Flyers are going to need all the help they can get just to get in the playoffs at this point.
- aantny88

Got it..you didn't actually look at the standings you just want to rage.

- While he scored a goal i wasn't fan of Simmonds game last night. Bad cross ice turnover and then on the back check he stops moving his feet and just tries to take two swats at Tavares.
- J35Bacher

He got beat really badly on the Barzal goal, too.

Simmer's never been a great defensive player, so it's hard to hold it against him.

Isles present a lot of matchup problems with their skill. The Flyers just don't have the defensive horses up front and on the blueline to deal with a team that comes in waves right now. Give it a year or two, when some of the trash gets flushed out of the roster, and guys like Laughton and Hagg aren't getting scratched.

Having watch a lot of devil games recently. I can say the difference between the flyers and them is mental toughness.Jersey hasnt played down to anyone.They dig deep and get the job done.Philly is not capable in doing that.Too many bs performances against bad teams they need to beat.Now i dont know if you blame the players or coach.Should be an interesting week.

And last night's performance gives you the confidence that is going to happen?
- aantny88

While I didn't like the whole game the team did battle back to tie the game.

They will get in. Florida has Boston twice and with Boston trying to get the top seed over Tampa I see them winning at least one of those games. The Flyers should be able to get a point in one of the last 2 games.

So in short...Yes. I am confident they get in. I think this team clinches Thursday night

Got it..you didn't actually look at the standings you just want to rage.
- opeth_pa

Rage? Bit of an exaggeration don't you think. Actually, I did look at the standings but thanks anyway. Florida has 3 games left, Flyers have 2. Florida beat arguably the best team in the league last night but the Flyers couldn't beat the Isles.

I would also like to see Simmonds traded.If he can get them a mid 1st i would be all over that.I would like them to do what boston did a couple yrs ago.Getting 3 1st rd picks in 1 draft can do wonders for your depth.

Here is how I see the next 2 games going....

Thursday. Flyers win, Florida loses to Boston.

Saturday. Elliott plays the Rangers, game only matters because of seeding.

While I didn't like the whole game the team did battle back to tie the game.

They will get in. Florida has Boston twice and with Boston trying to get the top seed over Tampa I see them winning at least one of those games. The Flyers should be able to get a point in one of the last 2 games.

So in short...Yes. I am confident they get in. I think this team clinches Thursday night
- J35Bacher

I was shocked they tied it @4 and then super pissed they allowed a goal less than a minute later.

I sure hope they make it, but again with their propensity to mail it in against teams beneath them in the standings and the Canes/Rags with little to play for, I'm not really convinced.

I have no doubt that Simmonds is getting dealt at the draft. Re-signing him, for what it's going to cost, is completely against Hextall's philosophy. He has made it clear, numerous times, that he believes a team is built up the middle (goal, defense, center). There is no way he is going to pay a big bucks to a power forward winger who will be 31 in the first year of any new deal. None.
- BiggE

Agree.

I would like a young nhl vet who could play either on the wing or a 3rd line center role if they don't any young centers ready next season.

I was shocked they tied it @4 and then super pissed they allowed a goal less than a minute later.

I sure hope they make it, but again with their propensity to mail it in against teams beneath them in the standings and the Canes/Rags with little to play for, I'm not really convinced.
- aantny88

They also seem to play their best when their backs are against the wall which is why I expect them to get in. Like a previous poster said, I think the Flyers win Thursday and I also think the Bruins, in a dog fight for 1st in the Atlantic and Eastern conf., beat the Panthers. The Flyers will be officially in tomorrow night.

Agree.

I would like a young nhl vet who could play either on the wing or a 3rd line center role if they don't any young centers ready next season.
- J35Bacher

I thought Mrazek was OK, and not the problem tonight.

Give Tavares that much time and space -- and from one of his favorite shooting areas -- and he's going to score. Didn't think that was soft except for soft coverage. The second Tavares goal was strictly on the guys in front of him. The Barzal one was a sick shot, albeit short side.

Also, when the game was still 2-1 Islanders, it easily could -- even should -- have already been about 4-1 or 5-1.
- bmeltzer

I was vocal about getting Patrick on PP1, I get why Hak waited, Simmonds has earned the respect but down the stretch he should have made that move sooner.

I think they will keep Patrick there. I do think Patrick size and hands help. Patrick has about 15 pounds on Simmonds and his hands are better.

This is a good test for Hak, he should keep Patrick up but he needs to find a way to get Simmonds going.

I don't mind calling out a player who has been bad, but with Simmonds I just wish it wasnt true, but he has been bad.

Rage? Bit of an exaggeration don't you think. Actually, I did look at the standings but thanks anyway. Florida has 3 games left, Flyers have 2. Florida beat arguably the best team in the league last night but the Flyers couldn't beat the Isles.
- aantny88

Flyers magic number is 3. A win and an OTL/SOL in the final 2 would still be sufficient to get into the playoffs regardless of what Florida does. Flyers beat Boston on Sunday, and had points in eight straight (5-0-3) heading into yesterday.

