Bill Meltzer: Flyers ECSF Gameday: Game 4 vs. NYI (8/30/20)

Bill Meltzer: Flyers ECSF Gameday: Game 4 vs. NYI (8/30/20)
- bmeltzer

Maybe G will take himself off of the milk carton and play?

The islanders are better I don’t see the flyers winning another game. The flyers don’t look like they want to be there.
An inspired team doesn’t play so poorly as the flyers have for much of the actual playoffs.
Maybe they still don’t win the series but I expected them to be more competitive

These guys are getting caved in almost every shift and by the time they get it out of the dzone it’s time for a line change.

Braun has to come out. Why can’t Grant come out and put Raffl in.

The flyers are not getting a sniff of offensive from their top guys.

Barzal’s Line is just dominating the flyers.

If AV can’t get Couturier’s line out against them it’s trouble.

Couturier May have to be relegated to shutting down Barzal and AV might have to try Giroux at center with Jake and JVR.
Maybe play Coits with Raffl and Laughton.

IDK but something has to change.

It’s very hard to see the Flyers coming back in this series for all of the following:

Couts and G have been pretty much invisible and I’m already dreading whatever surgery Couts is going to need once this is over.

Konecny is letting frustration get to him and it’s affecting every aspect of his game.

With the top 2 lines struggling and the 4th a trainwreck, asking L3 to carry the team is just asking too much.

Braun/Hagg are getting caved in every shift, I find it hard to believe the coaches can’t see this.

What I’d do:

Move NAK up with Hayes and Farabee for at least the 1st period, TK can take some shifts on the 4th line.

Speaking of the 4th line, you just cannot run out a line with both Thompson and Grant being 2/3 of it and expect good things. You need offense, so try something different. Sit Thompson and give Bunny or Frost a shot. Just having fresh legs tonight could help

For gods sake, change the 3rd pair. Braun is just bad right now and he’s not part of the future so sit him and dress Ghost. The pk will be fine without him. Also give Ghost some O zone starts with Provy and a look on the top pp unit. Provy is clearly struggling on the pp right now.

I know coaches don’t like to leave their comfort zones, but they need to shake things up. It’s not working.

G has no interest in being in this bubble. Its been obvious since it started. How any of these guys can get motivated playing in front of nobody is beyond me. I can barely watch it. Im sure if this was in normal circumstances the flyers take this series.

G has no interest in being in this bubble. Its been obvious since it started. How any of these guys can get motivated playing in front of nobody is beyond me. I can barely watch it. Im sure if this was in normal circumstances the flyers take this series.
- flyeredup85

I don’t think it’s a motivation thing. I think he’s just lost a step. He’s not the same player anymore. And we have the most predictable power play in the world which isn’t helping him either.

G has no interest in being in this bubble. Its been obvious since it started. How any of these guys can get motivated playing in front of nobody is beyond me. I can barely watch it. Im sure if this was in normal circumstances the flyers take this series.
- flyeredup85

How can you say under normal circumstances they take this series when they didn’t beat the isles in normal circumstances earlier in the year.

Not surprising that the two players with newborns are the two who have underperformed.

Would you sacrifice 3 months with child during their first year for a hockey players salary?

Not surprising that the two players with newborns are the two who have underperformed.

Would you sacrifice 3 months with child during their first year for a hockey players salary?
- Shrike

Three when you include JVR.

And I wouldn't have sacrificed that time for any amount of money. My daughters first six months were the most amazing thing I ever experienced as a parent.

G has no interest in being in this bubble. Its been obvious since it started. How any of these guys can get motivated playing in front of nobody is beyond me. I can barely watch it. Im sure if this was in normal circumstances the flyers take this series.
- flyeredup85

Ummmmmm, no offense, but when was the last time Giroux had a dominant performance in a playoff game. If my memory serves me correctly that would be the 2012 series against the Pens. Stop looking for excuses for him. He just doesn't get it done come playoff time and this current setting has nothing to do with that.

I never liked this matchup. Isles make you work for everything and we don't respond in games like that. Heavy forecheck. Physical team. No push back from us. We have no one that can score? TK getting a taste of playoff hockey. We needed him to help out a little bit.

I don't have answers but look forward to another year of experience. Our best shot is when G is a role player, not leaned on to carry us. It's obvious he can't carry a team.

