Guess that Mark Howe was a total bum then.

Also, not sure what a game last week has to do with winning the Cup.
- jmatchett383

the winners write history

As our good friend in Hespeler pointed out the other day, Berube put Lecavalier on the ice for the 4-on-3 in OT instead of the more creative and much more mobile Voracek. The shootout choices he made also were head-scratch-worthy. While I agree that Berube is not at root for the team's troubles (that would be poor trades, poor (re-)signings, & injuries up to three years ago to defensemen counted on being here this year), but he's not helping. A team that cannot hold a three-goal third-period lead is an ill-prepared team.
- Flyskippy

In a 4 on 3 situation, I want Lecavalier out there for his ability to one time the puck. They have Giroux and Streit already out there. They don't need more mobility and creativity. I always want Lecavalier out there in a situation like that.
Any thought that the Coach gets to watch the players practice the shootout, and he went with who was looking the best? Is that a possibility?

the winners write history
- 2Real

You need to get familiar with this whole "relevance" thing.

You need to get familiar with this whole "relevance" thing.
- jmatchett383

sorry how is mark howe relevant to the flyers winning the cup?

our loss agains the habs is purely on the forwards not even coburn would have saved us there
- 2Real

thats fine. i think i saw what, two weeks or so he should be out for? without looking at the schedule, i think that gives them at least what? 6 or 7 games?

i think you guys have one coming up on thursday in which his absence might be felt.

sorry how is mark howe relevant to the flyers winning the cup?
- 2Real

You said good play doesn't mean jack if you don't win the Cup (no clue where the hell that came from). So I listed a player who universally was regarded as pretty good, but never won a Cup. So I guess to you, based on that, Mark Howe sucked.

You need to get familiar with this whole "relevance" thing.
- jmatchett383

no. no you dont. it is an evil evil concept. (frank) the Federal rules of Evidence.

You said good play doesn't mean jack if you don't win the Cup (no clue where the hell that came from). So I listed a player who universally was regarded as pretty good, but never won a Cup. So I guess to you, based on that, Mark Howe sucked.
- jmatchett383

joe thornton hasn't won a cup he's freaking bum until he does

In a 4 on 3 situation, I want Lecavalier out there for his ability to one time the puck. They have Giroux and Streit already out there. They don't need more mobility and creativity. I always want Lecavalier out there in a situation like that.
Any thought that the Coach gets to watch the players practice the shootout, and he went with who was looking the best? Is that a possibility?
- MJL

Agreed completely.

the whole "60 minute game" complaint has always been infuriating

no team does this
- Crimsoninja

I think there are teams that do. And sometimes both teams in the game are playing with max effort. And sometimes one team will carry play for parts of the game. In the Flyers Habs game, you have to expect that Montreal is going to make a push. So you have to be ready for that.

Teams have a handful a games where they play 60 minutes of good hockey. When the Flyers get outplayed for a period, they seem to really get outplayed though.

This team doesn't lack effort or character; they lack talent. Chris Pronger's talent would have helped a lot more than his leadership against Montreal
- PhillySportsGuy

That 3rd period had zero to do with talent. The Flyers didn't have Chris Pronger in the 2nd period or the first. Yet the Flyers were clearly the better team after two periods.

joe thornton hasn't won a cup he's freaking bum until he does
- 2Real

Therein lies my quarrel with you, sir. Joe Thornton's yet to win a Stanley Cup (despite winning various international championships, which seem to mean nothing). But by your logic, that falls 100% on Joe Thornton or, in the Flyers' case, Braydon Coburn. Is Kimmo Timonen a bum as well? How about Marcel Dionne?

That 3rd period had zero to do with talent. The Flyers didn't have Chris Pronger in the 2nd period or the first. Yet the Flyers were clearly the better team after two periods.
- MJL

The one thing that a player like Pronger excelled at was to stabilize the play. If things were getting out of hand, he seemed to have a way of slowing things down on the ice, and helping to stem the tide so to speak. That is how a player like him could have helped in the 3rd.

