A Long March Destined For Disappointment

Well, after a harrowing, disappointing regular season, the Flyers catch a break in the opening round of the play-offs. They perhaps deserve it- the last two seasons they’ve opened with Pittsburgh and Washington. Still, the true Flyers’ fan has trouble accepting any series with the New Jersey Devils is a lucky break- even if New Jersey is in the same “disappointing” category.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Flyers and Devils series is not exactly easy to decipher. Both teams have underachieved. Picked by some as the best team in the east, the Flyers have been a .500 team since the get go (41 wins in 82 games).They fought tooth and nail with the Rangers over the weekend to even get in the play-offs- and I don’t know anyone who thinks the Rangers are “good”. The Devils have been worse than .500 over the last forty games or so (18 wins in the last 41 games- ugh) as their defense and goaltender wore down.

So like a lot of teams where the sum is less than the apparent parts, the teams are hard to figure out. For example, both teams have missed on their key veteran pick-up. Chris Pronger was brought here to go toe-to-toe with Crosby and Ovechkin. Surely, he can do that better than most. Unfortunately, it turns out Pronger really doesn’t bring much more than “a good player” to match-ups versus the more routine forwards. He is more gangly than strong, not very quick. He doesn’t move the puck all that well. As we all saw in the Olympics, he is a nice player rather than elite- helped playing with the lead rather than having to force the play up ice.

By the same token, New Jersey is trying to fold Ilya Kovalchuk- a great scorer but merely okay in other facets- into a system that demands competence in many areas (like defense? Ilya is an amazing career "-75" despite scoring 338 career goals) that greatness in the offense zone. I mean, who on the Devils is a good line mate fit for Kovalchuk?

Add in a few merely overrated players and this series has a lot of “what are you going to get from who?” Mike Richards was a +36 total the last two years- and simply cannot be a season long “-2” playing on the top line (and a flat zero in the two key games versus the Rangers) and be considered an elite player.

Ultimately, I just think this rivalry has moved past the Brodeur hex. The Flyers no longer fear the guy- going twenty-five minutes without scoring isn’t going to mess with their heads and sticks. If anything, Brodeur is now a division opponent where familiarity breds contempt: everyone has beaten the guy, that team, repeatedly this year (five wins in six tries for Philadelphia).

Plus, the Flyers seem to have more ways to get to three goals again and again than New Jersey (better forwards, much better power play). And the Devils' big slide over the second half can be traced to their increasingly "less than average" defense- so the Flyers are probably better on the blueline too. Only the fact the Flyers are probably on their third goalie option gives the Devils hope.

But again, Brodeur isn’t the same guy. Flyers upset New Jersey in six.

Dealing With Underachievement

I am not a fan of Marty Biron. I’m not exactly a detractor either; Marty is a journeyman player. He isn’t bad. Marty is simply average- and that is not a guy you can build a serious Stanley Cup run around. So the news is not exactly surprising:

Biron, who saw his Flyers job given to free agent Ray Emery, signed a 1-year deal yesterday with the New York Islanders, reportedly for $1.4 million.

It was neither the money he was seeking nor the situation he could have wanted. The Islanders already have Rick DiPietro under contract through the 2020-21 season after he signed a 15-year, $67.5 million deal in 2006.

DiPietro missed all but five games last season with a knee injury. The Islanders expect DiPietro to start skating again in August and to be ready for training camp in September.

If that is not enough, the Islanders signed free agent Dwayne Roloson to a 2-year, $5 million contract on July 1. That makes Biron the third goalie if DiPietro is healthy.

The Islanders are categorically not lining up for a championship run- and they are the very definition of team looking for journeyman goalie play: a guy who can both quietly back-up and step in play during Pietro’s frequent absences. Mind you, there is a role in the NHL for such a player. But not at the guaranteed multi-year numbers Biron’s camp was throwing around.

A lot of hockey people in Philadelphia were sort of grudging Biron supporters- pointing out that just two years ago he played very credibly in getting the Flyers to the conference final. But I think this contract is indicative that attitude didn’t spread much further than locally. A one year deal at $1.4M as the third goalie option with a bottom feeder franchise is code for “zero league wide interest” in Marty.

So I’m fine with his departure. I guess you could win some play-off games with the guy. But when you start banging heads with Pittsburgh, your goalie needs to be a big plus, not someone you kinda get by with. I have no idea where Ray Emery will come down- but he is an inexpensive, low risk commitment that might just work if he plays back to, or hopefully improves upon, his work in 2007 in Ottawa. At least there is a unromantic reasonable chance- whereas with Marty Biron, real deep success was simply not possible. Obviously, the entire NHL is on to that as well- and the Flyers probably not only did the right thing letting him walk but also dodged a big dollar bullet driven by an organizational tendency to overrate your own talent.

Wrong or Stupid?

Well, like clockwork, within one measely day of my categorical statement the Flyers cannot steal a road game with this defense and goaltender, they promptly go into Pittsburgh and shut out the Penguins.

Sure, it would be churlish to point out this is Biron’s first play-off shut-out in twenty starts (a span in which Biron allowed one goal exactly zero times). The Flyers have demonstrated- one game in twenty- they can steal a game with defense and goal-keeping.

Now, I am not uncivil, and I am here to take my medicine. It is a tasty medicine indeed- any night that ends up with Crosby whining to the officials as he takes multiple frustration penalties is a real good one.

I do want to take a moment to shower some love on one Flyer who played his best game since arriving here in October: Andrew Alberts.

In the last three games, I honestly think he’s been the team’s best defenseman- or at least the best outside the top pair of Coburn and Timonen (and yes, Randy Jones was a +2 last night). But last night, Alberts was just determined, even cruel. He is a pretty big guy, tall at least- and with that deadly mix the Penguins have at center (Staal is their third option? That is rough)- he is out there against guys who can play. Lately, he has had a little Kjell Samuelson in him, just leaning on guys and inelegantly depositing them into the wall. He led the team in official hits last night- and while that is an annoying statistic, he has been getting the Penguins second tier wingers into the dashers and punishing them. He was in one those guys who keep pushing guys when they’re down, you know?

