The shot that Hartnell had was perfectly placed. It's unbeleivable that it not only hits the shaft of his stick, but deflects off the cross bar. Could've easily deflected in. And they are definitely not getting in his grill enough, or getting inside for screans, deflections, rebounds, etc.
- MJL

The 2nd line needs to be shooting pucks more at all angles. They did a great job in the corners and along the walls last night. But once they got the puck they circled around the outside. Rangers paying more attention to the crease, but Schenn and Simmonds make a living off of greasy goals and they werent paying the price to take the puck to the slot enough I thought. Lundqvist was hardly touched last night

Easy to say, harder to do

If it was that easy...don't you think they would've done it by now?

"Picking his game up" is the kind of fan-speak that means absolutely nothing when a team is clearly trying to shut down one or two players and has the personnel to be successful at it
- AllInForFlyers

i agree that its not simply a switch thats going to go on or off. i do think that both DB and berube need to put them in more favorable situations. giroux needs more even strength ice time. the pens pp setup is beyond stupid. and the coaches need to try and get them out against favorable matchups whenever possible.

Easy to say, harder to do

If it was that easy...don't you think they would've done it by now?

"Picking his game up" is the kind of fan-speak that means absolutely nothing when a team is clearly trying to shut down one or two players and has the personnel to be successful at it
- AllInForFlyers

Try harder! Want it more! Compete, compete!

It's the Randy Carlyle school of hockey analysis.

It's not fan speak, it's reality in my opinion. Most every top team has the personel and players to try and shut down top players. It's what the playoffs are all about. Rising above it. You either do, or you schedule your tee times. Nothing to do with being easy, or fan speak. Remember in the beginning of the Season when the Flyers had trouble scoring? Same thing is happening now for the same reasons.
- MJL

It's nice to finally agree with you on something.

It's not fan speak, it's reality in my opinion. Most every top team has the personel and players to try and shut down top players. It's what the playoffs are all about. Rising above it. You either do, or you schedule your tee times. Nothing to do with being easy, or fan speak. Remember in the beginning of the Season when the Flyers had trouble scoring? Same thing is happening now for the same reasons.
- MJL

Or you could have other guys hit the score sheet.

Pittsburgh was dead in the water on Monday. Crosby and Malkin weren't doing anything; Malkin wound up with one assist.

The Pens' goal-scorers were Brooks Orpik, Lee Stempniak, Brandon Sutter and Jussi Jokinen.

Not James Neal. Not Chris Kunitz. Not Sidney Crosby. Not Evgeni Malkin.

It's easy to say, "stars have to get going." But it's hard. It's difficult when a team is focused on shutting you down and putting world-class players, Olympic-caliber players, out there to shut you down

Try harder! Want it more! Compete, compete!

It's the Randy Carlyle school of hockey analysis.
- Tomahawk

It's the Randy Carlyle , Stanley Cup winning coach, school of hockey analysis

Added something that needed to be added there.

Try harder! Want it more! Compete, compete!

It's the Randy Carlyle school of hockey analysis.
- Tomahawk

That's what sports are all about.

2 days off in between games 3 and 4. Shouldn't be an issue imo. Flyers are down 3-1 mid way through the third period WTF is Rinaldo doing on the ice? Dumb
- PLindbergh31

agree.....last night would have been the game to ride the horses hard being they have 2 off days. Now they have to deal with Friday/Sunday/Tues/Wed if it goes 7

Or you could have other guys hit the score sheet.

Pittsburgh was dead in the water on Monday. Crosby and Malkin weren't doing anything; Malkin wound up with one assist.

The Pens' goal-scorers were Brooks Orpik, Lee Stempniak, Brandon Sutter and Jussi Jokinen.

Not James Neal. Not Chris Kunitz. Not Sidney Crosby. Not Evgeni Malkin.

It's easy to say, "stars have to get going." But it's hard. It's difficult when a team is focused on shutting you down and putting world-class players, Olympic-caliber players, out there to shut you down
- AllInForFlyers

Of course the entire team has to contribute. It's a team game. But the Flyers are going to go how Giroux goes. Just like the Pengunis aren't going to win the Cup, if Crosby and Malkin don't play like top players. Regardless of what the other players do. No different with the Flyers. But maybe we should give Giroux a pass for his play, because playing against good teams, and good defenseman, is difficult.

That's what sports are all about.
- wolfhounds

I think its more about execution. I don't think the Flyers are behind for lack of effort. I don't think the Lightning got swept because they didn't try. The Flyers are being out-executed.

That's what sports are all about.
- wolfhounds

Of course, but those things are a given in 99% of professionals. They didn't get to where they are by not caring more and working harder and being more innately competitive than all the kids around them.

What AI4F was getting at was that you can choose to look at Giroux's struggles in a vaccuum, or you can step back and see that McD/Girardi/Lundqvist are trying and competing hard themselves, and that might have more to do w/ G struggling than some sudden uncharacteristic absence of competitiveness on G's part.

I think Streit is trying to do everything possible for this team. For my money he's been the team's best dman. Even on the PP where he replaced Voracek. He created a different look by skating way low towards Lundqvist. There was a seem to pass that Giroux missed. It was almost like Giroux was thinking "Wtf are you doing Mark, stay still!"

I think its more about execution. I don't think the Flyers are behind for lack of effort. I don't think the Lightning got swept because they didn't try. The Flyers are being out-executed.
- PhillySportsGuy

more like being executed at this point.

