback after Joffrey Lupul trimmed the deficit to two goals.
Postgame quotebook will be added later.
3rd period synopsis: Flyers 2 - Penguins 4
Good scoring chance in front for Mike Richards at the 48 second mark but he can't solve Fleury.
Pittsburgh is content to play a 1-2-2. The Flyers lead in shots, 7-1, through the first 6:21 but few have been dangerous. On the next shift, the Flyers apply the pressure but Knuble can't capitalize on a good chance in front. But it could be a momentum-building shift.
Flyers 2 - Penguins 4: On the line-rush, Scott Hartnell feeds Joffrey Lupul (14th of the season), who rips a shot past Fleury from near the hash marks. Secondary assist to Jeff Carter at 8:07.
The Flyers stall their own momentum with a too many men on the ice penalty at 13:30. That's followed by an Ossi Vaananen cross-check at 16:42. The crowd boos, but it's a legitimate penalty. Ditto a Scott Hartnell slashing penalty at 18:30.
Some bozos in the stands are doing the E-A-G-L-E-S chant over the last few minutes of regulation. Folks, this Flyers team hasn't lost in regulation at home in two months and entered the game in first place. Games like this happen. Pittsburgh was the hungrier team tonight and it showed. This was an ugly loss but the Flyers deserve a little more respect than that from their home crowd.
Shots were 14-6 Flyers, Flyers ended up with a 29-26 shot advantage.
2nd period synopsis: Flyers 1 - Penguins 4
Penguins 2 - Flyers 1: Sidney Crosby strips Mike Richards of the puck along the boards and feeds Evgeni Malkin (17th of the season). Malkin beats Biron high to the stick side, ringing the puck off the inside of the post and into the net at 1:42.
Pittsburgh continues to outplay the Flyers through the first half of regulation. The Pens are more aggressive on the puck in the offensive zone and trapping the Flyers to death on their breakout attempts.
Andrew Alberts goes off for holding in the corner at 6:41. Much to the displeasure of the Wachovia Center crowd, coincidental minors follow as Malkin is called for hooking and Hartnell for diving.
An Andreas Nodl turnover in the neutral zone creates a heap of trouble for the Flyers. Sidney Crosby misses an open net on a 2-on-1, but the Pens continue to press the attack. On the next shift, the Pens extend the lead.
Penguins 3 - Flyers 1: Jordan Staal (14th of the season) skates in untouched and backhands one under the bar. Assists to Satan and Letang at 12:25.
On a line rush at 13:48, Jeff Carter sets up Joffrey Lupul in scoring range, but Lupul shoots high and wide. On the next shift, Fleury cleanly picks a deflected Mike Richards shot.
Penguins 4 - Flyers 1: A backbreaking goal. Matt Cooke (5th of the season) stuffs in a puck in close at 18:34. Assists to Crosby and Orpik.
Shots were 11-6 for Pens (Pittsburgh leads 22-15 after two periods). According to Scoop Cooper, the Flyers only have seven scoring, of which Knuble has three. Penguins have scored on three of their last four chances.
1st period synopsis: Flyers 1 - Penguins 1
Scott Hartnell throws the game's first nice hit at the 50 second mark, crunching Kris Letang in the offensive corner.
At the 1:30 mark, Mike Richards breaks out on a 2-on-1, getting Marc-Andre Fleury to commit early. The Flyers captain can't quite tuck home the puck.
Martin Biron erases a Kimmo Timonen giveaway at 3:53 with a shoulder stop on an Evgeni Malkin blast.
Shots are 5-0 Penguins through the first 6:21.
Flyers 1 - Penguins 0: A classic case of a team making its own good luck. Mike Knuble (16th of the season) skates hard toward the net as Simon Gagne wraps the puck in deep. The puck goes around the end boards and off Fleury right out in front. Off the misplay, Knuble has a tap-in at 7:36. Kimmo Timonen gets the secondary helper.
Riley Cote and Eric Godard drop the gloves at 9:44. The two circle each other and finally square off. Godard wins a short fight with a couple of rights.
Miroslav Satan nabbed for an offensive zone hook at 11:48. The Flyers' powerplay never gets organized.
Flyers 1 - Pens 1: The Pens tie it up as a side-angle shot bounces off traffic in front over to Tyler Kennedy (7th of the year), who backhands it into the net at 16:47. Assists to Maxime Talbot and Paul Bissonette.
Off the next faceoff at 16:52, Arron Asham and Bissonnette drop the gloves. A fairly even fight, without much landing.
Shots were 11-7 in favor of Pittsburgh.
Abbreviated Preview
The Flyers (23-10-9) have been on a tear on home ice over the last two months and enter tonight's game with an on-paper edge against a Pittsburgh Penguins (20-19-4) squad that has dropped seven of its last eight games and is 7-15-1 over the last 23 games.
Even in the best of times, Pittsburgh usually scuffles to win in Philadelphia. The home team has won the last 10 regular season games between the two clubs. Including playoffs, the Flyers have won six of their last seven home games against the Pens. Along the way, the Flyers have registered several blowout wins on Wachovia Center ice.
The Penguins have been scuffling on the penalty kill as of late. With the Flyers connecting at a 37.1 percent clip at home, it will be especially intriguing to see how the special teams battles play out tonight.
Flyers lines
Gagne - Richards - Knuble
Hartnell Carter - Lupul
Upshall - Metropolit - Asham
Cote - Powe - Nödl
Timonen - Väänänen
Coburn - Carle
Alberts - Jones
Biron
[Niittymaki]
****
Special note: Tonight I will resume my usual in-game and post-game blogs. For those who don't know, my wife and I recently adopted a baby boy -- Benjamin Ezra Meltzer. The process has severely curtailed my writing availability of late.
I will now slowly be getting back up to speed. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all who have contacted me with their well wishes. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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