Game 16: Philadelphia Flyers at Columbus Blue Jackets: 11/15/22 @ 7:30, ESPN+

[Howie58]

Greeting:

 

Columbus is favored (-150).  They beat us last week, 5-2.  Will we fare any better this visit?  Statistically, the teams aren't much different, though our D is better:

 

https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/phi-vs-cbj/2022/11/15/2022020250

 

Nick Seeler is our +/- leader.  That is an interesting stat!

 

 

[CoachX]

I ***** hate the jackets !

Edited November 14, 2022 by CoachX

[Cheesesteak]

3 hours ago, CoachX said:

I ***** hate the jackets !

 

LOL...saw this thread and noticed, 1 reply, by CoachX....I had to click cus I just KNEW the above is what I would find 

 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

4 minutes ago, Cheesesteak said:

 

LOL...saw this thread and noticed, 1 reply, by CoachX....I had to click cus I just KNEW the above is what I would find 

 

 

No one can EVER accuse @CoachX of being biased.
He is an equal opportunity hater of ALL teams.....sometimes even his own.  

[Samifan]

Voracek back or still injured? 

#IHATEJAKE

[GratefulFlyers]

Flyers are on a bad roll lately esp their special teams. Not much reason to think they'll snap out of it tonight. OTOH it's mostly the giveaways that are killing them, poor puck management. If they clean that up they'll have a good shot at winning tonight. Columbus is no powerhouse; play a smart road game - keep it simple, support the puck and don't take stupid penalties - they should get back on the winning track.

[Samifan]

[Brewin Flames]

Side note....

 

Laine injured again, won't be in line-up for CBJ

[flyer4ever]

How much were they paying people to enter Nationwide Arena to watch this toilet bowl?

[Howie58]

Well, listening on Sirius and I thought...."maybe we will have a third period rally...."  Then, two Columbus goals in 13 seconds.  I stopped listening.  

[CorkyM]

Overtime, at least they get a point. 

[CorkyM]

End of overtime, now let’s see. Well, I guess one is better than none.

Edited November 16, 2022 by CorkyM

[Samifan]

Hart steals a point for Flyers. 
 

losing streak at 

Edited November 16, 2022 by Samifan

[GrittyForever]

Most entertaining moment for me was the first period coach interview on the bench where Torts just replies "we suck". 

That was absolutely brilliant.

 

and they came out and played a lot better in the second period. Okay so dumb pass in OT led to a 3 on 1 but after the first and presumably Torts ripping them new ones in the intermission they played about as well as they are capable of. I was entertained for the 2nd and 3rd periods. 

[GratefulFlyers]

me too - the 1st was terrible - zero attack, a big blank in all 3 zones - Hart once again kept the Flyers in the game.

 

But the 2nd and 3rd were fun to watch. God only knows what the hell Konecny thinking - his best Voracek imitation maybe? - at the blue line. Shoots into 3 defenders of course it's intercepted - Booner goes in alone...but TK got a scrappy goal later to tie the game, made up for it I guess.

 

Flyers are making a habit of coming back from 2 goals down - and now twice in one game. Jeez... I wonder if Tortorella is mostly happy about the point or mostly pissed off they gave the puck away so much. And standing around while Robinson scored that was embarrassing.

 

edit: Still...all in all the Flyers are about 1000% better than I ever imagined they could be at this point. A lot of credit to Hart of course. But the team, all 23+ guys, they seem to be (at least) playing for each other, for the logo on the sweater. Way different than last year.

 

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by GratefulFlyers

[Howie58]

Work ethic will take them so far.  This team wasn't so gifted with Coots or Cam.  I guess Torts will keep juggling the lines because they are interchangeable. Rank ordering the talent may not be worthwhile with the exception of Hayes, Laughton, TK, and Wade Allison. 

[GrittyForever]

3 hours ago, Howie58 said:

Work ethic will take them so far.  This team wasn't so gifted with Coots or Cam.  I guess Torts will keep juggling the lines because they are interchangeable. Rank ordering the talent may not be worthwhile with the exception of Hayes, Laughton, TK, and Wade Allison. 

But it's a foundation right? What was the main critique of this team over the last bunch of years? Talented players who slacked off or didn't give it their all in too many instances. So it's a rebuild, but this time work ethic first. Then you add the talent piece by piece as you can into that culture. It's a better plan. 

[Howie58]

11 minutes ago, GrittyForever said:

But it's a foundation right? What was the main critique of this team over the last bunch of years? Talented players who slacked off or didn't give it their all in too many instances. So it's a rebuild, but this time work ethic first. Then you add the talent piece by piece as you can into that culture. It's a better plan. 

I hope your plan works out. We have been dead in the water for a decade plus.

[GratefulFlyers]

@Howie58 I respect your cautious optimism but I think this time is different. Even with, or maybe I should say despite the same old clowns upstairs. There’s more “buy in” up and down the lineup than I’ve seen since…I can’t remember when. 
 

As you say hard work, buy-in, will only take a team so far. But @GrittyForever is right this is a good foundation to build on. Will the Good Ol’ Boys stay the course until the roster is ready to trade for some star power? And will they be smart enough at that point to 86 Fletcher before he funks it all up? Time will tell but meanwhile at least the Flyers are fun to watch again. I mean Zac MacEwen is scoring goals!!! 

[GrittyForever]

3 hours ago, Howie58 said:

I hope your plan works out. We have been dead in the water for a decade plus.

Ya, I hope that it actually is the plan. There is the possibility I'm guessing wrong and there was no plan beyond hire a veteran coach who is available. If management actually believes in the players they have under contract we are sunk regardless. 

[GrittyForever]

42 minutes ago, GratefulFlyers said:

I mean Zac MacEwen is scoring goals!!! 

I think that's a Torts thing. He's working hard to stay in the league. You put hard working players in positions to succeed and they often do. I think Torts almost always has guys like this on his rosters. 

[SCFlyguy]

3 hours ago, GrittyForever said:

But it's a foundation right? What was the main critique of this team over the last bunch of years? Talented players who slacked off or didn't give it their all in too many instances.

The biggest issue was they had so little talent (and still do).