According to Carchidi, this will be the 14th line combination for Simmonds.
It would be nice to see the guy play on one stable line. I understand injuries happen. But 14 different combos.
- 3flyerkids

Huh, I didn't realize he could count that high

The Isles can be dangerous off the rush, and if the Flyers give away the zone too easily, it could be a rough night for Mason.

Failed clears are a big concern, too, especially with that particular pair. I don't fault Berube for dressing Grossmann, just not sure I'd have used him with MacDonald.
- Jsaquella

Sadly, there isn't really an ideal pairing for the majority of our defense. And as much as Grossmann has his obvious flaws, Coliacovo has been unwatchable.

The Isles can be dangerous off the rush, and if the Flyers give away the zone too easily, it could be a rough night for Mason.

Failed clears are a big concern, too, especially with that particular pair. I don't fault Berube for dressing Grossmann, just not sure I'd have used him with MacDonald.
- Jsaquella

As long as Isles are kept to the perimeter and the forwards are applying back pressure, I'm not all that worried about carry-ins on routine rushes. What worries me in playing the Isles is failed cleared, turnovers between the bluelines or high in the defensive zone.
- bmeltzer

I agree Bill, defense is a team game. Get some neutral zone pressure and defenseman can challenge at the blueline. Manage the puck well and get it in deep, and defenseman can challenge if the gap is tight, and there is support.

Sadly, there isn't really an ideal pairing for the majority of our defense. And as much as Grossmann has his obvious flaws, Coliacovo has been unwatchable.
- jmatchett383

I think I'd rather watch two hours of cyst popping videos on youtube.

Yeah, they said a couple/few days ago that he had pneumonia in his lung.
- Jsaquella

Yikes. That's not good.

The Isles can be dangerous off the rush, and if the Flyers give away the zone too easily, it could be a rough night for Mason.

Failed clears are a big concern, too, especially with that particular pair. I don't fault Berube for dressing Grossmann, just not sure I'd have used him with MacDonald.
- Jsaquella

8.5 million for our 3rd pair we got this game NMC mortal lock

I think I'd rather watch two hours of cyst popping videos on youtube.
- jak521

The worst part is that such things probably exist. I wont, however, do a search to confirm my theory.

The Isles can be dangerous off the rush, and if the Flyers give away the zone too easily, it could be a rough night for Mason.

Failed clears are a big concern, too, especially with that particular pair. I don't fault Berube for dressing Grossmann, just not sure I'd have used him with MacDonald.
- Jsaquella

Failed clears have not been a big issue for MacDonald. He has a low total of giveaways. Never know how a defense pair is going to mesh, but on paper pairing the physical Grossmann with the puck moving finesse defenseman in MacDonald, seems like a good match.

Pneumonia can really take your energy away.
- jmatchett383

Seriously. I had it when I was 16. I felt like I was a walking dead man for a month and a half. When I could even walk. Lost 20 lbs and missed a month of my senior year of HS.

Seriously. I had it when I was 16. I felt like I was a walking dead man for a month and a half. When I could even walk. Lost 20 lbs and missed a month of my senior year of HS.
- ThirdEye

I didn't have pheumonia, but I had a really bad case of mono. Missed 2 weeks of my senior year of college and lost 14 pounds (I weighed about 125 lb at the time). I had trouble even breathing. I have a feeling pneumonia is worse.

Failed clears have not been a big issue for MacDonald. He has a low total of giveaways. Never know how a defense pair is going to mesh, but on paper pairing the physical Grossmann with the puck moving finesse defenseman in MacDonald, seems like a good match.
- MJL

It does seem like a good match on paper. But as JSaq said, there is that worry that they will allow easy zone access, and unless the forwards are backchecking that could be a problem.

Hopefully the players and Berube can limit this by being aggressive at the blue line when necessary and also getting them out there on defensive zone faceoffs. They both defend very well while IN the zone.

I didn't have pheumonia, but I had a really bad case of mono. Missed 2 weeks of my senior year of college and lost 14 pounds (I weighed about 125 lb at the time). I had trouble even breathing. I have a feeling pneumonia is worse.
- jmatchett383

Pneumonia sucks. Imagine feeling like you are slowly drowning in your own lung fluid.

Pneumonia sucks. Imagine feeling like you are slowly drowning in your own lung fluid.
- MBFlyerfan

Yeah, no thanks.

It does seem like a good match on paper. But as JSaq said, there is that worry that they will allow easy zone access, and unless the forwards are backchecking that could be a problem.

