BIG 2 points tonight for the Flyers. Even though they've been playing much better as of late, yesterday's game notwithstanding, they simply can't afford to have this be a lost weekend of zero points.

It won't matter whether it's Mason or Emery if they don't clean up that defensive zone coverage. That was as bad as any game under Lavy in the last couple of years.

Frank Seravalli
@DNFlyers
Berube says Downie will be a healthy scratch.

Frank Seravalli
@DNFlyers
That means Berube is opting for McGinn, VandeVelde and Rosehill are in with Downie out.

Frank Seravalli
@DNFlyers
Berube on Downie: "His intensity level is not where it needs to be, shift to shift."

Frank Seravalli
@DNFlyers
Berube says Downie will be a healthy scratch.

Frank Seravalli
@DNFlyers
That means Berube is opting for McGinn, VandeVelde and Rosehill are in with Downie out.

Frank Seravalli
@DNFlyers
Berube on Downie: "His intensity level is not where it needs to be, shift to shift."
- opeth_pa

Interesting.

He's certainly hasn't been playing as well as he's capable of. Hopefully a game or two sitting out will wake him up.

Bill a while back you wrote about a scout saying McGinn wasn't really good enough to hold down a full time spot in the nhl, you said you didn't agree. You said you would like to see him get the chance to play more, looks like he might get that chance now. If he fails to impress the team where does that put him with origination? If he does where does that leave Rinaldo or VDV?
- LJF

I wonder why McGinn gets such a short leash in regards to just getting into the lineup, & Rinaldo gets more and more rope?

How long before its announced that Downie is still suffering from his concussion.
He is a shell of his former self.

So McGinn plays with Couts and VL?
Or a bigger line shuffle coming?

So McGinn plays with Couts and VL?
Or a bigger line shuffle coming?
- Marc D

It's weird..You would think we are coming off a consecutive game losing streak..
I like that Berube does things like this.

How long before its announced that Downie is still suffering from his concussion.
He is a shell of his former self.
- Hatchet

Yeah agreed, it seems he came back too soon, and throw Vinny superstar into that mix as well, he's playing healthy? It doesn't seem like it.
Scratch Downie & continue playing Vinny, doesn't make sense IF Downie is healthy
Edit: & what does Rosehill do for us today? Plays 4 minutes? So we will be short another decent forward & essentially playing 11 up front after the 1st period

Edit: & what does Rosehill do for us today? Plays 4 minutes? So we will be short another decent forward & essentially playing 11 up front after the 1st period
- puckhead17

Playing the Rangers in NY is always a physical game.
Without Rinaldo in the lineup if something happens who do you want fighting? Simmonds, Schenns, Hartnell or Rosehill?

I'm worried about the match ups tonight on the road.
Hagelin's speed vs the Streit/Grossmann pair especially.
Forwards are going to have to play a very good two way game for the Flyers to win.

Playing the Rangers in NY is always a physical game.
Without Rinaldo in the lineup if something happens who do you want fighting? Simmonds, Schenns, Hartnell or Rosehill?
- opeth_pa

Correct

We play Rosehill in the event there may be a fight

And if Hartnell continues to revert back to playing like an idiot like he did yesterday, headshot on the blindside, he may as well take this role again

Correct

We play Rosehill in the event there may be a fight

And if Hartnell continues to revert back to playing like an idiot like he did yesterday, headshot on the blindside, he may as well take this role again
- puckhead17

I don't disagree it's not ideal but I don't want Simmonds possibly being the one answering the bell.

Correct

We play Rosehill in the event there may be a fight

And if Hartnell continues to revert back to playing like an idiot like he did yesterday, headshot on the blindside, he may as well take this role again
- puckhead17

It's ridiculous to me too ... but we have to expect this considering who the coach is.

Berube is always gonna have a soft spot in his heart for guys like Rosehill. He sees himself in them.

re: people asking yesterday if hartnell had ever been suspended, this is the only one i can remember


trying to stop while andrew alberts (bruins at the time i believe) was on his knees by the boards, lightly hit him, he got a game or two


http://sports.espn.go.com...nhl/news/story?id=3130212

I don't disagree it's not ideal but I don't want Simmonds possibly being the one answering the bell.
- opeth_pa

We do agree there, but, it will be carcillos job, (bet on it) to take Wayne with him to the box, & Wayne will not back down regardless

Much as we can't afford to lose him, we will need our best players to be just that today!

If I was coach, I think I'd go back to Mason. He did play the bulk of the minutes yesterday, but he only saw 17 shots. I'd let him get right back at it to erase the taste of yesterday's cluster(frank)
- Jsaquella

i agree
these are huge points today


cannot explain how livid i am that the craps are now back ahead with their scintillating 13 ROW wins

Bill, good preview blog, but think tying Lundqvist's struggles to the change in goalie pad size may be too simplistic of a reason and also, to me at least, somewhat inaccurate. The caveat to that is if you think his positioning has been off and he is overcompensating for the issues with his glove hand because he is concerned he can't shut down the five hole or close gaps side to side due to that alteration in pad size.
- airjan23

how is this signature different than the username, are you a witch

This is now-or-never time for McGinn to win a regular spot wit the Flyers, IMO.

If he succeeds, it does not really affect Rinaldo (when he comes back) but it would push another player, such and VandeVelde, out of the mix.
- bmeltzer

i wish it would affect rinaldo. i thought mcginn played well yesterday, what are everyone's thoughts?

It's ridiculous to me too ... but we have to expect this considering who the coach is.

Berube is always gonna have a soft spot in his heart for guys like Rosehill. He sees himself in them.
- FlyerGuy

Maybe, but Berube's coaching style doesn't really reflect that in comparison with his playing days, I think he understands what required to win more so then the "goonery"
Downie is supposed to be Rinaldo with 40 point a year hands & if he's not supporting any offensive creativity along with being a disturbance on the ice, he becomes a 4th line guy, so if he's healthy I would have rather seen him demoted in that fashion instead.

Frank Seravalli
@DNFlyers
Berube says Downie will be a healthy scratch.

Frank Seravalli
@DNFlyers
That means Berube is opting for McGinn, VandeVelde and Rosehill are in with Downie out.

Frank Seravalli
@DNFlyers
Berube on Downie: "His intensity level is not where it needs to be, shift to shift."
- opeth_pa

wow. gotta say i'm not a fan of the long leash on rinaldo and rosehill and the short one on downie and mesz.

How long before its announced that Downie is still suffering from his concussion.
He is a shell of his former self.
- Hatchet

now this wouldn't surprise me at all

wow. gotta say i'm not a fan of the long leash on rinaldo and rosehill and the short one on downie and mesz.
- -davies-

+1! & McGinn & Striet

how is this signature different than the username, are you a witch
- -davies-

remember gerry used to have that when he was a blogger. username was full name, signature was "gerz"

i wish it would affect rinaldo. i thought mcginn played well yesterday, what are everyone's thoughts?
- -davies-

I thought he played well. Several times I noticed him back checking a lot harder than some of his team mates were, and he had a couple of great chances to score.

I like the kid a lot.

I don't disagree it's not ideal but I don't want Simmonds possibly being the one answering the bell.
- opeth_pa

Guys, don't worry, nobody on the rangers fights. We don't have orr rupp prust or bickel. Those types of guys are gone. I can't remember the last time this team had a fight.