Game 46: Bruins at Flyers; 1/13/20 @ 7:00 PM

[Howie58]

Greetings:

 

The bookies have us as mild underdogs relative to the Bruins:

 

https://www.oddsshark.com/nhl/boston-philadelphia-odds-january-13-2020-1162726

 

On a broader note, this team's performance since the Holiday break has been sub-par.  

 

https://www.inquirer.com/flyers/flyers-boston-bruins-power-play-james-van-riemsdyk-jake-voracek-playoffs-20200112.html

 

 

Raffl  hasn't scored in 26 games; 28 for Farabee.  Our captain hasn't scored in 11.  The PP has tapered off.  I agree with Carchidi that this stretch of games may define the season.  

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by Howie58

[Howie58]

Greetings:

 

This is Zdeno Chara's 1,000th game suiting up as a Bruin. Why do I sniff a multi-point effort?

Edited January 13, 2020 by Howie58

[jammer2]

This game will be NAK's break out. I see a blow out Flyers win...7-1 and NAK getting a natural hattie right out of the gate...in total 3 goals and 2 assists for NAK. His linemate Hayes has a 4 point night. 

[OccamsRazor]

9 hours ago, Howie58 said:

Raffl  hasn't scored in 26 games

 

He scored in the Canes game on the 7th.

 

But of all the guys you listed who need to score JVR is at the top of the list he doesn't have a point in 2020.

 

Very disturbing.

 

He isn't alone with this band of underachievers.

[Howie58]

21 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

He scored in the Canes game on the 7th.

 

But of all the guys you listed who need to score JVR is at the top of the list he doesn't have a point in 2020.

 

Very disturbing.

 

He isn't alone with this band of underachievers.

I think the question may be whether they are underachieving or really decining?  That is what really worries me about this team?

[intheslot]

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS (pre-morning skate, will be updated)

FLYERS

28 Claude Giroux - 14 Sean Couturier - 11 Travis Konecny
25 James van Riemsdyk - 13 Kevin Hayes - 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel
18 Tyler Pitlick - 12 Michael Raffl - 93 Jakub Voracek
21 Scott Laughton - 82 Connor Bunnaman - 49 Joel Farabee

9 Ivan Provorov - 15 Matt Niskanen
6 Travis Sanheim - 5 Phil Myers
8 Robert Hägg - 59 Mark Friedman

79 Carter Hart
37 Brian Elliott

Power Play 1: Giroux, Couturier, Voracek, Konecny, Provorov.
Power Play 2: Aube-Kubel, Hayes, JVR, Sanheim, Niskanen.

Scratches: 44 Chris Stewart (healthy), 62 Justin Braun (groin), 53 Shayne Gostisbehere (knee).
LTIR: 55 Sam Morin (torn ACL, out for season), 23 Oskar Lindblom (Ewing sarcoma, out for season), 19 Nolan Patrick (migraines).

BRUINS

63 Brad Marchand - 37 Patrice Bergeron - 88 David Pastrnak
74 Jake DeBrusk - 46 David Krejci - 10 Anders Björk
43 Danton Heinen - 13 Charlie Coyle - 18 Brett Ritchie
20 Joakim Nordström - 52 Sean Kuraly - 14 Chris Wagner

33 Zdeno Chara - 73 Charlie McAvoy
47 Torey Krug - 25 Brandon Carlo
27 John Moore - 48 Matt Grzelcyk (questionable)

40 Tuukka Rask
41 Jaroslav Halak

Power Play 1: Marchand, Bergeron, DeBrusk, Pastrnak, Krug
Power Play 2: Heinen, Krejci, Coyle, Grzelcyk, McAvoy

Scratches: 26 Pär Lindholm (healthy), 42 David Backes (healthy), 44 Steven Kampfer (healthy),
48 Matt Grzelcyk (knee, game-day decision).
IR: 75 Connor Clifton (upper body), 81 Anton Blidh (shoulder), 86 Kevan Miller (kneecap).

