The Flyers' 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay was a missed opportunity for the club. Philadelphia was the better club in the first period of the game but the struggling powerplay failed to convert a 5-on-3 advantage and didn't pounce on scoring chances that were there throughout the period. Instead, the best they could manage was a 1-1 tie after the first period, and Tampa was the better team over the remainder of the game.
Dan Ellis was clearly the better of the two goaltenders on this night. Brian Boucher would no doubt like to have back the Pavel Kubina goal that ended up being the game-winner.
There are still some positives the club can carry over to its rematch with the Penguins on Saturday night: the early jump, the play of Claude Giroux, Danny Briere's continued hot offensive start and another strong night on the penalty kill.
On the flip side, the game was a step backward for the top line after stepping up in the Colorado game and the offense as a whole was out of synch. Scott Hartnell had a secons straight off night. The Flyers did not match the Lightning's effort over the latter 40 minutes of the game and, frankly, did not deserve to win.
Lastly, I'd be remiss not to mention Simon Gagne's return to Philly. He deserved the ovation he received and the tribute video. But his selection as the game's number one star was strictly sentimental. He was a non-factor in the outcome of the game.
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The Phantoms (1-2-0) will play their first home game of the season tomorrow (Friday) night against Syracuse. The club will need to start taking fewer penalties and helping out Johan Backlund (3.36 GAA but a .911 save percentage) a little more in the defensive end.
Stefan Legein (1G, 2 A) leads the club in scoring over the first week. Patrick Maroon and fourth-line agitator Zac Rinaldo pace the team with two goals so far, while Erik Gustafsson has the lone tally by a defenseman.
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In his first four starts of the Elitserien season, Flyers goaltending prospect Joacim Eriksson has had a tendency to get off to poor starts in the first period and then settle in as the game moves along. In yesterday's 4-2 SAIK win over Frolunda, Eriksson gave up a pair of horrendous first period goals -- a right circle shot by Nicklas Lasu through the five hole and a backhanded long wraparound by Toni Koivisto. But he settled down and stopped 37 of 39 by the end of the night.
You can view game highlights
here. Click AIK-TV and select the game against Frolunda.
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The next
Daily Drop at Versus.com will look at Gagne's homecoming in Philly and Mike Modano's return to Dallas.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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