Clips from the Rocky movies have been a video screen staple at the Wachovia Center for years. No, this isn't going to turn into a discussion of the canned in-between-whistles "entertainment" at every NHL arena. I'll save that for another time.
Since those movie snippets are here to stay, here's a clip suggestion that is far more fitting of the Philadelphia Flyers' season. There's a dramatic scene near the end of the first movie where Apollo Creed knocks Rocky down hard in the 14th round, and Mickey yells at Rocky, "Down! Down! Stay down!"
The Wachovia Center scoreboard crew could show the clip up to that point and end it right there. Unlike the fictitious boxer, these Flyers do indeed stay down rather than picking themselves up off the ground and coming right back at their opponent. Including last night's 2-1 loss in Minnesota, the Flyers now have a 1-16-0 record when trailing after two periods. In addition, they are 2-9-0 when trailing after the first period.
Look, no NHL team succeeds very often when it has to play catch-up hockey, especially in the third period. But true playoff contenders find ways to pick off at least a dozen points per season that way, and even some lesser clubs can never be counted out until the final buzzer sounds.
By way of comparison to the Flyers, the Wild have six wins and and an OT/shootout loss in 28 comeback attempts in the third period. The Washington Capitals have five wins and have forced overtime two other times in 15 tries. The Devils have succeeded four of 20 times in the third period and are 9-14-1 when trailing after the opening period.
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There is no denying the skill level of newly acquired Ville Leino. He has good hands and good east-west movement, although he's got average north-south speed
From what I've seen of him, the biggest problem he's had at the NHL level has been that he holds the puck too long and ends up missing the small window of time in which there's a potential scoring chance. He was able to get away with that in the SM-Liiga and AHL, where the game is a stride slower and the quality of opposition is a notch lower, but in the NHL it usually means the player eventually gets stripped of the puck or a passing or shooting attempt gets snuffed out by the defense.
I've heard some people say that Leino lacks grit. I don't think that's the issue. I think he's got plenty of desire, but he is one of those players who is right on the borderline of being an AHL/ Euro league and NHL player. He has NHL skills but he needs to score to have a regular role.
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Overreliance on special teams has been another big problem for the Flyers this year. This weekend on Philadelphiaflyers.com, I am taking a look at the way the Flyers have
risen or fallen based on their special teams play this season.
The Flyers were 0-for-4 on the power play last night but killed off all four Wild power plays. When the Flyers score a power play goal this season, they enjoy a 23-9-2 mark. When the team fails to tally on the man advantage, they're 5-16-1.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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