Flyers nation can now exhale.
Anxiety was rising, but instead the Flyers turned out their best 60 minutes of the series. Giroux provided the early boost, and the Flyers circled the wagons and survived the Penguins furious counter-punch. That would prove to be Penguins' best shot.
I was oddly confident this morning. Rationally, I should've been very concerned about the Flyers shorthanded defense, and Bryz looking physically hampered, but instead I just thought to myself that there was no way the Flyers would let this series get away from them. They were going to win this game. This team has been way too resilient this year, never giving up. Yes, the Penguins were a more focused team than earlier in the series, but this Flyers team always answers the bell.
I'm already looking forward to the next round, and pulling hard for both Washington and Ottawa to complete their upsets and leave a clear path to the finals for the Flyers. Either way, it will be great not to have to think about punks like Malkin, Neal and Letang for 6 months.
Notes:
-The Flyers really tightened up defensively. Bryzgalov faced hardly any clean looks, and didn't have to move laterally nearly as much. As a result, he looked more comfortable and made all the expected saves. Also, the Flyers blocked 40 shots today, more than the previous two games combined (and double the 20 they blocked in game 3, their previous series high).
-Gustafsson came in and played like a champ. His ice time rose from ~12 minutes in game 5 to ~22 in game 6, nearly all at even strength. That was more than Timonen and Carle at even strength this game. Timonen actually played less than 7.5 minutes at even strength, and 15 overall.
-After going for 1/3 on the power play today, the Flyers percentage dropped to 57% (12/23) for the series. The Pens themselves went 31% (9/29), a damn good number in any other reality, but also gave up 3 shorthanded goals. Mind you, the Pens were one of the best penalty killing teams in the league this year and set a franchise record for PK percentage.
-Crosby was nearly invisible today, and I suspect he is not 100% after getting nailed on the chin by Malkin last game. Malkin was very good, scoring one, hitting a post, and generally wreaking havoc in the Flyers zone around the net.
Opinions on NHL topics of the moment, but mostly on the Flyers.
Showing posts with label malkin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label malkin. Show all posts
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Penguins Game 5 Review
Okay, so I'm a little late on this one.
Anyway, we actually had a real hockey game this time. The nonsense finally stopped, and the teams simply played hockey. The Flyers started out pretty well, but fell behind in the second period and couldn't squeak out one more goal to come back, though they came pretty close.
I like the Flyers odds in game 6, but this is a real series again.
Notes:
-Goaltending. Before you say anything about either team getting a goaltending advantage, consider the stats thus far; Bryzgalov, 4.54 GAA, .848%, Fleury, 4.70 GAA, .837%. Equally awful.
Now that doesn't mean it will necessarily continue that way, and it certainly looks to me like Bryzgalov is being affected by injury. His chip fracture in his foot may not be fully healed, and there are rumors his hip is also bad. Either way, he cannot move laterally to the right. On several plays the last two games when the puck goes that way quickly, he doesn't even try to move that way, and just falls on his back and flails his goal stick futilely. This is a major concern for the Flyers.
On the other hand, it would be unwarranted to conclude Fleury has turned the corner and will be better the remainder of the series. A few posts, a few slower whistles, or Danny Briere roofing a rebound as is his specialty, and Fleury gives up 4+ goals that game.
-The Flyers PP is absolutely killing it right now, but no even strength goals since game 3.
-The team scoring first is now 0-5 in this series.
-I despise Malkin. He is such a puke, and a weasel. He was pretty quiet on all fronts through the first 3 games, but once he got his first goal of the series, it seemed to get his blood pumping. Since then, he has headhunted Grossmann with a blind-side headshot, tried to castrate Couturier with his stick, and also blindsided Couturier up high away from the puck. This has been Malkin's MO for years, and you'll notice he only strikes other players when they are not looking. Slash, trip, punch, high-hits, and only to players who are distracted and looking the other way.
-Speaking of Grossman, he skated yesterday. I suppose there's a small chance he could play, though that would be awfully quick after an unofficial concussion. The Flyers could definitely use his size and shot blocking.
