pags569

That's exactly my thinking that goes back to sloppy play in our own end trying to get the puck out or being too cute in the neutral zone. It seems they become a different team once they have the lead and get "lazy" with their play. I'm not saying the effort isn't there, I'm saying the passing and crisp flow seems to be lost a little which is why they end up letting in a few bad goals.

It's difficult to be a cup contender when you're in the box so much. Some calls are borderline and nothing can be done against terrible reffing, but there are some that just seem unnecessary to take.

There is something special about this team and we haven't even seen a "perfect" game from them yet. By perfect, I mean crisp passing all game and not remembering how to break out of our own zone. We're winning games but we're still giving too much to the opposition. If they work for it and get a goal, fine....but I hate seeing break downs that should not happen resulting in a goal against. I still don't think we should trade Schenn yet as we have yet to see what he can really bring to the table and his value is pretty low right now. Maybe by the trade deadline we'll see how the cards fall, but I expect this team to be pretty close to firing on all cylinders by then.

I saw it and it was a pretty reckless play Garrison. He blindly threw this stick behind him and caught Talbot right in the chickletts. I was completely shocked there was no call

Thanks leach and Mad Dog.

Thanks Digity. I will and keep up the great work with the site!

Thanks TD and Bert. I do play in a beer league with my brother actually. We still have a blast and I'm always busting his chops when a "soft" goal goes in just like he accuses me (rightfully so) of not backchecking The banter continues! I had to stop coaching for now since it was a little too time conusming with the twins here, but I know I'll be back. I would be one proud papa if one/both turned out to be like Giroux. I'm glad you enjoyed the read and this let you take a little trip down memory lane.

“I am Rick Tocchet” “Oh yeah, well I am Mike Richter! Try and score on me” Those are the words of two small brothers in the 1980’s playing knee hockey in New Jersey suburbs. I often take a trip down memory lane to recall the greatest moments of my childhood and, more often than not, find that most of the really great memories revolve around hockey. From blocking off sewers so the ball would not get lost in the streets to bringing buckets of water outside in the winter to freeze the back patio just to pretend for a moment that I’m a Flyer. This so called “game” is much more than just something played. It’s something experienced, cherished, loved, and shared. My first introduction to this sport came in September of 1984. I was a young child and recall my father asking my brother and me if one of us wanted to go to see a hockey game. At the age of 5, my options were playing Atari or go and do something I knew nothing about. Naturally, the kid in me wanted to play video games, but my father told me we would have a great time and dragged me with him. Boy was he right. That first game I went to was vs. the Islanders and we sat in the front row! My mouth was open the entire night in awe of the speed, size, and of course, the big hits right in front of me! I was in complete amazement and have been officially addicted to hockey since that night. My father loved to see me smile. He would continue taking me to more and more games over the next few years, and while I don’t recall specifics to any of the actual games (expect when he put me on his shoulders when Ron Hextall scored his first NHL goal) I remember the bonding experience. I remember taking bets how far we though the Ben Franklin Bridge was once it came into view. I remember laughing. I remember being happy. A few years later in the fall of 1988, my father passed away suddenly and everything had felt like it came to a halt. I was old enough to understand what was happening and all those cherished moments we had together would now only exist in a memory. But that bond and energy we had from creating life long memories stemmed from a shared passion, Ice Hockey, and I was just getting started. I was still Rick Tocchet, my brother was still Mike Richter, and the rivalry was still very much alive. We played travel hockey together and here is where my true love of the game really broke out of its shell. I didn’t play because I wanted to be an NHL star or because I wanted to win every single game. I played because I loved to. The locker room banter, my grandparents making every game, and the lifelong friendships I would develop as a result of being part of a team. These 18 guys were like family. It wasn’t just Rick Tocchet and Mike Richter anymore. We had Brian Leech, Bruce Driver, Mark Messier, Pavel Bure, and many more on our side and were willing to do whatever it took for their hockey family. It didn’t matter if we won or lost the game. All we cared about was going out there and playing the best we could and have fun. After my playing days I did not want to hang up the skates so I did the next best thing I could think of. I went into coaching youth players. For over 10 years, and all different age groups/levels, my experiences and memories were being passed on. I was sharing a passion and joy with others who were once in my shoes. These players were here to create their own memories and I was lucky enough to be part of that. Now, the little boy who was once running his brother into a wall was seeing things come full circle….but I’m not there quite yet. I was blessed earlier this year with the arrival of my twin boys. Now, everyone in the world knows how much I love hockey and have already prepared me for the possibility they may not play that sport. While it may break my heart, it honestly does not matter. The only things that matter to me are being there for every single moment of their youth, to help them have their own experiences. To help them find something they cherish, love, and want to share like my dad with me. They don’t need to be Rick Tocchet….they can be whoever they want.

