So the Flyers follow up a terrible loss to the Rangers with another stinker against Nashville, 4-3 in a shootout. There were a lot of good things in this game, but a lot of the same problems we’ve been seeing lately have continued to crop up. Things started off well as the Flyers forechecked hard, and went up 1-0 in the first two minutes on a Jeff Carter goal. Things seem good right? Well, over the next eight minutes, the Flyers proceed to give up 3 goals, because of terrible defense. In the process, Michael Leighton managed to hurt himself between the second and third goals. As a puck flipped up in the air, he went out to try to catch it. Showing his poor t-ball skills, he missed the grab as the disk bounced of his glove. When he attempted to scramble/reposition himself, he bent his leg back too far. Near the end of the game, we were informed that it was a high ankle sprain, and that he would be day to day. Of course I don’t wish injury upon anyone, but I am tired of seeing this bum in net. Finally Boucher gets a chance to prove his worth.
Also in the first period, Laperriere and Tootoo dropped the gloves for a pretty good fight. Both guys had their hands free, but it didn’t seem like anyone really connected cleanly. Tootoo won the fight, and also impressed me a little bit with his class. At one point, Lappylost his balance and dropped to his knees. Insteaad of wailing on him, Tootoo let him get back up so they could continue cleanly. It’s a minor thing, but it’s still a nice act. While writing this and looking at the box score, I realized that this fight was the only penalty that the Flyers had all game long. There were a few blatant non-calls, that give the Nashville fans support for a conspiracy theory that the league wants Philly in the playoffs. The second period saw no scoring, but things picked up in the third.
The clock was winding down, Pekka Rinne denied chance after chance, and everything looked lost. The Flyers were missing the finishing touch, and it seemed like that game would end 3-1. Instead, the finally broke through in the final ten minutes. First, Carlesent the puck to the slot from the left, and it was directed behind the goalie by Briere. There, Gagnetook a few hacks before finally burying the puck. Three minutes later, on a rare powerplay, Pronger stepped into the slot, got a pass from behind the net from Richards, and send a hard wrister stick-side to tie the game. A few minutes later he almost got the game-winner, as a weak shot took a deflection off a defender and flew just wide. Then came overtime, in which each team managed to have some nice control, but no really good shots.
In the shootout, Briere and Girouxboth tried to fake and go backhand to the stick-side, but neither managed to lift the puck. Meanwhile, Boucher came far out to challenge Goc, then slid backwards as the shot came but kept the puck out. He tried the same strategy on Erat, but his shot went higher and manged to slip into the air and over Bouche. On both shots, Boucher retreated a bit too quickly into the net. Finally, Richards game up to bat, with the game on the line. He got the goalie going right, then tried to reverse direction and slide the puck to the left. However, his momentum and body positioning left him off balance and unable to lift the puck. Also, Rinne’s legs are as wide as a pterodactyl, which easily prevented the puck from getting around him. Flyers go 0 for 3, and lose the game.
Notes
- Flyers mostly carried the play, but lost. Story of the 90’s., ugh.
- Defense is not looking good this late in the year. Too many gaps, too many missed assignments. Do we really want to rely on Boucher rekindling old magic and helping us go on a deep run?
- Is it possible that we fall out of the playoffs completely? The 9th place Rangers are only 6 points back, but we have a game in hand. With the way things are going now, it’s possible that everything comes down to the final two games of the season, which happen to be a home and home with New York.