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

Do you think Akeson will look back and consider his 1st NHL playoff game a good game?

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.
- wolfhounds

The holding call on Hall in the first period, while not dirty, was extremely obvious.

The Akeson call was the right call as well. The Rinaldo call, after the whistle, was a stupid move by him. The Giroux and Schenn penalties were born out of frustration and had no effect on the outcome.

The call discrepancy looks extreme, at the end of the day, but I don't think there's any controversy here. Calls were missed on both sides.

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

He has irrational hate for both Schenns. He doesn't think either are NHL players.

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

I would trade B. Schenn. Has more value in a trade to get what we need. Not sure VL has much value and if he did it might be gone after the season he's had.

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
- stayinthefnnet

What kind of treatment?

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.
- hammarby31

That's the real issue.. where were all of our forwards? 15 shots is not going to get it done at all.. Hartnell and Jake had solid first two periods, but we couldn't even get it in the zone.. the TSN analysts were saying that we had 4 offensive zone draws after 2 periods.. Where was Vinny, Schenn, Simmer, Read et al.. theygot nothing going.. If they play like that the next few games, it'll be over in four.

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.
- PhillySportsGuy

Yea I know. I was okay with those slashes by Simmer personally, but a lot of people were up in arms. If McDonagh's hands somehow got broken, I would've been up in arms too. But I love it when refs let the boys play.

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

both for shane webster gid

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
- stayinthefnnet

Theres just something about the Rags. They drive the Flyers crazy like the Flyers drive the Pens crazy.

Do you think Akeson will look back and consider his 1st NHL playoff game a good game?
- Flyersgod

Once he compartmentalizes the shame from the penalty, yes.

Do you think Akeson will look back and consider his 1st NHL playoff game a good game?
- Flyersgod

He'll look back and see it as a loss, just like the 19 other guys on the ice will

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

No way man.. VL is having a tough time winning faceoffs right now. I def don't want him centering G and Voracek

More or less a compilation of what I've said in 10 posts or so in the last couple threads.

Much more effectively articulated than mine though. Nice post- agree with it all.

I'd also like to add:

6. Emery played well enough for the team in front of him to win last night
- Giroux_Is_God

this has generally been the case with every game he's played this season. they don't give him any goal support. i feel for the guy. he's playing his heart out.

He has irrational hate for both Schenns. He doesn't think either are NHL players.
- PhillySportsGuy

They're NHL players. They aren't top 6 forward/top 4 dman NHL players.

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).
- PhillySportsGuy

I don't know. Maybe the 400 goals he scored. And it is not like Giroux can't take draws and then move to the wing after. He can also be a playmaker from the wing. I think your underestimating his skill level by thinking he couldn't be a playmaker just because he is on the wing.

I understand Vinny isn't the old Vinny. Not naive but he has a proven track record and by moving him to center keeps him more comfortable then on the wing like they tried before. Also with G on the wing it limits his d resoniblity a little. I know Vinny isn't a selke trophy forward but is a big body and I think this allows for a better use of assets throughout the lineup up front

What kind of treatment?
- wolfhounds

oh no ones looking? let me cross check the (frank) out of a superstar. oh were in a corner, yeah i know the pucks gone but i just cant refuse an extra whack at his hands. okay okay i know the whistle blew already, but how does my glove taste?

i understand the argument people make about superstars getting the occasional weaker call, but often times it is more than canceled out by the abuse they take that goes unaccounted for.

I would trade B. Schenn. Has more value in a trade to get what we need. Not sure VL has much value and if he did it might be gone after the season he's had.
- Flyersgod

Can't argue with that. But if you trade B Schenn, and VL isn't playing all that great, do you assume Laughton comes in right away and makes a difference? Or do we pick up another center somewhere?

Theres just something about the Rags. They drive the Flyers crazy like the Flyers drive the Pens crazy.
- PhillySportsGuy

oh yeah for sure. weird little love triangle the teams have.

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

flat out should have been a call on the giroux cross check to the back that happened after the puck went in the net. even if there was no goal, that penalty wasn't getting called. it was as blatant as could be.

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.
- flyer_nutter

That's why me and you can't debate this. That bias you have for VL is the bias i have for Dumb and Dumber (B. and L. Schenn).

He has irrational hate for both Schenns. He doesn't think either are NHL players.
- PhillySportsGuy

I like Brayden Schenn going forward, depending on what kind of contract he will seek. He doesn't deserve a huge pay day.

Luke Schenn... I think if he wasn't the 'piece' coming back from trading JVR, he wouldn't be here next year. Youth or whatever, he is far too often chasing the play and would not surprise me at all to see Gill come in and outplay him.

There is no excuse for him having played as much as he did last night. A 6th d-man, and doing a pretty piss poor job at it. In the minority, but I'm ready to move on from him. Have been for a while. Get the notion that you don't want to move him now after giving up a solid piece in JVR for him but he isn't a piece to keep going forward in my eyes.

I would rather see Gill or Guss in his spot.

oh no ones looking? let me cross check the (frank) out of a superstar. oh were in a corner, yeah i know the pucks gone but i just cant refuse an extra whack at his hands. okay okay i know the whistle blew already, but how does my glove taste?

i understand the argument people make about superstars getting the occasional weaker call, but often times it is more than canceled out by the abuse they take that goes unaccounted for.
- stayinthefnnet

The "how does my glove taste" got me laughing.

And agreed.

Can't argue with that. But if you trade B Schenn, and VL isn't playing all that great, do you assume Laughton comes in right away and makes a difference? Or do we pick up another center somewhere?
- wolfhounds

We are over loaded with centers.

Giroux and Coots are our top 2. Need to expand Coots offensive responsibilities.

VL could be an adequate 3rd line given the right compliment of wingers.

I'd like a complete rework of our 4th line. Would like some players who can grind it out and rag the puck a little... they don't have to have the ability to score but it wouldn't hurt to find anyone else but Hall

I like Brayden Schenn going forward, depending on what kind of contract he will seek. He doesn't deserve a huge pay day.

Luke Schenn... I think if he wasn't the 'piece' coming back from trading JVR, he wouldn't be here next year. Youth or whatever, he is far too often chasing the play and would not surprise me at all to see Gill come in and outplay him.

There is no excuse for him having played as much as he did last night. A 6th d-man, and doing a pretty piss poor job at it. In the minority, but I'm ready to move on from him. Have been for a while. Get the notion that you don't want to move him now after giving up a solid piece in JVR for him but he isn't a piece to keep going forward in my eyes.

I would rather see Gill or Guss in his spot.
- flyer_nutter

Hell, you just might -- I don't know that Chief's coming back with every single guy who played last night, and you know that Gill and Gus have played within the last 7 days

this has generally been the case with every game he's played this season. they don't give him any goal support. i feel for the guy. he's playing his heart out.
- hammarby31

In a weird way he finally got his chance to take the ball and run with it. I would have zero issues if he is in there for game 2 even if Mason is ready. Goaltending for all of our concerns, was the only strength of the team last night.