Philadelphia Flyers

[Flyer Fan]

Fascinating events unfolding today in Philly as Peter Laviolette has announced that Brian Boucher will be the starter for game three, Michael Leighton will be the backup, and Bobrovsky will be a healthy scratch.

Leighton was given Bobrovsky's stall in the lockerroom, and Bobrovsky moved to a chair in the center of the room.

As far as giving Boucher the start, he's played as well as Bobrovsky, he's not as talented, but is more consistent. Handles the puck better, which takes some pressure off the defense. He's faced playoff pressure before, and thrived, and the team has confidence in him.

Bobrovsky, while always bouncing back previously after being yanked during a poor performance, has had a few of them lately, ...particularly during a big game against the Islanders at the end of the season, which cost the Flyers an important two points, ...and realistically the three goals he allowed in the first twelve minutes of game two should have been enough of a boost for the Sabres to allow them to bury the Flyers and put the team in a deep hole.

It marked the sixth time this season that Bobrovsky's had to be pulled, and he didn't appear to be prepared mentally for the importance of the game. To expect him to be able to step in for an injured or ineffective Boucher, under playoff pressure, on the road, in Buffalo's first home playoff game, cold; would be expecting alot.
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If Boucher were to go down, or the Flyers looking to change momentum by switching goaltenders, Leighton as the more experienced, playoff tested goaltender would seem better equiped to step into the breach.

He's done it before for this team, and prior to his back injury, was the team's choice to be it's starter this season.

Could Bobrovsky step in, stand on his head, and possibly steal a game for this team, or at least give them a chance to win? Probably, ...but it's an awful lot of pressure to be under. Bobrovsky seemed up to handling that in game one, (although the lone goal he allowed was due to misplaying a harmless point shot into a loose puck in the slot) but looked rattled after giving up a clunker in game two, ...and then subsequently gave up another. Leighton's the safer choice.

Is it bad for Bobrovsky's developement to get yanked so soon and relegated to the press box after twelve minutes of poor play? Probably, but tough. The team has gone "all in" in pursuing it's goal of winning the cup this season.

It has a limited window of opportunity, and can't afford to sacrifice it for the sake of protecting the developement of one player. Bobrovsky had a good rookie season, he earned a shot as the team's playoff starter and was given it. He didn't come through.

It was short leash, but only because that's all he's earned. The skills are there, save for some puck handling and communication skills that need to be honed, ...but the mental toughness, and consistancy aren't there yet.

This move will no doubt be a hit to Bobrovsky's confidence, but if he's to be an NHL goaltender, he needs to be mentally tough enough to overcome it.

If he does, then it's a matter of improving his language skills, working on his puck handling technique to strengthen the few physical weaknesses in his game, ...and lastly improving his consistency enough to earn a longer leash.

If he doesn't, or can't recover this move, ...then it's better for the Flyers to find that out now and plan according.

I suspect that in the long run, Bobrovsky will be just fine, ...but Boucher and Leighton right now are the tandum that gives the team the best chance to win it's next game, and the playoffs and cups are won one game at a time, it's an elimination tournament, no second chances. Not for the Flyers, not for Bobrovsky.

It was the move the team had to make.

[Flyer Fan]

Zhedev's going to be in the lineup in place of the injured Andreas Nodl.

[Flyer Fan]

4-2 Flyers.

Much better played game from both teams.

Boucher was very sharp, but did kick out a rebound late in the second that was converted by Gerbe to pull the Sabres within 1 after they had established 3-1 lead.

But all in all he was very good, at one point buying the flyers gaseed penalty killers extra time by taking off his mask during play and getting a stoppage.

The Flyers team bus is now empty as the last passenger, Jeff Carter has finally gotten off, ...he had a nice game tonight. Scored the opening goal, and seemed to be much more involved, ...he was even rewarded by Laviolette with a shift in the final minute of the game and the team protecting a one goal lead.

Giroux had another strong game, and is consistantly being challenged, crosschecked and hit by the Sabres at every opportunity, ...Briere too, but it doesn't seem to be effecting either of them.

On the other side of the coin, the Flyers have allowed the line of kaletta, Gaustad, and Gerbe to become a force by not responding adequately.

JVR and Hartnell carried the bulk of the Flyers physical play upfront, Coburn and Meszaros on the back end.

Zherdev was inserted with Richards and Versteeg and had a strong game; scoring a goal, and being named star of the game (beating out Boucher, and Gerbe, who was the Sabres best player, ...with the possible exception of referee Paul Devorski)

[Flyer Fan]

Flyers lines from practice:

Hartnell-Briere-Leino.
Van Riemsdyk-Giroux-Powe.
Versteeg-Richards-Zherdev.
Carcillo-Betts-Holmstrom.

