Dupuis wins it in OT as Penguins beat Flyers 3-2

Dang!

Well they at least got a point. What happened to the powerplay? Last year they where scoring almost at will. This year so far the can't even find the net.

The Penguins just got it done and took advantage of the Flyers failing to scoring on the Powerplay. It would have been cool though to go into the shootout to see how the Flyers do this year in that regard, because that's an area the Flyers need it work on, from last year. The Pens probably would have went with Satan-Malkin-Crosby or Sykora-Malkin-Crosby or whatever, while the Flyers probably would have went with Briere-Gagne-Richards or maybe Carter-Gagne-Richards...they have more options to go with. Fleury is pretty good in the shootout though, so the Pens most likely would have won with Malkin and Crosby scoring and only Gagne or Richards scoring for the Flyers...oh well, at least we got a point.

Red Bandit wrote:

Well they at least got a point. What happened to the powerplay? Last year they where scoring almost at will. This year so far the can't even find the net.

I think they're trying to find their way on defense with setting up the PP and regaining the edge they had last season...it'll take a little bit because of the injuries to Parent and Jones, and the new faces of Vaananen, Eminger, Sbisa, and Alberts...Alberts was a -2 last night though, I think, so I don't believe he'll be around after the trade deadline. Man I hope we get Bouwmeester...he would help our blueline out so much and enable Coburn to go back with Timonen, and would bring stability and depth to the second line defense and help Sbisa continue to develop...

Third game in a row we had a 5 on 3 PP and couldn't convert. I'm disappointed but still hopeful for a turnaround. The bright spots for me so far are Gagne looks great, Richards will score 40 unless injured and Sbisa is going to be an all star in a couple of years. He really handles himself well with the puck.

Red Wings25 wrote:

<quoted text>
I think they're trying to find their way on defense with setting up the PP and regaining the edge they had last season...it'll take a little bit because of the injuries to Parent and Jones, and the new faces of Vaananen, Eminger, Sbisa, and Alberts...Alberts was a -2 last night though, I think, so I don't believe he'll be around after the trade deadline. Man I hope we get Bouwmeester...he would help our blueline out so much and enable Coburn to go back with Timonen, and would bring stability and depth to the second line defense and help Sbisa continue to develop...

Yeah Flyers D is hit with the injury bug right away. Also it kinda sucked the Flyers first regular season game was against the Rangers who had already played 3 regular season games going in. Thats 9 periods of playing time together giving lines a chance to develop some chemistry. The Flyers had the better play during the majority of that game (periods 2 & 3). They just gave up too many goals early on. I didn't see much of the Montreal game and none of the Pens game so I wont comment there.

I totally agree with going after Bouwmeester before the trade deadline passes. Its tough to get a good players from trades right now because teams want to see how their players are going to pan out that year. If teams are so far out of the playoffs and the program needs to be revamped, they will be sellers at the deadline.

McACORN wrote:

Direct quote from Senator John McCain, February 20, 2006, keynoting an ACORN rally in Miami:
"What makes America special is what's in this room tonight---that's what makes America special." [Applause and cheers]
[Check for yourself on YouTube]
McCain endorses ACORN.
Republican National Committee reviles ACORN.
So this is the price of being a maverick, I suppose.

Wrong thread!

Red Bandit wrote:

<quoted text>
Wrong thread!

...and how.
The puck dropped, the hockey Mom left,
the game's over, move on and SHUT UP!

Hey Red, word on the street is that Nitti looked pretty damn good. Think he's gonna' push Biron for the #1 slot?

Dos Equis wrote:

<quoted text>
...and how.
The puck dropped, the hockey Mom left,
the game's over, move on and SHUT UP!
Hey Red, word on the street is that Nitti looked pretty damn good. Think he's gonna' push Biron for the #1 slot?

Biron is still the no.1 goalie for the team, but Niitymaki will definitely push Biron for more time. It's yet to be seen if Niity can be a consistent no.1 starter for a whole season, given that he hasn't been the same since the 2006 Olypmics.

I still think if Nitti can get past that 3 game in a row fade he can challenge for the top spot.
He does have some great reaction time when he's on.

Dos Equis wrote:

<quoted text>
...and how.
The puck dropped, the hockey Mom left,
the game's over, move on and SHUT UP!
Hey Red, word on the street is that Nitti looked pretty damn good. Think he's gonna' push Biron for the #1 slot?

Yea he has looked good, but his problem is consitency. He'll look well for a few games then have a real bad game that effects his next game. He'll sit for awhile, then look good again. He's got to be able to let go of one bad game and move on.

biron sucks.

aka wrote:

biron sucks.

Yea he was awful tonight...he's just been giving up some soft goals the first 3 of his games. It's more than Biron though...the defense is playing bad and their not setting up good. They finally scored on a powerplay(well technically it was a penalty shot) but the team in general is just playing horrible.