-JVR returned the lineup, but only played 7:31, the least of any forward. Hopefully he's well enough to play more minutes and carry the puck. Lilja and Kubina actually played fewer minutes, as obviously Laviolette doesn't trust them right now.
Anyway, we actually had a real hockey game this time. The nonsense finally stopped, and the teams simply played hockey. The Flyers started out pretty well, but fell behind in the second period and couldn't squeak out one more goal to come back, though they came pretty close.
I like the Flyers odds in game 6, but this is a real series again.
Notes:
-Goaltending. Before you say anything about either team getting a goaltending advantage, consider the stats thus far; Bryzgalov, 4.54 GAA, .848%, Fleury, 4.70 GAA, .837%. Equally awful.
Now that doesn't mean it will necessarily continue that way, and it certainly looks to me like Bryzgalov is being affected by injury. His chip fracture in his foot may not be fully healed, and there are rumors his hip is also bad. Either way, he cannot move laterally to the right. On several plays the last two games when the puck goes that way quickly, he doesn't even try to move that way, and just falls on his back and flails his goal stick futilely. This is a major concern for the Flyers.
On the other hand, it would be unwarranted to conclude Fleury has turned the corner and will be better the remainder of the series. A few posts, a few slower whistles, or Danny Briere roofing a rebound as is his specialty, and Fleury gives up 4+ goals that game.
-The Flyers PP is absolutely killing it right now, but no even strength goals since game 3.
-The team scoring first is now 0-5 in this series.
-I despise Malkin. He is such a puke, and a weasel. He was pretty quiet on all fronts through the first 3 games, but once he got his first goal of the series, it seemed to get his blood pumping. Since then, he has headhunted Grossmann with a blind-side headshot, tried to castrate Couturier with his stick, and also blindsided Couturier up high away from the puck. This has been Malkin's MO for years, and you'll notice he only strikes other players when they are not looking. Slash, trip, punch, high-hits, and only to players who are distracted and looking the other way.
-Speaking of Grossman, he skated yesterday. I suppose there's a small chance he could play, though that would be awfully quick after an unofficial concussion. The Flyers could definitely use his size and shot blocking.
-JVR returned the lineup, but only played 7:31, the least of any forward. Hopefully he's well enough to play more minutes and carry the puck. Lilja and Kubina actually played fewer minutes, as obviously Laviolette doesn't trust them right now.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Penguins Game 4 Review
Well that didn't go as planned.
I suppose it was the Flyers turn to wilt as the game went on. The Flyers took the early lead due on early PPs due to some very tight officiating, and then the Penguins took the game away, capitalizing on an endless stream of penalties.
Aside from that, the Flyers took their foot of the gas pedal tonight, and the Penguins simply played focused hockey. The question will be, did the Penguins regain control of themselves in time? Probably not. If they don't win game 5, what happened tonight is merely an inconsequential blip on the radar.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the Penguins back on home ice. Nothing surprises me in this series anymore. The Flyers would do well to simply forget the whole game, and dig in for a trip into enemy territory.
Notes:
-A major issue is the health of Grossmann. He took 2 illegal headshots, and left the game early with an "upper body injury." This is the first;
My mortal enemy, Malkin has finally emerged this series. Gets his first goal, and on his next shift throws his first dirty check of the series. This is a blatant attempt to blindside a player in the head, and is clearly illegal under Rule 48.1, illegal check to the head. Malkin threw out his shoulder in a completely gratuitous fashion, and there is no excuse. So intent is Malkin on headhunting, that his lunge to do so caused him to fall down after the hit.
Grossmann may have survived this hit, but then he took another one.
This hit by Kennedy is not as gratuitous, but it also walks the line of illegal high hit to the head. The NHL puts quite a bit of emphasis on injury sustained, so any claims the Flyers may have for supplementary discipline may be mooted by the fact that neither hit was individually responsible for the injury.
If Grossman flops, or if he is hit by someone other than Malkin, a suspension is likely for a clearly predatory and intentional hit to the head. As it is, the Flyers may be without their best shutdown defenseman while Malkin skates away without even a minor penalty to his name. Clearly the officials are still clueless on detecting headshots, as how can you miss a blatant headshot call in a game when you are calling every little ticky-tack penalty otherwise (20 minor penalty calls!)?
