Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Ersson, Flyers Blank Buffalo, 4-0

Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Ersson, Flyers Blank Buffalo, 4-0
- bmeltzer

Thank you, Bill. Good effort last night, but Ersson had to be perfect.

Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Ersson, Flyers Blank Buffalo, 4-0
- bmeltzer

Thanks Bill!

Playing the same way as last year…

Cates work on the forecheck on the goal is exactly why he should playing at forward in a role as F1 on the forecheck. That is what he is strong at. He's not a center. Doesn't have the puck skills

Risto's skating looked better than I had seen in a while.

Got a fun trivia question for Buzztown this morning. Over the past one and a half seasons, there are only five Flyer forwards out of 16 who have played 350+ ES minutes and conceded fewer than 3 goals against per 60 minutes. Can you name all five?

Cates work on the forecheck on the goal is exactly why he should playing at forward in a role as F1 on the forecheck. That is what he is strong at. He's not a center. Doesn't have the puck skills
- MJL

Yeah, he's played half a season as the team's top center by usage and spent nearly half his ES minutes with Konecny, and only has six primary points to show for it.

Cates-Hayes-Konecny would be a hell of a top line if Torts wasn't so committed to showing he's the boss by making an example of KH.

Thank you, Bill. Good effort last night, but Erson had to be perfect.
- missingmike

He had to be perfect for a shutout. But it was a team win. The Sabres were down 1-0 before Ersson saw his first shot, 2-0 by the time Buffalo put together their first b2b shifts in Philly's zone and 3-0 by the time Buffalo had its 10-12 min surge in the 2nd period.

Now, if Buffalo had scored 2-3 goals in the second period, that third period may have been very different. But, as it was, Buffalo only had 3 high-danger chances (and was soon down, 4-0) for the duration of the third period.

Ersson gets full marks for the shutout and the win but this wasn't a game where Philly got dominated all night and the goalie stole a win. The goalie came huge when he had to a couple times in an otherwise dominating first period for the Flyers. Ersson stood on his head for the majority of the second period. The team, including the goalie, staged a good closeout in the third.

York played 24+ minutes. Is he solidifying a top 4 role? It would appear so. There is a log jam on the left side. York playing the right side I hope is not the long term solution.

York played 24+ minutes. Is he solidifying a top 4 role? It would appear so. There is a log jam on the left side. York playing the right side I hope is not the long term solution.
- Trox88

Provorov is getting moved. He already lost his PP role.

York played 24+ minutes. Is he solidifying a top 4 role? It would appear so. There is a log jam on the left side. York playing the right side I hope is not the long term solution.
- Trox88

York has been playing quite well since his recall. He's also settling in on his off-side.

He had to be perfect for a shutout. But it was a team win. The Sabres were down 1-0 before Ersson saw his first shot, 2-0 by the time Buffalo put together their first b2b shifts in Philly's zone and 3-0 by the time Buffalo had its 10-12 min surge in the 2nd period.

Now, if Buffalo had scored 2-3 goals in the second period, that third period may have been very different. But, as it was, Buffalo only had 3 high-danger chances (and was soon down, 4-0) for the duration of the third period.

Ersson gets full marks for the shutout and the win but this wasn't a game where Philly got dominated all night and the goalie stole a win. The goalie came huge when he had to a couple times in an otherwise dominating first period for the Flyers. Ersson stood on his head for the majority of the second period. The team, including the goalie, staged a good closeout in the third.
- bmeltzer

I didn't see a single second of the TO game but did catch this one. Overall, Ersson played great and the team in front of him did their jobs well capitalizing on the chances they were given. Watching that first period, it was easy to tell that they had come to play hard unlike what I heard about the TO game.

Cates really is beginning to look like he's coming into his own lately. And it seemed like York was on the ice for half the game. Both are earning the trust of the coaching staff these days.

I love this team.

Risto's skating looked better than I had seen in a while.

Got a fun trivia question for Buzztown this morning. Over the past one and a half seasons, there are only five Flyer forwards out of 16 who have played 350+ ES minutes and conceded fewer than 3 goals against per 60 minutes. Can you name all five?
- Feanor

Nick Seeler
Zac MacEwen
Nic DesLaurier
Risto
Bellows.

Provorov is getting moved. He already lost his PP role.
- Feanor

Right now the organizational depth chart of Dmen who can play the left side- Provy, Sanheim, York, Seeler, Zamula, Hogberg, and Andrae. I'm not suggesting all these guys can be regulars in the NHL. I would agree there is potential to trade some of this depth for assets.

Provorov is getting moved. He already lost his PP role.
- Feanor

Well, he might get moved, but I would not read much into his PP deployment. I do not think he was ever fit for that role, and AV and Yeo just tried to jam a square peg into a round hole.

Nick Seeler
Zac MacEwen
Nic DesLaurier
Risto
Bellows.


- hockeylover

Close (part from Risto)! But I said forwards. So the list is:

https://www.naturalstattr...ines=single&draftteam=ALL

MacEwen
Frost
Brassard
Cates
Deslauriers

Bill, when is the next media availability for Fletcher?

I’m looking forward to an update on Couturier as this team gears up for the playoff push.

Well, he might get moved, but I would not read much into his PP deployment. I do not think he was ever fit for that role, and AV and Yeo just tried to jam a square peg into a round hole.
- missingmike

He played PP under Hak and Gordon, as well. So he's been doing it regularly his whole pro career, and if York stays as the PP2 QB this will be the first season Provorov doesn't finish #1 or #2 in PP TOI by a Flyers defenseman since 15-16.

139:04 in 16-17

145:13 in 17-18

127:24 in 18-19

210:45 in 19-20

133:51 in 20-21

176:48 in 21-22

Of all years to have the team play over its head this isn't the year. Torts is squeezing blood out of a stone here but that will only last for awhile . Where is that 10 game losing streak when you need it.

Of all years to have the team play over its head this isn't the year. Torts is squeezing blood out of a stone here but that will only last for awhile . Where is that 10 game losing streak when you need it.
- hfc355

Would be nice if it's the next 10 with games against ANA and CHI coming up. Lot of good teams coming up though with only one stretch of 2 days rest (this week) before the all-star break. Could go something like 2-6-2

He played PP under Hak and Gordon, as well. So he's been doing it regularly his whole pro career, and if York stays as the PP2 QB this will be the first season Provorov doesn't finish #1 or #2 in PP TOI by a Flyers defenseman since 15-16.

139:04 in 16-17

145:13 in 17-18

127:24 in 18-19

210:45 in 19-20

133:51 in 20-21

176:48 in 21-22
- Feanor

Thank you for providing stats. But, he has not fit the mold of the PP QB from the very beginning and it has not been a good idea from a get go.
I love despair.com- just read a description on this "demotivator":
https://despair.com/produ...&_ss=r&variant=2457305795

Flyers up to 25th in the league in scoring. Not great, but they were 32nd in the league for awhile. Goaltending staying at 19th. When we debate about draft positioning, they keep climbimg in team stats the lower the draft pick. I would not be surprised to see them top 20 in offense and top 15 in goaltending. Adjust your draft position expectations accordingly.

Would be nice if it's the next 10 with games against ANA and CHI coming up. Lot of good teams coming up though with only one stretch of 2 days rest (this week) before the all-star break. Could go something like 2-6-2
- TobyFlenderson

Yeah the full tank is on with some of these teams no shot Flyers pick in the top 5 unless get real lucky with ping pong balls. My fear is they fall in that 10-12 spot where your odds of finding a top tier talent is significantly less. They desperately need to develop some elite young talent. I see more teams joining the tank a thon to get in the lottery