Thanks Bill! I m gonna call it as I see it. The Islanders have been the better team. The Flyers have been too predictable, especially the PP setup and their PK has suffered in this series. I know I state the obvious by saying our Best players have to show up to give us a shot but I don’t see G having a breakthrough game or TK because the NYI keep those guys to the perimeter and those guys haven’t consistently gotten to the “greasy areas” as AV likes to say. I don’t see players driving the net when the puck carrier crosses the blue line. Therefore, Varlomov is making easy saves. Also, did anyone else hear Anson Carter in the postgame last night?! His quote “ Varlomov stood on his head tonight” was a head scratcher. Was he watching the same game? Let’s Go Flyers!

Not surprising that the two players with newborns are the two who have underperformed.

Would you sacrifice 3 months with child during their first year for a hockey players salary?
- Shrike

Can’t we stop it with the newborn poop? That’s some WIP level bullpoop.

Is it that hard to admit that G just isn’t the same player anymore?

I never liked this matchup. Isles make you work for everything and we don't respond in games like that. Heavy forecheck. Physical team. No push back from us. We have no one that can score? TK getting a taste of playoff hockey. We needed him to help out a little bit.

I don't have answers but look forward to another year of experience. Our best shot is when G is a role player, not leaned on to carry us. It's obvious he can't carry a team.
- cdearth23

Help out a little ? He was an allstar and led the team in points this year, he needed to be one of the people driving the bus

Can’t we stop it with the newborn poop? That’s some WIP level bullpoop.

Is it that hard to admit that G just isn’t the same player anymore?
- hereticpride

Fine, but how do you explain Couturier being so bad?

Fine, but how do you explain Couturier being so bad?
- jmatchett383

Probably an injury or the simple fact he’s not an offensive powerhouse to begin with.

Do you really think they’re on the bench with their head in the clouds during games? That’s ridiculous.

Probably an injury or the simple fact he’s not an offensive powerhouse to begin with.

Do you really think they’re on the bench with their head in the clouds during games? That’s ridiculous.
- hereticpride

There may be some injuries. Coots normally plays much better than this. Teeks is lost and without those two scoring it’s bad news. If they can muster an effort today and get a win, then it’ll prob still be a 7 game series. Lose today and it’s over obviously. They’ve lost 7 of ten periods in my estimation. Not gonna get it done. There needs to be some desperation.

Three when you include JVR.

And I wouldn't have sacrificed that time for any amount of money. My daughters first six months were the most amazing thing I ever experienced as a parent.
- MBFlyerfan

I don’t blame you but one year of Giroux salary allows your child an amazing life. I would feel obligated that the whim of the great magnet chose me to be given that sum of money.

Probably an injury or the simple fact he’s not an offensive powerhouse to begin with.

Do you really think they’re on the bench with their head in the clouds during games? That’s ridiculous.
- hereticpride

He is, however, a forechecking powerhouse and that hasn't been there except sporadically.

after watching these games they just seem more winnable than the games against MTL.

The more money you're given (or make), the less it matters to you overall. As someone who was paid a lot of money to do a regular job (not the military) and be away from family for many months I can honestly tell you that the more time it goes on, the less interested you are in being the absolute best. And in a league where you need to be the best of the best, that little edge may mean the difference between winning and losing

The more money you're given (or make), the less it matters to you overall. As someone who was paid a lot of money to do a regular job (not the military) and be away from family for many months I can honestly tell you that the more time it goes on, the less interested you are in being the absolute best. And in a league where you need to be the best of the best, that little edge may mean the difference between winning and losing
- atibus

And that would mean something if the other teams weren’t all in the same boat.

These guys simply aren’t as good as we want them to be. G has never been a huge playoff performer offensively. At least not in the last 7 years. Neither has Coots.

The team needs upgrades up front, not excuses.

And that would mean something if the other teams weren’t all in the same boat.

These guys simply aren’t as good as we want them to be. G has never been a huge playoff performer offensively. At least not in the last 7 years. Neither has Coots.

The team needs upgrades up front, not excuses.
- hereticpride

Say what you want about G, but in the only prior playoff series played in Couturier’s prime, he had 5 goals and 9 points in only 5 games. I’d be shocked if Couts isn’t playing through an injury right now.

Say what you want about G, but in the only prior playoff series played in Couturier’s prime, he had 5 goals and 9 points in only 5 games. I’d be shocked if Couts isn’t playing through an injury right now.
- BiggE

Yeah, he may very well be injured. That’s something you can definitely speculate about. Diving into these guy’s personal lives to make excuses just seems like a reach to me.

I do really think we need to make an upgrade or two in the top 6 however. Our forwards just aren’t on par with the better teams in this league.

Can’t we stop it with the newborn poop? That’s some WIP level bullpoop.

Is it that hard to admit that G just isn’t the same player anymore?
- hereticpride

I agree. I’m sure players don’t like being away from their families, but how much can it really be affecting them during that one hour that they are on the ice?