Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Flyers Rescue a Point, Fall 3-2 in OT to Maple Leafs

Win out. Just win baby. Stranger things have happened.

Good goal in OT. There would have been no contact of any kind of manning hadnt shoved the leaf towards Mason

Will Hak keep Schenn on coots line? Needs to happen.

The ginger boys have been coming up small here of late. Going to be tough to make it in now

Good goal in OT. There would have been no contact of any kind of manning hadnt shoved the leaf towards Mason

Will Hak keep Schenn on coots line? Needs to happen.

The ginger boys have been coming up small here of late. Going to be tough to make it in now
- Just5

Laich lingered in the crease far longer than he had to -- made no effort to vacate his position -- and the jumped up to further inhibit Mason's ability to make a save.

Laich lingered in the crease far longer than he had to -- made no effort to vacate his position -- and the jumped up to further inhibit Mason's ability to make a save.
- bmeltzer

its still seems sour grapes to me that your making this kind of excuse just saying

They are not gonna make this easy, are they...?

its still seems sour grapes to me that your making this kind of excuse just saying
- lplafrance

Flyers lost a would-be buzzer-beating goal in Detroit back in January when a goal was disallowed for Simmonds doing almost the exact same thing Laich did. Virtual carbon copy. Flyers won that one via SO but that hurt them in tiebreaker and also enabled Detroit to earn one point.

So, yes, it's a bitter pill to have this one count. Detroit is one point ahead of the Flyers.

To the person who posted and deleted "There is no crease rule anymore", that is incorrect. I quoted the relevant section in the blog. If an attacking player is in the crease and serves to obscure the goalie's vision (jumping up) or otherwise inhibit him from moving around his crease (not relevant in this case), the instruction is to rule it no goal.

Flyers lost a would-be buzzer-beating goal in Detroit back in January when a goal was disallowed for Simmonds doing almost the exact same thing Laich did. Virtual carbon copy. Flyers won that one via SO but that hurt them in tiebreaker and also enabled Detroit to earn one point.

So, yes, it's a bitter pill to have this one count. Detroit is one point ahead of the Flyers.
- bmeltzer

when has the NHL ever been consistent though. The Flyers dman pushed the Laich into that area

Missed the game, so thanks for the write-up, Bill. Part of me regrets not seeing the game, but my heart is probably better off...

when has the NHL ever been consistent though. The Flyers dman pushed the Laich into that area
- lplafrance

There is also an instruction as pertains to that. The player has to vacate his position in the crease if able to do so. Manning had disengaged with him already.

And no, the NHL is never consistent.

This play is called goalie interference about 55 percent of the time and it slides the other 45 percent -- not hard stats, actually, but anecdotally seems about right. I agree with Paul Stewart that the NHL needs to entirely reconsider and rewrite Rule 69 because it causes so many problems, has so many ambiguities and even contradictions.

Let's put it this way. I didn't have a problem with the Voracek goal being wiped out but I didn't think the OT one should have counted either.

The worry for me is, the Flyers spent big chunks of the last two games looking physically and emotionally spent. They managed to flip the switch, for lack of a better term, tonight, but really didn't show the kind of killer instinct or focus/execution you want to see in a must win game.

The good news is, they control their own future-still. But they need to get the focus back and start executing better. Perhaps the best thing is they should know by the time their game Saturday starts exactly what they need to do.

Both Detroit (at NYR) and Boston (vs OTT) have games that start at 12:30 pm EDT.

As for the OT goal, I agree with Bill. He posted the relevant language from the rule book and there was also an instance this year vs Detroit where a Flyer goal was waived off because Simmonds leapt while screening the goalie-and he was not anywhere near as deep in the blue paint as Laich was tonight.

There is also an instruction as pertains to that. The player has to vacate his position in the crease if able to do so. Manning had disengaged with him already.

And no, the NHL is never consistent.

This play is called goalie interference about 55 percent of the time and it slides the other 45 percent -- not hard stats, actually, but anecdotally seems about right. I agree with Paul Stewart that the NHL needs to entirely reconsider and rewrite Rule 69 because it causes so many problems, has so many ambiguities and even contradictions.

