Early reactions to blowout loss by the Philadelphia Flyers
By Scott Cole
Ok, I know it sounds bad. A 6-0 loss to Boston. Yuck. Bad. Nothing good can come of that. And for the most part, you are right. But let’s break down this Flyers game and examine it.
Flyers: Hey…It’s Boston
First of all, Boston has lost just five games all year in regulation. This wasn’t David vs Goliath. This was Goliath vs a Smurf. Barring some sort of miracle, a victory here wasn’t going to happen. The best the Flyers could hope for was to keep it close.
Well, David Pastrnak, a well-documented Flyers killer, and Pavel Zacha put that to rest with two goals a piece. Brad Marchand and Matt Grzelcyk added the other goals. Jeremy Swayman, in for Linus Ulmmark, got a shutout, blocking 29 shots. 29 shots is not chump change. The Flyers came after him and threw everything at him. It was just Swayman’s day.
In the game preview, I mentioned, several times, that the Bruins are the best team in hockey for a reason. Let’s be honest, they showed that today. It’s not so much that the Flyers suck as it is that the Bruins are just that damn good.
Flyers: Is Hart Hurt?
Right before Christmas, Carter Hart got hurt thanks to a boneheaded play by Rasmus Ristolainen. He was placed under concussion protocols. When he returned, he won the games he’s played against, except for Toronto. However, he looks a little shaky. Is he healthy?
There is a thing with athletes playing hurt and not saying anything. It’s one thing if you are a forward disguising an injury. But for a goalie, having a concussion can really screw you up. You may not accurately see the puck.
Now, this could be just a conspiracy theory here, but what if Hart is hurt? He doesn’t want Samuel Ersson, who is playing super awesome, to take his starting spot away. It sounds crazy, but it has happened. Brian Boucher stole John Vanbiesbrouck’s job.
Boosh lost it to Roman Cechmanek who lost it to Robert Esche who lost it to Martin Biron who lost it to Ray Emery who got hurt and then the Flyers turned to a committee with Boucher and Michael Leighton. It sucks, but that’s how it goes sometimes.
Maybe he was pulled because he wasn’t good. Maybe there is something else there.
Flyers: The Sky is Not Falling…Yet
Yes, it was an embarrassing beatdown. Time to dust if off, lace up the skates, and go back out there. You can’t dwell on this. Games that are winnable are coming up.
In an earlier article, I said that the next two weeks are vital to see what this team will be. A loss to Boston isn’t the end of the world. Now, losses to everyone before the All-Star game is a different story. With games this week against Anaheim, Chicago, and Detroit, the Flyers can collect themselves and continue their recent hot streak.
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This game isn’t the end of the season. The Flyers may still struggle against top-tier teams like Boston and Toronto, but they have held their own against the Caps and Buffalo. There is still time to shape up.