welcome back
- jak521

Glad to be back. Just nice to know that cause and effect and well-understood facts not just here, but in general.

He certainly did. It's amazing what playing a few games in a row can do to a player's confidence.
- jmatchett383

Its a shame its taken him this long to get acclimated and back up to his game.

He looked so good last season and then disappointing to start this year. He shouldnt be sat for the rest of the season. Kid needs to stay on the ice.

Grossmann is what he is: a solid, 2nd pair, defensive dman with limited mobility.

Sadly this type of dman is much easier to find and acquire than one with mobility and skill which is the Flyers greatest need.
- BiggE

I agree.

Guess he shouldnt be blamed for the stupid penalty he took either.

Grossmann and Coburn both had a meh, first period before they (and the entire team) took over.

I understand your idea of coverage, but there should never be a point where two d-men are below the goal line on the same side of the ice when your center is along the half boards fighting for a puck... Thats where the problem originated.

Giroux was battling Burns.. as he is fighting for the puck both Coburn and Grossmann coast into the picture. At that point it was G vs Burns, Grossmann vs Thornton (who he followed to the far side boards (near boards in the video) and Coburn vs no one. Coby continues to press further towards the ensuing puck battle as Grossmann loops around following Thornton. He follows Big Joe through the crease and down behind the goal line where Burns emerges with the puck and Coburn hops in to defend. As that happens Burns fires a quick pretty pass right into the slot where Nieto is sitting pretty.

A few problems I have with it.

1- It was already a 2v1 with Coburn and G in the corner and Burns with the puck. Grossmann could have let Thornton go into the corner as well and it would still have been a "Man vs man" situation. Instead he leaves the front of the net WIDE open following a guy who never touches the puck.

2- It was clearly Girouxs battle in the corner. He lost it, but was still going at Burns as Burns turns his shoulder ( the beginning of his pretty back hand pass). Coburn steps in to take over the battle, but, in doing so leaves a passing lane open to the slot (also on Giroux)

3- Giroux, who clearly didnt wanna give up pursuit gets caught in the corner after Coburn takes over the battle. Had he realized earlier that he was too deep he could have checked back to the slot.

All in all, I think all three have a bit of blame resting on their shoulders.
- jak521

Do you know how many teams play a defensive zone coverage scheme where they want both defenseman on the puck below the goal line when the puck is there? The Flyers under Laviolette even went to that scheme of coverage for a while similar to the way the Rangers and other teams play. So saying that both defenseman should never be below the goal line on the puck, is simply incorrect. Grossmann played the play exactly as he should've, and the mix up was between Giroux and Coburn. Coverage is man to man at that point. And Grossmann shouldn't be blamed for not picking up another players blown coverage. But that has happened all too often this year. If Grossmann leaves Thornton to stay at the net, Thornton is uncovered, and it an outlet for the puck, and the Flyers are out manned in the corner 3-2. And leaving a player like Thornton unchecked with the puck in the defensive zone often leads to facing off at center ice. If the defense has the forecheckers outmanned 3-2, then the default position for the defenseman is to the front of the net. As the one defenseman, and the first forward back assuming the center defensive position are man to man on the 2 forecheckers. But if the opposition has 3 men deep as they did on that play, then it's man on man, and 3 on 3, with the other 2 forwards covering the point men and the deep slot for guys coming late.

I did not see the game, so I can't speak to the penalty.

Gus has looked absolutely amazing. Good first pass, great set of wheels, good active stick.. poised play making.
- jak521

Gustaffsson deserves a legitimate opportunity to establish himself as an NHL defenseman.

Giroux is 11th in points in the NHL despite a terrible October..

Hell, if you throw away October, and look at what he has done since:

46 games, 18 goals, 31 assists, 49 points, +6

.. Now expand those numbers to the 57 games he has played and he would have 61 points... and would sit at #5 in the league in points.

He has been earning his pay check.
- jak521

He flat out carries the team. As Giroux goes, the Flyers follow.

Sorry for you guys that missed the game. A really great team effort by the Flyers. Even though they were losing the Flyers dominated the second period by out skating and winning the one on one battles starting in the 2nd period. The hard work paid off in the third when they started scoring.
Terrific puck support all night top to bottom in the lineup.

I thought the second goal against was a great play by the Sharks. I think if Coburn stays in the crease it doesn't happen but give the Sharks some credit.

Mason was at the top of his game.

Couts was near 60% on face offs and Hall was over 65%.

Vinnie was skating well and had some nice chemistry with Baby Schenn.

Streit had a fine game, looked very confident. You could say that about all 6 defenseman.

I don't want to see 32 and 8 paired together. They both look better with different partners.

One of the best team efforts this year.
Watch the replay if you missed the game last night.
Very encouraging and satisfying to see them play this way.

Sorry for you guys that missed the game. A really great team effort by the Flyers. Even though they were losing the Flyers dominated the second period by out skating and winning the one on one battles starting in the 2nd period. The hard work paid off in the third when they started scoring.
Terrific puck support all night top to bottom in the lineup.

I thought the second goal against was a great play by the Sharks. I think if Coburn stays in the crease it doesn't happen but give the Sharks some credit.

Mason was at the top of his game.

Couts was near 60% on face offs and Hall was over 65%.

Vinnie was skating well and had some nice chemistry with Baby Schenn.

Streit had a fine game, looked very confident. You could say that about all 6 defenseman.

I don't want to see 32 and 8 paired together. They both look better with different partners.

One of the best team efforts this year.
Watch the replay if you missed the game last night.
Very encouraging and satisfying to see them play this way.
- Marc D

It was like the reverse of the Anaheim game, except they didnt get dominated in the first.. The first period was a bit of a feeling out process, but the second and third period were absolutely dominant periods by the Flyers..

SJ averages something like 35 shots a game, and if the Sharks didnt put up a couple "throw'em at the net and hope" shots, it would have been even more impressive.

It was like the reverse of the Anaheim game, except they didnt get dominated in the first.. The first period was a bit of a feeling out process, but the second and third period were absolutely dominant periods by the Flyers..

SJ averages something like 35 shots a game, and if the Sharks didnt put up a couple "throw'em at the net and hope" shots, it would have been even more impressive.
- jak521

they were missing Couture and some other guys but it was a huge win