On the other hand, something has to done about Briere, who is just killing the team right now. Danny has zero goals in five games, and much like the last two regular seasons, he is a “minus” at even strength. The power play stinks and he’s part of that unit too. Now, last night, he’s added “take a pair of horrid penalties” to his tired repertoire. Somehow he was credited with a “hit”- probably when he took that roughing penalty for boarding a guy on a routine icing.

Briere plays on the third/fourth line- which is a mistake. His game is a skilled one- and he is out there with guys who aren’t looking to make skill plays- setting up fifteen, twenty feet from the net looking for a Briere pass. They’re mucking n the corners and clogging up the net looking for a garbage tally. Briere used to generate space in the offense zone because guys were afraid to move on him aggressively- he was a player designed to punish you through speed and skill for getting out of position. Now, they just run at him, and he has no one to bury the puck if he gives it up. The Flyers’ had an early third period power play, Briere had the puck along the wall at the near circle, looking out— and the Penguins just pressured him, knocked him down, took the puck.

That is not he Briere of 2006 0r 2007, where for all his faults he was a weapon with the man-advantage. Now he lacks the agility to get away from trouble or create it. He isn’t a defensive player or a role player. I don’t know what he can do right now- but it isn’t enough to justify a regular shift. I’d honestly scratch him. He cannot play with the top six forwards and is a negative with a mucking/defensive line. I guess with the shortened bench you can keep him in uniform for the power play- but he isn’t doing much there either. I’m inclined to try someone else: Giroux is only playing fourteen minutes and he is darned skilled?

Where Are You Luca Sbisa?

Frankly, I wasn’t at all optimistic about the Flyers in their series with the Penguins- picking them to be excused in five. I got a lot of chances to watch them this weekend at the sports book in the Bellagio. They’ve actually played better than I thought- only the first game was one between teams on two different levels. Not that it matters. Carter and Richards would do well to schedule tee times for Friday now.

My whole problem this year with the Flyers is the passivity with which they approach the roster. Despite last year's nifty run through an advantageous draw, their problems were clear: the goalie is a journeyman, merely adequate player and the defense is not a collective you count on. We all know they blew a ton of leads in the tournament last year.

They did nothing to solve either problem. Biron is still in goal. The defense has already failed to protect one of the two third period leads this blog predicted they would choke up. So we can’t complain that the Flyers are looking at the same result- a quick elimination- against the same outfit that inflicted defeat on them last year.

My problem with Biron is not his acts of commission- he isn’t a bad goalie, he makes the stops a pro needs to. It is that he is testament to the Flyers passive approach- their culture of omission. To wit, in this series, Biron has played well enough for the team to win if they can score four, maybe even three goals. But, just as certainly, he just isn’t capable of that “steal a game” effort the Penguins got from Fleury last night: 45 saves on 46 shots. Two games separate these teams right now- and right there is one of them. Pittsburgh’s goalie can win a road game on a night his team scores two goals and takes a rash of penalties. Our goalie can’t.

Worse: the Flyers know this. They absolutely know Biron categorically cannot personally win a game or two here- move a toss up game into the Philadelphia column. For years now, they have suffered passively, unwilling to admit the only route to a Cup Final is a series of advantageous match-ups and luck.

Same thing with the defense. The Flyers have to know the current blue line unit can’t possibly defend leads playing in a typical third period shell. In recent play-off games, they’ve failed again and again and again and again and again (and again here in Game 2). They fail literally more than half the time, including multiple two goal leads, over the past two years.

Nothing changes. They don’t even try. Where are you Luca Sbisa?- the one guy who might, might mind you- have been a real upgrade to the group had be given an oportunity to play all season. It would have been a risk- he would be a rookie in a big spot- but really, what is the risk? They have to know they can’t beat a Pittsburgh-level team playing well (something they’re going to have to face sometime inf our rounds) with the existing infrastructure- so change it. It probably wouldn’t work- but this defense/goalie combo can’t work.

Then add in a coach, John Stevens, who categorically refuses to acknowledge his defense isn’t that strong. Psst… no matter what Keith Jones and Brian Engbloom are saying on television, the top pair of Coburn and Timonen ain’t untouchably superb either. The defense is always being asked to do the thing it fails to do repeatedly- play the defensive shell game with wingers supporting play the neutral zone rather than forechecking.

Coaching is about putting players in position to succeed. And this defense isn’t close to the Devils circa the late 90’s. They need the forecheck at the other end of the ice to be successful- play only nine minutes in their end in the third period versus thirteen. Anyway, that mixture of suspect coaching and equally suspect defensemen equals one blown third period lead- the other game of difference in this series.

Promptly Excused In Five

After the Flyers’ dropped a depressing game to end their regular season on the most blah note possible, I browsed through this post from last year and was struck how the Flyers really failed to address any of their deficiencies from last year. They are still a very good offense, predicated on depth of scoring, coupled with an inability to skate sixty minutes of NHL quality defensemen and a less than mediocre goaltender.

These were their exact flaws last year- and facing the same team as last year: Pittsburgh, albeit earlier in the tournament. Consequently, I expect the Flyers to again be excused promptly in about five games.

Until they ran into Pittsburgh, last years’ draw was fortuitous- a team they could push around (Washington) and a team that imploded in goal (Montreal). But this is a terrible draw for them. While not by much, Pittsburgh is better in goal. The Penguins actually get offense from the blue line. And they have good scoring depth upfront: Jordan Staal is the thrid best center?! And of course, two of the three best players in the world: Crosby and Malkin- while Richards, the Flyers’ captain, looks tired or hurt. The Penguins have lost three times in regulation in their last 25 efforts- very hard to imagine them losing four times in seven tries to Biron.

