As I stated last night, and can be plainly seen here, Amac lost his check last night which led to the goal which tied the game.

That said, it was a fortuitous bounce onto Fehr's stick, but nevertheless, Mac, who originally had Fehr marked sufficiently, spun his body completely around after the shot leaving his man unattended.

I couldn't point to him as the sole reason the goal was scored. Coots and Read were lost on the play as well, caught skating around looking quite confused as to where to be.
- 77rams

There's nothing that can be plainly seen there that shows that MacDonald lost his check.

As the shot is released, MacDonald's stick is pretty much stick on stick, and he directly in front of Fehr. LOL

I simply disagree.. Both were beat wide on several occasions, both were on the ice for both goals, and didnt look anything like a top pairing. Still pre-season, but I hope that pair can get things going again.


Grossmann and Streit looked good though.. I also thought MDZ had a pretty decent game.
- jak521

Agree with all of this. Coburn was alright with possession of puck, but it's almost like MacDonald is coaching Coburn to mimick him in giving up the blue line too easily.

Props to Grossy and Streit. We're finally starting to see flashes of MDZ's offensive instincts, I think. Would be great if he could solidify play in his own zone. That's still suspect.

I think Devils will be better than Canes this year. Canes are a dumpster fire at the moment. J Staal is out, Cam Ward has forgotten how to tend goal (yet still somehow the #1 ahead of Khudobin) and they'll need a bigger year from Falk as their number one d-man. Too many things have to go really right for them not to finish just above Buffalo, IMO
- mcefalu

Cam Ward had that great playoff run in 2006 but has otherwise been in the middle of the pack as a goalie. He's been overrated by many. It could easily be the Canes in that 8th spot.

Lol.... Its god awful watching them as it is out there the last 3 seasons. Let's not pretend our defense is more than it is. Without timonen its even worse.... maybe we can defy the definition of insanity by throwing the same defense out there again and expecting a different result this season.


http://bleacherreport.com...is-and-future-projections
- moylander

So let's throw a lesser defense and players who aren't ready out there, and get a lesser result. Makes sense.

Nice time to try to cut across the crease there, 5. And dominating box out there, 47.

(I'm sure Mase appreciates the triple screen, too.)
- Tomahawk

That really was brutal. Pretty classic Flyers defensive scenario, unfortunately.

"So with a minute to go and our team trapped in our own zone without the puck, you guys want to screen Mase for a little while? Cool."

As I stated last night, and can be plainly seen here, Amac lost his check last night which led to the goal which tied the game.

That said, it was a fortuitous bounce onto Fehr's stick, but nevertheless, Mac, who originally had Fehr marked sufficiently, spun his body completely around after the shot leaving his man unattended.

I couldn't point to him as the sole reason the goal was scored. Coots and Read were lost on the play as well, caught skating around looking quite confused as to where to be.
- 77rams

Couts kept Backstrom to the outside. You can probably say Read could have come down a little further to help Coburn against two guys on the back post, but that would have left the other point man wide open. Amac decided to go for the puck instead of just neutralizing Fehr's stick.

If he neutralizes Fehr's stick, that puck probably makes it's way to Raffl or Couts for a clear.

The team got caught with 4 players on one side of the ice and Coburn tried to react back to his side as fast as he could. Read was the only one on that side. Coburn probably provided a partial screen which left Mason to just make the save and not direct the puck out of play or to the corner.

yip

Bill Meltzer @billmeltzer
Samuel Morin has been reassigned to Rimouski by the Flyers. He will be in the lineup tomorrow vs. Blainville-Boisbriand per Oceanic Twitter.
- BulliesPhan87

Welp....I guess that's all for today. Goodnight, everybody. *waves*

Tracey Myers @TramyersCSN
#Blackhawks add Daniel Carcillo to the training camp roster. Well OK then.

So Hextall stated a prospect would have to push a veteran out to get a spot. I understand the whole better for development but I have to say I think two prospects did exactly what was asked. I worry that Morin might stagnate a little this year. His comments alone state that he gets away with more in juniors because of his stregnth and size. I hope this isn't the case but I also think both did exactly what was asked and don't seem to be rewarded for it.

Couts kept Backstrom to the outside. You can probably say Read could have come down a little further to help Coburn against two guys on the back post, but that would have left the other point man wide open. Amac decided to go for the puck instead of just neutralizing Fehr's stick.

If he neutralizes Fehr's stick, that puck probably makes it's way to Raffl or Couts for a clear.

The team got caught with 4 players on one side of the ice and Coburn tried to react back to his side as fast as he could. Read was the only one on that side. Coburn probably provided a partial screen which left Mason to just make the save and not direct the puck out of play or to the corner.
- PhillySportsGuy

This... AMac drifted over, maybe he thought Coburn was going to chase OV behind the net or something? I have no idea. Either way, that's not how you defend a 6V5 down low.

