Pre-Season Game 7 versus Minnesota Wild
By Paul Pickett
The pre-season finale tonight at the Wachovia Center had more twists and turns than a Morey’s Piers roller coaster. The Flyers come out firing and jump to an early 1 – 0 lead on a goal by Claude Giroux less than six minutes into the contest. Later in the first period, Mike Richards sets up Mika Pyorala with a one-timer to extend the lead to two going into the locker room.
The Wild started picking up the intensity in the second period which led to an early high-sticking penalty and then a roughing penalty, both on Mike Richards, in the first half of the period. The Wild would capitalize on the latter with Martin Havlat getting one by Ray Emery to cut the lead to one. Later in the second, Brent Burns, who also had an assist on the Havlat goal, would squeak a slap shot by Johan Backlund on the short side to knot the game at two a piece.
Early in the third, Mike Richards would redeem himself by wristing one by Niklas Backstrom, putting the Flyers back on top 3 – 2. This would be short lived however. A rare fight by Braydon Coburn with NHL veteran Owen Nolan, sees Coburn pick up an extra two minutes for cross checking, putting the Wild on the power play again and Cal Clutterbuck would score on a bouncing puck that went in off of defenseman Ryan Parent’s skate to tie the game again at three. James Sheppard would get a wrister past Backlund with only 4:40 left to give the Wild the lead at 4 – 3, but the Flyers would not be denied. 96 seconds later, Daniel Briere would tie the game yet again on a wrap-around.
The Flyers would get another power play opportunity in overtime on a holding call against Kim Johnsson, but could not capitalize and it’s on to a shoot-out.
Daniel Briere and Mike Richards both score. But, unfortunately, so do Mikku Koivu and Martin Havlat for the Wild so it’s 2 – 2. Simon Gagne comes up empty as does Petr Sykora, sending the shoot-out to extra rounds. Backstrom would then make what could be called the save of the night on Jeff Carter, because Antti Miettinen would get his shot past Backlund to give the Wild a 5 – 4 victory in the shoot-out.
Another night of unneeded penalties. The Wild were 2/5 on the man advantage while the Flyers were 0/3.
My Highlights:
1. Giroux getting his first goal of the pre-season.
2. Another strong outing for Ray Emery, stopping 9 of 10 shots he faced in just over a period and a half.
3. The Flyers peppering Niklas Backstrom with 39 shots through 65 minutes and scoring twice on the shoot-out.
My Low-lights:
1. James vanRiemsdyk was almost non-existent in this game, he had the fifth lowest number of minutes on the team (ahead of only Laperriere, Carcillo, Asham and Syvret). I may be wrong, but isn’t the last pre-season game supposed to build some momentum going into the regular season? I know you don’t want him to get hurt, but you don’t slow him down when what he’s doing is working.
2. I can’t talk enough about sloppy penalties and I will again in my pre-season wrap up that I’m writing tomorrow. I remember the 610WIP guys saying that the roughing penalty Richards took in the 2nd period was a, “good penalty,” to show the other team you’re not gonna put up with any of their mess. I know those guys played in the NHL and they’ve got much better jobs than I do in the hockey world off the ice. But guys, there is no such thing as a “good penalty.” Especially when it leads to a power play goal for the other team. Okay? Thanks. 🙂
3. I’m really trying to like Daniel Carcillo. I really am and I mean that not only as a writer, but as a fan as well. Everyone who knows me knows that I’m a fan first and a writer second. But Danny, when someone trips you and draws a penalty, you know what’s gonna tick them off more than you getting in their face and drawing an unsportsmanlike? Smile, laugh, thank them, do something else to get under their skin. That will make them want to fight you more. 😉
The last pre-season game is in the books, folks. Now the boys have off until Friday for their season opener against the Hurricanes. For any fellow autograph hunters out there, this is a perfect time to hit up practice at the Flyers Skate Zone in Vorhees, NJ.
Check back tomorrow for my pre-season wrap-up (it’s gonna be a long one, so pack a lunch).
Until then, keep your chin up, your eyes on the puck and you can never go wrong with high to the stick side. 😉
Thanks for reading,
Paul Pickett
Facebook: Paul Ca Pickett
Twitter: PaulakaBFTW