Am I the only one who has had it with coach John Stevens? This blog, and the preceding ‘zine, has been in existence since 2002. During that span, I have never called for the head of a single Philadelphia or Tulane coach. But I’m about the aforementioned five games from changing that stance.

The Flyers finished a mere four points ahead of both Montreal and New York- a pair of clubs mocked all season for soft play, poor play and featured coaches that were terminated. So excuse me for wondering if the Flyers might need to make a move behind the bench too.

I mean, they had poor play (their horrendous start). They had soft play (say, the last three games).

I realize it is a long season- and I’m not arguing for a true pedal to the medal approach in November. But in a capped League, five points is the difference between a scary road series with Pittsburgh or home ice versus a shaky Montreal-style outfit. And, unlike say the Phillies or Eagles, the Flyers have stretches where they don’t play well or tough. A big part of coaching in a capped League is generating the “play every night” mentality- and Stevens failed at that categorically this season.

My problem with him started in last year's play-offs. He fundamentally doesn’t coach a game to his rosters’ strength. The Flyers can’t be a team that sits on leads- the defense and the goalie aren’t consistent enough to corral and pitch the puck out for twenty minutes up one goal. Yet he tries to coach a “normal” game, rather than try to win 5-4 every night. How on earth are the Flyers’ going to protect leads against Pittsburgh? It is impossible with this crew. Look at last year, they blew umpteen two goal leads in the play-offs. So coach to try and score the fourth, fifth, sixth goal.

He won’t. The Flyers will be out in five games- including blowing two third period leads.

Nagging Doubts

I’ve spent a good portion of the last two days watching the Flyers complete an impressive sweep: at Pittsburgh, home for the Devils. That being said, I’m up in the air about just how good this team is, how ready it is to make a play-off run.

The mystery stems from last years play-off run- where the Flyers turned a very mediocre regular season into a nifty play-off run- winning a pair of series as the underdogs- before running into the Penguin buzzsaw. Philadelphia then got a pass from the local fans and media. The defense was riddled with an unreal number of injuries- and Malkin and Crosby riddled the collection of third pair style defensemen the Flyers were forced to dress.

But there were nagging doubts about the Flyers even then. The defense issues aside, they got real lucky in the draw. They outright stole a march on the Caps in the first round- getting up three games to one- and barely, grimly hung on to win in OT in a seventh game. Gritty to be sure- satisifying no doubt- but really, the Caps were much the better outfit over the last three games. The les Habitants did a total fade, particularly in goal, in the conference semi-finals- a chocking performance they still mentally have not overcome.

Frankly, the Flyers played two series last year where they had the better goalie? Biron? And that won’t happen again.

So yeah, I’m worried about Biron- who at his best in the play-offs last year, was merely "good for a journeyman". I’m worried about harder first round match-ups with either Pittsburgh (who decked them last year) or red hot Carolina.

Obviously the Flyers are loaded up front- six 20+ goal scores, and that is not counting Briere. But in the Daily News, Sam Donnellson makes a good point- about the dangers of falling in love with your own players.

I mean, outside their final four finish from last year, the Flyers simply don’t have a glittering resume. They struggled to make the play-offs last year, they’re a middle of the road seed this year. They have talent up front- so exactly where does the marginal play come from? Hint: maybe the defense isn’t all its cracked up to be? Maybe they don’t have a true elite first pairing, like say New Jersey?

Just sayin’, that is all. But add that to a pretty average goaltender, and a probable tough first round draw, the Flyers could be better than last year- but not get out of the first round.

Sami Says Good-Bye

One of my favorite Flyers and Finns, Sami Kapanen, hung them up yesterday. Ed Barkowitz writes:

The defining moment of Kapanen's Flyers' career came in the 2004 playoffs. It was overtime of Game 6 when a nasty series against the Maple Leafs became legendary.

Toronto's Darcy Tucker leveled Kapanen with a fierce check that left Kapanen woozy. Had Kapanen stayed down, play would have been whistled dead. Instead, he stumbled toward the bench, falling twice, but allowed the frenetic pace of play to continue. Shortly after Keith Primeau used a stick to literally reel Kapanen to safety, Jeremy Roenick scored the game-winning goal.

Here is the hit:



And here is the series winning goal- only later did we find out the price Sami had paid to keep the play alive:

Nine Down, Seven To Go

For the first time in the playoffs, the new NHL served the Flyers well- as the referees rewarded Philadelphia’s first period energy with like a zillion away from the puck penalties on Pittsburgh (well three- but that is a lot in one period). The Flyers cashed in twice- added a bad, maybe lucky is better, goal by Lupul- and ended the first period up three.

From there, the Flyers battered defense corps dug in and grimly held on. Randy Jones played his best game I’ve seen: quarterbacking the 2-for-4 power play, picking up an assist, playing 26 minutes without being on for a goal against. I don't know how he wasn't one of the three stars. Twenty minutes from Modry, fifteen from Parent. Really, only Lasse Kukkonen had a rough night on the blue line. Not a bad effort from a collective that features three guys who, in a perfect world, would be solid contributors for the Phantoms. In fact, rather than scratching Parent, let him play and let Kukkonen watch.

And of course, the fisticuffs at the end were a satisfying cap on the night. It was a pleasure watching Hatcher tune up Malone- a pure pro: three shots to the head, casually palming the helmet off, a few more shots for good measure to complete the instruction, pull Malone’s jersey up- and then look directly to the linesman to stop it before he hurt his near helpless opponent. And the Pens’ braintrust further obliged by stupidly running Crosby out there with ten seconds to go, so Richards could slash and punch him a bit. That’s real smart- running your franchise player out there to engage in theatrics in a lost cause on the road.

