Movember

[Maverick426h]

It's time to build momentum and move up in the standings and November provides us with that opportunity.

After glancing at the schedule, our next six games are all against losing teams and we only play three winning teams in this entire next month. Two of those games are at the end of the month (Tampa/Nashville) and the other is a rematch with Pittsburgh midway through.

Many of these games are against the teams that are just ahead of us in the standings and this is the time for us to prove that we're the better team. I think if we can win at least four of the next six, but preferably five, it will set us up to have a winning record by the end of November and be off and running offensively.

Quite frankly, if we can just dominate teams like Washington, Carolina, NYI, Ottawa, Buffalo, Florida, Winnipeg and Edmonton, we can own a playoff spot by the beginning of December. We play those teams a combined 10 times in November and as of this moment, they have altogether lost 21 straight games.

With all due respect, we're not the same team we were three weeks ago and despite being lower in the standings than most of them, we're better than all of these teams. Now it's time to prove it.

 

[JBM73]

Could Movember also signify underperforming players on the move?

HockeyBuzz.com - Eklund - Flyers Still Hot on Byfuglien Trail

 

[Maverick426h]

If we struggle in November, Homer could easily panic and make a major move like this, but I don't think it's wise to shake up the whole team at this stage when you know that we're improving AND the road ahead is easier.

Stay patient here. Again, I predict we'll have a winning record and the third playoff spot by the end of next month.

 

[lasgop8]

If we struggle in November, Homer could easily panic and make a major move like this, but I don't think it's wise to shake up the whole team at this stage when you know that we're improving AND the road ahead is easier.

Stay patient here. Again, I predict we'll have a winning record and the third playoff spot by the end of next month.

Please let this happen

 

[Cobiemonster]

November is a time for the Flyers to really make that next step and assert theirselves as contenders again - good time to be able to win some games here and get back in it

 

[awaz]

dont the flyers typically kick ass in november? i cant remember which month it is, but one of these months is almost always their best month.. i think it's november

obviously just a coincidence since it's been going on through lots of roster/front office turnover, but the stats were oddly convincing when i saw them last

 

[Cobiemonster]

dont the flyers typically kick ass in november? i cant remember which month it is, but one of these months is almost always their best month.. i think it's november

obviously just a coincidence since it's been going on through lots of roster/front office turnover, but the stats were oddly convincing when i saw them last

Two seasons ago they were 7-3-2 in November, three seasons ago they were 9-3-2, four seasons ago wasn't as good(the year John Stevens was fired), 08-09 they were 7-4-2

So normally they've been pretty good in that month

 

[dspice07]

Two seasons ago they were 7-3-2 in November, three seasons ago they were 9-3-2, four seasons ago wasn't as good(the year John Stevens was fired), 08-09 they were 7-4-2

So normally they've been pretty good in that month

Coincidentally its my birthday month, just saying

 

[sanfrand]

This team just stinks!

 

[Maverick426h]

This team just stinks!

It's easy to just look at the record now through only 11 games and come to that conclusion, but I disagree. I bet we do no worse than 10-4-1 or 10-3-2 in November and find ourselves in a playoff spot come December.

The offense is coming along and the goaltending with Mason in net has arguably been as good as any in the division. Actually, Mason is tied with Fleury at .928 for the best save percentage in the Metro. He's just facing more shots and not getting the goal support, therefore he isn't winning as often. The goals will come though. It's inevitable.

 

[Maverick426h]

9-3-3 would probably still even be good enough to grab third place. The goal is to get 21-22 or more points out of a possible 30 in November and I think we can do it.

 

[raptorlife4]

Need to catch some breaks. Really need to learn how to finish again

 

[Cobiemonster]

Need to catch some breaks. Really need to learn how to finish again

Being good in 3rd periods is key too, in the two wins in this last week they were strong defensively in the 3rd period, last game of course they weren't - if they play strong third periods, they'll win most games because the goaltending is still steady

 

[lasgop8]

Hartnell needs to start scoring and fighting to give this team the lift it needs.

 

[Maverick426h]

Hartnell needs to start scoring and fighting to give this team the lift it needs.

I don't know what his deal is. He apparently came into camp in great shape and now his curly locks are gone, so he's definitely lighter/faster. Even in down years for us, he's still averaged around 20 goals and close to 50 points, so I expect him to pick it up at some point.

Also, teams like Carolina, Jersey and Edmonton coming up have been either terrible in net and/or on defense and are allowing all kinds of goals against. I look for guys like Giroux, Hartnell, Voracek and Simmonds to net their first and/or second goals shortly.

 

[wbon22]

Okay
As bad/disconnected as this team is...they could get hot. Giroux and Vinny go nuts and this team is winning 5 and 6 to 1 or 2. Hartnell is getting do for one of his nutso scoring streaks. If the team D and goaltending hold up...this could be a good month for the Flyguys....

 

[Progeriakid]

Okay
As bad/disconnected as this team is...they could get hot. Giroux and Vinny go nuts and this team is winning 5 and 6 to 1 or 2. Hartnell is getting do for one of his nutso scoring streaks. If the team D and goaltending hold up...this could be a good month for the Flyguys....

Thats alot of "if's" to take place, I won't hold my breath!

 

[Maverick426h]

Let's put it this way. It should be a good month for us, even still. Pittsburgh, Tampa and Nashville are the only three teams we play that have a winning record. The other remaining eight games are against teams that are for the most part performing even worse than we are right now (Edm, Fla, Buff etc.). You could definitely argue a few others too like the Islanders, who we recently beat 5-2.

At least we do have a solid netminder and can keep the puck out of our net often enough to have a shot at winning on any given night/day. This might surprise some people, but Mason has yet to give up more than three goals in any one game this season. In the majority of his starts, he's given up two or fewer goals. What more can you ask out of your goalie? He keeps every game close and winnable, despite the fact that we're not scoring for him. Most of these other teams don't have this luxury.

Honestly, do we really all think that Claude Giroux is suddenly a scrub and will never score another goal in his lifetime? Keep in mind this is a 25 year old who has been 11th, 3rd and 13th in Nhl scoring the last three seasons respectively and with a new linemate to adjust to every single season.

I'd even make the same case for Hartnell. This is a guy who has scored close to 140 regular season goals as a Flyer. He averages 25 goals (per 82 games) for us and that includes a couple of down years. Is Scotty obsolete all of the sudden at age 31? This scoring drought IS going to turn around. It's just a matter of when and against who.

When it does, we're going to win a lot of games. I'm just predicting it happens at some point this month and then we take off and never look back.

 

[Maverick426h]

10-12 points out of a possible 14 in the next 7 games puts us in a playoff spot. That means a record no worse than 5-2, 4-1-2 or the very unlikely 3-0-4. I believe we can and will accomplish this.

 

[JBM73]

HockeyBuzz.com - Julie Robenhymer - Have the Flyers Turned the Corner?