Now, that said, Flyers seem intent on playing themselves into a series against Boston or Tampa, and that's probably not going to be too pretty.

Flyers magic number is 3. A win and an OTL/SOL in the final 2 would still be sufficient to get into the playoffs regardless of what Florida does. Flyers beat Boston on Sunday, and had points in eight straight (5-0-3) heading into yesterday.

Now, that said, Flyers seem intent on playing themselves into a series against Boston or Tampa, and that's probably not going to be too pretty.
- bmeltzer

said that last night, to think they would not lose another game was not realistic, now if they lose to Carolina, bar the doors, there is going to be a hanging.

I get putting Raffle back in, that lead to keeping in Lehtera in over Laughton but why? Islanders are a fast team, Hak, could have used Lethera against Carolina and Staal who seen to play a heavier game???

Flyers magic number is 3. A win and an OTL/SOL in the final 2 would still be sufficient to get into the playoffs regardless of what Florida does. Flyers beat Boston on Sunday, and had points in eight straight (5-0-3) heading into yesterday.

Now, that said, Flyers seem intent on playing themselves into a series against Boston or Tampa, and that's probably not going to be too pretty.
- bmeltzer

I wish I shared your optimism Bill. Unfortunately, even though the Flyers were 5-0-3 prior to last night every team above them/near them in the standings except Tampa and Boston have better records in that same time frame. They're such a Jekyll and Hyde team, that we're never really sure which version is going to show up on any given night.

Agree.

I would like a young nhl vet who could play either on the wing or a 3rd line center role if they don't any young centers ready next season.
- J35Bacher

I think long term they want Frost as the 3C so adding another center might help them next year but beyond creates quite the log jam.

I'm all for taking the best player available but man could they use some legit LW depth.

The decision to put out the fourth line right after tying it up 4-4.

Inexcusable.

Manning and Gudas playing 20min while Sanheim and Mac basically at 15. If that PK was mediocre I could understand it.
- flyer_nutter

MacDonald is a player that you've previously labeled as garbage, now you complain that he didn't play enough.

I really hope Wayne Simmonds is playing through something serious, he looks lost out there. Patrick looks good on the first unit, big Sam if on the team next year will be our enforcer if needed, Wayne is looking more and more expendable. Hopefully he can turn it around.

Went to bed angry, woke up resigned to this team having too much crap on the roster and a coach who while overall has done a good job but fails miserably at having his team focused and ready to play way too often and makes some very puzzling lineup decisions.

sigh
- BiggE

What I want to know from anyone who feels the coach didn't have the team focused and ready to play is how does the way the coaching staff prepares the team differ in games where they play well compared to games where they're flat and play down to a weaker opponent? Does the coach tell them "hey, it's the Islanders, we don't have to play hard or be ready, so just go out and take it easy, we don't want anyone to get hurt". How did the coach prepare them for the 3rd period when they came out and took over the game to tie the score? Did he make a "win one for the Gipper speech? Maybe he showed a clip of a Mike Eurizione inspirational speech?
Why do the players need to be focused by the coaching staff and made ready to play in a situation where a playoff berth and a crucial two points is up for grab? That's what I want to know from anyone who thinks the coach doesn't have them prepared to play.

How many times has this team played down to an inferior opponent this season? Ups and downs of a regular season are expected but it's crunch time. The overall effort especially in the 2nd period was nauseating. Nobody stepped up in that period to turn the tide.
- MJL

It isn't just this season. I am a huge Giroux fan, and I am not saying this is necessarily his fault, but through multiple coaches, this playing down to the opponent issue has been a hallmark of the "Giroux era".

MacDonald is a player that you've previously labeled as garbage, now you complain that he didn't play enough.
- MJL

kind of see AMAC as the tell that the Flyers are ready...

once they can play him 3rd pair with Sanheim and Sanheim getting PP time, the flyers should be ready

MJL just can't help himself from replying to my posts. Once again, I'm just going to assume that he is lauding my astute hockey knowledge. Thanks little buddy!!!

He got beat really badly on the Barzal goal, too.

Simmer's never been a great defensive player, so it's hard to hold it against him.


- Tomahawk

No, it's not hard to hold it against him at all, in fact it's easy. Simmonds makes a lazy cross ice pass at the blueline that a beer leaguer would've picked off and then compounds by making a lazy, gliding, reaching with his stick back check while Taveras skates straight to the net. Tell me what is preventing Simmonds from making a better effort there because that's all it is, is effort. No excuse.

Isles present a lot of matchup problems with their skill. The Flyers just don't have the defensive horses up front and on the blueline to deal with a team that comes in waves right now. Give it a year or two, when some of the trash gets flushed out of the roster, and guys like Laughton and Hagg aren't getting scratched.
- Tomahawk

Sure they do, and more importantly they have the players to be able to take it to them offensively playing against the worst defensive team in the NHL. This game wasn't about matchups, it was about effort level and urgency. They didn't have enough until the 3rd period.

we’re gonna need a SO win in game 82 vs NY again, aren’t we.
- hammarby31