eleven24

How many seasons I sat post-mortem thinking “if only we had a goalie”. Now we have one and I’m thinking “if only we had a legit scoring threat”. All in all, a weird 2020 ride. The Canadiens were better. The Islanders are better. Hart is the reason we got to game 7 round 2. Isles are damned impressive. They could win it all. As for the Flyers, the future is indeed bright, with a few tweaks needed. At least I didn’t have to lament about the Flyers finally winning the Cup and not being able to be there to see it, or be there for a parade. THAT would’ve been so typically Philadelphia sports

I think I'm beginning to see why AV can build a really good team, but hasn't been able to win the Cup. The challenges are a fluke occurrence, but his personnel decisions are a bit too conservative. From a player standpoint, his desire for robotic monotony of every line is why the Flyers are struggling to score. Braun, Grant, Thompson... robotic. Ghost, Frost... dynamic. System wise, there were 3 instances last night where the Flyers lost an offensive zone face-off and the center who lost the draw moved forward to pressure the puck carrier and the wingers and d-men retreated to the neutral zone. If that's not conservative, I don't know what is. Certainly don't see the Islanders, or Montreal in the previous series, backing off and allowing the Flyers a free exit of the defensive end. It's not as if the Isles even had possession moving up ice. It was IMMEDIATELY off the face-off draw. That's a coach directive, and if it applies on a face-off, it applies to other situations as well - which we painfully see. Especially when they get a lead. From what I've seen of this team all year, their best use of speed is pinning opposing teams down in their own end with the forecheck. Not allowing other teams to get speed up through the NZ. That is when the Flyers are at their best, and so far in these playoffs I've seen a team conservatively retreating instead of aggressively pressuring. I think that falls on AV, and it's why if not for Carter Hart, the Flyers would've been bounced in round 1.

My 18yo son, watching the game with me turned last night and said "why doesn't someone hit the hot dog". Now, being a hockey player himself he's obviously seen Youngblood, so this was a softball. Because they can't catch him. And that's how I've felt for long stretches in these playoffs. It's been at times a flashback to watching the slow lumbering Flyers getting torched by the speed of the high flying Sabres again. Thing is, this Flyers team is NOT a slow team, but speed can be different between teams. The Islanders move the puck with speed. This year the Flyers used their speed to take away time and space from their opponents, especially on the forecheck. When the Flyers have been successful against NYI and MTL they pushed the forecheck forward. When they haven't, they've been retreating to the NZ. That's where I think maybe conditioning, because tired players won't be aggressive. I don't know. Regardless, the Flyers got to game 7 and STILL have not played "their" game for 60 minutes. That's all due to Carter Hart.

My gut tells me he's done for a long time. Swelling is something that can be managed, especially over 48 hours. The same guy who played on an MCL tear a few years ago didn't dress last night. To me that's very telling. As for giving up goals late in periods and the long change... I'll go back to endurance. I think the break hurt them in that regard.

The Flyers don't have many players who will hold on to the puck and not panic. Hayes is one of those guys, and it definitely slows the game down a bit to where everyone else can get in position for a pass as he's buying time. The OT winner, I don't know if there's any other Flyer who would've held it until below the goal line and then tossed it back into the slot like he did. Most everyone else would've thrown the puck on net from a bad angle and through traffic. His patience is why the Flyers won that game.

Lindblom had 17:30 of ice time and Hagg had just 20:14. At the end of regulation Hagg had only 11. At that point, and I know I keep beating on this drum, but with the PP so ineffective largely because it's predictable and can't enter the zone... just dress Ghost. As for Oskar, all I kept thinking was man, this kid is being asked a lot from an endurance perspective to go a full 60 minute playoff elimination game for his first game back after battling cancer. And then the game goes OT and he was still looking good. Incredible inspiration.

This is where I think conditioning has been an issue. They look exhausted, but it's kind of catch-22 because you get exhausted running around trying to catch up with the puck. Giroux looked totally wiped last night. He was stick on knees during play a few times.

Misleading first period if you look at SOG. Flyers were physical and had what seemed like more than 5 shots. Islanders had a lot of zone possession time, but liked how the Flyers were, for the most part, keeping them on the perimeter. Didn't like that little pass back into the zone turnover by Giroux with under a minute left.

Of course Konecny wins all the time. The object is to not hit the net

After the surgeries Ghost said as recently as 4-6 weeks ago that he finally is starting to feel as mobile as he was a few years ago, even at practice. It's no wonder Ghost didn't look like Ghost from 2 years ago when he was skating with the mobility of JVR.

I like the physical aspect Hagg brings as well, but Ghost is desperately needed on the PP. If he's not playing because of defensive zone turnovers, then half the team should be sitting. At least Ghost brings a dynamic offensive presence that Provorov doesn't to the PP. I mean, how many times am I going to have to watch Provorov skate to the blue line, turn at the hips about 45 degrees and pass back for the slingshot? Sure, that's the "system" but when it becomes mind numbingly predictive, you need someone who might actually FAKE that drop pass, pivot and carry it in. Like Ghost does. Regular pairings, I'd go Hagg/Provorov, Sanheim/Myers, Ghost/Niskanen

Coming back from a 3-1 deficit is a tall task, but let's also consider that teams attempting to do so had to win games on the other team's home ice. The Flyers would be facing a game 6 in NY right now, so I'll take the neutral site game as a positive that otherwise wouldn't have been afforded.

Shayne Gostisbehere

Overall, a very good hockey game by the Flyers. It was in total control until Hart let that blue line shot in. 7 min into the third the Isles had 16 shots AND 4 power plays. A few observations: The Flyers dictate play when they're aggressive on the forecheck & forcing opposing teams to turn the puck over. When they aren't, they can't handle speed through the NZ and end up chasing / reacting to the other team in the DZ Giroux was terrific. The goal was much needed, but he deserved it. 3-4 great scoring chances tonight and was just visible in all areas of the ice. That's the G we need going forward Provorov looks lost at times. It's unusual to see him NOT make the smart play, but he's really giving the puck up with bad decisions when not really being pressured TK was on his game. A lot of loose puck retrievals, good vision to find open players, and speed tonight. JVR is the broken clock that is right twice a day. Keith Jones is going overboard trying to hide his Flyers bias

Do you think at AV's direction, or the players being afraid to get caught deep therefore not being as aggressive on the forecheck? Kind of a catch-22 there because the Flyers are at their best when they have 3 players rotating and swarming on the forecheck. That's when they are dictating play. Far too often in these playoffs it's one guy forechecking and the 2nd two forwards hanging at the blue line, or NZ. Fear or coaches mandate?