Hockey Post: Update and Pray

Once, Twice, and No Dice

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." -Jim Rohn.

Unfortunately for the Flyers, habit isn't going to cut it.

We've been playing teams that are below the boys ability at their best, and we've been playing at our best, until this series against the Pens.

After some bad calls and a whole lot of penalties, the boys got their fighting spirit back, but it wasn't enough. And the injury report on Philly's bench is newly updated with an injury we just can't afford. "Philadelphia, already without top defenseman Kimmo Timonen (blood clot), played most of the game with five defensemen after Braydon Coburn was struck in the face by Hal Gill's shot less than two minutes into the game. Coburn, struck near the left eye, left the ice bleeding and did not return," (from NHL.com).

A beautiful, shorthanded, breakaway goal by Richards late in the second riled the boys up, but not enough to make the comeback they needed. Once again, they got stuck at two goals and stayed there, dumping the puck into the Pens side and losing it. There were tons of turnovers, but the Pens handled the puck better.

Once again, Danny Briere was completely useless; it saddens me because he has such a fantastic game. His influence on the Flyers game is apparent; he's scored and won it for them any number of times. But the Pens seem to know just how to keep our little center down (this guy's smaller then me! Not even six feet tall!), but we still haven't found the chemistry to keep down Crosby and Malkin. "Malkin's a great player, and the puck seems to just follow him around," Head Coach John Stevens mentioned, in an interview. "We mishandle the puck and he ends up on a breakaway... We have to be a responsible team."

"We need to do a better job managing the puck," Stevens added. "Managing the puck is going to be the big focus today." But its not just managing the puck. A huge flaw in the Flyers D seemed to be rebounds, both off of Biron and off of Fleury.

"We really didn't play the way we had to," Jeff Carter said, when asked about what their defense had to do to slow down the Pens. Their long passes have been cut short almost continuously, intercepted by the faster Pens players. "We got away from our systems, and they really took advantage of it."

A positive note in the game: finally a good fight! Upshall and Kennedy were finally allowed to duke it out in the good, old fashioned Bully style; they were quite evenly matched. Good fight.

Downie was actually in the line up this evening, which added a spark to the Bully atmosphere. He managed to keep his anger in check, venting not on an opposing player this time, but by banging his stick against the glass. It was good to know he can keep his anger under control; Downie is a Bully, to be sure, but sometimes he's a little too hotheaded, even for Flyer mentality.

So what's it like being a Flyer in Pens territory? "We got heckled a little bit leaving the rink," Stevens said, with a little bit of a smile. "There's a lot of excitement in Pittsburgh."

Stupid side note: I found it hilarious that Crosby has grown out some facial hair for the playoffs; maybe he's sick of being called The Kid?

Anyway, do the Flyers have a chance? I think it will be much easier for them to win at home, gain some confidence at home, and play like the Bullies that they have been over the last 13 games or so. If we can up the defense, give high scoring boys like Richards and Briere a few openings, I think we have all the talent needed to crush the Pens, at home or in Pittsburgh.

Who's my vote for a case of Tastykakes, this next round in Philly? Mike Richards. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Too bad his team is never there to back him properly.

Very hopeful for Game 3,

Mina

~*~

Last Hockey Post: May 11, 2008

~*~