Game Thread: Game 39 - New York Islanders at Philadelphia Flyers(1-9-16): 1:00pm EST

[shrike19]

Really good all around game today, coots/raffl/schenn line very good again. Not a whole lot from 1st line today though, and I'm tired of watching jake completely miss the net with open shots, and skate around with the puck (doing his best alexi kovalev imitation) just to give it away. D was real steady, good breakouts, no panic in zone, and rarely a giveway.

 

[wbon22]

... my wife's observation watching for about 5 minutes. "They look a lot more organized than they did when we saw them "(that would be 12/5 against the Blue Jackets). Really did look better organized and much more committed to what Hakstoll wants them to do.

 

[Maverick426h]

It's pretty simple. We thoroughly spanked them and it was never close.

I can't say enough about Sean Couturier. He makes plays so calmly and what seems effortlessly. I don't remember this about him ever before. Great to see Read sort of break out of a slump and Medvedev really step up too. Now if we could only get Umberger on the board. Every line has scored lately except the top line and honestly, I am not worried about them one bit. They often dominate out on the ice for entire shifts, they have just been snakebit when it comes to finishing.

You could write an essay on how well we beat them down yesterday. It's a beautiful thing.

 

[flyersfan4706]

Imagine if Couturier stays this way. He completely changes the dynamic of this team. I want to see Giroux and Couturier rolling on separate lines.

 

[Maverick426h]

Imagine if Couturier stays this way. He completely changes the dynamic of this team. I want to see Giroux and Couturier rolling on separate lines.

We're playing Boston next and coincidentally Couturier is playing close to the level of a Patrice Bergeron right now. Only 5 players in the entire Nhl have averaged more fantasy points in our league over the last 15 and 30 days. I can only credit Hakstol for this change. Whatever he said to this kid is working wonders for his confidence and creativity. He's literally making plays that we'd have only thought Giroux could make among our forward group.

Giroux is going to come along soon though, so I believe we will see that shortly. That whole top line is still churning along, they just aren't getting the payoff yet. It's stacked, obviously, and you can see that game after game.