I want to sit here and write constructs about victory! To wax endlessly that the apparent return of the Flyers’ top defensemen- Timonen and Coburn- will go right at the Flyers three terrible weaknesses in this series: a pairing that can deal with Malkin rather than survive, restore the quality special teams (both ways) that enabled the Flyers to survive the “new” NHL and provide puck carrying defensemen to attack the Penguins trap.

Probably all true- but, you know, the Penguins are good: two outstanding lines, good goalie. Three in a row, two on the road- let’s see the Flyers get one more before we entertain even vague hope of a miracle.

Enough With the Defense

Following on last week’s theme of soul-sucking ennui at the loss of Kimmo Timonen, the other half of the duo, Braydon Coburn, immediately went down at the start of Game Two after taking a puck to the face that required fifty stitches. I mean, come on now.

What can you do? Dress Gauthier? Don't laugh, I bet they considered it. The remnants of the Flyers defense- your new top pair Hatcher and Jones!- probably played their best collective game of the season. The Flyers pulled their horns in, kept the wingers back protecting the AHL level characters forced to dress on defense, lured the Penguins into a turgid pace. It was very very 1990’s New Jersey Devils. Philadelphia played hard, heady- got a break on the disallowed goal, cashed in their chance short handed on Pittsburgh’s blunder. They successfully played the proverbial tight road game against the better team- where the team hockey outfit doesn’t win, but the team with fewer errors, better goaltending, wins.

Philadelphia almost pulled it off. That first ten minutes of the third period probably was their chance to make a competitive series- get a goal there, win that game, and this is a series rather than a coronation of the “official” NHL’s new fave team.

But, well, Marty Biron isn’t enough to win that sort of game. He’s good, very admirable, right now. But he’s not great- and last night was proof. The Flyers did enough to force overtime or win- but only with great goaltending. Frankly, this mistake-free, good goaltending, formula isn’t the Flyers’ normal approach- which is exchange chances outside the opponents top line, get to three plus goals first- because they just don’t trust their collective play inside their own blue line.

For all the plaudits, in these fourteen play-off games, Biron has allowed one goal or fewer only once. He stole one game- Game 2 in Washington. That is it. He’s been touched for seven goals in the last pair. He’s a journeyman having a good month- not a Parent figure capable of glory under duress. Forget stealing a series because of Biron, try winning just a game here.

And let’s face it, that game was a celebration of the new NHL. The Flyers grit and determination and work counted for little. But it was dream game for the new NHL: five goals, four on special teams, a real complete contest of power plays and shorthanded play. The Penguins were given six power plays through the first forty-two minutes, not one that was significant foul on a scoring chance. The crucial season defining aforementioned ten minutes was kicked off by a ridiculously marginal call on Briere for goaltender interference.

Even the announcers were saddened at Hatcher’s hook on Malkin- a call they referred to charitably as “marginal”, as opposed to utter horsebleep. If you were honest, their tone was almost resigned. I’m honestly trying to not complain. I mean, I get it. The Flyers, like everyone else, were informed the NHL was real serious about calling these sort of NBA-style touch fouls on talented guys carrying the puck. Hatcher probably stars in the movie about “what to call” that NHL officials are shown. But after last night, stop telling me the NHL is about grit and tough. It is about recruiting defensemen who won’t touch Malkin.

And I suppose that is just it. There is no doubt what team imposed their will, drove the tempo, which team played harder, was smart. Again, Biron was good. But it wasn’t enough. That is the hard thing about it- that is probably the Flyers A-game sans the top two defensemen. And they still trailed the whole game, needing a bad Penguins error and a big break to be competitive.

I suppose you’re never dead in a short series until you lose a home game- but it appears Coburn is out for Tuesday? With this crew of defensemen; I don’t think matching up really helps- I mean, we’re trying to protect everybody. I guess they might get Breire away from Malkin and end that horrendous match-up. They’re at home, they’re a bunch that tries hard- but I think they’ll be doing great to get a split.

Nice. Real Nice.

Well, that is just freaking great. His foot hurts and Timonen is done. Kimmo, Kimmo, Kimmo. Scott Stevens never had these sort of problems.

Well, normally you wouldn’t panic too much about the departure of a Grade B defensemen from your line-up. Except he’s probably the best the Flyers have. Consequently, this a serious problem.

Its funny- if you had a dispersal draft of the Flyers, he might not be one of the first ten players taken. Those good forwards and his age would work against him. But he’s the one guy they simply can’t afford to be without this week. A big part of the repeatable formula they’ve used to win games in these play-offs- score three goals every night and survive inside your own end- was Coburn and Timonen providing 25 minutes of “a fighting chance” to get it out. Now, instead of a mere 35 minutes of craziness, cringe-inducing turnovers and swearing- we get to for the whole boat. A full hour of me screaming foul slurs at Hatcher, Kukkonen and Jason Smith.

Jaroslav Modry is a -4 in the five games he dressed for. Guess what? He dresses tonight.

And I don’t even want to think about the power play. Randy Jones better have his jock- he brings some mobility. And Sami Kapanen has played some power play defense in the past- they might try him.

Ah, the hazards of paying free-agent money to guys a few years into their 30s.

Still, it stinks. Some talk they could get swept- as this Pittsburgh writer points out the Flyers seem to be in the same class of the Rangers and they barely made it to a fifth game.

Besides the loss of Kimmo Timonen, Philly's other tangible concerns have to include the suspicion that R.J. Umberger probably won't score eight goals in the next five games, which he did in the last five, that, while the Flyers are as hot as anyone east of the Penguins, they qualified for this tournament only 48 hours before it began, and that for all of their recent efficiency, a good argument could still be made that the Flyers might not be as good as the Rangers, who just got dismissed in five games.