Yeah, without Carter, Nodl, and Shelley; ...you can see how woefully thin the Flyers forward group has become.

Shelley, with a still healing fractured orbital bone, could play with a full face shield, but wouldn't be able to fight, which is a shame given the nature of the series.

Lots of buzz about Pronger playing tonight, but he's still not taking slap shots, and wouldn't be able to help offensively, defensively the Flyers have pretty much managed to shut the Sabres down without him anyway, and as far as the physical and dirty stuff goes, ...the Flyers already have the capability of exceeding what the Sabres are doing on both counts, ...they've been playing disciplined and clean thus far, expecting to gain the power play advantages for doing so, but after the crap that was allowed by the Sabres in game four, they finally seem to realize that isn't going to happen, and are adjusting their strategy accordingly; so if it were up to me I'd give Pronger more time to heal, the Flyers even with the injuries, officiating, awful power play, goaltending issues, and Miller standing on his head are tied 2-2, They look like they're finally pissed off enough to be fully engaged, ...I expect they can win this going away without Pronger, so why not give him a another week?

[Flyer Fan]

Not much to talk about in Flyerland today.

Boucher fell apart last night; allowed two absolutey horrendous goals, then a third that was only mildly nauseating. Never saw him play so poorly, and the team was buried 3-0 at that point you figured Oh well, the Flyers blew this one, and they may as well indulge themselves in making various Sabres pay for past sins, while resting the skill players, and setting their sites on game 6.

But, surprisingly, amazingly, ...after switching to Michael Leighton the team took the momentum, and were actually able to tie it up at 3-3, and then had a few chances to win it, including a late power play before heading into overtime,

...Where they lost after a careless turnover out at their blue line resulted in a harmless point shot that Leighton failed to pick up until the last second, and left a big juicy rebound in the slot, and a wide open net.

In fairness Leighton was thrown in cold, and had not really been tested as the Flyers had controlled the play, and kept the Sabres chances very limited, and to the perimeter since he came into the game.

It looked like a goal a rusty goaltender gives up, but he figured to get the call for game six,

...and then, after the game; while Boucher was accepting responsibility for the loss and blaming himself, ...Leighton apparently had some sort of brain fart, and appeared to be trying to throw the defenseman under the bus for screening him by trying to block the initial point shot. Ugh.

Maybe it's nothing, or maybe it means Boucher or Bobrovsky gets another chance after all. Can't wait to see!

No Carter, No Nodl, No Pronger last night. Laviolette went with basically a five man defensive rotation with Danny Syvret barely getting on the ice, and up front Zac Rinaldo (300+ pim, and an astounding 31 fighting majors in the AHL this season) made his NHL debut and was inserted into the lineup instead of Ben Holmstrom.

Rinaldo saw very little icetime, ...but nobody wanted to play. It bears noting that whether due to Rinaldo's presence, better officiating, the Flyers having drawn attention to the issue, or Richards elbow to the face of Kaleta signaling their willingness to respond in kind, ...the dirty stickwork crap has pretty much stopped.


A mistake I think Laviolette has made is using JVR to man the point on the power play, ...he's the biggest in front of the net presence on the team, and would be more effective drawing penalties, screening Miller, and fighting for rebounds stationed in front of the net than what his contributions as a pointman are.

With his team now facing elimination and having no margin for error, I'ld expect Chris Pronger is going to be lobbying pretty hard to get back into the lineup, ...in truth considering the limited icetime and role of Syvret; Pronger would be more than capable of replacing him, and providing a boost, ...but I don't think they really need the boost, just a decent game from their goaltender, they're controlling the play now and still have lots of room for improvement (see: Richards, Mike; Versteeg, Kris; or Leino, Ville), ...they no longer have any margin for error, ...but they're the better team, If they get the goaltending, they win without him, ...if they don't, they'll likely lose anyway, ...I'd give Pronger more time, (...and, of course, I'd send someone else to tell him that).

I'll post any injury updates I can find about Nodl, Pronger, and Carter (who if not for his injury would have been listed #1 in the "room for improvement" list), and any info I can dig up with regards to the goaltending choice.

Sorry for rambling, but one quick observation I wanted to share: Going into this season, I thought that the biggest loss from last season's roster was Simon Gagne, ...but as time goes by, it's Asham and Laperierre who are the guys I miss most.

[Dean Youngblood]

I find it funny how the Flyers refuse to acquire a capable goalie. Every year it is the same old reason why their powerhouse team fails - goaltending.

I love the flyers lineup but they could have won 5 cups if they had any sort of capable goaltender

[Flyer Fan]

I find it funny how the Flyers refuse to acquire a capable goalie. Every year it is the same old reason why their powerhouse team fails - goaltending.

