Bill Meltzer: Wrapup: Point Taken, Point Lost in 3-2 Shootout Loss in Columbus

Good point gained with the situation. The call on Read was simply a horrendous call. Unless they think Read purposely did a triple-lindy to conk the goaltender in the head with his knee.

They did well to get the point, after the rough start. The horrific job done by the refs didn't help the flow of the game. Neither did Simmonds being lost for 17 minutes.

The NHL appears-and it's been reported-to want to seriously reduce fighting. If that is the case, they need to do a much better job in calling the games and finding a level of consistency from the DoPS. It's ridiculous that a guy like Dubinsky can blatantly commit a highly dirty play, and the opposing team ends up losing a key player for almost a period's worth of time.

I'm not sure of the specific wording of the rule, but in a case where there's clearly a dirty hit the refs should not call the instigator. I'm fine with calling it after a clean hit, but on a dirty one and player should have the ability to stand up for a mate.

If they really want to basically eliminate fights, hits like the one Dubinsky threw will result in a five and a game. Then players should be able to temper their blood lust knowing that they can get retribution on the scoreboard..

It's really a problem, because if the league won't let a teammate defend their player on the ice, how is the NHL defending the player? Is Dubinsky going to get suspended? I doubt it. The irony of the play, is that Dubinsky is really the instigator of the fight, by making an obvious and deliberate knee hit on Voracek.

Dubinsky should have been ejected from the game. Problem solved.

Over the first two seasons of his NHL career, Read was 5-for-9 in shootouts. However, over the last three seasons, he's gone 1-for-13. Read has not converted a shootout attempt successfully since the 2013-14 season.

They rightly took Couturier out of the shootout line up because he struggled at it, so I don't know why Read is still getting used.

Meanwhile this guy has never been used by the Flyers in a shootout.

https://www.youtube.com/w...tch?v=ZuuTtS59510&t=1m30s

Despite each goalie giving up 2, it definitely felt like a goaltending duel. Korpisalo's robbery of Voracek in the 3rd was nasty.

Not a fan of the suspension rule for 3 instigations. NHL needs to look at it as though you're not getting rid of fighting, but rather getting rid of defending a teamate.

I was really surprised Dubinsky didn't get tossed. That was one of the most blatant knees I've ever seen. Something like that needs to be viewed as intent to injure.

Dubinsky should have been ejected from the game. Problem solved.


- Feanor

That really doesn't solve the problem, because the game misconduct isn't going to be called until the dust settles. That's not going to stop Simmonds from defending his teammate, and having to serve 17 minutes in the box.

I think getting a point after being down 2-0, on the road, is a good thing, and said so last night. But I finally put my finger on what was bothering me last night.

Columbus, under Richards and Tortorella, plays a hard, heavy game. Not the most skilled, but they physically challenge you, forecheck hard, protect the puck. When they are going, they make you have to physically want the puck more than them. You are going to have to take a hit, go hard to the net and stay there, battle on the wall and in the corners.

That is different than, say, Dallas or Tampa or Montreal, who hit you with speed and skill and precision.

So what frustrated me last night wasn't that the Flyers didn't "try hard" -- I think as a whole, the effort level was acceptable.

What frustrated me with a few too many players last night is that I felt Columbus was able to impose their will on a few too many guys who, until Laughton took it upon himself to impose his will on the game, might have been OK with decent effort leading to a shutout.

See, that's a fine line there. Again, I thought the effort level was there. Guys were moving their feet, as a whole, backchecking and so forth. I didn't have an issue with the technical aspects of what the Flyers were doing.

What I am talking is what Laughton did -- when it's a man's game out there, when you are being checked and are gonna get hit and need to win a puck battle on the wall or a 50/50 puck, how bad do you want to get there?

How much do you want to be THE GUY to get that first goal, when a team is being physical and checking the hell out of you, no matter what you do?

I saw that spirit in Laughton last night. Ghost. Raffl, Gudas, Voracek, Simmonds were a few others who I thought showed the willingness to get in there and slog in the hard areas to make something happen against a team that you have to fight against but will give up chances and goals if you do.

That's not enough guys, and two of those guys I mentioned are either rookies or very young in their careers.

So yeah, I am glad they got a point. A road point is always good.

But I was disappointed in some guys last night, no question.

Despite each goalie giving up 2, it definitely felt like a goaltending duel. Korpisalo's robbery of Voracek in the 3rd was nasty.

Not a fan of the suspension rule for 3 instigations. NHL needs to look at it as though you're not getting rid of fighting, but rather getting rid of defending a teamate.
- Pelle31Forever

That's exactly what they want. The NHL wants to handle player discipline instead of the players doing it.

It's possible that Laughton had more spunk in his game last night than some of the other guys since he's staring down the barrel of being demoted.

Despite each goalie giving up 2, it definitely felt like a goaltending duel. Korpisalo's robbery of Voracek in the 3rd was nasty.

Not a fan of the suspension rule for 3 instigations. NHL needs to look at it as though you're not getting rid of fighting, but rather getting rid of defending a teamate.
- Pelle31Forever

I'm just looking at it with as neutral an eye as I can. If you take away, or limit the ability for players to defend themselves and their teammate, then the on ice and supplemental discipline has to get better and much more consistent.

I enjoy fights in hockey, but eliminating them isn't going to make me stop watching. If that's the goal, great. But the league needs to do a much better job of handling the situations that cause fights and be more proactive.

If there is a clear case of a dirty hit, there should be no instigator called. Or if there is simply call it on the guy who threw the dirty hit. Sometimes it seems that refs are more interested in seeing an equal number of PPs at the end of a game than just calling what happens.