I dunno- the Flyers figure to score three plus most nights- should be enough to get a game or two- particularly since the Penguins have got to be a little smug at least one night in this series. I’m just weighed down by the whole thing.

A Terrible Ennui In Canada

One can only imagine the increasing panic in NHL offices this morning: phones jangling on a Sunday morning, breathless meadnering meetings. The Canadiens could not stop the Flyers. The referees cannot stop the Flyers. The NHL dream match up of a Finn (Koivu) and Russian (Kovalev) versus the greatest soccer player on ice (Sidney Crosby) has been postponed indefinitely. Nope, the eastern final will require teams to actually were helmets and hit people for sixty minutes.

A nice job by ESPN’s Scott Burnside. You fink! You missed this as bad as I missed the Derby. But you’re ostensibly a professional. Pylons on defense? True perhaps, but pylons with a pulse and courage.

Kevin Mio in the Montreal Gazette tries to soothe the residents of Quebec this morning:

It was a game the Canadiens probably shouldn't have lost - as was the case several times in this series - but in the end, Montreal made a few too many mistakes as key moments that allowed the Flyers to advance to the Eastern Conference final.

Gosh, I don’t know about that. Get beat four in a row? Sort of a trend there. I mean, had the Flyers won a fifth game in a row- which they almost did- would that remove some lingering doubt? So, no Stanley Cup for Canada this year- maybe they shouldn’t have been so quick to give up on the Nordiques, no? Adopt King Dollar, anything, as something needs to change?

As my father pointed out to me after Game Four, you shouldn’t overanalyze too much. Just where were the Canadiens not outplayed? The Flyers wingers were better, their defensemen a wash, and Montreal’s goaltending was horrid. Biron was pretty bad last night- for the second time in five games mindless Biron cheerleaders on Versus NHL Tonight- and they couldn’t win. The series was officiated in new NHL style- a parade of Flyers going to the box for being too rough and sassy- and Les Habitants could not take advantage.

Do you know “being sassy” is a minor penalty in the Swedish Elite League? You can look it up.

In the Frank Goal Judge Report: "If an attacking player has the puck deflect into the net off his skate or body, in any manner, the goal shall be allowed. . . . The goal shall not be allowed if the puck has been thrown or otherwise deliberately directed into the goal by any means other than a stick." On the Flyers’ second goal, Mike Richards absolutely tried to deliberately direct the puck and absolultely failed to do so. It hit him in the shoulder. No brainer: It counts.

The game was sort of a microcosm of much of the series. Down 3-1, the Flyers were forced to play the sort of game they play best- the very same one Coach Stevens is loathe to let them play with a lead- cycle their deep bunch of forwards and attack and score three-plus goals to win. Up 4-3, Stevens put them back in that shell emphasizing what they can’t do. Montreal promptly tied it- and the Flyers could get back to doing what they do best: score and score some more.

You can’t be down on a team in the conference finals- but yo! Coach. The answer to any scenario facing the Flyers, no matter what the media is telling you, is not “Boys, we gotta lean more on Hatcher, Jason Smith and Biron.”

Anyway, now we can sit back and hope the Rangers can bleed out the Penguins a little more.

The NHL on Telemundo

For the NHL playoffs, my own personal rule of thumb is that if you play hard and can construct a repeatable formula to score three goals per game, you’re a tough out. And really, all other nonsense aside, that is the Flyers in a nutshell.

Simply, the Phladelphia Flyers just have a lot of good wingers and centers. If you can roll second and third lines out offering multiple 20 goal scorers, that don’t look helpless back-checking any opposition line presented, playing a determined sixteen minutes and ending most games a plus- you have a pretty good hockey team.

The Flyers are unusual in that if their top line plays the opponent’s top defensive pair to a draw, they’ll take it. Between killing your own penalties and dealing with Prospal and Briere, the Flyers absorb a team’s number one post-season asset: the precious minutes of the top blue line pair. To wit, a formula: the Flyers can consistently get to three goals in a playoff game via the power play and secondary lines facing the second and third defensive pairings.

Then, add in the fact that Biron has played well- and Montreal’s Carey Price notsomuch- and the Flyers have moved from “tough out” to “leading the series”.

I woke this morning meaning to rant on the officiating- but Sam Donnellon in the Daily News beat me to it. There is a lot of talk about the 34-14 shot differential last night- but if the NHL is intent on allowing the Canadians to play half the game on the power play, you’re gonna get totals like that.

Now, I don’t buy into any conspiracy. However, in most professional sports, the official is charged with the administration of the game and enforcement of the rules. But the NHL official is unique; he is also directed to carry the mandate forward- to create a particular vision of the NHL, reward the player and team that conforms.

Scenario: the Flyers compensate for their lack of quality mobile defensemen by adding a little, dare I even say entertaining, chippy-ness. Well, the NHL can’t have its Finns and Swedes ruffled. So you get situation like the Derian Hatcher’s boarding major and subsequent game misconduct.

Fine, it is a penalty. Fine, throw the book at him. Zero argument. But that is a game changing, potentially series changing call. All this from an act that the recipient immediately got up from- then promptly commits a retaliation action.

A normal official realizes he was presented with numerous ways to penalize Hatcher sans agenda. The game misconduct was ridiculous- there are fist-fights every night in the League that are more premediatated than that hit ever was. Give him a double roughing minor instead of major penalty. In the NBA, that is a level one flagrant foul- shoot the free throw, move briskly on. But in the NHL, it is a chance to move the agenda of the Swedish Elite League forward- and you darn well better know the official is mandated to move the plan forward.

Accordingly, in the NHL offices, there was nodding heads of approval. They want to marginalize players gritty like Hatcher, they love the fact that it took an increasingly out-of-reach 3-0 game and made it a contest, they love the power play and the goals. No referee in the modern NHL will lose play-off assignments making calls that make the game more “interesting” and potentially more appealing to the casual fan surfing cable television.

