Bill Meltzer: Wrap: Flyers Lose in OT to Vegas, 2-1; Phantoms Beat Charlotte, 2-1

Officiating an effing joke. Now sure how torts did not launch a graphite spear at the zebras there in ot.

Not sure why that was a fluky goal at all. It’s a heads up play by Laughton and as skillful a goal as any other. If Laughton was a sniper we’d be saying how smart that play was. Great goal.

The fancy Vegas announcers said correctly, that the flyers are the worst offensive team in NHL over 10 times. And Second in blocking shots. It seems like this team only asset is blocking shots. Like A Mac. 😆 🤮

The fancy Vegas announcers said correctly, that the flyers are the worst offensive team in NHL over 10 times. And Second in blocking shots. It seems like this team only asset is blocking shots. Like A Mac. 😆 🤮
- THE EVIL WITHIN

Torts' entire philosophy is centered around playing not to lose. Using two D for the entirety of 3v3 is just the whole thing in a nutshell. What was even the point of that? Trying to hang on for the SO?

Torts' entire philosophy is centered around playing not to lose. Using two D for the entirety of 3v3 is just the whole thing in a nutshell. What was even the point of that? Trying to hang on for the SO?


- Tomahawk

Yet there are some on here that think the Flyers are exciting to watch this year.

🤡

Yet there are some on here that think the Flyers are exciting to watch this year.

🤡
- StepfordSam

It's just a different sort of terrible

Went to the BC/BU game last, watched the BC freshman Cutter Gauthier vs. the BU senior Jay O'Brien go head to head for several shifts in the game, and honestly it was no contest! Gauthier is already the clearly superior player. Not only does he skate well, have good ice vision and a really quick shot release, but he can pass the puck also. Gauthier was an offensive force just about every shift he was on the ice. O'Brien on the other hand was a shell of himself. I actually likened him to a poor man's Morgan Frost .. yes .. it was that bad. O'Brien did work the PK last night and won several faceoffs, but the most telling sign was when BU was down by 3 in the 3rd period, O'Brien was used sparingly in the last 8 or so minutes in the game while BU played their top scoring forwards as much as possible. It seems clear to me after last night that Gauthier (2Gs, 2A) will be on the Flyers maybe as soon as this season, once BC's season is over, while O'Brien will not be signed by the Flyers. I would not be surprised is Hextall signed O'Brien as a FA after the Flyers choose not to sign him.

Officiating an effing joke. Now sure how torts did not launch a graphite spear at the zebras there in ot.

Not sure why that was a fluky goal at all. It’s a heads up play by Laughton and as skillful a goal as any other. If Laughton was a sniper we’d be saying how smart that play was. Great goal.
- Joe Nardone

The attempt to bank it in wasn't fluky. The fact that Hill spun around and angled the puck into his own net at just the right instant was luck.

I'm not going to lie, I do like saying I told you so. I posted here several times already that if I were coaching the Flyers, Kevin Hayes would not be 50 miles from a 3 on 3 OT. 3 on 3 OT IMO should be reserved for your fastest and most skilled players, precisely because of what happens when a "slow" player gives up the puck and then cannot recover. The Flyers were overall so good in the OT last night, but why on Earth Torts does not play Frost and Tippet with all that open ice I have no idea. I'll state it again, I am not a Frost fan, but why have Frost on your roster if not to play him in 3 on 3 OT??

The fancy Vegas announcers said correctly, that the flyers are the worst offensive team in NHL over 10 times. And Second in blocking shots. It seems like this team only asset is blocking shots. Like A Mac. 😆 🤮
- THE EVIL WITHIN

Teams that are well structured defensively frequently get into passing and shooting lanes, and thus pile up blocked shots. There is nothing unusual about a team like the Flyers that are playing very well defensively but don't have the top end talent to score goals. That is why the Flyers need to be tanking these games in order to get a shot at one of the top 4 players in the draft this year. With one of these players and Gauthier, and the defensive structure in place, this team can turn it around very quickly.

Torts' entire philosophy is centered around playing not to lose. Using two D for the entirety of 3v3 is just the whole thing in a nutshell. What was even the point of that? Trying to hang on for the SO?


- Tomahawk

I thought giving Sanheim and Risto a shot in the OT was a great idea, the Flyers dominated the OT! They were surely not playing for the SO, that would be assisine given the lack of scoring on this team.

Teams that are well structured defensively frequently get into passing and shooting lanes, and thus pile up blocked shots. There is nothing unusual about a team like the Flyers that are playing very well defensively but don't have the top end talent to score goals. That is why the Flyers need to be tanking these games in order to get a shot at one of the top 4 players in the draft this year. With one of these players and Gauthier, and the defensive structure in place, this team can turn it around very quickly.
- jd250

Minus 2022 if you look at the last 5 NHL drafts the most productive player has not been the #1 overall pick. Tanking is irrelevant. It’s about recognizing & drafting talent/skill.

Went to the BC/BU game last, watched the BC freshman Cutter Gauthier vs. the BU senior Jay O'Brien go head to head for several shifts in the game, and honestly it was no contest! Gauthier is already the clearly superior player. Not only does he skate well, have good ice vision and a really quick shot release, but he can pass the puck also. Gauthier was an offensive force just about every shift he was on the ice. O'Brien on the other hand was a shell of himself. I actually likened him to a poor man's Morgan Frost .. yes .. it was that bad. O'Brien did work the PK last night and won several faceoffs, but the most telling sign was when BU was down by 3 in the 3rd period, O'Brien was used sparingly in the last 8 or so minutes in the game while BU played their top scoring forwards as much as possible. It seems clear to me after last night that Gauthier (2Gs, 2A) will be on the Flyers maybe as soon as this season, once BC's season is over, while O'Brien will not be signed by the Flyers. I would not be surprised is Hextall signed O'Brien as a FA after the Flyers choose not to sign him.
- jd250

How did Kaplan look?