**********

[elmatus]

1 hour ago, Howie58 said:

I think the question may be whether they are underachieving or really decining?  That is what really worries me about this team?

 

I think it's a combination of both things. Certainly it looks like Giroux is declining, which is fair enough given his age I guess. 

 

What I'm more worried about at this point is replacements. TK is the only guy we have whose production seems to be improving to a fairly high level. Couts is still hanging strong, but he does need talented linemates to really shine. 

 

Beyond that, I'm just not sure who we have kicking around to be part of a true top line in the future. Frost maybe, Farabee maybe, but both of those guys are young and still unproven and could very well max out as mid-six players rather than top line guys. No telling when we'll get Lindblom back, and this is all without mentioning the complete enigma that is Patrick.

 

I guess I'm just worried about future talent. I feel like our recent history is littered with mid-tier guys, and I'm worried that just isn't enough to get it done in this day and age. It's good enough to make us a bubble team, which we've been now since forever, but going beyond that level seems to require more.

[OccamsRazor]

1 hour ago, Howie58 said:

I think the question may be whether they are underachieving or really declining?  That is what really worries me about this team?

 

I say it's both.

 

Going to have to basically ship one of them out WITH a payment for someone to take the turds.

[CoachX]

53 minutes ago, elmatus said:

 

I think it's a combination of both things. Certainly it looks like Giroux is declining, which is fair enough given his age I guess. 

 

What I'm more worried about at this point is replacements. TK is the only guy we have whose production seems to be improving to a fairly high level. Couts is still hanging strong, but he does need talented linemates to really shine. 

 

Beyond that, I'm just not sure who we have kicking around to be part of a true top line in the future. Frost maybe, Farabee maybe, but both of those guys are young and still unproven and could very well max out as mid-six players rather than top line guys. No telling when we'll get Lindblom back, and this is all without mentioning the complete enigma that is Patrick.

 

I guess I'm just worried about future talent. I feel like our recent history is littered with mid-tier guys, and I'm worried that just isn't enough to get it done in this day and age. It's good enough to make us a bubble team, which we've been now since forever, but going beyond that level seems to require more.

Mid-tier players get you mid-tier results in the final standings. That gets you mid-tier draft picks

 

Wash....rinse...repeat

[Howie58]

I have a feeling that in future years we might say that Chris Pryor's departure may have been more important than either Hextall or Hakstol. 

 

Our FA signings have been lacking. But going seven (and probably eight) years without a playoff win makes me think that we have not had very good drafting, even allowing for middling rank order.

[tucson83]

2 hours ago, CoachX said:

Mid-tier players get you mid-tier results in the final standings. That gets you mid-tier draft picks

 

Wash....rinse...repeat

problem is hextall never went after those players like ror and dougie and that's why fletch had to sign hayes because patrick couldnt stay healthy because hextall wouldnt go after ror, if he actually went after those players, we wouldnt be in this position.

 

and giroux and jake have to go, they never been the difference makers, if they were, we would have won cups by now and not getting kicked out of the first round, it's plain and simple.

Edited January 13, 2020 by tucson83

[flyer4ever]

Flyers currently have 1 player in the top 50 NHL players, Claude Giroux. They have 1 player in the top 50 NHL prospects, Morgan Frost. There is only one way out of this, and that is to blow it up. The corporates won't like it, they prefer mediocre, but the loyal fan base deserves better. There is no fix through trades and UFA signings. GM's around the league are all more competent today, in addition to the salary cap. Hextall's dream of building whilst sneaking into the playoffs is just that, a dream. Trading from the top of the diminishing talent pool down will accrue plenty of prospects and draft picks. there are a number of teams who believe they can win in the playoffs by adding a piece or 2. The Flyers have a few of those pieces . If every Flyer prospect currently in the system were to reach their potential, they would still not have the right mix of players to win in the playoffs. Its time to BLOW IT UP,  as it has been for the past 8 years. 