For further evidence, I would steer you to this post on Jerry’s Wheelhouse- move down to the part about Crosby. Crosby is the end-state NHL star: promoted, scoring and diving. The soccer analogy he present is frankly a solid one- the evolution of the NHL to the beautiful game. It could work- completely the move from network television to Versus to Telemundo.

Biron! Biron!

Cliquez sur l'adresse ci-dessus ou copiez-la dansvotre navigateur:

Biron en vole une au CH

www.canoe.com/sports/nouvelles/archives/2008/04/20080427-065504.html

Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux

It is back to work tonight for the Flyers- as they visit the most provincial “international” city in the world: Montreal. Did you know Montreal is the tenth "cleanest city" in the world? Lord... I like Toronto myself. Those litterbugs eschew effeminate mannerisms and speak English. Plus, how can that much of Montreal be underground?

O Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux.

Ha! Not likely. What are we- between separatist votes this week? Of course, I believe the Cup will not return to Canada until the Meech Lake Accord passes. And certainly, these events have unfolded as I prophesized.

Now, I liked the Flyers in the first series- largely due to their fortuitous draw of the Washington Capitols. Unfortunately, Les Habitants seem to go right at the Flyers’ chief weaknesses- lack of both depth and team speed on defense. It isn’t a question here of rolling out Timonen and Coburn versus Ovechkin- neutralizing that- and surviving elsewhere. Montreal got a whole lotta guys who can skate- particularly on the power play.

This match-up forces the Flyers to play a very different series. With Washington, the Flyers were willing to skate and trade chances against every line but Ovechkin’s. After Game 1, they tried lots of stretch passes and were consistently aggressive in the neutral zone. If they took a few undisciplined penalties being aggressive, trying to intimidate the young Capitals, so be it.

Conversely, here the Flyers must be disciplined: stay out of the box, clog the neutral zone, chip the puck out and dump it in. Yes, it might behoove them to run at the young goalie a few times- and this Flyers team seems not to go wrong engaging in shenanigans after any whistle. But while playing actual hockey- keep it simple and in front of you.

They really need a big series from Hatcher and the captain, Jason Smith. It is vogue in the Philadelphia papers to praise the Flyers “increasingly solid” top four rotation on defense. Ugh. I just don’t see it. Both these guys look slow, maybe hurt, to me. The Flyers were able to protect these guys against the Caps- here they are going to have to play, and play a lot, because the Flyers have no answers for this problem in the fifth and sixth roster spots. Is it me- or does it say a lot that our best defensemen is a Finn? The path to an upset begins with credible play from these two veterans.

The Parti Québécois will probably be happy with the end results; they can have a protest or something with posters of René Lévesque. The Flyers can match the firepower here- but Montreal is pretty organized on the back end too. Still, if you bring effort and goals to the NHL play-offs, you’re a tough out (see, say, the Bruins last week)- and the Flyers figure to bring both. They’re a good road team who, barring an injury on defense, won’t get worn down by Montreal’s deep outfit. I suppose Montreal in seven sounds about right- but it doesn’t feel hopeless either.

Bring On Les Habitants

In today’s Washington Post, Mike Wise writes:

"It's not over. It's just beginning."

Wrong. I’m telling you; you never get over it. Sometimes, I’ll be driving, or napping, really anything- and it just pops in there. Game Seven: Dale Hunter beating Pete Peters. In overtime. Twenty years ago- and a brutal wave of nauseous ennui still will pass through my gut. I was at the Jax Brewery in New Orleans- and I can never go back there. It is like thoughts of the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, one can’t control it.

So about 10PM last night, I wasn’t doing too good: flinching, not talking, nursing a Woodford Reserve.

Game Seven was a true triumph on the “new” NHL. Oh, how the League office must have been congratulating itself! Ten power plays; two five-on-threes. Three power play goals, a fourth that might as well have been, plus the deciding goal in overtime! It is a shame Ovechkin didn’t get to participate in a shoot-out for the series; the NHL would have liked that a whole super lot!

Really, five-on-five, the whole basis for hockey, had no bearing on the outcome last night- which, if you are a fan, is sort of a shame. Of the ten penalties called, six probably didn’t need to be called in a big spot, where they could affect the series (although the decisive one in overtime was a proper call). If four goals in five were scored as a result of fouls, the game is unavoidably largely a special teams’ competition. Each team cashed in twice and, except for the consequences of the Flyers overtime goal, played that part of the game even.

It is satisfying to steal this series. Over the last four games, once they figured out the Flyers were pretty serious about this thing, the Capitals were better. The aforementioned Mike Wise quotes an “astute” observer:

When your team plays like a hockey team and not a bunch of figure skaters with padding, you win. Our fans and team didn't beat the Caps up. We made them men. You're welcome.

Perhaps true. I wish the Caps had repaid their debt by running an orderly handshake line: ragged, disjointed- not wholly respectable.

Anyway, over the last four tilts, Washington won twice outright- and got two other games to overtime. That is a 2-0-2 mark- and I think indicative of the difference between the two teams. Accordingly, I was pessimistic. Yesterday, Mr. B wrote to win this Game Seven, the Flyers needed a big game from Biron (which they clearly got for the second time in seven tries) and some reactive help from the hockey fates.

The fates pitched in. Kapanen got that needed lucky goal when Huet got rocked off his feet (ed. note: yeah, I thought it was a good goal- but I’m a minimalist). While that marker was not the difference in the “Battle of the Power Plays”, it set up the overtime. While Washington was better than Philly most of the time, overtime injects that “who is better for this shift?” rather than “who is the better team?” element. For sure, it got the Flyers through Game Four.

