He sent him out I think a couple of shifts after with the Couturier line. Akeson should play, he took some big hits and was still one of the best forwards offensively.

The kid can do things with the puck on his stick, and the team lacks players who are good at skating with the puck on their stick. I like him.
- flyer_nutter

Some were saying that Downie should draw in, but he's been bad for quite a while and I think he's in Chief's dog house.

VL played 1:42 in the 3rd period. 1:01 on the worst powerplay anyone has ever seen. Thats 41 seconds in the 3rd period.

Ice time in the 3rd:
Akeson 3:21
B. SChenn 3:36
Raffl 5:05
Coots 7:39
Simmonds 3:27
Hall 4:17
Hartnell 6:11
Read 6:46
Giroux 5:37
Rinaldo 1:17
Voracek 5:34

Would really help if we could get Vinny into the game, but he can't do that sitting on the bench. If you're going to let players play through the crap they did last night, you might as well let Vinny do the same.
- Flyersgod

Haha that's assuming LeCavalier would actually help them more than hurt them. His play since the back injury doesn't really inspire that confidence and he is on the fourth line for a reason.

I am praying we get an update that Mase is ready to go for game 2... Also, Akeson made a bad play and it cost us, however the team was not playing well enough to begin with and Akeson was one of the only forwards with any hop!..I hope Chief gives the kid a chance to make up for it.
- Hextall271

He rolled him out there for the next shift. Deservedly so...he played really well last night. I think we'll see him play well also on Sunday.

This is like the 3rd time I've said this, but that penalty wasn't Akeson's "fault". It was such a weird play. He comes in for a hit with speed, his shoulder tucked, hits the guy with his shoulder, but lost his balance from the torque of the hit. He untucked the shoulder to try to keep his balance, and that's when the stick caught the Ranger, as Akeson was falling.

A complete, 100% fluke accident. If he doesn't fall after that hit, it's a different game.

Gah.

Same as Nash getting tripped in front of Emery and no call came out of that.

My point is, the officials were letting a lot go, the Flyers made it really easy for the refs in the third.
- MidnightMarauder

The Refs can't let blatant high sticks go. They are obvious calls. I thought both teams got away with their fair share of clutching and grabbing.

Really not a fair comparisson when you look at the players on the ice with him.

Rinaldo and Hall for VL

or Coots and Read for Akeson
- Flyersgod

Vinny had a worse % than either of his linemates... they did better once he got bumped up to the 2nd line.

That's just players battling. Happens every game. Similar to the Simmonds slashes on his hands in the last regular season meeting. There was a blatant Hartnell no call on a hook a couple minutes before that.
- rangerdanger94

I have to watch it again, but I was surprised they called Hall.. I figured they'd just let all of the battles go (also the mix up with Voracek in Hank's crease).. and only call the stick fouls.

Akeson was one of if not the best Flyers forwards last night as many have pointed out. There isn't a rule against killing penalties. Flyers PK had a chance to take Akeson off the griddle, and failed miserably. Hopefully Berube leaves Akeson in the lineup as the Flyers need all the offense they can get. Inserting a waste of skin like VDV is a waste of time.
- PLindbergh31

He wasn't terrible, but he really wasn't much of anything. While the team is allowed to kill the penalty off, it would have helped to not have a rookie out there in the 3rd period of a tie game where we are playing the worst hockey in our recent history. If the kid had any upper body strength at all he would have finished his check the right way.

Some were saying that Downie should draw in, but he's been bad for quite a while and I think he's in Chief's dog house.
- Hextall271

Want nothing to do with Downie. He should take the time off just for his health alone after going through so many concussions this year.

Im surprised Raffl actually doesn't have one yet because he seems to get blasted at least once a game.

I think they need to leave in as many players as they can that can handle the puck well. You need to that if you cant beat the other team in races.

When the game was within 1-goal or tied, the team had the puck 60%+ when Akeson was on the ice, versus ~18% when VL was on the ice.
- Tomahawk

I didn't even have to have those numbers in front of me to know that Akeson deserved the minutes he played last night -- yeah, he took a crucial, backbreaking penalty.

I mean, wow. Not too sure what Chief could have done? Give more minutes to guys who couldn't find ways to get the puck on net?

The officials put their whistles in their pockets through the first two periods, for both teams, until the Flyers took some really obvious and undisciplined penalties in the third period.

The Rangers didn't really commit any obvious crmes that would warrant more than the call that was made on them. They would have had a second power play if not for the unnecessary Schenn minor, on Brassard, which led to the 4 on 4.
- MidnightMarauder

i agree except for the one on giroux after the 1-0 goal. didn't have a problem with the officials. the extra 2 min for bleeding has to go, although i think hagelin might at the dentist today after that shot

That's just players battling. Happens every game. Similar to the Simmonds slashes on his hands in the last regular season meeting. There was a blatant Hartnell no call on a hook a couple minutes before that.
- rangerdanger94

Not to start poop, but you guys came in here blasting away at Simmonds for slashing McDonagh. I don't think either play was a horribly dirty play, but I find it a bit hypocritical.

Vinny had a worse % than either of his linemates... they did better once he got bumped up to the 2nd line.
- Tomahawk

Let's just be clear. You're saying Akeson is the reason Coots and Read had to puck so often and VL is the reason Hall and Rinaldo didn't?

The officials put their whistles in their pockets through the first two periods, for both teams, until the Flyers took some really obvious and undisciplined penalties in the third period.

