How they played in the 3rd period is not how Berube wants them to play.
- MJL

yeah, I think I already knew that

The team lacks leadership & work ethic. It goes back to the Richards trade. The team has become less & less defensively sound since that trade. After the trade guys started taking their cues from guys like Briere & Jagr who while great on offense don't give much on d. On the 2nd goal Giroux was covering nobody & refused to go after Sedin behind the net. If you give him that kind of time he will find someone opened. If he forces him out Grossmann can cover the front of the net better. Couturier, Read & Talbot are the only forwards that try on both sides on he ice. They should bring back Gagne as they clearly know they need another forward if they were in on Cleary. That would give you an actual 4th line that can play a regular shift.
- iladel90

I think that they're all trying. But trying isn't good enough. Talbot blew the coverage on Higgins on the GW goal. And it's not the first bad blown coverage Talbot has had this Season. And for a guy that's supposed to be one of the better defensive forwards on the team, it's unacceptable.

yeah, I think I already knew that
- puckhead17

I guess I misread what you said there, because it seemed to me that you stated how Beurbe preaches playing without the puck played into the loss.

I think that they're all trying. But trying isn't good enough. Talbot blew the coverage on Higgins on the GW goal. And it's not the first bad blown coverage Talbot has had this Season. And for a guy that's supposed to be one of the better defensive forwards on the team, it's unacceptable.
- MJL

Talbot is on wing, the wings cover the points, Coburn & Gross-burger are around the net

Now that I've had a chance to sleep on it, here are some observations from last night, and some suggestions for going forward.

Overall, except for one bad breakdown by the Coburn/Grossman pairing, the D played pretty well. They kept their feet moving and made smart, accurate passes to start the breakout. I thought Timonen looked better and that Streit and Gustafsson in particular had very strong games.

The forwards are doing a much better job of backchecking and shortening the gaps, and that makes the defense's job much easier. However Giroux needs to focus better in the D zone and Simmonds and Voracek need to stop making bad decisions with the puck high in the offensive zone.

Mason was terrific.

The pp still needs work and the team obviously lacks confidence. This will hopefully come with time. I have to hope that Pittsburgh will get under their skin and get some emotion out of this team

Suggestions:
Don't make a panic move, give Berube at least 20 games to work with the current lineup. When Vinnie and Hartnell return, assuming no one else is injured, I would go with the following forward lines:

Hartnell or McGinn-G-Voracek
Schenn-VL-Simmonds
McGinn or Hartnell-Couturier-Read
Talbot-Hall-Rinaldo
- BiggE

I agree with all that. Keep McGinn up and get a real 4th line. Last night's loss was gutting, but I thought they played well apart from those two blown defensive coverages. The way Coburn just stood next to Higgins while he slammed the puck in was maddening.

When Read's shot dinged off the crossbar I knew Vancouver would at least tie it.

Berube should be safe at least until the end of the season. I don't know if any coach is going to turn this team around quickly. I do think they should've given him the interim tag until the end of this year. The multiyear contract was a bit hasty. I wonder if Berube would still have been the choice if Laviolette had been fired at the end of last season.
- Flyers_01

The Flyers were worried that all the spoiled brats with fat contracts wouldn't listen to an interim coach. Real tight ship down there at skate zone.

I guess I misread what you said there, because it seemed to me that you stated how Beurbe preaches playing without the puck played into the loss.
- MJL

It did play into the loss, as well as faceoffs & missed shots. watching the puck carrier for too long is not playing w/o the puck

It's going to be a long year. This team will be irrelevant by Christmas.
- PLindbergh31

i think they'll be irrelevant by thanksgiving. snider has to be going insane right now.

and btw, i meant to tell you yesterday i didn't get the fonzi/schenn crunch reference. i watched that show - have no idea what you were talking about.

Talbot is on wing, the wings cover the points, Coburn & Gross-burger are around the net
- puckhead17

Thanks. Watch the replay, Talbot loses his check. Higgins goes right by him. Higgins is Talbot's check on that play.

yeah, I think I already knew that
- puckhead17

It's going to be a long year. This team will be irrelevant by Christmas.
- PLindbergh31

Standings-wise...that's possible.