The chat does limit the threads, but it was quite enjoyable! I never really checked the threads during the game on philly.com and always looked at the different topics the next morning. I don't think we'll be loosing anything of value since most of the topics deal with a post-game discussion on "we should have done this"...."Why did Lavi do this"....."where is JVR". The live in game chat worked really well and made watching the flyers (even the loss) more enjoyable.

This is the most glarring issue I see thus far with this team. Exiting our zone cleanly or even just getting the puck out! Not all the blame falls on the defense though. I see some forward players standing around and not moving their feet. I see some leaving the zone way too early. It's difficult to make that first outlet pass when some forwards aren't swinging or are out of position. I'm sure this will get better, but you're right.....sending the puck up the middle is a hockey no-no!

From CNN news alert: Penn State University's Joe Paterno has announced that he will retire at the end of the season after 45 years as head football coach. The resignation comes after a child sex abuse scandal in which one of Paterno’s former top assistants, Jerry Sandusky, has been charged with seven counts of "involuntary deviant sexual intercourse." Sandusky is accused of forcibly sodomizing young boys. One of those cases allegedly occurred in the shower of the Penn State locker room. A graduate assistant reported that incident to Paterno, who alerted the school's athletic director but did not talk to criminal authorities. Paterno has not been charged in the case, but he faced widespread calls to resign for not fulfilling his moral responsibility. Paterno has the most career victories of any coach in major college football history with 409 wins. His contract was set to expire at the end of the year."

Historically you are correct....we do not do well against Tampa. However, this flyers team is much different than ones in the past. I think it should be a very good game with the O&B coming out with 2 points.

True, it's doesn't matter what sport or event their kids are involved in. Parents will find a way to ruin it

See how hockey parents can ruin it for their kids?

All of the rookies have looked pretty good this year. Read is doing great and I like how he's been playing on the point for the PP.

I think he did. Maybe I'm just seeing it differently. I do remember seeing a few games where he didn't look like himself after that hit, but maybe he was injured. I think he lost a little of that mean streak last year that made him so popular. Was it because of the the nagging injury....maybe.... I'm not ripping on Richards by any means. I like the guy. I'm hoping Cout's can become a bigger version of Richards. So far I like what I see in the kid.

If there is a designated spot for HB people to meet up at then I will probably swing by and say hi to you fine folks.

I'm in. I just want to be there and see the game (on tv or in person)

It's funny how in the 70's those who had substance abuse problems were probably 90% of the league But anyway, Richards wasn't the same player, in my opinion after the Booth hit and the league looked more closely at those kinds of hits. He is a great player, but I think Cout's will make this all a little easier to swallow in a couple of years. The kid has great vision and I think has the potential to be a much better player than Richards. Time will tell though

We all would, Rux

Anyone know if they are going to have a big screen outside the stadium to watch the game? I want to go and have the experience, but I am not paying $500 for a seat. I'm fine with tailgating and watching the game.

If we don't learn how to exit our zone cleanly without turning the puck over on a nightly basis, I'd say we are NOT contenders

Hey, every team has roles to be filled. The issue here is that his role is being filled by others who are doing it better right now. He'll get his shot eventually when he comes back (which I'm not sure of the time frame) and lets hope that the team adjusts to keep the train moving forward. I'd rather them sort this all out early in the season than in late March / early April.

My wife, she is a huge Carcillo fan and I had to explain who Talbot was, how much he brought to the table, and the "shushing" incindent was brought up. She is not happy with this signing,...but she still doesn't understand off-sides either, so.......

I agree 100% agree they felt some sort of entitlement. When a player starts down this path the little intangibles that define their game begin to disappear and the get lost in the mix. Like you said, they did what was asked of them, but to stand out and continue to grow in this league they have to be willing to do more.