The Flyers played seven gritty games to get to that former question rather than the latter. Guys like Kimmo Timonen played 10:36 of the first period to get to that question. And at 6:06, of overtime, that question was one between Joffrey Lupul and Caps’ defensemen Milan Jurcina- and not, for all the hype and all the shifts, Ovechkin and Timonen. And for one brief moment Joffrey Lupul was- very satisfactorily- the greatest hockey player in world.

So bring on Le Bleu-Blanc-et-Rouge, La Sainte-Flanelle, Le Tricolore, Les Glorieux, Les Habitants and Le Grand Club. Le Grand Club? Lord, but they do sound like a bunch of fairy princesses. Heck, who isn't up for that?

We Got Trouble

A re-occuring feature of this blog is an opportunity to ask the wise Mr. B (the sage plush toy pictured just right) any question concerning the future. Today's question: facing Game Seven, what is up with the Flyers?

Well, we got trouble. Hard to feel good about a team that allows an opponent to waltz in their building and score four straight unanswered goals? The Capitals have played with real “want to” the last three outings. The Flyers have three weaknesses- and Washington has increasingly exploited them. Regardless of tonight’s outcome, this rabbit thinks they’re better than Philadelphia.

I don’t want to kill Briere and Prospal. Well, okay, I want to. Look, I understand they’ve scored goals and are the only sense of consistent pulse on the power play. But jeez'em crow, I would chain them to the bench when protecting a multiple goal lead- or any lead in the third period. They aren’t just bad defensively, they’re horrid.

Which brings us to our discussion of the aforementioned Flyers’ three areas of concern. Flyers’ weakness number one this season has been the horrendous goal differential of the Flyers’ first line at five-on-five. The plus/minus of Briere of -22 is consistent bad news. He only has 17 goals at even strength. And he takes a minor penalty every other game. He can fly and he has skill- but inside their own blue line the first line is so physically weak on and off the puck. It is a nightmare. Both Briere and Prospal were minus three last night. Can’t have that-the first line has a lot of nights were they flat out give up more than they get.

I have down on the Flyers (ed note. wrongly- they made the play-offs)- and my angst started with weakness number two. Biron is not a plus goaltender in the NHL. He is barely average.

Okay, I've said it. In these games with Washington, he is more likely to allow four goals than one. His save percentage stinks. The more he is asked to play, the worse Biron is (0-5 in back-to-back games- and every slump he has is fueled by his workload). Since Pelle Lindbergh died, the Flyers have had two seasons- the years Hextall took them to the Cup Finals versus Edmonton and Detroit- where their goal-tending was above average in the play-offs. It is an institutional cancer in Philadelphia. As long as Biron as the number one goalie in Philadelphia, a serious Cup run seems impossible.

Of course, this is compounded by the Flyers’ weak overall defensemen- problem area number three. No two-goal lead has been safe with these characters all year- and it ain’t changing now. As the series has evolved, the Caps have gambled a little more in the neutral zone on defense to generate turnovers and been more passive on offense: just get the puck into the Flyers’ zone. Anything to create any semblance of pressure on the Flyers defense to get the puck, handle the puck, do something positive with the puck. The Flyers aren’t dumb on defense- just not very good. Every guy has a flaw: don’t scare you carrying the puck, weak on the puck, slow. It is hard to tell a team nursing a two goal lead to not be reactive on defense- to keep pinching, etc.- but the Flyers just aren’t a team that can count on competence with this crew and their top line of defensive liabilities.

What does it mean? It means real trouble. The series has proved that when Washington is engaged, committed to paying the price of winning in the NHL play-offs, they are two goals better than Philadelphia.

The Flyers deserve credit to forcing a team that is better than them to a one-and-done situation. They have the proverbial punchers chance- get that early goal that gives them a chance to get lucky late. Maybe Washington will relax tonight- fat and happy after their two solid wins. Desperation is the biggest intangible in pro-sports- and the Flyers will have that mojo tonight.

But this morning, I’m pessimistic. They have a chance, but it is a dependent one. They need help from Washington, some luck too. And Biron has to have a great game in spite of all contrary evidence. This is a game where having a goalie who can reasonably expect to play a game and allow two goals would really help. Something you could count on. That just isn’t Biron- but maybe they’ll get lucky.

Not Too Good Detroit

In this morning’s New York Post, David Smith from Long Island City writes to the Editor:

I disagree with your claim that all of America welcomes the pope. There are people here who do not believe in him or what he claims to stand for.

Please don't lump everyone in by suggesting all are "looking forward to see him." I definitely was not.

Well, that is the sort of bitterness one can associate with Piston’s fans this morning. Well, probably not. But it was a good win for the Sixers- goes a good way to validating what they and the coach have done since Christmas.

I’m not crazy; I don’t think the Sixers are better than Detroit. But the last ninety-seconds, with the Sixers up 3-4 points, the Sixers forced the “rebounders” off the floor as the Pistons brought in the “shooters”. With Detroit’s big people off the floor (at least on offense), the Sixers were able to force a series of one-shot-and-done possessions in crunch time. Bascially, they were killed all night on the boards except when it mattered most- as the Pistons were forced to disarm.

The NBA is about match-ups and the last two minutes- determing scenarios that you can repeatedly exploit enough to win four times. And the Sixers seem to have, based on yesterday’s outcome, come up with a viable, repeatable scenario to close out games against these characters. Hopefully, with two of the next three at home, they’ll be able to play that scenario again, square this series through four games- and make this a best-of-three: a more miracle conducive experience!

I have less on the Flyers. It was disappointing to let Washington off the mat- except it really more that Washington got itself off the mat the past two tilts by matching the Flyers effort level. It was a road loss- and probably it was too much to expect to run Washington out in four straight games. But the bad loss in Game One makes this a series again. The two remaining games are toss ups- so I like the Flyers simply because they only gotta one flip rather than two. Of course, last week it was three games… trouble is increasing here.