So let's throw a lesser defense and players who aren't ready out there, and get a lesser result. Makes sense.
- MJL

What's funny is how well those 'unready' young guys played a system defense when kimmo, coby, Grossmann, etc were all out for the season a couple years ago. That was the best defense the flyers played that entire season. Do you not think that can be replicated?

So Hextall stated a prospect would have to push a veteran out to get a spot. I understand the whole better for development but I have to say I think two prospects did exactly what was asked. I worry that Morin might stagnate a little this year. His comments alone state that he gets away with more in juniors because of his stregnth and size. I hope this isn't the case but I also think both did exactly what was asked and don't seem to be rewarded for it.
- J35Bacher

He still need to improve on the offense a little...No better place than the Q to do that.

There's nothing that can be plainly seen there that shows that MacDonald lost his check.
- MJL

Ummmm...OK.

There's nothing that can be plainly seen there that shows that MacDonald lost his check.

As the shot is released, MacDonald's stick is pretty much stick on stick, and he directly in front of Fehr. LOL
- MJL

Spinning in a circle to search for the puck does not convey to me that MacDonald maintained his check.

That being said, all of our d-men are going to have that occur at some point this season. Question will be how frequently that occurs.

This... AMac drifted over, maybe he thought Coburn was going to chase OV behind the net or something? I have no idea. Either way, that's not how you defend a 6V5 down low.
- Tomahawk

MacDonald didn't drift over anywhere. He was directly on his check, directly in between Fehr and the net.

I keep hearing about how much the Isles improved, but I don't get it. They got a backup goalie in Halak to be their starter. They brought a disgruntled player in Grabovski on board. Kulemin seems to get all these great accolades, but I don't think he's anything to write home about. The Penguins having a solid bottom-6 and a better defense is far more worrisome to me.
- jmatchett383

YES YES YES. The Flyers are better than the Isles in every aspect of the game. The Pens defense is weak also. Rangers declined. CBJ improved but they have injuries to overcome. Canes are the Canes. Wash isnt scaring anybody. Flyers squeak in the playoffs again.

Spinning in a circle to search for the puck does not convey to me that MacDonald maintained his check.

That being said, all of our d-men are going to have that occur at some point this season. Question will be how frequently that occurs.
- mcefalu

He was't spinning in a circle, he looked for a rebound, which went right between his legs. It's a bang bang play, and an unlucky bounce.

Tracey Myers @TramyersCSN
#Blackhawks add Daniel Carcillo to the training camp roster. Well OK then.
- BulliesPhan87

Bahahaha....oh man I know too many people who are going to lose it/who already are, I'm sure.

What's funny is how well those 'unready' young guys played a system defense when kimmo, coby, Grossmann, etc were all out for the season a couple years ago. That was the best defense the flyers played that entire season. Do you not think that can be replicated?
- moylander

Again, let's apply some common sense. If it can be replicated, why aren't they doing that? Why didn't they trade Grossmann, save some cap space, and bring up Lauridsen who you say, can replace him?

yip

Bill Meltzer @billmeltzer
Samuel Morin has been reassigned to Rimouski by the Flyers. He will be in the lineup tomorrow vs. Blainville-Boisbriand per Oceanic Twitter.
- BulliesPhan87

sounds like hexy was feeling the pressure of obie18's daily emails.

He was't spinning in a circle, he looked for a rebound, which went right between his legs. It's a bang bang play, and an unlucky bounce.
- MJL

Maybe the section of ice he was standing on detached from the rest of the ice surface and rotated him around. So yes, that is an unlucky bounce (turn?).

MacDonald didn't drift over anywhere. He was directly on his check, directly in between Fehr and the net.
- MJL

He failed to assess that an extra skater had jumped on the ice and it was no longer a 5V5 situation. Read released F4 cutting to the to him and he just blindly stuck w/ Fehr.

He put Coburn in a really tough spot there.

Again, let's apply some common sense. If it can be replicated, why aren't they doing that? Why didn't they trade Grossmann, save some cap space, and bring up Lauridsen who you say, can replace him?
- MJL

Let's play that game:

If the flyers made all the right decisions all the time why do they not have a Stanley Cup in nearly 40 years?

sounds like hexy was feeling the pressure of obie18's daily emails.
- aightwebang17

Maybe the section of ice he was standing on detached from the rest of the ice surface and rotated him around. So yes, that is an unlucky bounce (turn?).
- mcefalu

If you had watched the game, you would have clearly seen MacDonald was a victim of poor luck. What's it like to live life as a fool?