Game 6 is a must win

[flyerrod]

series over

Flyers are toast

Fine piece of analysis......Did your mommy help you to spell toast? If not, I am impressed.....Such literacy and thought from a 20 year old 6th grader from Pittsburgh....

[trevluk]

Ok, so almost all of us knew we would be in this situation after game 4 (though I thought we would get lit up again tonight so at least that didnt happen.) So it all comes down to Sunday. Can we hold court in our own barn? I just dont know anymore. I have zero faith in Bryzgolav but unfortunately I think it will really come down to him. No Pronger, No Mez, No Grossman. God help us. I have a bad feeling that the Flyers become one of the 4 most pathetic collapses in sports history. If that happens, Snider might actually be willing to eat the cash and buy out Bryz's contract with a new modified CBA.

[AndyS]

We have to win one game.

Take a breath.

Flyers win @ home on Sunday.

Who's next?

[canoli]

I don't know what to expect anymore from this series. What I know is this - we can't give them a whole period to themselves, to win every foot race and stretch-pass through our D, the way they did in the 2nd last night. That was an ugly period from the Flyers.

I would like to see the Flyers play the way they did in the final 10 minutes last night - for more than 10 minutes. I don't expect balls to the wall for 60 but you can't give the Penguins a whole period. They only scored a few times but it was enough. Those desperate final 10 minutes were too desperate. Everyone says how great Fleury was but a lot of those shots were into his chest. From 3 feet away. He made some nice saves and he was much better than in G1-3 (how could he not be?) but he's beatable - by the Flyers.

"Desperate hockey wins POs games" says Lavy. He's right. I hope it doesn't take another loss for the Flyers to play desperate hockey. But it won't surprise me too much if it does.

[magnumpi]

why was my post reported?

talk about me with my mommy

this person should grow up - "wah, i don't like what he typed so im going to report him to Big Brother"

[hf101]

@

why was my post reported?

The report was sent because members of this board do not want it trashed with troll and troll-like responses. Continue with conversation. Consider openning a thread on the Pens forum to discuss how great winning the last two games for Pittsburgh was.

[Lindbergh31]

Ok, so almost all of us knew we would be in this situation after game 4 (though I thought we would get lit up again tonight so at least that didnt happen.) So it all comes down to Sunday. Can we hold court in our own barn? I just dont know anymore. I have zero faith in Bryzgolav but unfortunately I think it will really come down to him. No Pronger, No Mez, No Grossman. God help us. I have a bad feeling that the Flyers become one of the 4 most pathetic collapses in sports history. If that happens, Snider might actually be willing to eat the cash and buy out Bryz's contract with a new modified CBA.

I guess we might find out how the Bruins fans felt 2 years ago and if history repeats its self then that means the Flyers will win the cup in 2013 I think the majority of Flyers fans have zero faith in Bryzgalov not to mention some of his teammates. Sunday will be Brzygalov's defining moment as a Flyer, does he have what it takes to steal a game [seeing how that's what he was brought to Philly to do]. Unfortunately, Lavoilette can't go into game 6 solely relying on Carle, Timonen and Coburn playing big minutes while the other 3 hardly play at all. If he does then Bryzgalov definitely has to steal the game. It's time for the veterans on this team to setup and lead by example, fear of becoming the 4th team in NHL history to blow a 3-0 lead should be motivation enough to go all balls out and finish this series in 6.

[flyercanuck]

It would be nice to not have to look at a .870 save percentage as Bryzgalovs benchmark game. If that's the best he's got, we're not beating the Pens.

[Digityman]

I would like to see the Flyers play the way they did in the final 10 minutes last night - for more than 10 minutes.

The Pens played with 2 fore-checkers the entire game up to about the 12-13 mark. That's when the Flyers started to look 'good' again. As soon as the Pens went into a 2-2-1 instead of forechecking with 2 forwards, the Flyers seemed to be able to come out of their own end with no problem. In fact, they actually looked to be up on their skates and moving.

I think that's the problem right there. Our defense can not move the puck out of the zone with any regularity. Flyers thrive on carrying the puck in and developing the fore-check. Without it they seem to be lost.

Coburn - 29:11

Carle - 29:40

Timonen - 25:01

Lilja - 7:09

Kubina - 6:52

Gustafasson - 11:51

Sadly, that is the Flyers defense. 3 guys that can play at the NHL level. The Pens know this and are exploiting it with precision. Although team defense looked better imagine Grossman and Mez replacing Lilja and Kubina. It would be completely different.

Three reasons why I think game 6 is do or die:

1) You can't have 3 defensemen playing nearly 30 minutes - especially one that is 37 years old - for more than a game or 2. They are pounding our D every chance they get. Combined it's a recipe for disaster. I think you see one last push of everything the Flyers have on Sunday.

2) Flyers have last change at home. This could be the saving grace for them. Lavy won't have to have Coburn/Timo/Carle out there every time there is a face-off. Last night there were a few times the Flyers had a line out and changed to match the Pens right away. It screws up the flow of the game for the Flyers.

3) If the Flyers lose tomorrow, I'm not sure this team has ever played a full 60 minutes at they will need for a game 7 in the Pens barn.

[doom88]

Dress Manning and Bartulis in place of Lilja and Kubina? At least they are faster and can develop...and if one plays well, they can contribute maybe 10 min?

Maybe Kessel? 7 D 11 F, bench JVR until he *wants* to play with some heart again?