Let's put it this way. I didn't have a problem with the Voracek goal being wiped out but I didn't think the OT one should have counted either.
- bmeltzer

Laich didnt have enough time to move though. He got pushed by Manning at almost same time of the slapshot. It wasnt incedental. I guess well agree to disagree. You guys should have won this one regardless when looking at the rosters. Its not much of an excuse.

You had one job Photo Philly.... One job

Well the one thing, always know how to play with our hearts.

Man, what a kick in the pants. I hate to say I'm angry with this team because they've built up so much equity in my book this season by pleasantly surprising us all to this point. That being said, this was a very poor, uninspired effort tonight.

I know it's not as simple as "Toronto is bad and therefore we should beat them 10 times out of 10" because they have some young, talented players and other guys out there playing for future contracts, and Bernier played quite well. However, it just seems like this Flyers team has run out of gas at the worst possible time. I often think it's fan-speak to say that the most desperate team should win. Too many variables for that to always be true. What could be perceived as an overall lack of urgency in the last few games is, I think, just plain old fatigue taking over. They look gassed.

Thankfully there's still a reasonably good chance to get in if we can regroup. I'm not exactly expecting a Herculian effort from the Rangers on Saturday, as they can only benefit from losing, and I'm also not banking on Ottawa for help (even if tonight taught us that nothing can be taken for granted). Let's pull up the bootstraps and do the damn thing ourselves!

To anyone going to the game on Saturday-- I'm imploring you to get behind the team and stay positive. I could practically feel the tension through the TV tonight

Why is Manning playing the PK in OT? That is the second time he has cost the Flyers the game pushing someone into the goalie (not the only reason but the play was the deciding factor) in the last 10 games (also see ARZ). Is this D really that bad? I guess it is and if they don't make it to the POs that will be the MAIN reason. So little at the top, the loss of MDZ was/is crushing. Speaking of the D, nice to see MacD with a clutch goal, he is a fine #5/#6, too bad about that contract. It will be so tempting to rush Provy next season, but I hope they do what is best for the player.

Beating PIT is a tall order, fire or retire time.

I tend to believe the Rags will roll over for Detroit, but Ottawa might make it hard for Boston, because they have enough talent to do so and might take some satisfaction in beating them

I am honestly not frustrated. I have been watching the games, lurking on the boards. I want them to win, as I always have, and I really want them to make it.

But I am honest enough to admit that this is a straight run on house money and that what this team can be next season is where the heat is.

This is fun, I want them to make it. But next year is when I expect them to make it, and as everyone knows, expectations are always the monster in the weeds

Most Improved Overpaid Wade Redden Contract Award-A Mac

Game should have never gone to OT. Flyers should have came out like Boston did on Detroit . A team fighting for a playoff spot. Not wait until there's 12 minutes left in the 3rd

Giving awards to players who proceed to go out and lose to the worst team in the sport. What a concept.

Laich didnt have enough time to move though. He got pushed by Manning at almost same time of the slapshot. It wasnt incedental. I guess well agree to disagree. You guys should have won this one regardless when looking at the rosters. Its not much of an excuse.
- lplafrance

They absolutely should have won and have no one else to blame, but Bill is discussing the rule and how it was incorrectly applied and not making an excuse.

You had one job Photo Philly.... One job
- Seanook

Well, the leafs could have a lot better job of mailing this in. Play a stinker vs Cbj and then play like all stars vs us. They only have themselves to blame and there's no excuse. Edmonton will now win 1st overall again.

The worry for me is, the Flyers spent big chunks of the last two games looking physically and emotionally spent. They managed to flip the switch, for lack of a better term, tonight, but really didn't show the kind of killer instinct or focus/execution you want to see in a must win game.-Jsaquella

That's the team that has showed up far too often going back the past 3 seasonsunder this leadership group. It is very concerning. It's a shame they wasted so many good goaltending performances also.