I love the flyers lineup but they could have won 5 cups if they had any sort of capable goaltender

Yeah, it's pretty amazing how something that can be seen so clearly by everyone a few steps back from the situation, isn't visible to those most knowledgable about and closest to it.

But in fairness, it's not that they "don't get" the need for a good goaltender, it's that everytime they try too, they wind up picking the wrong guy.

Boucher was once a first round pick of this team in an attempt to draft their own elite goaltender, ...there have been others, ...Maxime Ouelett, Jean-Mark Pelletier...

Nittymaki, Soderstrom, Gustavsson were all developement projects designed to address it, as is Bobrovsky.

Emery was another shot at it, before that they tried Marty Biron, before that; Joclyn Thibault.

They thought they were getting an elite goalie when they signed Vanbeisbrouck, traded for Sean Burke, or signed Cechmanek.

Robert Eshe was aquired to be the goalie of the future. Jeff Hackett got a shot. Last summer they targeted Turco, and Nabokov and ignored Niemi. it's amazing.

[Dean Youngblood]

Yeah, it's pretty amazing how something that can be seen so clearly by everyone a few steps back from the situation, isn't visible to those most knowledgable about and closest to it.

But in fairness, it's not that they "don't get" the need for a good goaltender, it's that everytime they try too, they wind up picking the wrong guy.

Boucher was once a first round pick of this team in an attempt to draft their own elite goaltender, ...there have been others, ...Maxime Ouelett, Jean-Mark Pelletier...

Nittymaki, Soderstrom, Gustavsson were all developement projects designed to address it, as is Bobrovsky.

Emery was another shot at it, before that they tried Marty Biron, before that; Joclyn Thibault.

They thought they were getting an elite goalie when they signed Vanbeisbrouck, traded for Sean Burke, or signed Cechmanek.

Robert Eshe was aquired to be the goalie of the future. Jeff Hackett got a shot. Last summer they targeted Turco, and Nabokov and ignored Niemi. it's amazing.

quite the list of "misses" with goalies. I wonder if they have ever thought about just playing 6 players all game

[Flyer Fan]

quite the list of "misses" with goalies. I wonder if they have ever thought about just playing 6 players all game

No, they've tried that too, ...many people outside of Philly know this, but Ron Hextall was in actuallity, secretly a puck moving defenseman/enforcer disguised as a goaltender.

[Flyer Fan]

Lots of speculation from the local media, but still not a peep from the Flyers regarding either their injury or goaltending situations.

Former Flyer Donald Brashear has reportedly signed with Canada's Ringside Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Firm.

Yep, after years of being limited to merely pummelling people to a pulp, Donald Brashear's now gonna be allowed to kick them some too.

[Bomm Bastic]

Lots of speculation from the local media, but still not a peep from the Flyers regarding either their injury or goaltending situations.

Former Flyer Donald Brashear has reportedly signed with Canada's Ringside Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Firm.

Yep, after years of being limited to merely pummelling people to a pulp, Donald Brashear's now gonna be allowed to kick them some too.

lmao...dude you are too damn funny.

[Flyer Fan]

Still no injury or goaltending updates to report as apparently it's Easter, and some folks place spending time with their families and going to church and such above hanging out at the rink and reporting on and doing hockey stuff.

(SATIRE>) And, while we may not understand it, ...I suppose we have to at least respect their right to do so, no matter how offensive it may seem to us.

Personally, I see no reason why Easter and the NHL playoffs can't co-exist, but it'd obviously take a little compromise from both sides to work it out.

It's not often discussed publicly, but most NHL insiders agree that the scheduling conflict is no accident, and likely goes back to the animonsity generated by Gary Bettman's repeatedly thwarting the Pope's attempts at purchasing the Phoenix Coyotes and moving them to Vatican City.


(REAL INFO Also Jason Pomminville is going to be scratched from the Sabres lineup today, after being cut in the leg by JVR's skate the other night.

He's expected to be replaced in the lineup by Jochen Hecht.

(MORE SATIRE>) In response the Flyers have called an emergency meeting, and have been hunkered down in Ed Snider's bunker beneath the Wachovia Center since last night attempting to come up with some sort of strategy to try to counter this as best they can.

"I don't know" said an exhausted Peter Laviolette; turning for a moment from the papers and documents he had been burning in a trash can, "at this point, I just don't know..."

When asked about the possible presence of Hecht in the lineup today, a strangely nervous Chris Pronger turned ghostly white, and stated that he couldn't play, before slewfooting a passing vendor and disappearing into the suddenly eerily silent dressing room.

