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Schenn with some flair; should have the easier D draw and Briere as a decoy; Voracek for best overall game throughout the series; GForce gonna have to get their's on the PP; Cout/Malkin getting the focus but who's on our blueline shadowing him and Crosby? M and Crosby have owned Coby, and Grossman is an unknown. As concerned by the garbage from their Cookes and Kunitzes as their Silver Spoons. I know the FlowerPot can save a series, and until Bryz DOES we just don't know. He will have his hands full, but IF he can close the door on these clowns, I see him turning carthweels against swedish ranger in Rd2.

Should be a helluva Rd1 matchup, can't remember a Flyers team that dug themselves in and out of so many holes. Bob really battled hard in the crease, and damn this team can bury a scoring chance. I can see 'em as a tough out by May Day as clearly as I can see 'em scrapping and scratchin into Memorial Day Weekend.

@Green Man - Chief kept yelling 'block the shot' (BS) and now they do and goaltender sees his D respond to what coach is coaching so he try harder too. Then he makes hard saves down low with his stick on ice and then they help him by blocking more shots. It's like the old proverb about wheelbarrels on cobblestones, even the children catch the thieves who leave with your stock. BS numbers in the most recent wins 15, 23, 18, 24, 15; they only had 3 for Bob in the NJ loss, and earlier losses against Pitt (14); Det (9); NYR (12 and 10).

@NastyNate - considering the rollercoaster roster we've had this season, if we coulda taken the first two matchups against the Rangers, the Flyers would be #1 in the conference today. Wouldn't mind seeing NY travel into Winnepeg's first home playoff games in a generation to sputter their second season...

Since Grump is back at the trainers table --- it would be interesting to hear a 5' Shanahan post on its legitimacy, And then let Kubina and other bruising blueliners study it in depth on how to deliver a legally targeted headblow. F it, they got youtube. In this season's spirit, with the best player in the world barely able to play because of concussion symptons, it's a penalty and suspendable as an illegally targeted check to the head. It's the lettered reasons you listed that Kronwall skillfully skates around being penalized and suspended, lunging not leading, from backshoulder not elbow, leaving skates after contact to finish hit, etc., apparently.

@terp - for sure, and the backward precision of his hits reminds me of Kasparitis. And I'm sure last night's victory reminds Wings fans of Talbot.

You forgot Claude Lemieux in your love fest.

@Phillygrump - 55 hides his head blows better, and the word is it's legal. Torres got two games on Prosser for a targeted shoulder lead to the head and Shanny highlights how he leaves the ice to launch in. Kronwall targets the head with the back shoulder and leaves the ice to finish the hit after initial contact, similar to his Briere hit.

@Phillygrump, 55 lined him up and delivered his shoudler straight to the head, and his skates did leave the ice to finish off V, does that matter? Is that 'incidental' or is that another example of 'intent'? If it was such a clean hit, then why do people think other players would be given a penalty/suspension?

@yave1964 1964 - looked worse than Briere, since it was an illegal check to the head; targeted, and avoidable, with the shoulder

*****-A TALBOT!

@radoran, given Bryz's second half uptick, and Holmgren's reinforcements on D, and our lousy SO record, and our annual February scuffle, it should be no surprise to you that we are actually second in the East to the Rangers in the tie-breaker ROW (Regulation + OT Wins) stat with 34, ahead of the Pens by 3. Tonight's oppenent from the West has 36, with 2 more games played. Maybe we can make some noise this Spring. Still wanna see Bryz replicate the intensity of that WAS game for the next several weeks...

@Bakanekimiwa - Stop those pucks -puck -pucks. It's like Borat & the Family Stone. Hey, it sounds good after a shutout!

@Vanflyer - Right on! Thought they were gonna break 'em out at the Winter Classic, guess not. Last saw 'em on JR in Clarkie wig warmups a while back...

@Irishjim - great summary, thanks! The NHL Network trib showing Howe flying end-to-end in the Cooperalls is priceless, and that end-to-end dish to Yzerman was sick

It reminded me of his W last time he played in DC, where he kept the team in a 0-0 tie until a late second period softee got the Flyers rolling. Maybe facing Ovechkin helps focus his game, cuz he was locked in last night. Many good tests upcoming in the next two weeks (DET/NJ/BOS/PENS) to see if he can consistently hit that gear.

Confidence, and Giroux. By second season we be see JvR - G - Simmonds and Hart - Danny - Jagr, is that how the Fog would fly? That's a tough-to-top 6 if they play to form...

@Rad - JVR certainly had gas towards the end, he was a difference maker. If he gets his stock back up to its 52-week high, it may help overcome our most important and weakest PKer, Bryz. Like to see #21 with more minutes and w/ G, get him back to up to 18 TOI

And his bad goals actually force the forwards into playing Peterpuck's pedal-to-the-medal hockey. It's a great fit, IMO.

@ Mojo - For being behind the play all night he made a nice stop in OT, his last stop, and the game turned into 2 points. Let's see if he can get more in synch on this road trip with some new blueliners. Positive political posting versus vitriolic ventsmanship

@OH1FlyersFan - don't you think 'Peg would be an entertaining 1st round matchup with us as 6 seed road dogs.? Usually Briere saves this gear for April. Jagr should be gassed by then and opting-out of Lav's system next year. Bryz is a beat behind the play, but the goalie can only be as good as his last save, right?

Here's a break - if you throw out the 2 bad games against the 2 best teams (Bos/NYR) Bryz has an unreal .970 SV% in his last 6. Problem is of course he hasn't upped his game against the elite in our conference. Still don't wanna give up yet.

and maybe a late bloomin Caps team takes care of 'em both while we handle Pitt and FLA...maybe not

Can we temper expectations that BryzBob probably can't win 10 OT games like Roy?

Teabagging Bryz, if he ever hoists the Cup in Philly he can sell his own brew 4eva Hey, I hope he gets the start, faces the boos, takes the teabaggs, then stones the Blackhawks.