The Flyers continued their habit of coming out flat in the first game back after a long layoff, and got dismantled, 4-0, by the Tampa Bay Lightning last night. There are nights when shot totals tell you a lot, and nights when it tells you nothing.
The game in Tampa fell into the latter category. Most of the 38 shots the Flyers put on Dwayne Roloson's net were low-percentage junk from side angles or unscreened shots from high in the zone. Most of the better scoring chances were either blocked or shot wide of the net. This was a team shutout for Tampa. They out-hustled the Flyers in all three zones, winning most of the puck battles and generating the better scoring chances among their 22 shots.
It's hard to individually fault Sergei Bobrovsky for any of the three goals he allowed in the first period, but it was clear that the rookie goalie was not sharp or alert in his 20 minutes of play (the second time this season he's lasted just one period against Tampa). He had trouble tracking the puck and was too far back in his net. Two of the goals were scored off odd-man rushes and the middle goal was a broken play where nobody but Simon Gagne picked up the puck after Gagne's errant shot deflected off the end boards directly into the slot. Steve Downie's goal was from the deep slot.
With the rest of the team playing poorly, and Tampa striking on their first shift of the game, it quickly became one of those games where a team needs its goalie to get them through the rough patch until they get their legs going again. It didn't happen. Brian Boucher did a decent job in relief of Bobrovsky. Tough to pin the Steven Stamkos roof-top goal on the goalie -- those types of shots are the reason why he's leading the NHL in scoring.
Really, last night's tilt was just one of those games -- like the Vancouver debacle that started the post-Christmas break road trip -- where the Flyers were truly awful and a quality opponent was that good. There's a reason why the Bolts are 17-4-2 on home ice this season: They have become a very good hockey team again. Philly is hardly the first team to leave Tampa this season with their tail between their legs.
I've racked my brains looking for positives the Flyers can take out of their performance last night, and the only one I can come up with is that it's a chance to once again show they can bounce back strong after a hideous loss.
You can look up and down the Flyers lineup last night and be hard pressed to find a single player who turned in a strong performance. I kept looking for someone -- starting with team captain Mike Richards -- to throw a hit, stir the pot with a fight or otherwise do something to jump start the club but it never really happened. Instead, they played sloppy, unfocused, and undisciplined hockey and got exactly what they deserved on the scoreboard.
In terms of the power play, I did not expect either team to do much on the man advantage in their first game back off the break. Although the Philly power play has struggled much of the season, they were rounding into form in the last few games before the ASB broke their momentum. I figured that facet of the game could be off-kilter last night.
It turned out that it wasn't just the power play that was out of synch for the Flyers: it was pretty much everything. Now they need to regroup and turn in a quality effort at home against the Predators tomorrow night and Stars on Saturday.
If you are a glutton for punishment, you can read more about the Lightning's frequent mastery of the Flyers -- semi-recent past and present -- on today's
Daily Drop at Versus.com
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This week's
Across the Pond at NHL.com looks at the outstanding season being turned in by Florida Panthers goaltending prospect Alexander Salak.
As a rookie last season, Salak emerged as the starting goalie for the Rochester Americans and got into two NHL games in relief duty. But with top Florida prospect Jacob Markstrom coming to North America this season, there wasn't going to be enough playing time on the Amerks for both players. To solve the problem, the Panthers loaned the 23-year-old Salak to Farjestads BK Karlstad of Sweden's Elitserien.
The often feisty (41 PIM) Salak has been the best goalie in Elitserien this season, leading the league in GAA, save percentage and shutouts. Three of his six shutouts have come at the expense of Lulea HF, whom he blanked again earlier this week.
Signed to a two-year contract by Florida in 2009, Salak will be a free agent this summer. He has reportedly drawn interest from both European teams (including FBK being interested in re-signing him) and at least two NHL clubs. He also could play for the Czech Republic at the 2011 World Championships.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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