Most of the local reporters seem to agree that Pronger would be very limited if he were to play today, and is certainly not healthy.

Noting that while Pronger had practiced with the team, and was able to take some very light slap shots, ...he still appeared to be favoring the hand considerably when spearing them in the groin during the varous interviews, and was unable to generate either the usual distance, nor trajectory.

As he was being wheeled out a stickboy reported that Pronger was able to do some light crosschecking and slashing this morning.


For what it's worth: Boucher seems to be the consensus amongst the talking heads around town.

Can't wait to see!

Happy Easter to all!

[Flyer Fan]

It has finally arrived: GAME 7 TONIGHT!!!

-As expected by pretty much everyone, Boucher has been confirmed as the starter DuJour.

-No word of any possible lineup changes on the Flyers end. Pronger figures to play again and the team again go with 11 forwards and 7 defenders. Carter, and Nodl still out.

Given the extrememly limited minutes seen by Pronger (all on the power play), and Syvret (6 minutes with team going primarily with a five man rotation), it's conceivable that they could opt to scratch Syvret for a twelth forward, ...but the only options would be a rusty, still healing Jody Shelley, or an inexperienced rookie like Holmstrom or Rinaldo, ...I just don't see it happening.

-Bobrovsky will be backing up Boucher tonight and not Leighton, ...good move here: If Boucher's solid (which he should be), Bobrovsky's not needed tonight, but he's back into the picture for the long run, and given the Flyers recent goaltending struggles, suiting up as the backup for tonights game seven carries with it alot more pressure than what's usually faced by a backup goaltender seated on the bench.

The taste of game seven pressure is a good experience for him, ...if he's not needed that is,

but if he is, the Flyers are likely in big trouble anyway, and given Leighton's struggles thus far, and more importantly; how poorly he's responded to them, he brings his own questions and doubts to the table, I mentioned that he appeared to throw his defenseman under the bus after giving up the game winner the other night, and apparently it didn't go over real well in a lockerroom full of guys trying to pull together towards a common goal. His reaction to being pulled Sunday worsened the situation, he may have lost the team.

While the odds of getting a spectacular performance from Bobrovsky if needed tonight are slim, ...but they're at least there. Leighton's attractiveness was his anticipated stability and dependability, and the fact that he was respected and the team would play for him., but he hasn't delivered. The Flyers have nothing to lose,

...yanno, except probably their best shot at wining a cup in recent memory.

-You have to admire Laviolettes unhesitating willingness to do whatever he feels will give his team the best shot at winning, and not worrying about taking the heat if it blows up in his face.

Whether it's been pulling a goaltender, benching a pending UFA or a prized prospect, kicking a player off the ice during practice, challenging a veteran to step up, or deflecting pressure from his team, ...Laviolette's been honest, clear, and unflinching in handling his position; adroitly dealing with the "Cup or bust" expectations, compensating for injuries, player issues, slumps, and goaltending meltdowns.

He's handled it all with skill and class and in a city and under pressures that would have wilted lesser men. (his power play still suck though. )

-Nothing says more about the play of Andrej Meszaros then the fact that he played over 31 minutes in game 6; leading all Flyers defenseman (and most goalies) in icetime.

Don't know what the problem was in Tampa, but Meszaros has clearly rediscovered the game that warranted the contract and appeared to indicate such a bright future in Ottawa.

Kudos to Flyers GM Paul Holmgren for aquiring a young, smart, swift, top notch physical defender, with what is suddenly a very reasonable contract for the bargain price of a second round pick.


Win lose or draw, love him or hate him, for better or worse, it's Patrick Kaleta who's had the most impact this series for the Sabres, (...and whoever the hell this Gragnani person is ) Here's hoping Kaleta's able to play tonight. (and that he's a -6 )

Regardless of how this series ends, it's turned out to be a good one with both teams displaying alot of heart and resiliancy.

Kudos to Bomm Bastic for his wit and keen insight into the Sabres side of things, (any useful information you find here has likely been plagerized directly from his Sabres thread. ). He's a treasure to the community here, and it's been a privlege and a pleasure to have had the opportunity to share this with him!

You Rock Bomm!

[Flyer Fan]

It's official:

The Flyers will face off against the Boston Bruins next round.

The matchup was determined tonight when the Bruins defeated the Canadians in a tightly contested, exciting, high stakes, well played game seven.

Had the outcome been different both the Bruins Coach, and the city of Montreal would have likely been fired.

Authorities in the slightly exuberant hockey town were braced for the possibility of rioting, arson, mayhem, destruction and a level of crime and civil unrest, the severity of which has not been matched on this continent since, ...well, a typical NBA all-star weekend.

[ericdaoust]

A returning Chris Pronger should be the difference for you guys.