Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Meltzer's Musings: 10/19/11

October 19, 2011, 5:57 AM ET [ Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
UPDATE 12:30 PM EDT

The Flyers have recalled Brayden Schenn from the AHL's Adirondack Phantoms. In order to create salary cap room to accommodate Schenn, the team has sent Zac Rinaldo and Harry Zolnierczyk to the Phantoms. In addition, Jody Shelley came off the NHL's suspended list today and is eligible to play tomorrow night if Andreas Nodl is unable to play.

It remains to be seen where Schenn will fit in the lineup. He apparently practiced on the third line today (I was not in Voorhees) with Sean Couturier moving to the fourth line.

In the longer term, I have to wonder if Scott Hartnell's job is in jeopardy. Already Hartnell has been moved down a line at five-on-five and lost power play time in favor of Wayne Simmonds. The next few weeks should be interesting to say the least.

I personally think either Rinaldo or Zolnierczyk should have stayed with the big club and Shelley have been the one to be waived. I realize that Shelley is a veteran, a heavyweight and a good locker room and practice presence. However, as stated many times before, I think he makes too much on the cap for a player of his role, especially considering the team's cap problems. Same thing goes for Matt Walker, who did not play well in his first game of the season last night while the much more affordable Andreas Lilja was generally effective as the sixth defenseman in his first four games.

Regardless of the short-term roster moves, it's safe to say that both Rinaldo and Zolnierczyk will be back with the big club at some point.

******

Last night in Ottawa, the Flyers did exactly what a team that considers itself to be one of the top clubs in the league needs to do when they play against a struggling opponent: Philly established control early, built on the lead and then closed out the game the same way they started.

The Flyers' second period effort was nothing to write home about and the third period got off to a mediocre start as Ottawa took chances on the forecheck and it took Philadelphia a while to adjust and start counter-punching. Eventually, however, the Flyers took control back and scored a second flurry of goals to win, 7-2.

Keep in mind as well that the Senators entered the game connecting on the power play at a 30 percent clip, and the Flyers killed off quite a few penalties in the second period (after staying out of the box in the opening period). Ottawa never drew any closer than 3 goals. A Jason Spezza goal made it 4-1 after Matt Walker lost his man and Daniel Alfredsson still had time after initially fanning on a pass to regroup and find Spezza. Erik Karlsson's late-game goal that made it 7-2 was meaningless to everyone but goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

How dominant were the Flyers last night? Every forward but Danny Briere registered at least one point in the game and members of all four forward lines scored goals. The Flyers' power play utterly picked apart Ottawa's penalty kill and also controlled the majority of the five-on-five play.

Claude Giroux had yet another outstanding game. Max Talbot scored his first goal as a Flyer. James van Riemsdyk deflected home a third period power play goal. It was also a huge night for the rookies: Matt Read played a game he'll never forget (1 goal, 3 assists), while Sean Couturier (1G, 1A) and Harry Zolnierczyk (1G) each scored their first goals in the NHL on nice plays.

Briere, meanwhile, had a great game in the faceoff circle and his line generated some good pressure in the third period to help restore control. Briere came close to scoring goals twice but has had some tough luck in that department so far (as has Jaromir Jagr, who has missed his first regular season goal as a Flyer by a whisker on at least five chances through the first five games). In addition, Jakub Voracek played his best two-way game of the young season and Wayne Simmonds' grit and hands produced a power play goal.

Bobrovsky did not see much action in the first period but he was equal to plenty of difficult chances in the second and early third periods. If the game had ever become 4-2, it may have taken on a whole different complexion in the latter part of the final period. Instead, the Flyers' victory was never in any sort of real jeopardy.

*****

There were several lineup changes last night for Philadelphia.

Matt Walker made his first start of the season, playing in place of Andreas Lilja. Walker had an uneven game, marred by three high-sticking minors and a defensive coverage lapse that led to a goal. On the flip side, he fared quite well in two fights and had a couple of zone clears on the penalty kill.

With the right-handed Walker entering the lineup last night, Peter Laviolette changed up his second as well as third defense pairings. As he did in the preseason, Laviolette split up Braydon Coburn from Kimmo Timonen, putting Coburn with Walker and Timonen with Andrej Meszaros.

Zolnierczyk made his NHL debut last night, playing in place of Andreas Nodl, who is nursing an undisclosed minor injury and is considered day-to-day.
Join the Discussion: » Comments » Post New Comment
More from Bill Meltzer
» Flyers Gameday: 3/28/24 @ MTL
» Wrap: Flyers Lose 6-5 OT Game to Rangers
» Flyers Gameday: 3/26/24 @ NYR
» Quick Hits: Flyers-FLA Wrap, Flyers Daily, Phantoms, Bigger than Hockey
» Flyers Gameday: 3/24/2024 vs. FLA; Phantoms Update