Of course the entire team has to contribute. It's a team game. But the Flyers are going to go how Giroux goes. Just like the Pengunis aren't going to win the Cup, if Crosby and Malkin don't play like top players. Regardless of what the other players do. No different with the Flyers. But maybe we should give Giroux a pass for his play, because playing against good teams, and good defenseman, is difficult.
- MJL

Nobody's giving anybody a pass. But telling Claude Giroux to pick up his game when he's getting a steady dose of Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi and Henrik Lundqvist in the playoffs is a hell of lot easier than telling Claude Giroux to pick up his game against Henrik Tallinder and Mark Pysyk and Jhonas Enroth in February

The results will vary, and they won't always favor you

Of course, but those things are a given in 99% of professionals. They didn't get to where they are by not caring more and working harder and being more innately competitive than all the kids around them.

What AI4F was getting at was that you can choose to look at Giroux's struggles in a vaccuum, or you can step back and see that McD/Girardi/Lundqvist are tying and competing hard themselves, and that might have more to do w/ G struggling than some sudden uncharacteristic absence of competitiveness on G's part.
- Tomahawk

I know you get it.

These same people female doging that Claude Giroux needs to pick up his game against a good defense would be totally happy if the Flyers had Chris Pronger out there shutting world-class players down, because then, miracle of miracles, they'd see what elite defensemen can do

Nobody's giving anybody a pass. But telling Claude Giroux to pick up his game when he's getting a steady dose of Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi and Henrik Lundqvist in the playoffs is a hell of lot easier than telling Claude Giroux to pick up his game against Henrik Tallinder and Mark Pysyk and Jhonas Enroth in February

The results will vary, and they won't always favor you
- AllInForFlyers

i don't like this...because i just don't like this.

The opportunities this team passes up offensively astounds me.

They wonder why they miss the net so many times, or why a defensive player ends up blocking a shot. The puck will be sent back to the point, and no matter whose playing defense, the pucks not off their stick for at least another 3 or 4 seconds.

I'm not saying this is the only problem, but you win games by maximizing on your ability to "make plays", be it offensively or defensively. Offensively, were not doing that at all.

Watch Duncan Keith or Kevin Shattenkirk get a pass while manning the point. The puck is either back another team-mates stick within 1-2 seconds, or they've found a shooting lane and gotten the puck on net, or damn close.

There's just not enough urgency in the puck movement to me, period. Way to slow; way to many players looking for the perfect play. Move the puck and skate with a little more urgency, and that opportunity will present itself to you more frequently, as opposed to searching for it moving at half speed.

I know you get it.

These same people female doging that Claude Giroux needs to pick up his game against a good defense would be totally happy if the Flyers had Chris Pronger out there shutting world-class players down, because then, miracle of miracles, they'd see what elite defensemen can do
- AllInForFlyers

obviously the rangers top D are doing a nice job. i don't think csp has had to do much of anything to earn 2 wins, certainly not against giroux. he needs more ice and he needs to elevate his play if they're going to win. i don't see a him creating and threatening and being a factor every time he's on the ice but being matched by the opposition. it's just not there from him. yet.

more like being executed at this point.
- PhillaBully

No one out-executes Texas

I know you get it.

These same people female doging that Claude Giroux needs to pick up his game against a good defense would be totally happy if the Flyers had Chris Pronger out there shutting world-class players down, because then, miracle of miracles, they'd see what elite defensemen can do
- AllInForFlyers

Yeah, like Coots on Malkin a few years back... sometimes you just have to give the defenders their due credit.

before yesterday's game i was thinking about the 04 run, and the first thing that came to mind was primeau's dominance and how the flyers could really use a performance like that from someone...anyone. it was glorious to watch.

Of course, but those things are a given in 99% of professionals. They didn't get to where they are by not caring more and working harder and being more innately competitive than all the kids around them.

What AI4F was getting at was that you can choose to look at Giroux's struggles in a vaccuum, or you can step back and see that McD/Girardi/Lundqvist are tying and competing hard themselves, and that might have more to do w/ G struggling than some sudden uncharacteristic absence of competitiveness on G's part.
- Tomahawk

No doubt, nothing can be viewed in a vacuum in team sports. It comes down to whose Will is going to dominate, and whose is going to be subordinate.

G has 2 shots in 3 games, including powerplay time. I don't think anybody would be out on a limb in saying he can play much better than that and some of it is in his head as opposed to being attributable to the Rangers.

That semi-breakaway last night where he could taken a shot but chose instead to pull up and try to dish a pass and everything disintegrated is a good example of G not making it happen as opposed to the Rangers preventing him from doing something.

If this is chess, the Rangers are in G's head; if this is baseball and he's a pitcher, I'm telling everybody he's a little rattled.

Of course, but those things are a given in 99% of professionals. They didn't get to where they are by not caring more and working harder and being more innately competitive than all the kids around them.

What AI4F was getting at was that you can choose to look at Giroux's struggles in a vaccuum, or you can step back and see that McD/Girardi/Lundqvist are trying and competing hard themselves, and that might have more to do w/ G struggling than some sudden uncharacteristic absence of competitiveness on G's part.
- Tomahawk

We also shouldn't ignore that, on just about every shift, Giroux is getting run at, cross checked or slashed repeatedly. A guy like Hartnell is supposed to open up room for Giroux and he's simply not doing that.

To make it worse, they're getting nothing from the second line, at all.

before yesterday's game i was thinking about the 04 run, and the first thing that came to mind was primeau's dominance and how the flyers could really use a performance like that from someone...anyone. it was glorious to watch.
- hammarby31

Cue...MoAT

No one out-executes Texas
- PhillySportsGuy

You know what's funny is that Texas has the most generous compensation for wrongly accused prisoners in the nation. They get like $80k per year for every year they spent behind bars and for the rest of their lives, plus health coverage.

Many blue states don't offer a lick.