Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday 2/13/16 vs. NJ

Well, here begins the stretch that will make or break us at the deadline. I hate both teams coming up and hate losing to them, but the term gain might be worth it. We wont trade youth/picks for a playoff push and probably get a high pick this year as well and gain picks/youth via sell off of vets.

Great write up Bill ! Important game for both clubs should be a fun game to watch even if the score is only 2-1.

So Hex gets rid of ale availed, good job. When's he gonna get off his ass and improve the team? This Carolina Hurricanes rebuild model is long, boring, and doesn't really pay off.

Can't come away with 1 point like last weekend. 3-4 is needed, worst case scenario I can live with a split.

Gudas is lucky.

Someone needs to find out if he received a stupid pill for Christmas.

If you can't time a hip check, you shouldn't be trying to follow through on them. Think what you may about Foligno, but he was justified in going after Gudas. The play was not significantly different from the one where he, justifiably, received the match penalty. Both players are lucky to have not been injured seriously.

The second hit was predatory regardless of the player's body position. He was being guarded physically by another player in open ice. If the puck had not already been knocked away, the hockey play for Gudas would have been to knock the puck away. As stated before, even if the Sabre was upright, Gudas' intent was to knock the guy into tomorrow. Scott Stevens had a Hall of Fame career of making 'clean' hits where the sole intent of the hit was to separate a player's body from their head and not the puck. What is that phrase in the definition of a match penalty? Oh, yeah...'intent to injure.'

Yes, a player needs to be aware of his surroundings. However, I think that should apply to both players. Had a Flyer been on the receiving end of either of those plays, we'd be screaming about the dirty hit. The game is too fast now and the players so large that they need to respect each other a bit more and try to avoid these reckless hits. It is not like every player on the Flyers is doing this crap. Just Gudas. It is clearly avoidable.

Oh, I hope Tanner Glass plays tomorrow, takes a bunch of stupid penalties and is a -4. Too bad McDonagh has a glass head. Effectively, Simmonds gave him an unintentionally well placed face-rub. Those types of scrums (not the cross-check to the head part) happen almost every game.

[quote=GeorgeBailey]

I dont think Gudas did anything wrong on either hit in question. I really dont think he expected the sabres player to have to dig for a puck with his head down. He was already commit by the point on the hit. He missed foligno because he tried avoiding the hit leaving him exposed to be clipped. Thats how I saw it and so did the refs.

[quote=GeorgeBailey]

"As stated before, even if the Sabre was upright, Gudas' intent was to knock the guy into tomorrow. Scott Stevens had a Hall of Fame career of making 'clean' hits where the sole intent of the hit was to separate a player's body from their head and not the puck."

The rules/ game has changed. 15 years ago if Gudas makes any of the hits he's gotten recent attention for no one bats an eye.

"As stated before, even if the Sabre was upright, Gudas' intent was to knock the guy into tomorrow. Scott Stevens had a Hall of Fame career of making 'clean' hits where the sole intent of the hit was to separate a player's body from their head and not the puck."

The rules/ game has changed. 15 years ago if Gudas makes any of the hits he's gotten recent attention for no one bats an eye.
- smellmyfinger

Yeah, citing Stevens in regards to today's game is kind of ridiculous.

Not trying to be negative but I don't see one of the Bolts, Bruins, or Pens falling out of a playoff spot.
Let the kids play, I want to see Morin Leier and Straka sometime before year's end
Hopefully get some lottery luck
Don't want tanking Leafs to win it. God I hate that team
Sell sell sell .. Hexy
(Frank)Umberger

Not trying to be negative but I don't see one of the Bolts, Bruins, or Pens falling out of a playoff spot.
Let the kids play, I want to see Morin Leier and Straka sometime before year's end
Hopefully get some lottery luck
Don't want tanking Leafs to win it. God I hate that team
Sell sell sell .. Hexy
(Frank)Umberger
- 3flyerkids

I don't want the leafs to win it either, I also hate that team lol

I don't want the leafs to win it either, I also hate that team lol
- blizzzard

I also hope Stamkos does not go there. Whole city is convinced he is coming.
They are in major tank mode and will sell anything they have come the 29th.
Seems they are banking on a possible Stamkos Matthews pair going into next season.
Their AHL team is almost as good as them

wow


http://www2.tsn.ca/bardow...s+stunning+goal&id=572725

Marner goal was pretty good eh!!

Not trying to be negative but I don't see one of the Bolts, Bruins, or Pens falling out of a playoff spot.
Let the kids play, I want to see Morin Leier and Straka sometime before year's end
Hopefully get some lottery luck
Don't want tanking Leafs to win it. God I hate that team
Sell sell sell .. Hexy
(Frank)Umberger
- 3flyerkids

wow


http://www2.tsn.ca/bardow...s+stunning+goal&id=572725
- MBFlyerfan

Holy poop!

I'm confused about the sudden dislike for Gudas. All year imo he's exceeded expectations. And I don't understand the hate for his hip checks. Gudas was taking guys out, cleanly that is, with great hip checks throughout most the year. I agree his play has become more aggressive and worrisome but I think people are getting carried away. Especially fans and Foligno calling him an idiot or dirty player.

I also hope Stamkos does not go there. Whole city is convinced he is coming.
They are in major tank mode and will sell anything they have come the 29th.
Seems they are banking on a possible Stamkos Matthews pair going into next season.
Their AHL team is almost as good as them
- 3flyerkids

Just wait until Edmonton wins the lotto again. Leafs fans will burn down the league office.

Just wait until Edmonton wins the lotto again. Leafs fans will burn down the league office.
- smellmyfinger

They probably would but I think the Oilers will finish respectively with McDavid in the lineup. The Leafs are going full tank mode just as those ( frank)ing Pens of the old days. God I hate them too!!!

Marner goal was pretty good eh!!
- landros 2

sick

wow


http://www2.tsn.ca/bardow...s+stunning+goal&id=572725
- MBFlyerfan

They probably would but I think the Oilers will finish respectively with McDavid in the lineup. The Leafs are going full tank mode just as those ( frank)ing Pens of the old days. God I hate them too!!!
- 3flyerkids

I don't always agree with Flyer fans, but I certainly share this sentiment.

Yeah, citing Stevens in regards to today's game is kind of ridiculous.
- hereticpride

I wanted to include Smellmyfinger's statement, too.

I realize the 'rules/game' have changed, particularly with regard to head shots and the size and speed of the players. I say as much in my subsequent paragraph of my original post. I have been going to or watching games since 1970.

My point in citing Stevens, other than hating him almost as much as Dale Hunter (the anti-christ), was that what he did SHOULD have been penalized under the definition of a match penalty. I thought so at the time (I was at game 7 in 2000) and still do. The famous Stevens' hits (Lindros, Kariya, et al) were delivered with the sole intent to knock the victim out of the game and usually were done so successfully. Just because the referees at the time we're unwilling to call match penalties does not change the fact that they did, indeed, qualify as match penalties.

I wasn't trying to use a flux capacitor to transport Gudas back in time nor bring Stevens forward to today's game. No ridiculousness to see here.

I don't always agree with Flyer fans, but I certainly share this sentiment.
- smellmyfinger

I wanted to include Smellmyfinger's statement, too.

I wasn't trying to use a flux capacitor to transport Gudas back in time nor bring Stevens forward to today's game. No ridiculousness to see here.
- GeorgeBailey

Of course not. He isn't a McFLY-er