I've been thinking about why they're playing horribly. What's missing this year that was there last year? Smith? Hatcher? Umberger? All three? I dunno. I'm baffled.

Bleed Black and Orange wrote:

I've been thinking about why they're playing horribly. What's missing this year that was there last year? Smith? Hatcher? Umberger? All three? I dunno. I'm baffled.

If you think about it half of their starting defense is injured. Hatcher is out, Parent is out, and Jones is out. They are starting an 18 year old (Luca Sbisa) on defense. Honestly Umberger is not that much of a loss in my opinion. He got a hot hand in the Montrael series but his numbers in the regular season were nothing special. Umberger also gave Stevens a hard time about being sent down to the fourth line last year. With the talent they have on the team its likely thats where he would have ended up this season. I think the lines need to be mixed up. The strength of the Flyers team last year was balanced scoring. Gagne has 4 goals, Richards has 3. Combined they have 7 of the 10 Flyers goals scored this season. That statistic is troubling and the Flyers can not continue that trend and expect to be successful. I would like to see Stevens go back to the KGB line. That line got off to a torrent start last year until Gagne got hurt. But having Gagne, Richards, and Briere playing on a line together is putting too many of your eggs in one basket.

Well, I do think they miss Smith's leadership and toughness...he was a decent shutdown defenseman too, but they're better off without him cause he's 35 now and he's kind of a pylon. For Hatcher, I'd say they miss his hard hits and toughness, but the man was just too slow and his career is pretty much over. They definitely miss Umberger's versatility and PK skills, but, even with Umberger in the lineup, I doubt the Flyers wouldn't be going through what they are now. There is the definite possibility that the Flyers could start the season 2-7-1, with the only wins coming against Atlanta and the Islanders. Their record is 0-3-1 right now. At this point, it would be a great accomplishment for the team to get to .500. But they'll have to beat the thrashers and islanders, take one against the Devils and beat the Sharks twice...i don't see the Flyers beating the Devils in Jersey. But right now, they need to put Coburn back with Timonen, and put Vaananen with Sbisa, and Eminger with Alberts. The Timonen-Coburn line needs to log 25-30 minutes a game, and help the Flyers on the PP and the rush.

Red Wings25 wrote:

Well, I do think they miss Smith's leadership and toughness...he was a decent shutdown defenseman too, but they're better off without him cause he's 35 now and he's kind of a pylon. For Hatcher, I'd say they miss his hard hits and toughness, but the man was just too slow and his career is pretty much over. They definitely miss Umberger's versatility and PK skills, but, even with Umberger in the lineup, I doubt the Flyers wouldn't be going through what they are now. There is the definite possibility that the Flyers could start the season 2-7-1, with the only wins coming against Atlanta and the Islanders. Their record is 0-3-1 right now. At this point, it would be a great accomplishment for the team to get to .500. But they'll have to beat the thrashers and islanders, take one against the Devils and beat the Sharks twice...i don't see the Flyers beating the Devils in Jersey. But right now, they need to put Coburn back with Timonen, and put Vaananen with Sbisa, and Eminger with Alberts. The Timonen-Coburn line needs to log 25-30 minutes a game, and help the Flyers on the PP and the rush.

Smith was a good leader and was tough and stuck up for his players, but his skill as a defensemen was average at best last year. Hatch may be a little slow but they do need a defensemen with a snarl and some edge to his game. They have too many finesse defensemen. I just don't see the advantage in the Flyers keeping Umberger. With Gagne back in the lineup, Umberger would likely be playing on the 3rd or even 4th line. I just don't see him as being very productive on the 3rd or 4th line. He is an ideal fit for a team like the Blue Jackets where he can play on the second line or even the first line. Am I happy the Flyers have started out 0-3-1? Of course not, but its a long season. They went on a stretch last year following the all star break where they had a stretch of losses over the period of a month. There is room to be concerned, but no reason to go into panic mode yet.

The defense is alot more mobile, like Holmgren wanted. The problem I see is that they aren't tough enough to knock anyone of the puck. They let the forwards skate around to much and they are giving up the puck in their own end alot too.
Lupul needs to score as well as Hartnell,Briere, and Carter. The defense needs to get shots on net during the powerplay instead of shooting it into traffic or wide of the net and Biron has to step up his play.

With the sudden dismissal of Savard this week, do you think that Holmgren is re-evaluating the coaching position with the Flyers?
Last seasons skid was nearly critical and a season starting losing streak is not too encouraging.
Thoughts?

Dos Equis wrote:

With the sudden dismissal of Savard this week, do you think that Holmgren is re-evaluating the coaching position with the Flyers?
Last seasons skid was nearly critical and a season starting losing streak is not too encouraging.
Thoughts?

Stevens should go, but not before they have his replacement standing in the wing. With Terry Murray the coach in LA, the defense has looked real bad. I don't think Buerube was the right choice to replace him.