The one thing that a player like Pronger excelled at was to stabilize the play. If things were getting out of hand, he seemed to have a way of slowing things down on the ice, and helping to stem the tide so to speak. That is how a player like him could have helped in the 3rd.
- jmatchett383

this is the one Pronger trait im hoping for Morin to develop. Obviously he'll never be the offensive force pronger was, but if he can effect the tempo of a game i'll be happy.

Therein lies my quarrel with you, sir. Joe Thornton's yet to win a Stanley Cup (despite winning various international championships, which seem to mean nothing). But by your logic, that falls 100% on Joe Thornton or, in the Flyers' case, Braydon Coburn. Is Kimmo Timonen a bum as well? How about Marcel Dionne?
- jmatchett383

sans coburn, a whole lot more minutes against getzlaf and perry are going to have to be taken on by someone that youd probably rather prefer didnt.

i guess you can make the argument that youd rather coburn didnt take them on either, but hes a hell of a lot more equipped to handle it than whoever will be.

I think there are teams that do. And sometimes both teams in the game are playing with max effort. And sometimes one team will carry play for parts of the game. In the Flyers Habs game, you have to expect that Montreal is going to make a push. So you have to be ready for that.
- MJL

Every game we've played so far was a winable game. I'm frustrated with this team not because of the lack of effort because I have no problem with them taking a breath but don't stop playing completely. I felt like they did.

The one thing that a player like Pronger excelled at was to stabilize the play. If things were getting out of hand, he seemed to have a way of slowing things down on the ice, and helping to stem the tide so to speak. That is how a player like him could have helped in the 3rd.
- jmatchett383

Forsberg was great at this too.

Forsberg was great at this too.
- SuperSchennBros

He was, but at the other end. Instead of running and gunning and one-and-dones like the Flyers were doing whenever they got the puck, he could get the puck in the offensive zone and actually settle the offense down. He was able to stop the whole hot potato effect.

Okay, that's enough hockey idioms for one post.

The one thing that a player like Pronger excelled at was to stabilize the play. If things were getting out of hand, he seemed to have a way of slowing things down on the ice, and helping to stem the tide so to speak. That is how a player like him could have helped in the 3rd.
- jmatchett383

Sure he could help in that situation, with his leadership. But don't tell me it's a talent issue when they whipped the Habs asses for two periods, and then stop playing in the 3rd. The same level of talent was the better team for 2 periods. The 3rd period was not a talent issue.

Every game we've played so far was a winable game. I'm frustrated with this team not because of the lack of effort because I have no problem with them taking a breath but don't stop playing completely. I felt like they did.
- SuperSchennBros

The Devils game was just mistakes made. I can tolerate that for a short period of time, as it's some that can be fixed. But I can't tolerate efforts like the 3rd period of the last game. That was standing around and looking a deer in headlights. I'm tired of seeing that kind of crap.

The Devils game was just mistakes made. I can tolerate that for a short period of time, as it's some that can be fixed. But I can't tolerate efforts like the 3rd period of the last game. That was standing around and looking a deer in headlights. I'm tired of seeing that kind of crap.
- MJL

how do you fix it?

I have bad news. Buffalo is really bad; we are going to have to get much worse to have a shot a MacDavid.

how do you fix it?
- stayinthefnnet

I wish I knew. I can't even definitively know what causes a team to just stop playing when they have the game won, let alone fix it.

I wish I knew. I can't even definitively know what causes a team to just stop playing when they have the game won, let alone fix it.
- MJL

fair enough.

The Devils game was just mistakes made. I can tolerate that for a short period of time, as it's some that can be fixed. But I can't tolerate efforts like the 3rd period of the last game. That was standing around and looking a deer in headlights. I'm tired of seeing that kind of crap.
- MJL

That Montreal game was so fun to watch until the 3rd...