It's possible that Laughton had more spunk in his game last night than some of the other guys since he's staring down the barrel of being demoted.
- Feanor

Then every night they should hang a bus ticket to Allentown in his locker.

Dubinsky should have been ejected from the game. Problem solved.



They rightly took Couturier out of the shootout line up because he struggled at it, so I don't know why Read is still getting used.

Meanwhile this guy has never been used by the Flyers in a shootout.

https://www.youtube.com/w...tch?v=ZuuTtS59510&t=1m30s
- Feanor

In just one instance, ejecting Dubinsky doesn't cure it. But if there is a zero tolerance policy from the NHL and it's established that doing that sort of thing will result in a game and five, then Simmonds is less likely to go after him, and honestly, Dubinsky probably doesn't toss out the knee in the first lace.

The NHL is simply attempting to do something that can't be done. There aren't any rules that they can apply to the game, that will remove the emotion and character of players, that will stop them from coming to the aid of a teammate. It will just never happen. Player supplemental discipline will never stop players from cheap shotting other players. In fact, I think players feel they're taking less risk these days in cheap shotting a player.

It's possible that Laughton had more spunk in his game last night than some of the other guys since he's staring down the barrel of being demoted.
- Feanor

I totally understand that, but damn, that was a big goal he scored. A guy who understands that sometimes, you have to be the one to score a goal when things are dire...man. I understand that he is a work in progress and that Hakstol doesn't trust him as much as other players, but the will he showed out there...that is how you win playoff games and series

The instigation rule needs to either go or the refs need to start using some discretion and common sense. Knowing that the entire episode was instigated by Dubinsky's cheap shot, the refs should have made the following calls instead of what they ended up doing:

Dubinsky: 2 for kneeing, 5 for fighting
Simmonds: 2 for roughing, 5 for fighting

If the league won't get it's collective head out of their collective ass, then the NHL refs need to show some backbone and stop penalizing players for defending teammates in those type of situations.

In just one instance, ejecting Dubinsky doesn't cure it. But if there is a zero tolerance policy from the NHL and it's established that doing that sort of thing will result in a game and five, then Simmonds is less likely to go after him, and honestly, Dubinsky probably doesn't toss out the knee in the first lace.
- Jsaquella

You are 100% correct, but the league is so far out in left field on this that they will likely never do the right thing.

I totally understand that, but damn, that was a big goal he scored. A guy who understands that sometimes, you have to be the one to score a goal when things are dire...man. I understand that he is a work in progress and that Hakstol doesn't trust him as much as other players, but the will he showed out there...that is how you win playoff games and series
- AllInForFlyers

Yeah, part of the problem is that there is just not enough talent up front to build 3 effective scoring lines. Laughton with Read is fine, but there is no really good option for the 3rd slot on that line. Umberger is a 4th liner at this point in his career and if you go with Gagner, you are left with a line that is both small and weak defensively.

You are 100% correct, but the league is so far out in left field on this that they will likely never do the right thing.
- BiggE

That's the thing. Unless we see a vast overhaul in consistency and competence in both on and off ice officiation, then the NHL needs to change the way the instigator is called.

Don't call it on the guy who throws the first punch, call it on the action that leads to that punch.

Yeah, part of the problem is that there is just not enough talent up front to build 3 effective scoring lines. Laughton with Read is fine, but there is no really good option for the 3rd slot on that line. Umberger is a 4th liner at this point in his career and if you go with Gagner, you are left with a line that is both small and weak defensively.
- BiggE

It's a shame the guys who are being used as the 3rd line are scoring at half the rate as Laughton and Umberger. A little bit more production out of them would really help.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/...ggregate=1&teamId=4&pos=S

Yeah, part of the problem is that there is just not enough talent up front to build 3 effective scoring lines. Laughton with Read is fine, but there is no really good option for the 3rd slot on that line. Umberger is a 4th liner at this point in his career and if you go with Gagner, you are left with a line that is both small and weak defensively.
- BiggE

I don't want to rip anyone today, as best I can. But I feel last night was the kind of game you have to play in the playoffs, and let's just say I feel less than comfortable with either Umberger or Gagner producing in a game like last night's

And to be fair, it's not just them. Columbus has given the Flyers fits for a few years now because they are imposing their will on them, in my opinion

The NHL is simply attempting to do something that can't be done. There aren't any rules that they can apply to the game, that will remove the emotion and character of players, that will stop them from coming to the aid of a teammate. It will just never happen. Player supplemental discipline will never stop players from cheap shotting other players. In fact, I think players feel they're taking less risk these days in cheap shotting a player.
- MJL

Player safety can beef up their role and start handing out more suspensions and fines. That's really the best way to do it. They finally did it with headshots but they're still way too lenient with everything else.

Don't want players getting suspended too often? Fine. Dock their pay then. Dubinsky shouldn't get paid for a game where he pulls that poop. That will end it real fast.

I don't want to rip anyone today, as best I can. But I feel last night was the kind of game you have to play in the playoffs, and let's just say I feel less than comfortable with either Umberger or Gagner producing in a game like last night's

And to be fair, it's not just them. Columbus has given the Flyers fits for a few years now because they are imposing their will on them, in my opinion
- AllInForFlyers

I don't think there is an easy fix, we are just going to have to be patient. Hopefully Konecny comes into camp next year 5-10 lbs heavier and stronger and makes the club. That would at least give them another skilled player to work with. I'd also like to see B. Schenn moved for a legit top 6 LW. They then could go with:

Raffl-G-Jake
New LW-Couts-Konecny
Read-Laughton-Simmonds

Dubinsky, Tortolla, Davidson...all ex Ranger trash