Bill Meltzer: Wrapup: Fluke Goal, Smith Send Flyers to 2-1 Loss in the Desert

POS loss to a POS bottom feeder. 1 point against Jackets and Yotes. If they miss the playoffs, that will be the reason. And the absurd 2-8 shootout record.

Has anyone confirmed what happened to Neuvirth? I find it hard to believe he got injured stretching in warmups.

POS loss to a POS bottom feeder. 1 point against Jackets and Yotes. If they miss the playoffs, that will be the reason. And the absurd 2-8 shootout record.

Has anyone confirmed what happened to Neuvirth? I find it hard to believe he got injured stretching in warmups.
- PLindbergh31

Not getting a point against the Laffs with 7 seconds left in a tied game doesn't help either

Games like this are so frustrating. An absolute circus. Would be nice to see Voracek step up and actually do something out there. Mark Streit looks bad as well. Hopefully Giroux is fine. I swear Haks plays that fourth line more than the first.

Lets look at tonight's NHL scoreboard. 8 games on the board with teams occupying a playoff spot vs. non contenders.

BOS vs. TOR
NYR vs. MON
ANA vs. OTT
NYI vs. CAR
CLB vs. NAS
CHI vs. Cal
EDM vs. LA
PHI vs. ARI

How did these games go?

Games like this are so frustrating. An absolute circus. Would be nice to see Voracek step up and actually do something out there. Mark Streit looks bad as well. Hopefully Giroux is fine. I swear Haks plays that fourth line more than the first.
- Slipperypickle

Voracek's cap hit nearly doubles next year. 10 goals ain't going to cut the mustard. 20 goals and 65+ points minimum to justify contract.

Flyers were the better team through most of the game. I think they could've done a better job generating second and third chances, but after the first they were very good. Headline says it: fluke goal and Mike Smith making some ten bell saves. It's the lazy narrative to say the Flyers sucked to a poopty team.

Bad timing for the unlucky loss, but the Flyers are still well positioned provided G returns. Carchidi said he's OK, but we know how concussions are...I'll believe he's fine come Monday at 7pm.

Voracek's cap hit nearly doubles next year. 10 goals ain't going to cut the mustard. 20 goals and 65+ points minimum to justify contract.
- PLindbergh31

He's on pace for 63 points in this low scoring era even with his and the team's mind bogglingly bad/fluky start and now his foot injury. Tonight was his best game yet. I mean, Christ almighty (apropos), the guy is coming off an injury, let him get up to speed before the hot takes ripping him come out. Like always he's giving 100% out there, even now with only 63% to work with.

He had 33 points in 32 games pre injury I believe btw.

Stop it with the great smith performance. He made 2 excellent saves all night. Simmonds 2 on 1 early and a wraparound in the 3rd. The rest hit him in the midsection or an easy glove save. That's it. Garbage shooting by the flyers. End of story.

He'll get lit up next game.

Edit: he had one other, a left pad save on a rebound in the 3rd. That's it.

Stop it with the great smith performance. He made 2 excellent saves all night. Simmonds 2 on 1 early and a wraparound in the 3rd. The rest hit him in the midsection or an easy glove save. That's it. Garbage shooting by the flyers. End of story.

He'll get lit up next game.
- hammarby31

I wish Voracek had a more lethal shot. He's always got time and space but rarely is able to fire off an accurate rocket

That Giroux hit (push) looked so harmless. Almost looked like he flung himself to draw a penalty. Now they are doing the concussion protocol?
Didn't look bad at all.

That Giroux hit (push) looked so harmless. Almost looked like he flung himself to draw a penalty. Now they are doing the concussion protocol?
Didn't look bad at all.
- Scooby_Doo

He flung himself head first into the boards? Who is he, Buster Keaton?

He flung himself head first into the boards? Who is he, Buster Keaton?
- Mononoke

He didn't go directly in at all. It was on an angle, barely touched the boards. I'm surprised there was even a penalty, looked very innocent.

He didn't go directly in at all. It was on an angle, barely touched the boards. I'm surprised there was even a penalty, looked very innocent.
- Scooby_Doo

Hanzal is 6'6" 230 lbs. A shove from him isn't exactly an ordinary shove. It was on an angle because Giroux was on an angle ready to pass up to the point. Barely touched the boards my derrière. It looked awful, and he just came back from a concussion last month. It was in the danger area around a few feet from the boards, and Hanzal instead of riding him in, extended his arm. It wasn't the dirtiest of hits. Probably not suspension worthy, even though Hanzal has been suspended twice before. Hanzal is a giant and maybe G was not set well for the push...but that was in no way a dive.

https://mobile.twitter.co...13950195621502976/video/1

https://mobile.twitter.co...13950379520749568/video/1

https://mobile.twitter.co...13955243302785024/video/1

I wish Voracek had a more lethal shot. He's always got time and space but rarely is able to fire off an accurate rocket
- wilsonecho91

That would be nice.

