|
Flyers Playoff Gameday: ECQF Game 5 @ NYR |
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Game 5: Flyers @ Rangers
In a pivotal swing game that will put the winner one victory away from advancing to the next round of the playoffs, the Philadelphia Flyers are in Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Game time is noon EDT. The match will be televised nationally in the U.S. on NBC and across Canada on TSN.
In Game One, the Flyers had trouble generating any sort of attack on the Rangers end of the ice but defended well enough and received strong enough goaltending from Ray Emery to keep the game at 1-1 until near the midway point of the third period.
Philly's undoing in the third period was a double-minor penalty that resulted in back-to-back New York goals. Subsequently, a hit post on a Kimmo Timonen shot resulted in a Rangers counterattack and a goal that sealed a 4-1 final. The Flyers ended up getting outshot by a 36-15 margin. Andrew MacDonald notched the lone Flyers goal.
In Game 2, the Rangers got off to a quick 2-0 lead only the see the Flyers roar back for four unanswered goals as Philadelphia evened the series at one game apiece. A first-period line rush goal by Jakub Voracek started the turnaround. Second period goals by Jason Akeson (power play) and Luke Schenn (scored on a delayed penalty) put the Flyers ahead.
Emery, who had to make tougher saves in the first two periods of Game Two than in periods one and two of the series opener, got help in the third period. The Flyers did an outstanding job of protecting their one-goal lead without losing their aggressiveness. Finally, after a late game too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty by the Rangers, Wayne Simmonds scored an eventful empty net power play goal to seal the win for the Flyers.
In Game 3, the Rangers once again got off to a quick 2-0 lead. The Flyers got a goal back late in the first period as Mark Streit converted a pass from Voracek during a 4-on-4. Philly dominated the second period territorially but the only goal was a partially screened shot by Dan Girardi from the point. Former Flyers pest Dan Carcillo added additional insurance in the third period as New York won, 4-1.
The Flyers went 0-for-5 on the power play in Game 3. Despite outshooting the Rangers by a 32-23 margin for the game, the real story for the Flyers was the 28 shot attempts they had blocked and the other 20 attempts that missed the net.
Additionally, of the four goals Emery allowed in the game, three could have been played better by the goaltender. Steve Mason, who backed up for the first time in the series, played the final seven-plus minutes. At the other end of the ice, Lundqvist had to make about four to a half-dozen tough stops in Game 3. He had no chance on Streit's goal.
In Game 4, the Flyers rode a stellar 37-save performance by Mason to overcame an early deficit and a shaky first period to capture a 2-1 regulation victory in Game Four at the Wells Fargo Center.
Dominic Moore opened the scoring with a wraparound goal at the 4:38 mark of the first period. Matt Read's first goal of the series knotted the score at 1-1 near the midway mark of the first period. On the play, Jason Akeson banked the puck off the end boards and it went directly to Read on the other side.
In the middle period, Jakub Voracek deflected home a power play goal at 7:22 for what proved to be game-winning tally. Brayden Schenn fired a low, deflectable shot on net from high in the zone, and Voracek tipped it upstairs over Henrik Lundqvist.
Lundqvist (23 saves) played a solid game in net for the Rangers in Game Four. He had no chance on either Philadelphia goal and thwarted several good scoring chances when Philly had a chance to get an insurance goal. Mason was spectacular at the other end of the ice.
Apart from Mason helping to steal Game Four, the Flyers won the game largely due to winning the special teams battle. Philly went 1-for-2 on the power play. They also killed all three of their own disadvantages, including a lengthy 4-on-3 disadvantage late in the second period and early in the third.
Depending on today's outcome, the Flyers will either be looking on Tuesday to close out the series with a win at home or, alternatively, to force a deciding seventh game. Game Seven, if necessary, will be played in New York on Wednesday.
Flyers Outlook
Team captain Claude Giroux has done some things well in the series. He's played a sound defensive game. He's done well in the faceoff circle. He's set up a pair of goals for teammates. What he has not done well is solve the Rangers' tight checking to generate many shots of his own, let alone his first goal of the series.
For the Flyers to take their first lead in the series rather than always playing catch-up hockey -- New York has also scored first in three of the first four games -- they could really use a big offensive performance from Giroux. Linemate Jakub Voracek (two goals, one assist) has been Philadelphia's most consistent offensive weapon in the series thus far.
Philadelphia's supporting cast players stepped up in Game Four. Jason Akeson (one goal, one assist in the series) played a part in both Philadelphia goals last game, although he was credited with an assist only on Matt Read's first goal of the series.
With Wayne Simmonds thus far held to just one point (an empty net goal that sealed Game Two), the Flyers could still use a goal or two not only from him but also from even strength linemates Vincent Lecavalier (one assist) or Brayden Schenn (one assist). Schenn did help set up Voracek's game-winning power play goal in Game Four with a low and deflectable shot from higher in the offensive zone.
