Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Sluggish Start, Anticlimactic Finish

The Flyers didn't lose the game, they lost the shootout.

Edit: FIST

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Sluggish Start, Anticlimactic Finish
- bmeltzer

It was good to see them control the game, but a lapse and what should have been two points turns into one. Gotta give Theodore credit, he made the stops he needed to make and the Flyers had some good opportunities in the 3rd and OT.

Brayden Schenn had some really solid moments, but also stopped skating on Skille's goal, and lost quite a few board battles. But it was good to see the coach give him opportunities in the 3rd period and OT. Hopefully he can build off that.

In particular, Couturier had one of his most offensively dominant shifts of his NHL career to date, in which he was a one-man forechecking machine in the Florida end of the ice for a good 20 seconds. Late in the shift, Couturier put a side angle shot attempt past Theodore but which slid untouched through the middle of the crease to the other side of the ice.

Sean Couturier was utterly dominant on that shift. It was glorious to watch and I thought for sure he was going to singlehandedly end the game during that shift.

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Sluggish Start, Anticlimactic Finish
- bmeltzer

Knuble played a good game. I was kind of against signing him and taking minutes from some of the young guys but with Mcginn getting first line minutes and Rinaldo playing on the third line it hasnt gotten in the way.

Not sure what the lines will look like when we have Simmons and Hartnell back.
Who sits?

If the Flyers can win on Saturday, they'll be 3-0-1 on this home stand. That's fine by me. What concerns me is that the rest of the division is winning as well. The Pens are on fire and the Devils have won 3 straight. The Isles have lost 3 in a row though.

They didn't lose due to the first period nor the gimmick..
They lost beacuse of the passive 3rd period..

If the Flyers can win on Saturday, they'll be 3-0-1 on this home stand. That's fine by me. What concerns me is that the rest of the division is winning as well. The Pens are on fire and the Devils have won 3 straight. The Isles have lost 3 in a row though.
- NickTheKid87

They just have to worry about what they can control. Since the 0-3 start they're 4-2-1, playing much better and that's missing two big guys from the offense and a key defenseman.

Perhaps the Recchi for LeClair/Desjardins trade this year is getting Hartnell, Simmonds and Meszaros back healthy.

They just have to worry about what they can control. Since the 0-3 start they're 4-2-1, playing much better and that's missing two big guys from the offense and a key defenseman.

Perhaps the Recchi for LeClair/Desjardins trade this year is getting Hartnell, Simmonds and Meszaros back healthy.
- Jsaquella

+1.

Knuble played a good game. I was kind of against signing him and taking minutes from some of the young guys but with Mcginn getting first line minutes and Rinaldo playing on the third line it hasnt gotten in the way.

Not sure what the lines will look like when we have Simmons and Hartnell back.
Who sits?
- Stinkfitz

Some combination of Sestito/Rinaldo/Fedetenko I would think.

Knuble has played better than I thought he would thus far.

Some combination of Sestito/Rinaldo/Fedetenko I would think.

Knuble has played better than I thought he would thus far.
- PLindbergh31

It's possible that McGinn gets sent to the Phantoms, which sucks because I like that kid.

the more i see of the shootout, the more i'm convinced the NHL needs to go to a 3 point system. It's utterly ridiculous to award a team the same amount of points in SO "win" as a regulation or OT win. it's not a win. this has nothing to do with the fact that the flyers absolutely (frank)ing suck at the SO going on 8 years now.

Some combination of Sestito/Rinaldo/Fedetenko I would think.

Knuble has played better than I thought he would thus far.
- PLindbergh31

i don't think feds gets sent down.

knuble's done exactly what i thought he would. very pleased so far.

It's possible that McGinn gets sent to the Phantoms, which sucks because I like that kid.
- Jsaquella

That would suck, I think he belongs in the NHL.

They just have to worry about what they can control. Since the 0-3 start they're 4-2-1, playing much better and that's missing two big guys from the offense and a key defenseman.