They got little traffic. No deflections, no corners picked, no lateral movement (except the 2 I mentioned and he was fortunate on the simmnds shot - sloppy pad stack, shot not elevated). Everything was right into him when he was alread set and waiting.

I want to murder their pp right now.

Highlight of the night: I almost got into the elevator carrying JJ and Saunders after the game.

Yeah, great.

Hanzal is 6'6" 230 lbs. A shove from him isn't exactly an ordinary shove. It was on an angle because Giroux was on an angle ready to pass up to the point. Barely touched the boards my derrière. It looked awful, and he just came back from a concussion last month. Please.

https://mobile.twitter.co...13950195621502976/video/1

https://mobile.twitter.co...13950379520749568/video/1

https://mobile.twitter.co...13955243302785024/video/1
- Mononoke

From an unbiased viewpoint it looked harmless. That's all I'm saying.
He did not go directly into the boards, it was not directly from behind. I'm surprised he was hurt, looked very innocent. Might tell you more about his head injury than you want to know. If he's that easily concussed, his career could be in jeopardy.

From an unbiased viewpoint it looked harmless. That's all I'm saying.
He did not go directly into the boards, it was not directly from behind. I'm surprised he was hurt, looked very innocent. Might tell you more about his head injury than you want to know. If he's that easily concussed, his career could be in jeopardy.
- Scooby_Doo

Looks like he jumps and barely grazes the boards. Seems kinda' divey to me to be honest.

From an unbiased viewpoint it looked harmless. That's all I'm saying.
He did not go directly into the boards, it was not directly from behind. I'm surprised he was hurt, looked very innocent. Might tell you more about his head injury than you want to know. If he's that easily concussed, his career could be in jeopardy.
- Scooby_Doo

Duly noted.

Looks like he jumps and barely grazes the boards. Seems kinda' divey to me to be honest.
- hammarby31

Yep. I've got lots of experience watching players dive...

Yep. I've got lots of experience watching players dive...
- Scooby_Doo

You can clearly see his head snap back on contact. And why would he leave the game with 2.5 min left on a PP? Wouldn't he tell the staff he dove and stay out there at this critical moment? I've never seen a player take a dive by throwing themselves head first into the boards either. If you did that you wouldn't have a brain to concuss.

You can clearly see his head snap back on contact. And why would he leave the game with 2.5 min left on a PP? Wouldn't he tell the staff he dove and stay out there at this critical moment? I've never seen a player take a dive by throwing themselves head first into the boards either. If you did that you wouldn't have a brain to concuss.
- Mononoke

Burrows does it all the time.

Not getting a point against the Laffs with 7 seconds left in a tied game doesn't help either
- wilsonecho91

We've both seen awful games this year. Jfc.

Flyers were the better team through most of the game. I think they could've done a better job generating second and third chances, but after the first they were very good. Headline says it: fluke goal and Mike Smith making some ten bell saves. It's the lazy narrative to say the Flyers sucked to a poopty team.

Bad timing for the unlucky loss, but the Flyers are still well positioned provided G returns. Carchidi said he's OK, but we know how concussions are...I'll believe he's fine come Monday at 7pm.
- Mononoke

I don't understand the 'poop team' narrative when everyone talks about the Yotes. They've taken some big scalps this season so far & have a good mix of youth & experience & their goalie can be elite. No disgrace getting beaten by them (they beat us as well! ), now the Leafs on the other hand. I still think you guys will be playing playoff hockey!

From an unbiased viewpoint it looked harmless. That's all I'm saying.
He did not go directly into the boards, it was not directly from behind. I'm surprised he was hurt, looked very innocent. Might tell you more about his head injury than you want to know. If he's that easily concussed, his career could be in jeopardy.
- Scooby_Doo

From a very unbiased viewpoint, any player that is involved in another players head hitting the boards should be suspended. The Ass grabber did look like he jumped but he had Hanzals momentum hitting him from behind (insert Giroux joke about a male hitting him from behind ), & him going head/shoulder directly into the boards. Now anyone at home can try this, just jump from a static standing position into a door head first & see what damage you can do. Then think about adding some force from a knock from behind & you might find yourself with a nice little headache.

Hanzal didn't need to touch him, he saw how close the boards were & took the opportunity to push Giroux into them. He can say sorry all he wants, but if your girlfriend or wife says sorry about falling onto another man's Richard, are you going to say it's ok?