JBM73
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From Bill Meltzer:
Ultimately, the Flyers loss last night can be pinned primarily on three main issues:
1) The Flyers had three first period power plays and not only did not convert any of them, they got outworked on all three and actually spent more time in their defensive zone trying to regain control of the puck as they did set up in the offensive zone.
2) Teams like Columbus and New Jersey that play a simple game with good puck pressure and layered defensive support often frustrate the Flyers. Last night, the Flyers went long segments where they could not set up a forecheck nor carry the puck into prime scoring areas. They can say all they want to about the team having generated a lot of quality chances but the goose egg on the scoreboard at the end of the net told a different story.
3) The Flyers had no zip or energy for much of the third period, which was when they really needed to elevate their game (especially when still trailing 1-0). Columbus smelled a win and got after it with gusto. Getting outskated and outworked in crunch time is never acceptable.
Final thoughts for now: From an offensive standpoint, the Flyers tend to go as Claude Giroux goes. Yes, they have depth in the lineup -- five players have scored 20-plus goals and the team has also gotten 31 goals from the defense corps. But things tend to fall in place around Giroux when he is going well and dry up when he is not setting the tone.
Giroux has gone pointless in each of the last three games, and the Flyers are 0-1-2 in that span. That's the first time that has happened this season since he went pointless in the first five games of this season. The Flyers started out the season 0-7-1 and had just 22 goals in their 15 games -- the span it took for Giroux to finally score his first goal of this season.
The captain is the Flyers' catalyst offensively. He will need a big game in Boston tomorrow afternoon. If so, Philly has a shot at an upset of the Bruins on their home ice. If not, things will really start to get nerve-racking in the final week of the season.
Ultimately, the Flyers loss last night can be pinned primarily on three main issues:
1) The Flyers had three first period power plays and not only did not convert any of them, they got outworked on all three and actually spent more time in their defensive zone trying to regain control of the puck as they did set up in the offensive zone.
2) Teams like Columbus and New Jersey that play a simple game with good puck pressure and layered defensive support often frustrate the Flyers. Last night, the Flyers went long segments where they could not set up a forecheck nor carry the puck into prime scoring areas. They can say all they want to about the team having generated a lot of quality chances but the goose egg on the scoreboard at the end of the net told a different story.
3) The Flyers had no zip or energy for much of the third period, which was when they really needed to elevate their game (especially when still trailing 1-0). Columbus smelled a win and got after it with gusto. Getting outskated and outworked in crunch time is never acceptable.
Final thoughts for now: From an offensive standpoint, the Flyers tend to go as Claude Giroux goes. Yes, they have depth in the lineup -- five players have scored 20-plus goals and the team has also gotten 31 goals from the defense corps. But things tend to fall in place around Giroux when he is going well and dry up when he is not setting the tone.
Giroux has gone pointless in each of the last three games, and the Flyers are 0-1-2 in that span. That's the first time that has happened this season since he went pointless in the first five games of this season. The Flyers started out the season 0-7-1 and had just 22 goals in their 15 games -- the span it took for Giroux to finally score his first goal of this season.
The captain is the Flyers' catalyst offensively. He will need a big game in Boston tomorrow afternoon. If so, Philly has a shot at an upset of the Bruins on their home ice. If not, things will really start to get nerve-racking in the final week of the season.
