GNT 2.20.13| Flyers @ Pens | Keystone State Deathmatch |7:30PM

[evolver115]

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With their road trip shaping up to be a disaster, the Philadelphia Flyers turned in perhaps their most complete effort of the season.

Finishing the six-game trek with a win in Pittsburgh may prove they're serious about a turnaround.

The Flyers look to avenge a season-opening loss to the Penguins and cool off Sidney Crosby when the Pennsylvania rivals meet Wednesday night.

Philadelphia (7-9-1) lost three of four to begin its longest string of road games this season, leading captain Claude Giroux to meet with his teammates and demand changes after Saturday's 4-1 defeat to Montreal.

Giroux showed what he meant Monday against the New York Islanders, scoring 26 seconds into the game to spark a 7-0 rout. He added another goal and an assist, while Danny Briere and Matt Read also had three points apiece.

Jakub Voracek had a career-high four points, all assists.

"We played with attitude. High intensity, and played as a team," said Giroux, who had one goal in his previous 14 games. "That's how we have to play -- a full 60 minutes."

Coach Peter Laviolette was quickly thinking about the Flyers' next opponent.

"You'd like to bottle it up and carry it right into Pitt," he said.

The Penguins won 3-1 at Philadelphia to begin the season Jan. 19, gaining a small bit of payback after losing last year's wild first-round playoff series to the Flyers in six games.

That helped launch Pittsburgh (11-5-0) to a successful first month, putting the club in a tie with New Jersey for the Atlantic Division lead. The Penguins scored at least one power-play goal for an eighth straight game Sunday and won their third in a row, 4-3 at Buffalo.

Crosby has been the catalyst, posting seven points in the last three contests -- including an assist on Paul Martin's late game-winner against the Sabres. His 24 points rank second in the NHL to Buffalo's Thomas Vanek.

"It's not ordinary," coach Dan Bylsma said. "You realize you're watching somebody at a different level. So to say you ever take it for granted it's absolutely not at all."

The superstar center will be looking to end a brief dry spell against the Flyers. Although he has 89 points in 57 career games -- including postseason -- in the series, he has none and a minus-4 rating in the last three meetings, coming up empty in the final two playoff games.

Marc-Andre Fleury, 6-1-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average in his last seven starts overall, had a brutal time versus Philadelphia in the playoffs, but he stopped 26 of 27 shots last month to erase some of the frustration.

"Not all of it, but yes, this feels a lot better," Fleury said after that game.

Counterpart Ilya Bryzgalov turned away all 19 shots he faced Monday for his first shutout of the season, but Fleury is likely more concerned about Giroux.

The young center scored Philadelphia's lone goal in the season opener, giving him at least one point for the 12th time in his last 13 meetings with the Penguins. He has totaled 24 points in that stretch.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Deathmatch? More like the Flyers need this game in a bad way to keep their playoff hopes alive. This will be the Flyers 18th game of the year. That's 2 games more than 1/3 of the season. Must win Philly fans.

 

[evolver115]

Deathmatch? More like the Flyers need this game in a bad way

Yep, Deathmatch. Every game between these two are all out battles.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Yep, Deathmatch. Every game between these two are all out battles.

Well after what Cooke did to Karlsson & Dupuis did to Enstrom, the Flyers D better be careful.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Come on Fly guys.

 

[DChero]

Who's up for suspension roulette?

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Who's up for suspension roulette?

Yes! Make this happen! Maybe a bunch of injuries too.

 

[awaz]

god damn that's a lot of points against the flyers.. i hate him so much.

 

[DChero]

Yes! Make this happen! Maybe a bunch of injuries too.

Pronger won't even show up because these are such tough games.

 

[evolver115]

god damn that's a lot of points against the flyers.. i hate him so much.

Hate to admit it, but I think you guys will take this one, Awaz. I just feel that Philly will be the more desperate team, tonight.

Vokoun is between the pipes for the Pens, too.

 

[LeaderOCola]

let's go pens!

 

[flyersfan4706]

Was hoping to see the Erik Gustaffson special on Fleury again.

 

[awaz]

Hate to admit it, but I think you guys will take this one, Awaz. I just feel that Philly will be the more desperate team, tonight.