-Giroux did not play in the third period last night either. Hopefully just a precaution in a game that was out of reach.
-Bryzgalov was really fighting the puck last night. Moving slowly, to have no idea where the puck was after stopping a shot. If momentum means anything, Fleury got a hold of himself last night, while Bryzgalov got pulled. Nothing in this series is that tidy however.
-Before the series, I said scoring the first goal, crucial in today's NHL wouldn't matter much. I was a little off on that one, as scoring the first goal this series has been crucial--the team scoring first is 0-4 in this series.
-How crazy is this series? The next highest scoring playoff series this year is Detroit v. Nashville, who have combined for 19 goals in 4 games. The Flyers and Pens have combined for 20 goals in the first period, and 45 overall. I haven't even looked at the math for penalty minutes either, which is also off the charts.
I suppose it was the Flyers turn to wilt as the game went on. The Flyers took the early lead due on early PPs due to some very tight officiating, and then the Penguins took the game away, capitalizing on an endless stream of penalties.
Aside from that, the Flyers took their foot of the gas pedal tonight, and the Penguins simply played focused hockey. The question will be, did the Penguins regain control of themselves in time? Probably not. If they don't win game 5, what happened tonight is merely an inconsequential blip on the radar.
It will be interesting to see what happens with the Penguins back on home ice. Nothing surprises me in this series anymore. The Flyers would do well to simply forget the whole game, and dig in for a trip into enemy territory.
Notes:
-A major issue is the health of Grossmann. He took 2 illegal headshots, and left the game early with an "upper body injury." This is the first;
My mortal enemy, Malkin has finally emerged this series. Gets his first goal, and on his next shift throws his first dirty check of the series. This is a blatant attempt to blindside a player in the head, and is clearly illegal under Rule 48.1, illegal check to the head. Malkin threw out his shoulder in a completely gratuitous fashion, and there is no excuse. So intent is Malkin on headhunting, that his lunge to do so caused him to fall down after the hit.
Grossmann may have survived this hit, but then he took another one.
This hit by Kennedy is not as gratuitous, but it also walks the line of illegal high hit to the head. The NHL puts quite a bit of emphasis on injury sustained, so any claims the Flyers may have for supplementary discipline may be mooted by the fact that neither hit was individually responsible for the injury.
If Grossman flops, or if he is hit by someone other than Malkin, a suspension is likely for a clearly predatory and intentional hit to the head. As it is, the Flyers may be without their best shutdown defenseman while Malkin skates away without even a minor penalty to his name. Clearly the officials are still clueless on detecting headshots, as how can you miss a blatant headshot call in a game when you are calling every little ticky-tack penalty otherwise (20 minor penalty calls!)?
-Giroux did not play in the third period last night either. Hopefully just a precaution in a game that was out of reach.
-Bryzgalov was really fighting the puck last night. Moving slowly, to have no idea where the puck was after stopping a shot. If momentum means anything, Fleury got a hold of himself last night, while Bryzgalov got pulled. Nothing in this series is that tidy however.
-Before the series, I said scoring the first goal, crucial in today's NHL wouldn't matter much. I was a little off on that one, as scoring the first goal this series has been crucial--the team scoring first is 0-4 in this series.
-How crazy is this series? The next highest scoring playoff series this year is Detroit v. Nashville, who have combined for 19 goals in 4 games. The Flyers and Pens have combined for 20 goals in the first period, and 45 overall. I haven't even looked at the math for penalty minutes either, which is also off the charts.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Pens and Flyers go to War
The day is upon us. Clearly the series to watch across the league, this series has everything going for it to make it a fun watch; geographical rivals, short term and long term bad blood, coaches yelling on the benches, players sparring in the press, recent playoff history, the two highest scoring offenses in the league....
The Pens are no doubt the favorite for this series, and I'm sure many will be picking them to win the East based on their accomplishments this season, largely without Crosby in the lineup. Still, there is no way I could pick the Penguins in the series. I have to say the Flyers in 7, but really this series should be very close.