[Mad Dog]

Game 6 is a must-win. No question in my mind. The longer this series drags, the more it favors the Pens. Never before when the Flyers had a 3:1 lead in the series I felt so unsure about their chances. If they don't come out of the gate swinging, with a determination to blow the Pens out of the building, this is going to be a trouble. They can't come out looking tentative. They need to pressure and attack and for once, at least *try* to cover people.

[doom88]

Guys going to the game, it's on YOU to keep this team afloat. Cheer Bryz like Pitt boosted up Fleury.

And if Philly wins, gladly resume booing that fool until he requests a trade or retires.

[mojo1917]

@Digityman

Orpick and Letang are logging monster minutes too, Oprik is looking slow and beatable to me... Letang is very fit but he can't cover brooks' area too...with last change the flyers can use their depth to keep briere away from staal's line, that match up has been killing us.

no complaints about the refs in game 5 they sucked both ways, swallowing the whistle in the last 5 minutes, okay by me.

we will need to get 4 because our goalie cannot / will not step up his game , this flyers team can score 4 on anyone , anywhere at anytime, believe people believe, the sky is not falling, it is game six , it hasn't been played, there is no momentum. the penguins will not win this series., they aren't "special"

[sarsippius]

Guys going to the game, it's on YOU to keep this team afloat. Cheer Bryz like Pitt boosted up Fleury.

And if Philly wins, gladly resume booing that fool until he requests a trade or retires.

You will get my "A" game, as always.

Let's hope the boys in orange and black do the same.

[doom88]

You will get my "A" game, as always.

Let's hope the boys in orange and black do the same.

If anyone is selling tix, anything remotely close to reasonable, PM me. Keep Pens fans out. I would need two. I want to be there to watch the Pens warm up for Monday's tee time.

Probably the caffeine, but I am so amped for this game! I may hate the Rangers (and individually Patrik Elias) more, but I have no respect for any level of Pitt's organization. Must win.

[sarsippius]

@doom88

Most tix on StubHub are going to be sky high, but sometimes you can find a "bargain" relative to current market price. Online after market ticketing has all but eliminated scalper activity at the arena...you still see a few here and there, but not like in the pre-internet era

[doom88]

Yeah, bummer. I'm fine with paying up, just not too much over if you know what I mean.

[OccamsRazor]

It would be nice to not have to look at a .870 save percentage as Bryzgalovs benchmark game. If that's the best he's got, we're not beating the Pens.

I know these guys are going to say the right thing to the media and all but there is no reason this group trust him in net.

Yeah he's made some good saves here and there...but he is just not capable of stealing a game for them...he basically had one good month in the season...and can't even duplicate that again. Regardless with this type of goaltending they'll be swept by whomever the next team is any ways. Sorry to be so negative.

But if Bryz comes thru i will have no problems eating these words...just in case i have salt and pepper on hand....

[Mad Dog]

I know these guys are going to say the right thing to the media and all but there is no reason this group trust him in net.

Sometime in February, I believe, there was a column in one of the local papers (can't remember the author) about that exact topic. I think the players don't trust him even a little bit. His resurgance in Marhc *may* have changed that, but it's quite possible the way he plays now makes players feel really vulnerable in front of him.

[AndyS]

Now watch JvR score a big goal tomorrow.

. . .although next time Brooks Orpik decides to ride him like a circus pony, he needs to at least TRY to get up off the ice. Just saying. Looked like he was thinking about taking a nap or something.

[AndyS]

Sometime in February, I believe, there was a column in one of the local papers (can't remember the author) about that exact topic. I think the players don't trust him even a little bit. His resurgance in Marhc *may* have changed that, but it's quite possible the way he plays now makes players feel really vulnerable in front of him.

Bryz didn't lose that game last night. Far from it.

[canoli]

The Pens played with 2 fore-checkers the entire game up to about the 12-13 mark. That's when the Flyers started to look 'good' again.

I don't know Digi, I think the Flyers looked pretty solid in the 1st. We were finding the puck quicker and beating the Pens to the corners. We won enough races and held the puck often enough that the 2 teams looked more or less even to me. In the 2nd...I don't know what they smoked at the 1st intermission but it kicked in and they went to sleep.

I really see last night as more of a Flyers' loss than a Pens' win. We literally did not compete for the ice in the 2nd. We were pinching at the wrong time, overstaying the shifts, Lavy was changing the matchups every 2 seconds...it was a mess. I don't know who's most at fault, the D-men or the fwds (or even Bryzgalov for not bailing us out on 1 of those wide-open looks for goals), and it doesn't even matter. But there are about 12 things that need to change for tomorrow, from that 2nd period last night. We play like that at all tomorrow and it could be ugly. We play like the 1st and the 2nd half of the 3rd we'll win.

[doom88]

Bryz didn't lose that game last night. Far from it.

Did he let in a soft goal or two? The Flyers lost by one, trying to overcome a cardboard cutout of a goalie in net. Maybe if he could make average saves consistently, the Flyers could attack again.

[BearOnIce]

Guys going to the game, it's on YOU to keep this team afloat. Cheer Bryz like Pitt boosted up Fleury.

And if Philly wins, gladly resume booing that fool until he requests a trade or retires.

Bear will be there. I guarantee a win. It will be a heart-stopper.

[canoli]

I was pissed off at him last night on those wide-open looks but later on I realized - we played Zero D in that 2nd period. Shots were coming at him from point-blank, the shooter having all the time in the world to pick his spot. I sure wish he could've grabbed one of those, kept the game tied, but in all reality I can't blame any goaltender too much behind that poor excuse for a Team Defense.

I mean it was atrocious, the worst I've seen the Flyers look all year by far.