It would be great if the PK did bail him out....but they didn't ....a stupid, careless play in a road game , in a tie game half way through the third period....I was disappointed with the entire team effort and thought the better team won.....but that penalty CANT happen.....
- landros 2

i missed the 3rd so i didn't see the penalty. never a good idea to take a penalty in the 3rd period of a tied playoff game unless absolutely necessary. my point is the team played horribly and i doubt they win anyway. there were 3 other penalties after akseson's too, i think. the flyers also had a pp of their own earlier in the 3rd in which they obviously failed to score. just a terrible game all around.

"back with a vengeance"
"unfinished business"
"we'll be ready...eventually"
- hammarby31

!!!

"Seats you'll never sit in".
"We owe you one".

I love inspiring quotes.
- 77rams

i love inspiring play more.

!!!
- Pixote Andolini

???
:::
,,,

i missed the 3rd so i didn't see the penalty. never a good idea to take a penalty in the 3rd period of a tied playoff game unless absolutely necessary. my point is the team played horribly and i doubt they win anyway. there were 3 other penalties after akseson's too, i think. the flyers also had a pp of their own earlier in the 3rd in which they obviously failed to score. just a terrible game all around.
- hammarby31

Kid playing in his 1st ever playoff game went for a big hit. Lost his footing. It was a shame. Up until that point he was one of the better Flyers forwards.

Kid playing in his 1st ever playoff game went for a big hit. Lost his footing. It was a shame. Up until that point he was one of the better Flyers forwards.
- Pixote Andolini

that is too bad. i liked what i saw from, especially early in the game. mistakes happen. kid's a (frank)ing rookie in the true sense of the word.

Can the Flyers score 3 goals against Henrik?

that is too bad. i liked what i saw from, especially early in the game. mistakes happen. kid's a (frank)ing rookie in the true sense of the word.
- hammarby31

Yeah that line in the neutral and offensive zones were really making things happen.

The Flyers stunk up the joint last night and displayed little hope for the series. So how did Ghost do in the phantoms game last night?

To me Akeson looked physically over matched. He was knocked off the puck easily several times in the first period. And the penalty was a result of him feeling a need to try and "over hit" Hagelin because he just doesn't have the strength to body Hagelin off the puck.

Just an all around bad game for you guys. It happens, I'm sure you guys will come out swinging game 2.

Not to stir the pot, but come on that Cross Check on Giroux is the same one Crosby takes every Flyers game and you guys ride him for being a crybaby. Can you give Sid a little credit now?

i missed the 3rd so i didn't see the penalty. never a good idea to take a penalty in the 3rd period of a tied playoff game unless absolutely necessary. my point is the team played horribly and i doubt they win anyway. there were 3 other penalties after akseson's too, i think. the flyers also had a pp of their own earlier in the 3rd in which they obviously failed to score. just a terrible game all around.
- hammarby31

He went for a hit, lost his footing and fell. The stick came up and got Haglund in the grill. It was a valid call, and more careless than anything.

It's hard for me to really rip Berube for using him so much. He was one of their best players.

hard to get a shot on net, when you're in the box for 10 minutes killing bad penalties. it's pathetic they can't find a way to play a better game against that team in that building. it's not like they're the 76 habs for (frank)'s sake.
- hammarby31

Agreed. Even before the debacle that was the third period, Flyers generated nothing in the first two periods. Better get things figured out for Sunday.

Before the penalty I thought Akeson was decent. You noticed him on the ice almost every shift, he was active. You can see he has some offensive skills. I can see Berube putting him in the doghouse though.

He went for a hit, lost his footing and fell. The stick came up and got Haglund in the grill. It was a valid call, and more careless than anything.

It's hard for me to really rip Berube for using him so much. He was one of their best players.
- Jsaquella

that's the problem right there. a huge problem.

Agreed. Even before the debacle that was the third period, Flyers generated nothing in the first two periods. Better get things figured out for Sunday.

