Game Thread: Game 51 - Philadelphia Flyers at Washington Capitals(2-7-16): 12:00pm EST

[Retroram52]

Yep, we just got overwhelmed and have now given up two goals.

 

[flyersfan4706]

Can't say I was expecting a win today but get only one point this weekend hurts.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Forwards were bad defensively today - third goal was a prime example, the top two forwards on this team didn't get back on the third goal and it cost them

Games like this show why they miss Couts desperately - their depth up the middle just flat out doesn't cut it - Mike Richards played great on the other side and he and the rest of those centers took it to the Flyers

 

[Retroram52]

I could not have stated it better myself Cobiemonster!

 

[Maverick426h]

What can you really say?

I thought we went toe to toe with the best team in the Nhl in their building again. Quite simply, Holtby is just better than Mason right now. Perhaps we win this game with a healthy Neuvy in net. Statistically, our numbers stacked up very favorably in this game aside from the obvious final score.

That said, I won't bring injuries into this at all. We have plenty of guys stepping up and performing at a high level in the absence of Couturier/Neuvirth. No excuses and no regrets.

Keep battling and we can get healthy and make a playoff run here. This team is already better than all of us first thought and Dave Hakstol is leading them fearlessly.

It is clear now that we are not going to sit back and get a higher draft pick. We are gunning for the playoffs.

 

[JBM73]

Quite simply, Holtby is just better than Mason right now. Perhaps we win this game with a healthy Neuvy in net.

Pretty sure Mason isn't 100% healthy.

 

[Cobiemonster]

What can you really say?

I thought we went toe to toe with the best team in the Nhl in their building again. Quite simply, Holtby is just better than Mason right now. Perhaps we win this game with a healthy Neuvy in net. Statistically, our numbers stacked up very favorably in this game aside from the obvious final score.

That said, I won't bring injuries into this at all. We have plenty of guys stepping up and performing at a high level in the absence of Couturier/Neuvirth. No excuses and no regrets.

Keep battling and we can get healthy and make a playoff run here. This team is already better than all of us first thought and Dave Hakstol is leading them fearlessly.

It is clear now that we are not going to sit back and get a higher draft pick. We are gunning for the playoffs.

I don't think so

Mase played pretty well, they were a mess defensively in front of him - and the forwards have only scored one goal the last two games - hard for goalies to win when you don't score, especially up front - it's also easy to say that Holtby is better than the goalie he's facing because that's true for the majority of goalies he's faced this season

Numbers can be deceiving - I don't think they matched up very well with the Caps and besides a great effort from MDZ and two or three other players, I don't think anyone really stood out

I think they're playing as we expect them to - one or two good games and then one or two not so good games - that's not good enough for the playoffs

Also, late in the season, teams that are mediocre tend to put up better efforts against teams at the top because the teams at the top are so far ahead in the standings that on occasion they let their guard down and they're more or less waiting on the playoffs to begin - look at the game they played in Philadelphia back in November when it was still early in the season - Caps dominated them in that game - later in the season you'll see the Flyers put up performances that make you think they're good enough but it's more so that the teams they're facing that are really good aren't always playing with as much juice because they know that it's all about the playoffs

I don't think the Flyers are going to make it - I really don't think so - Islanders have more games left to play than the Devils, who only have one more point than them and I think they're getting healthy so they can make a run - I think the only team that could falter is possibly Boston if they deal Loui Eriksson and don't get a returning player that can help right away - but other than that, I think those who aren't in the top eight right now will most likely not make it due to injuries and inconsistencies

 

[awaz]

I didn't love Orlov's goal, but I don't think this game is on Mase. That Niskanen goal was an abomination on defense. From the red-line you could start asking if anyone was going to close, and they never did. That's awful.

 

[dspice07]

If this is true I don't understand starting him back to back. Play Stolarz.

 

[Maverick426h]

I won't put the game on Mase, but Neuvy has outperformed him all season long and it was Neuvy that beat Holtby on the road in January.

Going back to December, we're 8-5-2 and all of our losses have been by just one goal. We're a very competitive group here right now. We have a couple games against the Devils upcoming. There's a huge opportunity to pull past one of these teams ahead of us and it could put us in a playoff spot already.

 

[lasgop8]

I didn't love Orlov's goal, but I don't think this game is on Mase. That Niskanen goal was an abomination on defense. From the red-line you could start asking if anyone was going to close, and they never did. That's awful.

Yes it was a BAD defensive play and they should've closed but a one on one with the goalie I expect a stop there .
Its not like Niskanen is TJ Oshie on a breakaway.