The Rangers didn't really commit any obvious crmes that would warrant more than the call that was made on them. They would have had a second power play if not for the unnecessary Schenn minor, on Brassard, which led to the 4 on 4.
- MidnightMarauder

Yup, the Flyers took some dumb penalties, and the last few were called when the game was all but over. It just looked like a few were missed on the Rangers, starting with McDonagh on Giroux - not sure how that goes uncalled because it was pretty blatant. When that gets let go, or missed, and other marginal calls are made, it makes it seem like the Flyers are under a bit more scrutiny than the Rangers.

Still, can't argue with the 4 minute penalty, that's what broke the game open, and I would never argue the refs were the reason why the Flyers lost or Rangers won.

That's just players battling. Happens every game. Similar to the Simmonds slashes on his hands in the last regular season meeting. There was a blatant Hartnell no call on a hook a couple minutes before that.
- rangerdanger94

lol
Giroux with his back to the net as a goal being scored taking a two handed cross check is players battling?

The Refs can't let blatant high sticks go. They are obvious calls. I thought both teams got away with their fair share of clutching and grabbing.
- PhillySportsGuy

Agreed, each team could have been hit with multiple penalties, but the refs were "letting them play."

The last three Flyer penalties were out of sheer frustration. The first three were also obvious though.

Vinny had a worse % than either of his linemates... they did better once he got bumped up to the 2nd line.
- Tomahawk

I love how people are clamoring for the team to move him. People just believe any option will be better than what we have right now. Doesn't matter how he's played.

Let's just be clear. You're saying Akeson is the reason Coots and Read had to puck so often and VL is the reason Hall and Rinaldo didn't?
- Flyersgod

I'm saying Akeson had a good game (outside of the penalty) and VL was a lead anchor.

I agree with all of it except moving Vinny to the top line LW. It's pretty clear he can't play there. The only option I can think of is moving Raffl back up to the top line and Hartnell to the second line.

I don't see any real lineup changes happening though.
- PhillySportsGuy

I would put him at center. I think it would allow him to get more into the game and giroux can play wing as he came up as a wing.

G - Vinny - Voracek
Hartnell - Schenn - Simmonds
Akeson - Coots - Read
Rinaldo- Raffl - Hall

It's not a slight problem, let alone a huge problem. There's nothing wrong with having a young, energy player being your best player on the ice in a given game. There's been plenty of times where the same has been said about Rinaldo (hell, even Downie). It's not to say he's the best player on the team; just the best in that given game. Playoffs are all about setting tones. Akeson had a great game and I have no intention of holding this penalty against him. Look at Bill's blog. There are PLENTY of things that this team did wrong yesterday, and most of them are more egregious than a unintentional stick penalty that gets doubled because it broke the skin. They really need to do away with that stupid rule.....
- steelydan

it is a big problem, when a player who's skating in this 3rd nhl game ever, and 1st playoff game is your best player in the first game of the playoffs against an arch rival in a building where you haven't won in over 3 years. it's unacceptable.

i'm all for the kid playing well, and making the most of his opportunity. that's great. but if you're relying on him and expect to come away with a W, well, that's not likely to happen, and it didn't.

i have zero issue with the penalty. sounds like a freakish thing at a bad time. it happens.

He rolled him out there for the next shift. Deservedly so...he played really well last night. I think we'll see him play well also on Sunday.

This is like the 3rd time I've said this, but that penalty wasn't Akeson's "fault". It was such a weird play. He comes in for a hit with speed, his shoulder tucked, hits the guy with his shoulder, but lost his balance from the torque of the hit. He untucked the shoulder to try to keep his balance, and that's when the stick caught the Ranger, as Akeson was falling.

A complete, 100% fluke accident. If he doesn't fall after that hit, it's a different game.

Gah.
- Giroux_Is_God

and i've posted my take each time you did: he was not in position to lay that kind of hit. he's a young guy and played very well, but he just can't go for that hit there from that position. if he has him lined up, coming across, or coming toward him then yes....but chase him from the slot up the ice to try that hit from behind him? no way that is a good hockey play

Haha that's assuming LeCavalier would actually help them more than hurt them. His play since the back injury doesn't really inspire that confidence and he is on the fourth line for a reason.
- flyer_nutter

He's on the fourth line for one reason. To showcase B. Schenn and hope he does well to increase his value. Kid is gone this summer.

I would put him at center. I think it would allow him to get more into the game and giroux can play wing as he came up as a wing.

G - Vinny - Voracek
Hartnell - Schenn - Simmonds
Akeson - Coots - Read
Rinaldo- Raffl - Hall
- J35Bacher

I don't know what you've seen from VL that would make you think he could center a top line.

You'd be moving your best player, playmaker and face-off man to LW (a position he's never played).

Flyers became the Pens last night.
- PhillySportsGuy

giroux and crosby are very, very similar. and now giroux is also starting to get some of the same treatment. if he keeps his head on straight, hell play through it

He's on the fourth line for one reason. To showcase B. Schenn and hope he does well to increase his value. Kid is gone this summer.
- Flyersgod

I personally think he is on that fourth line because he has played like a sack of poop, losing face-offs continuously and being behind the play on both ends of the ice.

But my bias toward him is well known.

Holmgren's genius moves on display yet again.

He's on the fourth line for one reason. To showcase B. Schenn and hope he does well to increase his value. Kid is gone this summer.
- Flyersgod

If you could trade either B Schenn or VL, who would it be?