Saving the NHL From Itself

If you close your eyes, you can almost put yourself at Washington Capitals practice this afternoon:

Sullen Capital’s coach Bruce Boudreau grimaced slightly as he called for his boys attention at the end of an ennui filled skate. “Okay,” he intoned firmly, “I want one long line- from the blue line to the goal- captain up front, Huet in back.” The players glided slowly into position.

“All right,” Coach continued, “At the end of the game tomorrow afternoon, I want just like that. Just shuffle forward, extend you right hand and say things like ‘Good series’ and ‘Nice job’. Huet! You can hug Biron if you want.”

The Flyers and Capitals continued to try and single-handedly save the NHL from itself- playing a highly entertaining and spirited tilt in Philadelphia last night. The last three period managed to feature only one power play from an on-ice foul- the absolutely terrible late interference penalty on Kozlov. Imagine that. Nearly sixty minute of taught, physical hockey- and the only blight a stupid new NHL penalty? Is anyone in Toronto in an important office observing this?

Contrary to the Washington Post’s published inanities, emergency intervention seemingly was not required by the NHL to rein in the Flyers and their fans. Although the gasbag in question, Mike Wise, has yet another article this morning where he simply marvels at the energy the Flyers’ fans generate for their club. The Capitals got themselves going in this series. For the first time, Washington showed commitment, toughness, the will it requires to win in the post-season. The result was about as even a tilt as you could imagine: Biron gives the Caps a bad goal in the second period, the Caps return the favor via a stupid too many men on the ice foul in the third period. Other than that, it was physical and fun- all the thing the NHL loathes. Too few odd man rushes, I suppose. Power plays equal entertainment! And no post-game penalty shot competition were surely a downer in league offices.

I’ve beat on the Washington coaching effort all series along- and again, they were a factor last night. First, they tried to steal a “set the tone” shift from the get-go, putting the energy line out to start the game. Of course, energy line is code for “your three worst forwards”- and when you’re getting out-coached, that sort of thing always backfires. Score!

Then, it wasn’t so much Washington overplaying Ovechkin- but his line mate, the aging Federov, who consequently must play a lot too, looked exhausted throughout the overtime. As the clock ran and ran, the Flyers advantage in forward depth (seven twenty goal scorers), coupled with commitment to play them regularly, became a bigger and bigger factor. The Flyers were generating more and better chances over both overtimes. And finally, one of those twenty goals scorers, Mike Knuble, on a secondary line banged one home.

Biron was solid in OT- but the softie in the second was a bad one in a bad spot- so the Flyers survive the shaky night in nets you knew was coming. Last night, the Caps finally showed why they are one of the top dozen teams in hockey. The Flyers are about at the level too. It isn’t done- the Caps will be a tough out in their building. But their best effort isn’t enough to guarantee a win- and that is trouble when you need three in a row.

Score!

Two Down; Fourteen To Go

I fired up the internet this morning ready to write about the Flyers thoroughly satisifying triumph last night. I ended up wasting much of the morning reading Mike Wise’s hilariously fulfilling commentary in the Washington Post. It makes one wonder if he’d ever seen an NHL play-off game. There are just so many good parts: agonizing over the loutish fans, calling the Flyers’ thugs, pleading with the NHL to intervene- to simply do something, anything!

For most of the evening, there was this unmistakable air of testosterone coming from the Flyers' direction that just reeked of physicality, a way of exerting their mauling style on the Capitals that just sent their denizens into some medieval state of euphoria.

"We want to make it physical between the whistles," Flyers Coach John Stevens said. "I think it's important for no other reason then it's the best tool we have to defend, to be honest with you. I think it's very important that we move our feet and finish our checks and get people pushed off the puck."

Translation: "We will keep punking the Caps until the NHL commissioner tells us not to."

I like this too!

Did we mention they show fights on the video scoreboard every period here, more than most arenas show dunks in the NBA?

Something about this R-rated environment is just not conducive to Ted Leonsis' Family Pack Night or Ovie on Ice. The contrasts are so stark and revealing.

The Caps' postseason slogan: "Rock The Red." The Flyers? "Vengeance Now," which comes across as less of a slogan and more of a sequel to Charles Bronson's "Death Wish."

What an ass.

Look, while they’ve surely been a bunch of turtles so far (I think that picture to the right is in fact the Caps' defense emerging from the locker room), the Capitals are far from done here. The Flyers picked up another key injury on defense. They’re still very shaky back there at the best of times. And the Caps are a mere one road win from pretty good about things. Frankly, it isn’t like they can play either more scared or much worse.

But Washington has got problems. They were run out of the rink last night. The Flyers' coach is making his counterpart look bad. Huet stinks- and is getting worse.

As I wrote after Game 1, every Philadelphian looks at the Caps and totally gets their situation. It is the Allen Iverson Sixers all over again- a bunch of role players who need the stars’ jump to get them going. Part of why the Caps can’t get anything from their other lines is they don’t play them. Ovechkin is seemingly logging 26-27 minutes a night? He doesn’t kill penalties- so it honestly seems he plays all the time otherwise. Maybe they have no other option- but you can’t scream about contributions from secondary players if they get twelve, thirteen minutes of ice a night- mainly on special teams.

The Flyers have been chippy and aggressive- but blaming them for refusing to skate with Capitals seems kind of dumb. Plus, in case you missed it, Briere and Prospal are skating with them like crazy.

Watching the Flyers defense "cling" to their assignments like, well, they are bitter about something, I still think the series goes deep. Even with Hatcher dressing again, the injury to Kimmo Timonen is a hard nut. I’ve been all over Hatcher from the get-go in Philadelphia. But, his surly manner helps here and his plodding manner doesn’t hurt that much. Heck, nobody on the Flyers defensive corps can skate with these characters- so we might as well be strong on the puck, in the corners and in front in our own end.