Perhaps the Recchi for LeClair/Desjardins trade this year is getting Hartnell, Simmonds and Meszaros back healthy.
- Jsaquella

I hope the Flyers aren't worrying about the rest of the division but I am.

Getting Hartnell, Simmonds and Mesz back will be huge. The team wasn't playing like they are now as a whole with Hartnell & Mesz in the lineup so you have to think they'll be much better off when those two return. It'll also be nice to get Simmonds back especially for the PP.

It's possible that McGinn gets sent to the Phantoms, which sucks because I like that kid.
- Jsaquella

I hope that doesn't happen. Kid has earned a spot imo. He's not a first line player, but I think he definitely is an NHL player. He does some nice things.

They didn't lose due to the first period nor the gimmick..
They lost beacuse of the passive 3rd period..
- Ondrej F

The two power plays were lame but they otherwise had several good looks at the net in the third period. I thought the Flyers pretty much controlled the game after Florida tied it at 2-2. What bothered me more was that they got a "late start" to the game -- sometimes you can get away with that and still win, but often you can't.

The skills competition is what it is. Win or lose, it's a joke. But there's no rule against taking the extra gift point from it when you're in that situation.

I hope that doesn't happen. Kid has earned a spot imo. He's not a first line player, but I think he definitely is an NHL player. He does some nice things.
- PLindbergh31

Well, he wouldn't be gone forever, but they wouldn't have to risk losing Sestito or Fedotenko on waivers. Not that I'm saying either is awesome and has to be kept, but I don;t like losing viable players for nothing.

i don't think feds gets sent down.

knuble's done exactly what i thought he would. very pleased so far.
- hammarby31

Sestito a game after being the first star, played like 5 shifts last night. He will prob be the first one to sit when Simmonds returns. Hartnell is still at least two weeks away from coming back. It will all sort itself out.

Team is playing a lot better, was just frustrating giving that point away last night after dominating a good portion of it.

the more i see of the shootout, the more i'm convinced the NHL needs to go to a 3 point system. It's utterly ridiculous to award a team the same amount of points in SO "win" as a regulation or OT win. it's not a win. this has nothing to do with the fact that the flyers absolutely (frank)ing suck at the SO going on 8 years now.
- hammarby31

I dislike that a game is worth 50% more in the standings if it goes past regulation. The loser point is silly and literally has no reason to exist, except to reward mediocrity.

according to callers into Angelo "Ange" Cataldi, Bryz is the problem and Leighton should have been put in for the shootout.

Ange agreed

Well, he wouldn't be gone forever, but they wouldn't have to risk losing Sestito or Fedotenko on waivers. Not that I'm saying either is awesome and has to be kept, but I don;t like losing viable players for nothing.
- Jsaquella

You are probably right. I could see him being returned to Adirondack. The frustrating thing so far about Fedetenko is he has played poorly on the PK, and has been destroyed at the dot. I wasn't expecting much offense from him.

The two power plays were lame but they otherwise had several good looks at the net in the third period. I thought the Flyers pretty much controlled the game after Florida tied it at 2-2. What bothered me more was that they got a "late start" to the game -- sometimes you can get away with that and still win, but often you can't.

The skills competition is what it is. Win or lose, it's a joke. But there's no rule against taking the extra gift point from it when you're in that situation.
- bmeltzer

Bill, what do you think about the power units? I'm not to sure if I like Giroux, Briere and Voracek all on the first unit. The 2nd unit has been more or less awful and I feel like adding Briere or Voracek to it might increase it's effectiveness.

according to callers into Angelo "Ange" Cataldi, Bryz is the problem and Leighton should have been put in for the shootout.

Ange agreed
- Crimsoninja

Wait, seriously?

according to callers into Angelo "Ange" Cataldi, Bryz is the problem and Leighton should have been put in for the shootout.

Ange agreed
- Crimsoninja

Are you serious?

I have a feeling Boucher is going to be the backup before long.