Things to watch:
-The Flyers' horrendous starts. The Flyers have been tied or trailing at the 10 minute mark in 51 out of the last 55 games. It's a stat that sounds like it can't possibly be right. Simply going back to March 1, a stretch that includes Bryzgalov's shutout streak, and the Flyers have been outscored 10-2 in the opening 10 minutes of games. Fortunately for them, no one has been able to hold their offense down.
Getting more specific, let's assume the Flyers have bad starts--the Flyers have .357 winning percentage when trailing after 1, 7th in the league. The Penguins have a .706 winning percentage when leading after 1 period, 19th in the league. Ironically, it is the Penguins who have the best winning percentage in the league when trailing after the first and/or second period.
Okay, too many numbers in the previous paragraph. The long story short, scoring first won't matter much this series. The Pens and Flyers are #1 and #2 respectively in the league in winning percentage when conceding the first goal of the game. (They are 9th and 7th respectively in winning percentage when scoring first)
-The Flyers' terrible day game record. I don't have the numbers, but the Flyers were atrocious in afternoon games this season, as their slow starts were even worse in these games. Game 3 will be a day game, and game 6 may also be a day game. The Flyers don't want to lose 2 in Pittsburgh then face a must win game 3 on Sunday afternoon.
-Bryzgalov's health. Is he 100%? Even if he is, can he get his March mojo back, when he was the best goalie in the league? Fleury should be largely reliable for the Pens, but Bryzgalov is tougher to predict. For now, I will just assume near-March form for Bryzgalov.
-Protecting the crease. When the Flyers are struggling, you see them conceding a lot of tap in goals on cross-crease passes and the like. They're not all-of-a-sudden going to protect the crease like the Rangers, against whom you can't score a goal without navigating a maze of collapsing defenders, but the Flyers can't get over-anxious on offense and leave lanes wide open around their own net.
-Cooter vs Malkin. Flyers fans have to hope the 19-year old is up to the task of playing against the presumptive MVP this season. Malkin will get his points, especially on the PP, but limiting his chances even strength and on the rush will be key. Grossmann's health will also be a big factor here. Watch for the Malkin cheapshots (slashing, sucker punches, elbows, slewfoots) as soon as he is challenged physically.
-The Flyers' 3rd defensive pair. It looks like the Flyers may be throwing out Bourdon and Lilja as the thrid pair in game 1. That makes me nervous, but with Meszaros out and Kubina struggling, the Flyers will be relying on the rookie and the slow veteran. Neither play is terribly fleet afoot, and a Timonen injury (thus raising these guys' minutes) would be disastrous for the Flyers.
-Briere's playoff form. It sounds like Briere is healthy, but he had a poor regular season. He has been a playoff hero though, especially last year. It might be too much to ask though for him to suddenly turn it on this year.
-The Penguins' diving. Crosby and Letang will be selling penalties, flopping and throwing their head around. Will they get the calls? Will this frustrate the Flyers?
The Pens are no doubt the favorite for this series, and I'm sure many will be picking them to win the East based on their accomplishments this season, largely without Crosby in the lineup. Still, there is no way I could pick the Penguins in the series. I have to say the Flyers in 7, but really this series should be very close.
Things to watch:
-The Flyers' horrendous starts. The Flyers have been tied or trailing at the 10 minute mark in 51 out of the last 55 games. It's a stat that sounds like it can't possibly be right. Simply going back to March 1, a stretch that includes Bryzgalov's shutout streak, and the Flyers have been outscored 10-2 in the opening 10 minutes of games. Fortunately for them, no one has been able to hold their offense down.
Getting more specific, let's assume the Flyers have bad starts--the Flyers have .357 winning percentage when trailing after 1, 7th in the league. The Penguins have a .706 winning percentage when leading after 1 period, 19th in the league. Ironically, it is the Penguins who have the best winning percentage in the league when trailing after the first and/or second period.
