Howie58

My take on first half: 1) Failing to score on the PP isn't only bad for our momentum--it fails to break the opponent's as in this game. 2) Our scoring is concentrated; they have a team of people who can put the puck in the net. The rebuild needs to continue. 3) Even Carter Hart is human.

Weird first goal for Colorado. Meanwhile, the tempo is furious.

Greetings: The January Gauntlet continues with the Avs visiting as favorites (-172) and having taken six of the last ten against us: https://www.oddsshark.com/nhl/colorado-philadelphia-odds-january-20-2024-2018679 We beat them in Colorado with Hart in net (5-2) on December 9th. This is a big-time offense going up against a tight defense: https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/col-vs-phi/2023/12/09/2023020417 We are on a roll. Does it continue?

I expected a loss. This team is.working hard. We will have subtraction by March 8. But it may not matter much. They will compete. It's fun to watch. For a long time, it's been deplorable.

Laughton's goal was different. He stumbled and it helped. And they are pressing the attack...not laying back.

Greetings: Dallas is the favorite (-150) and has gone 8-1-1 against us over the last 10, almost doubling our goal production and holding us to under two goals on average: https://statsalt.com/games/nhl/1-18-2024/dallas-stars-vs-philadelphia-flyers-prediction-4222/ Both teams are playing good hockey of late. Dallas is an excellent road team: Flyers try to keep win streak alive, host the Stars | FOX Sports We lost our first matchup 5-4 in OT with Sam in goal. We have improved a lot since then. This should be a good game against a team that can push us around given their size.

I don't follow the Eagles closely but their end-of-season collapse is epic by NFL standards. I suspect the coaching staff goes, but someone has to look at the D.

Heck, we can even score open net.

How many times do we complain about the officials? Now, one gives Tippett an assist.

Yep! Cates is in. BTW, someone named Hofer is starting in goal for the Blues.

It's interesting that the O and B are still underdogs in this game. Granted, the Blues are playing better hockey since Berube's departure. But you'd reckon that our performance of late would mean otherwise. Perhaps the bookies still need convincing (and remember, Torts said wait until the end of January before assessment). I have no problem playing as underdog. It's the reality that against certain teams, my take says we should be favored. FYI, it looks like Hart versus Binnington. His numbers are quite good in six starts against us--2.32 GAA and a .915 save percentage: https://www.statmuse.com/nhl/ask/jordan-binnington-record-vs-flyers

Greetings: The roadshow concludes with the Blues as a mild favorite (-120): https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/ice-hockey/nhl---matches/philadelphia-flyers-@-st.-louis-blues-32937855 These teams are virtual carbon copies statistically, with a nod to the Flyers on defense: https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/phi-vs-stl/2024/01/15/2023020679 I was surprised to see how well we've done against our fellow Western Conference expansion fellow, even on the road: https://flyershistory.com/cgi-bin/opponent.cgi?St.Louis_Blues The Blues were under .500 when they dismissed Berube, so things are better under Bannister. Does our mojo continue?

As Phil Rizzuto said, holy cow.

33 is calm, cool, and collected. A joy to watch.

Cam ends the drought. 'Bout time!

Chess match + goaltending dual so far. These are disciplined squads.

Greetings: Winnipeg is a fairly heavy favorite (-194) with the league's best record and an eight-game win streak: https://sportschatplace.com/nhl-picks/winnipeg-jets-vs-philadelphia-flyers-prediction-1-13-24-picks/ As this sports book notes, it's not as if the Flyers are playing bad hockey--but for the last few weeks, WPG is playing lights-out hockey. It looks like the "big" statistical difference is offense--WPG averages a half-goal higher. Otherwise, the teams aren't that different, though WPG is even stingier on D than the O and B: https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/phi-vs-wpg/2024/01/13/2023020663 Home ice has been a driver for this series: https://flyershistory.com/cgi-bin/opponent.cgi?Winnipeg_Jets What's left in the tank after last night's win? Does Sudden/Steady Sam (presumably) stand on his head?

I dozed off at 3-1. I woke up at the start of OT. Timing is everything in life. This is the new and improved Flyers.

If you snooze....you might lose. We are anemic. Nic tries to wake the team with a fight. Not sure it mattered.

Thanks for the info. I was under the impression that Pitt's draft cupboard was challenged.

Candidly, I thought this was the year we saw decline in Pitt. The Karlson signing surprised me---Does Dubas really think that core can go on forever?

Grateful: I think Torts is an acknowledged master at extracting a lot from a talent base, particularly in CBJ, though burnout sets in: https://thehockeywriters.com/flyers-following-path-tortorellas-successful-history/ Coaching aside--and I laud what he's done with this team--do we think the youngins we have on board will stick and grow, or will be see a multi-year churn to grow talent that may take time to nurture. As I've said before, I think of the 2008 and 2010 runs as flukes rather than the result of a core that could deliver good play for a stretch. Heck, Homer all but demolished the 2010 squad pretty quickly. So I am asking if we are seeing the beginning of the New Era of Orange that takes us several levels higher in a year or two, or is this sort of solid move out of the post-AV funk, but not part of a strong and long move forward?

Greetings: Time flies. It's hard to imagine I just posted for Game 42. I plead guilty to senior status--as you age, time really does seem to move faster. Nonetheless, the fact that we're finished half the regular season is amazing. So, here's my take. If you had asked me at the beginning of the season if we'd be seven games over .500 at this juncture, I'd say no. If I recall an early post, I thought we'd be lucky to finish at .500. Unless we really drop off, particularly after March 8th, that shouldn't happen. But...there's the deeper question, and I am torn on it. Are we getting a Tortorella-driven head fake that leads us to believe a rebuild is taking place? Or are we building a foundational core of young players who will take us to elite (top 8 to 10) in the league within 2-3 years? All too often we've felt we're at that point, but discovered we were a year or two away from being a year or two away...blah, blah. I look at goaltending and say we're set. D may be taking shape, and the Drysdale acquisition may really help. But our forward corps is different. Meanwhile, we don't have a real game changer, and as I've said before, if MM shows up, I will consider it icing on the cake. When you look at standings in the Metro, it's a reminder that the distance between very good to excellent isn't much. One thing is clear--this management is candid and playing the long game. Their handling of the Gauthier gig says a lot about their brains and commitment. Thoughts?

Greetings: Fanduel is showing the Wild as favorite (-118). Betql indicates a 54% win probability for the Wild: https://betql.co/nhl/game-predictions/minnesota-wild-vs-philadelphia-flyers-01-12-2024 The tale of the tape isn't much different: Neither PP is stellar and the same hold for faceoffs; otherwise similar: https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/min-vs-phi/2024/01/12/2023020652 Historically, we've done well against the Wild, particularly at home, where we thumped them 6-2 last October. We are basically .500 away: https://flyershistory.com/cgi-bin/opponent.cgi?Minnesota_Wild I'd say this a battle between an overachiever and an underachiever. LGF!

Well, 33 stops 3 in SO and we take 2. Strange game in bounce/post outcomes. Glad we snagged it.