Got home at 10:15 last night and we didn't even bother to put on the game. This team is back to unwatchable. I feel sorry for Torts being saddled with this mess. Of course, I'm not too sorry for him cause he's getting 4 mil per year, but this has to be driving him crazy. Trade Frost for a disgruntled youngster on someone else's roster. Perhaps the change of scenery would help both. For those that are happy about the tank it looks like you will get your wish. Perhaps CBJ will give them a run at the bottom, but I can't see anyone else in the east finishing below these sad sacks.

I read an article about the Sabres in the Hockey News that I received this past week. Perhaps it's time to follow their model. In June of 2020 they fired their GM, two assistant GM's, 11 scouts and two developmental coaches. They also fired their entire coaching staff at the AHL level. Here it is a little over two years later and they have a very promising future! You watching Comcast? Oh, that's right. You don't care.

The Flyers have a high total of blocked shots not because they're good defensively and well structured. It's because they give up a ton of shot attempts. Some still don't understand what being good defensively in today's NHL is. You're a good defensive team when you limit shot attempts. When you turn possessions around and attack the other team. A team is never going to be a good team giving up the amount of shot attempts that the Flyers do. No matter how well they defend in their own zone. Spending too much time defending regardless of how well you do it. Is losing hockey.

3 on 3 in OT is about offense. It is rarely about speed. It is normally a prodding and deliberate attack offensively. Hayes does not have a skating issue that should prevent him from playing in OT. He is a top offensive player on the team. Suggesting that he should not play in OT is colossally stupid.

Teams that are well structured defensively frequently get into passing and shooting lanes, and thus pile up blocked shots. There is nothing unusual about a team like the Flyers that are playing very well defensively but don't have the top end talent to score goals. That is why the Flyers need to be tanking these games in order to get a shot at one of the top 4 players in the draft this year. With one of these players and Gauthier, and the defensive structure in place, this team can turn it around very quickly.
- jd250

Torts teams with talent didn't score a ton either. This team will set negative franchise records in everything but blocked shots. This flyer team can be one of the ugliest to watch since that alltime worst Washington Capital team in thie 70s.

When Carter Hart is terrific the team can secure points. Fact proven again last night. Realistically, how many forwards on the team could possibly be on a playoff team? The lack of talent at forward is stunning.

The Flyers have a high total of blocked shots not because they're good defensively and well structured. It's because they give up a ton of shot attempts. Some still don't understand what being good defensively in today's NHL is. You're a good defensive team when you limit shot attempts. When you turn possessions around and attack the other team. A team is never going to be a good team giving up the amount of shot attempts that the Flyers do. No matter how well they defend in their own zone. Spending too much time defending regardless of how well you do it. Is losing hockey.
- MJL

Don't really agree with your assessment entirely. Many a good team build up a fortress around their goalie when the other team has possession of the puck in their zone. It's quite obvious that the Flyers are better positionally in their own zone this season compared to seasons past. The problem is that they have no transition game due to lack of talent.

CA/60 Blocked shots/60

Carolina 43.74 (1st) 9.95 (32nd)
New Jersey 50.11 (2nd) 13.70 (26th)
Boston 50.95 (3rd) 12.06 (30th)
Seattle 50.71 (4th) 13.91 (25th)

3 on 3 in OT is about offense. It is rarely about speed. It is normally a prodding and deliberate attack offensively. Hayes does not have a skating issue that should prevent him from playing in OT. He is a top offensive player on the team. Suggesting that he should not play in OT is colossally stupid.
- MJL

Stating 3 on 3 in OT is about offense is hysterically incorrect. It’s about puck possession which is why everyone will leave the offensive zone if they don’t see what they like. When else would you see an attacking team willingly leave the o zone which goes to show it’s about puck possession not offense. OT usually ends w capitalizing on 1 scoring chance not a plethora of chances. Puck possession is the name of OT & had been for last 4-5 years not sure what you’ve been watching

CA/60 Blocked shots/60

Carolina 43.74 (1st) 9.95 (32nd)
New Jersey 50.11 (2nd) 13.70 (26th)
Boston 50.95 (3rd) 12.06 (30th)
Seattle 50.71 (4th) 13.91 (25th)
- MJL

That just indicates that they have puck possession all the time and probably spend very little time in their own zone. Again, the Flyers have no puck possession, so they have no choice. They don't have anyone that can win faceoffs and they have very few guys that can carry the puck for transition purposes. DeAngelo was supposed to help with that, but he has been God awful lately and deserved to be a healthy scratch.

CA/60 Blocked shots/60

Carolina 43.74 (1st) 9.95 (32nd)
New Jersey 50.11 (2nd) 13.70 (26th)
Boston 50.95 (3rd) 12.06 (30th)
Seattle 50.71 (4th) 13.91 (25th)
- MJL

But Vegas block more shots than the Flyers, and are a playoff team. But usually the top blocking teams are dumpster fires. And their blocking doesn't make any sense standing wise.

Of course, I fell asleep in the first 5 minutes of the game. These 10:00 starts are just impossible for me to stay up. Wife stayed up and said it was a hard fought game for the Flyers.

How did York play last night?