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Reax To Kovalchuk Absence |
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Reaction to Ilya Kovalchuk missing Game 2 with what is believed to be a back injury and/or groin pull.
From Patrik Elias:
"No one can take away from him when plays on top of his game what a great player he is and he is a big part of our team and he’s dangerous,” Elias said. “He makes the other team think. He hasn’t been himself. He has been obviously hurting a little bit and this is the decision they made.
"For us, we’re going to have guys playing a little more minutes, different lines, different situations. Guys are going to be stepping in on the power play and all that. But it happens. It happens throughout the regular season and it happens throughout the playoffs many times and you’ve got guys stepping in.
“But Kovy will tell you, you need healthy guys there. You need healthy guys. It is a team sport at the end of the day. I believe we’ll just work our butts off tonight as a team. It’s not about one guy. We know what Kovy brings to the table every night and his offensive skills and he’s a threat out there every time, but we’re going to work our (rear ends) off today and try to get a win here as a team.”
From Danny Briere:
“They’re still a dangerous team,” Briere said. “Kovalchuk is not their only dangerous player. We saw that last game and almost got burned by different guys.
“In the playoffs, it doesn’t really matter who is in the lineup. The games are so closely played, the intensity. We can’t think it is going to be easier with him in or out of the lineup.
“You always have different guys stepping up. Even more when a star player is out of the lineup. They can rally around that. That’s just as dangerous.
“We saw that in the first round. [Pittsburgh’s] James Neal was suspended for one game. And what was the score that game? … That is why it’s dangerous. We have to play the same way if he is in or out of the lineup.”
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I remember talking to some people in Columbus the day the Flyers got Jakub Voracek.
They told me that coming to the Flyers would represent a fresh start and perhaps a wake-up call for him.
"They're a lot more to him and the Flyers are one club that might be able to get it from him," one person said.
I said on CSN on Monday night that I have been very impressed with the gradual improvement in Voracek over the season to a player who is having an genuine impact on the Flyers.
What really has jumped out at me isn't the fact he rose to 18 goals this year, but the fact he's become a skilled set-up guy with tremendous speed. His skating and speed in the second half and during the playoffs have made a difference.
Craig Berube was saying this week that in moving James van Riemsdyk to Danny Briere's line with Voracek was about using Voracek's speed to get JVR's legs moving again and playing at a quicker pace with more ice time now that he's fully healed from his foot fracture.
And it worked for Flyers coach Peter Laviolette in Game 1. Voracek had 2 assists and the line was responsible for three goals.
"I played with Danny B the last game in Pittsburgh and I think we played a pretty solid hockey game, so I think Lavy decided to keep us together," Voracek said on Monday.
"JVR is a beast. We all know he had a tough year with injuries. Finally, he's back healthy and he was a game-changer [in Game 1]."
Another thing I like about Voracek is much like Matt Read, he has been able to move about the Flyers lineup and contribute wherever he is placed. Of all the Flyer teams I have seen over the years, this one, for some reason, seems to have far more interchangeable parts that work.
Is it hard switching up lines and working with different centermen one series or one game to the next?
"I don't think so," Voracek replied. "I think every line can score the goals and every line is solid defensively. When I was playing with Reader against Pittsburgh, I think we did a good job. He's a great player as well. It doesn't really matter who I'm playing with ... I don't change anything."
The way Voracek is playing right now, who would want him to change?
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger • 
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