Okay, too many numbers in the previous paragraph. The long story short, scoring first won't matter much this series. The Pens and Flyers are #1 and #2 respectively in the league in winning percentage when conceding the first goal of the game. (They are 9th and 7th respectively in winning percentage when scoring first)
-The Flyers' terrible day game record. I don't have the numbers, but the Flyers were atrocious in afternoon games this season, as their slow starts were even worse in these games. Game 3 will be a day game, and game 6 may also be a day game. The Flyers don't want to lose 2 in Pittsburgh then face a must win game 3 on Sunday afternoon.
-Bryzgalov's health. Is he 100%? Even if he is, can he get his March mojo back, when he was the best goalie in the league? Fleury should be largely reliable for the Pens, but Bryzgalov is tougher to predict. For now, I will just assume near-March form for Bryzgalov.
-Protecting the crease. When the Flyers are struggling, you see them conceding a lot of tap in goals on cross-crease passes and the like. They're not all-of-a-sudden going to protect the crease like the Rangers, against whom you can't score a goal without navigating a maze of collapsing defenders, but the Flyers can't get over-anxious on offense and leave lanes wide open around their own net.
-Cooter vs Malkin. Flyers fans have to hope the 19-year old is up to the task of playing against the presumptive MVP this season. Malkin will get his points, especially on the PP, but limiting his chances even strength and on the rush will be key. Grossmann's health will also be a big factor here. Watch for the Malkin cheapshots (slashing, sucker punches, elbows, slewfoots) as soon as he is challenged physically.
-The Flyers' 3rd defensive pair. It looks like the Flyers may be throwing out Bourdon and Lilja as the thrid pair in game 1. That makes me nervous, but with Meszaros out and Kubina struggling, the Flyers will be relying on the rookie and the slow veteran. Neither play is terribly fleet afoot, and a Timonen injury (thus raising these guys' minutes) would be disastrous for the Flyers.
-Briere's playoff form. It sounds like Briere is healthy, but he had a poor regular season. He has been a playoff hero though, especially last year. It might be too much to ask though for him to suddenly turn it on this year.
-The Penguins' diving. Crosby and Letang will be selling penalties, flopping and throwing their head around. Will they get the calls? Will this frustrate the Flyers?
Monday, February 7, 2011
A case of the mondays
A few tidbits today.
-It's now expected that Emery will sign with the Ducks, then spend a few weeks on their AHL team.
-The top scorers for the Flyers' opponents are dropping like flies. It's expected that today the Bruins will announce Savard as done for the year. Malkin is likely out for the year, and Crosby is still out indefinitely (though I would expect for the playoffs, no doubt). Good news for the Flyers I guess.
-Tim Panaccio reports that the Flyers have two options on the table for Ville Leino.
Several sources tell CSNPhilly.com that the Flyers are offering a three and four-year contract worth between $9 million and $12 million, depending upon length.
At least one prominent executive in the Flyers organization believes the 27-year-old right wing won’t get a better deal in unrestricted free agency this July than what the Flyers are offering.
Bill Zito, the agent for Leino, said he remains optimistic that an agreement will be reached before free agency. Zito would not comment on the two proposals or why his client hasn’t accepted one yet.
Others believe Zito wants to wait out the season and see how Leino’s numbers stack up against other players in free agency, and what his overall impact was on the Flyers.
Today, incidentally, is the one-year anniversary of Leino becoming a Flyer.
Leino said he remains optimistic on re-signing. On Friday, Leino said no formal offer has been presented to him.
As I understand it, the Flyers can't sign Ville Leino until after the season because that would put next year's payroll over the current cap, even if they expect the cap to go up next year. I previously calculated the Flyers have roughly $2.5 million in contract space to sign Leino without making other sacrifices. I think that's still more or less accurate. As Leino carried on at almost a point/game pace this season, however, I began to wonder if that would be enough.
It's good to see both parties want to make a deal. I'm sure the Flyers love how Leino fits this roster so perfectly, and honestly it's the perfect place for him to flourish. That said, if Leino has another big playoffs, other teams might be willing throw money at him as an UFA and it's hard to walk away if a significantly larger bid comes in. Personally, I will be nervous about Leino staying with the Flyers until the ink is dry on his new contract.
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