Philadelphia has gotten a strong series thus far from Mark Streit (one goal, one assist). Quietly, Streit and partner Nicklas Grossmann were the Flyers most consistently effective pairing over the first three-plus games of the series. It should be noted, though, that Braydon Coburn's pairing with Kimmo Timonen does the heaviest lifting against New York's top line and third pair duo Andrew MacDonald and Luke Schenn have shined at times as well. The banged-up Timonen has had a couple rough games but, for the most part from Games One to Four, the Flyers' much-maligned defense corps has not been a problem spot.
Today, and quite possibly for the remainder of the series, Streit will have a new partner. Grossmann suffered an apparent right knee injury when he was checked awkwardly in the boards early in the second period of Game Two. The Flyers were forced to rotate five defensemen for the rest of the game.
At yesterday's practice in Voorhees, NJ, head coach Craig Berube tabbed veteran Hal Gill to step into Grossmann's spot in the lineup. The idea behind opting for Gill over Erik Gustafsson is to keep a balance on all-three pairings between size and puck-moving ability and to have at least one accomplished shot blocker on all three pairs.
When Gustafsson goes in over Gill, the Flyers defense corps gains additional mobility and breakout passing ability but also tilts toward being a bit undersized in the trenches. If the Flyers did not already have undersized defensemen in Timonen and Streit (also keeping in mind that, while MacDonald is the NHL's top shot blocker, the workhorse defenseman is rather slightly built and relies more on mobility than strength), Gustafsson would have more likely to have a regular lineup spot this season and into the playoffs.
Rangers Outlook
The Rangers have had things their way from a territorial standpoint for the majority of the series. The exception was actually Game Three, which New York still won by a 4-1 score. The Blueshirts have generally limited Philly's scoring chances and have blocked 78 shots along the way. As such, New York has not really had as many strategic adjustments to make as the Flyers.
As the series comes back to MSG tied at two games apiece, however, New York finds itself with a few areas of concern.
First and foremost, after starting the series by cashing in power play goals on three of their first seven opportunities, the Rangers have come away empty on each of their last 13 power plays. The Flyers have done a strong job at taking away the passing lanes and New York has not been getting much traffic to the net in the last couple games.
Secondly, the Blueshirts' tight checking on Giroux has been matched by the job the Flyers have done against Rick Nash and his linemates. Nash does have four assists but, like Giroux, is still looking for his first goal of the series.
Lastly, top pairing defenseman Ryan McDonagh, despite eating a massive 25:41 of ice time per game, is playing pretty severely banged up. Returning to the lineup for the playoffs after missing the end of the regular season with a shoulder injury, McDonagh has been rather heavily battered in the first four games of the series. He's played reasonably well defensively -- although partner Dan Girardi has been better -- but is still looking for his first point of the series.
Even in the two games of the series that the Rangers have lost, the play of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has not been an issue. He has yet to yield a questionable goal the entire series. Everything the Flyers have scored thus far on Lundqvist has either been deflected or was scored from point blank range.
PROJECTED LINEUPS (Subject to change)
Flyers
19 Scott Hartnell - 28 Claude Giroux - 93 Jakub Voracek
10 Brayden Schenn - 40 Vincent Lecavalier - 17 Wayne Simmonds
24 Matt Read - 14 Sean Couturier - 42 Jason Akeson
36 Zac Rinaldo - 12 Michael Raffl - 18 Adam Hall
44 Kimmo Timonen - 5 Braydon Coburn
75 Hal Gill - 32 Mark Streit
47 Andrew MacDonald - 22 Luke Schenn
35 Steve Mason
[29 Ray Emery]
Potential scratches: Nicklas Grossmann (right knee injury), Steve Downie (upper body), Erik Gustafsson (healthy), Jay Rosehill (healthy), Chris VandeVelde (healthy), Tye McGinn (healthy), Cal Heeter (healthy), Yann Danis (healthy), Brandon Manning (healthy), Brandon Alderson (healthy), Scott Laughton (healthy), Petr Straka (healthy), Nick Cousins (healthy), Oliver Lauridsen (healthy), Mark Alt (healthy).
Rangers
61 Rick Nash - 21 Derek Stepan - 26 Martin St. Louis
67 Benoit Pouliot - 16 Derick Brassard - 36 Mats Zuccarello
62 Carl Hagelin - 19 Brad Richards - 13 Dan Carcillo
22 Brian Boyle - 28 Dominic Moore - 15 Derek Dorsett
27 Ryan McDonagh - 5 Dan Girardi
18 Marc Staal - 6 Anton Stralman
17 John Moore - 8 Kevin Klein
30 Henrik Lundqvist
[33 Cam Talbot]
Potential scratches: Jesper Fast (healthy), Raphael Diaz (healthy), Justin Falk (healthy), Chris Kreider (hand surgery), J.T. Miller (healthy).
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
Join the Discussion:
»