[OccamsRazor]

2 hours ago, flyer4ever said:

Flyers currently have 1 player in the top 50 NHL players, Claude Giroux. They have 1 player in the top 50 NHL prospects, Morgan Frost. There is only one way out of this, and that is to blow it up. The corporates won't like it, they prefer mediocre, but the loyal fan base deserves better. There is no fix through trades and UFA signings. GM's around the league are all more competent today, in addition to the salary cap. Hextall's dream of building whilst sneaking into the playoffs is just that, a dream. Trading from the top of the diminishing talent pool down will accrue plenty of prospects and draft picks. there are a number of teams who believe they can win in the playoffs by adding a piece or 2. The Flyers have a few of those pieces . If every Flyer prospect currently in the system were to reach their potential, they would still not have the right mix of players to win in the playoffs. Its time to BLOW IT UP,  as it has been for the past 8 years. 

 

Woah...step back from the ledge my friend...

 

 

Trust. The. Process.

[OccamsRazor]

Damn what a terrible turnover by Myers there then doesn't even get back to help on it.

 

And that has to be the save attempt I have ever seen from Hart...WTF was he doing...I don't think he even knows.

 

Already down 2-0. Awesome.

 

I'll be watching LSU/Clemson tonight.

[CoachX]

Damn, Im really starting to like Kevin Hayes.

 

I wonder if he can take JVR place on PP in front of the net

[OccamsRazor]

20 minutes ago, CoachX said:

 

I wonder if he can take JVR place on PP in front of the net

 

You can take JVR's spot on the power play he's only got one more point than you in 2020...and I'm sure you're cheaper...

[OccamsRazor]

HAHAHA!

 

 

[OccamsRazor]

 

[mojo1917]

Crap  I was really hoping they would lose...****** unwatchable,  terrible,  blow it up.

 

[Poulin20]

Lolz at Marchand...couldn’t happen to a nicer guy!

 

Playoff atmosphere in the building to go along with the playoff weather we have been having in Philly lately.  Let’s go Flyers chants were reverberating throughout the concourse as we were exiting the building.

[Howie58]

I was home for the third period.  Perfect timing.  Therien said it well post-game--This was a game that would give both coaches gray hair...or they'd go bald.  Morganti's retort--AV would go home for double dry martini.  

 

The ending was screwy...I think Keith Jones didn't get it....then got it.  Marchand's face said a lot.

 

 

[hf101]

8 minutes ago, Poulin20 said:

Lolz at Marchand...couldn’t happen to a nicer guy!

 

Playoff atmosphere in the building to go along with the playoff weather we have been having in Philly lately.  Let’s go Flyers chants were reverberating throughout the concourse as we were exiting the building.

 

 

Best shootout ever,   LOL 

I was at the game also.  Hart looked half asleep on some of those goals by the Bruins.  A very nice team effort to totally control the game in the 3rd period.  

[intheslot]

 

https://www.nhl.com/flyers/video/113-postgame-vigneault/t-277437426/c-5097022

Good Listen.

 

[OccamsRazor]

Beating two of the top teams in the East and coming one goal away from tying the 3rd is a solid string.

 

Now they need to find a way to play well away from home.

 

Some better goaltending on the road would help a lot.

[mojo1917]

A thing I have been telling myself about this group is half of them are really young guys.

They are bound to be inconsistent. I feel like I've seen flashes of what could be, especially with Sanhiem...Appleyard said he was having a "dominant WHL game" except he was doing it against the big bad Bruins in the NHL.#6 was pretty damn good last night. 

to @OccamsRazor 's point they have played 3 top eastern conference teams and won two and lost by a goal to the hottest team in the league and while they didn't look "great" in losing that game, they could have won it also. 

The team has had some terrible luck with Lindblom and Patrick and have had to dig deep into the farm system...yet they're still kind of scraping around at a .667 pace which isn't nothing. They're 4 points out of a guaranteed playoff spot.  

Look it's not the amazing job Sullivan is doing with Pgh essentially playing Wilkes-Barre Scranton every night and still rolling but the Flyers are not terrible. 

I don't get all the doom and gloom. I don't