Before the penalty I thought Akeson was decent. You noticed him on the ice almost every shift, he was active. You can see he has some offensive skills. I can see Berube putting him in the doghouse though.
- PLindbergh31

hopefully he doesn't. i don't think his penalty cost them the game. can't hammer the kid so he's afraid to make a mistake.

that's the problem right there. a huge problem.
- hammarby31

It's not a slight problem, let alone a huge problem. There's nothing wrong with having a young, energy player being your best player on the ice in a given game. There's been plenty of times where the same has been said about Rinaldo (hell, even Downie). It's not to say he's the best player on the team; just the best in that given game. Playoffs are all about setting tones. Akeson had a great game and I have no intention of holding this penalty against him. Look at Bill's blog. There are PLENTY of things that this team did wrong yesterday, and most of them are more egregious than a unintentional stick penalty that gets doubled because it broke the skin. They really need to do away with that stupid rule.....

that's the problem right there. a huge problem.
- hammarby31

It's a massive one.

Their transitional game got killed by the Ranger forecheck, and that led to them being unable to really get set up in the offensive zone.

hopefully he doesn't. i don't think his penalty cost them the game. can't hammer the kid so he's afraid to make a mistake.
- hammarby31

Yup. It was a careless penalty, he wasn't being undisciplined was kind of a freak thing. With the options to replace him Rosehill and VDV two guys who aren't going to produce offense, leave Akeson in. At least he's got a chance of creating something.

Bill, not sure we were watching the same game... Rangers owned the scoring area in front of the net at both ends of the ice. The EV shot chart kind of says it all:



- Tomahawk

And how many of those shots from the scoring areas came after the score was 3-1 and the Flyers were continuing their self-destruction with penalties and Hagelin rebound goal from the doorstep? For two periods, most of NY's shot attempts were either from the perimeter or well-covered. Emery only had a few tough saves in his own right during that time. The Zuccarello goal was a bad breakdown defensively.

The problem is the lack of the speed.

Guys like Grossmann and Schenn don't have the foot speed to get to the puck quickly and move it out of the corner. This allows the forecheckers more time to do their work and retrieve the puck.

But there must be support from the forwards against this forecheck. They need to be in proper position to give the defenseman a decent outlet attempt.
- bradleyc4

That's the biggest problem that this series presents -- yes, the Flyers have beaten good teams, plenty of good teams, all season.

But not all good teams are the same, and each team has weaknesses. Just because the Flyers beat the Penguins doesn't mean they'll beat the Rangers, and the reasons why are the reasons you just stated.

This series is going to be a tough, tough deal because the Rangers use their speed to forecheck, and they are well-coached in how they do it.

It's going to be tough, trying to slog through it for 160-180 feet each night. It is going to be tough.

Puck retrieval is one of the single-most underrated things in the NHL, against good teams.

A problem I kept seeing from the Flyers last night was making the wrong plays or forcing /rushing plays because frankly they were hearing footsteps. A lot of 'get-out-of-the-way-of-the-hit' type reactions instead of playing hockey. Sometimes you have to take a hit to make the play.

It's not a slight problem, let alone a huge problem. There's nothing wrong with having a young, energy player being your best player on the ice in a given game. There's been plenty of times where the same has been said about Rinaldo (hell, even Downie). It's not to say he's the best player on the team; just the best in that given game. Playoffs are all about setting tones. Akeson had a great game and I have no intention of holding this penalty against him. Look at Bill's blog. There are PLENTY of things that this team did wrong yesterday, and most of them are more egregious than a unintentional stick penalty that gets doubled because it broke the skin. They really need to do away with that stupid rule.....
- steelydan

It's a huge problem because of the degree of how much better Aekson was compared to big name/salaried players the Flyers will be counting heavily on if they're going to make a run this year.

I thought Akeson played a pretty good game. He had the fatal four-minute penalty, but it wasn't because of poor play -- just a wild stick.
- bradleyc4

It also seemed like he was the only one putting the puck on net.

It also seemed like he was the only one putting the puck on net.
- tk71

Yeah he was doing his job. Had some decent shots too.

It's a huge problem because of the degree of how much better Aekson was compared to big name/salaried players the Flyers will be counting heavily on if they're going to make a run this year.
- Jsaquella

This series is going to reveal character, that's for sure.