But everything else on this team will still be relevant, in this regard: Everybody not named Claude Giroux will be playing for their roster spot -- and even then, you better never say never, when it comes to this franchise.

Because yeah, they can finish dead last. I can see a few scenarios where that happens just as easily as anything else they might do.

But if they do...well, any player who likes living in Philadelphia might want to hope that Ed Snider sells the team, because I don't care what anyone else says. "Growing pains" of young players, "franchise players," whatever other phrase gets tossed around will all fall to the fury of that old man.

Ed Snider's a lot of things, and we can debate the value of those. But one thing he isn't is someone who is going to willingly tolerate a loser.

That's not how that guy operates.

It did play into the loss, as well as faceoffs & missed shots. watching the puck carrier for too long is not playing w/o the puck
- puckhead17

I think were on the same page. It's just confusing how you wrote it. Poor play without the puck is what led to the loss is what I think you're saying.

How they played in the 3rd period is not how Berube wants them to play.
- MJL

Did Berube call a timeout in the 3rd to address it?

The Flyers were worried that all the spoiled brats with fat contracts wouldn't listen to an interim coach. Real tight ship down there at skate zone.
- Just5

they just renovated it. at least they're comfortable.

Giroux needs to play better. He looked like a rookie on that 2nd goal, and he seems to lose every offensive zone faceoff, especially if we're on a PowerPlay.

Mason was fantastic.

Thanks. Watch the replay, Talbot loses his check. Higgins goes right by him. Higgins is Talbot's check on that play.
- MJL

So who covers the points?
The defense?

here u go again

Standings-wise...that's possible.

But everything else on this team will still be relevant, in this regard: Everybody not named Claude Giroux will be playing for their roster spot -- and even then, you better never say never, when it comes to this franchise.

Because yeah, they can finish dead last. I can see a few scenarios where that happens just as easily as anything else they might do.

But if they do...well, any player who likes living in Philadelphia might want to hope that Ed Snider sells the team, because I don't care what anyone else says. "Growing pains" of young players, "franchise players," whatever other phrase gets tossed around will all fall to the fury of that old man.

Ed Snider's a lot of things, and we can debate the value of those. But one thing he isn't is someone who is going to willingly tolerate a loser.

That's not how that guy operates.
- AllInForFlyers

Didn't they all lock down roster spots at the contract table (NTC)?

I think were on the same page. It's just confusing how you wrote it. Poor play without the puck is what led to the loss is what I think you're saying.
- MJL

yes, my bad if I elaborated confusingly

i think they'll be irrelevant by thanksgiving. snider has to be going insane right now.

and btw, i meant to tell you yesterday i didn't get the fonzi/schenn crunch reference. i watched that show - have no idea what you were talking about.
- hammarby31

The famous Malachi Brothers crunch in the episode with Pinky Tuscadaro.

Didn't they all lock down roster spots at the contract table (NTC)?
- Just5

i wish guaranteed $ and NTC's would get eliminated.

Did Berube call a timeout in the 3rd to address it?
- Just5

Berube used a timeout on an icing to rest his players.

The famous Malachi Brothers crunch in the episode with Pinky Tuscadaro.

- PLindbergh31

i remember her, but not them. i have some homework to do.

i remember her, but not them. i have some homework to do.
- hammarby31

You have plenty of time. Happy Days research can take place during the Flyers games.

i wish guaranteed $ and NTC's would get eliminated.
- hammarby31

I'm with you

Then we would have had no season last year though

Didn't they all lock down roster spots at the contract table (NTC)?
- Just5

Man, that stuff won't matter -- it just means they ask you where you want to go, then send you there. Simon Gagne's no-trade only meant he got to choose to go to Tampa Bay. But he wasn't staying in Philadelphia.

Snider would be so POed, I could see him eating chunks of contracts to get guys out of here who don't fit.

They can turn it around, or not. But one thing this cast of characters won't get to do is miss the playoffs a third time. They won't look even remotely the same.