Hopefully the players and Berube can limit this by being aggressive at the blue line when necessary and also getting them out there on defensive zone faceoffs. They both defend very well while IN the zone.
- MBFlyerfan

I don't have that worry with that pair. Both are solid. Defenseman are often blamed for "easy" zone access when they don't have much choice.

I didn't have pheumonia, but I had a really bad case of mono. Missed 2 weeks of my senior year of college and lost 14 pounds (I weighed about 125 lb at the time). I had trouble even breathing. I have a feeling pneumonia is worse.
- jmatchett383

It was basically the worst cold you could imagine + a constant fever, joint weakness, muscle soreness, pain when breathing and dizziness... and according to my doctor I had "walking pneumonia."

ummm..question here. Whats going to happen when we have coby and kimmo back ? I mean def getting coby back but kimmo is the question. Who is going ?L Schenn to me has played himself into non scrath right now and along with del soto. Need to make a move soon I think.

Flyers sure have been catching a lot of slumping teams lately

Expecting the Isles to come out full of piss and vinegar. Interested to see how Grossmann does. His size and physicality might be needed, but I worry about him with MacDonald as a pair in terms of allowing the Isles to enter the zone with speed. Those two are a good containment pair, but both are prone to yielding carry-ins. That could be really beneficial to the Isles.
- Jsaquella

Colaiacovo was prone to letting guys get behind him for breakaways, like Grabner did for the first goal last time we played them.

Hopefully Grossmann-MacDonald will play as well as they did in the first game against Pittsburgh, when they were actually used as the 1st pairing.

"THIS COMMITTEE OWES AN APOLOGY, SENATOR!"

http://www.broadstreethoc...hiladelphia-flyers-goalie

I give this guy credit for writing this article, because at least someone has finally admitted they were wrong on Steve Mason.

The one thing he DIDN'T do in the article, which was disappointing, was that he didn't embrace the notion that past performance (especially captured in statistics) does not necessarily predict the future (any Wall Street quant worth his/her salt knows this). Goaltending is volatile to begin with (he does acknowledge this), but to simply rely on past numbers accumulated without context applied to them shows a basic misunderstanding of how to use data.

After a 4 day break, I expect this team to come out Flying....after about the 15 minute mark of the first period. Before that? Who knows.
- MBFlyerfan

accurate

Thanks Bill. When Raffl returns, who is the odd man out? Scotty L was playing well before his injury, but I can see him as that guy. Sounds like Raffl is on his way back from the reports on his recovery, so that is a good thing, but I have really liked Scotty L's play this season.
Somebody better start picking on Clutterbutt this game. I hope that Mr. White steps up to the plate, and shuts him down. He kicked our butt pretty good last time. However, when it comes to Martin, we really don't have an answer. I guess when Martin's contract is up, we will sign him for millions, and for many years; see Jody Shelly...lol.
I am crossing my fingers tonight, but if things get bad, the "clicker" is in my hands.

After a 4 day break, I expect this team to come out Flying....after about the 15 minute mark of the first period. Before that? Who knows.
- MBFlyerfan

I believe that is called 'taxiing'. We've seen it too many times before takeoff.

I believe that is called 'taxiing'. We've seen it too many times before takeoff.
- tangent_man

Yes. I think we have a new term for this team.

Q>Why aren't they ready to play?! Why did it take them half a period to get in to the game?!

A>They were taxiing.

"THIS COMMITTEE OWES AN APOLOGY, SENATOR!"

http://www.broadstreethoc...hiladelphia-flyers-goalie

I give this guy credit for writing this article, because at least someone has finally admitted they were wrong on Steve Mason.

The one thing he DIDN'T do in the article, which was disappointing, was that he didn't embrace the notion that past performance (especially captured in statistics) does not necessarily predict the future (any Wall Street quant worth his/her salt knows this). Goaltending is volatile to begin with (he does acknowledge this), but to simply rely on past numbers accumulated without context applied to them shows a basic misunderstanding of how to use data.
- johndewar

Additionally, Mason's "struggle years" were at an age when many guys who eventually go on to be high-caliber NHL goalies are not even in the NHL yet or, if they are, are being slowly groomed into a starting role.

The worst thing that ever happened to Mason was coming to the NHL at age 20 and playing over his head to win the Calder. In reality, he was not mature yet as either a goalie or a person to handle the inevitable adversity.

It also didn't help a bit that the Blue Jackets were generally a bad team on the whole in those years.