Vokoun is between the pipes for the Pens, too.

ya i saw vokoun was playing.. kinda weird no?

 

[Vadered]

god damn that's a lot of points against the flyers.. i hate him so much.

Honestly, I'm surprised he didn't get 89 points in last year's playoff series alone. Goaltending optional.

And this isn't a must win for the Flyers to get into the playoffs - there's still 30 games left in the season and we'd be down what, four points? - but it's a must win if the Flyers want to show like they have a chance getting somewhere if they make it in. And while it's not must-win, it's one of the types of games they'll have to win to make it in. Sixty percent of our points have come from teams which aren't in the playoffs if the season ended now. To get back in, the Flyers will need to pick up some at the expense of some higher quality competition - like the Pens. We also need to keep getting points on the road; 3-8-0 is baaaaaaaaaad.

This game is also a test for our penalty kill - we haven't allowed a power play goal in six games, and we lost the first game of the year to the Pens 3-1 because we let them go 2 for 3 with the man advantage. They've been red hot recently, too - they've scored a power play goal or more in the last eight games. Gotta stay out of the box, and kill off the inevitable bad calls by the officials. Or we could send Briere in way ahead of the puck and have him score like that; I hear offsides isn't a thing anymore.

 

[evolver115]

ya i saw vokoun was playing.. kinda weird no?

I don't know to tell ya the truth. Fleury has been playing remarkably well in the month of February. Vokoun hasn't started a game in like a week, so I guess Bylsma doesn't want him getting rusty on the bench.

 

[DevilishWon]

Honestly, I'm surprised he didn't get 89 points in last year's playoff series alone. Goaltending optional.

And this isn't a must win for the Flyers to get into the playoffs - there's still 30 games left in the season and we'd be down what, four points? - but it's a must win if the Flyers want to show like they have a chance getting somewhere if they make it in. And while it's not must-win, it's one of the types of games they'll have to win to make it in. Sixty percent of our points have come from teams which aren't in the playoffs if the season ended now. To get back in, the Flyers will need to pick up some at the expense of some higher quality competition - like the Pens. We also need to keep getting points on the road; 3-8-0 is baaaaaaaaaad.

This game is also a test for our penalty kill - we haven't allowed a power play goal in six games, and we lost the first game of the year to the Pens 3-1 because we let them go 2 for 3 with the man advantage. They've been red hot recently, too - they've scored a power play goal or more in the last eight games. Gotta stay out of the box, and kill off the inevitable bad calls by the officials. Or we could send Briere in way ahead of the puck and have him score like that; I hear offsides isn't a thing anymore.

If they lose I'm starting the Lavy death watch thread again.....just sayin

 

[Vadered]

Two things I am glad about tonight - we are coming off a 7-0 pummeling of the Isles, and we aren't playing this game second instead of first in the back to back. Sadly the Pens are rested as well, but can't win 'em all.

I won't be able to watch live, as I have work, but let's say it early and often:

LET'S GO FLYERS!

 

[Nasty_Magician]

If they lose I'm starting the Lavy death watch thread again.....just sayin

Starting a new one rather than bumping the old one? That's a power move my friend.

 

[evolver115]

If they lose I'm starting the Lavy death watch thread again.....just sayin

You really think they would fire Lavy? With the cluster that was the NHL lockout, I am of the opinion that Pete has some equity built up with Homer. Even if they were to miss the post-season, I still don't see them canning Lavy.

 

[Vadered]

If they lose I'm starting the Lavy death watch thread again.....just sayin

I'm not saying you would be wrong, either. Just saying teams have come back from 4-5 points down with 30 games before, and not necessarily the teams you would have thought. St. Louis came back from 9 down with 34 to play a few years ago.

We also have the most games played, which theoretically means we will be slightly more rested on average for the rest of them with fewer back-to-backs (we have 5 remaining of 10 total for the year), and this will be our 12th road game of the year compared to only playing 6 home games. I'm not saying I wouldn't trade our position for, say, Boston's, but it'd be a hell of a lot worse if we were 7-9-1 at home with no road games played two weeks later and every game remaining was part of a 3-in-4-days stretch.