Worst thing is, they spend a little over $19M for their entire group, and the Flyers are closer to $30M.
- Tomahawk

McDonagh and Girardi are solid. Staal has had his head rattled too many times and is likely one good hit away from another long stretch on injured reserve. Beyond those 3, meh.

Girardi's salary also goes up next season.

We all knew the Flyers had D issues, and they've taken steps to correct it. The fix just couldn't happen over night. L Schenn looks to be finally rounding into pretty good form.

Aren't top players of other teams, playing against top shutdown defenseman, in the playoffs? And aren't they effective players, in doing so? If Giroux is going to be among the elite players in the League, and not saying he isn't. Then he is going to have to play well, and produce against top defense pairs. And if the Flyers are going to be successful both now and in the future, as a team, then that has to happen. Giroux has always been a very good player in the playoffs. So I'm really expecting him to bust out sooner then later.
- MJL

Yeah...and Sidney Crosby hasn't scored in his last eight playoff games

That should tell everybody something

another Homer trade gone bad
- vejim

He was a big part of the Flyers getting going in November and December when his line with Coots and Read was the best one on the team. So long as they don't resign him I'm happy with the trade.

Worst thing is, they spend a little over $19M for their entire group, and the Flyers are closer to $30M.
- Tomahawk

Sather's tapioca all over Holmgren's brow.

Yeah...and Sidney Crosby hasn't scored in his last eight playoff games

That should tell everybody something
- AllInForFlyers

He's a Fraude too?

Down 2 goals mid-way through the third period of a playoff game he shouldn't touch the ice.
- PLindbergh31

agreed.

To be fair the disparity in power plays, in the first two games, is a little distorted. The Flyers took three senseless penalties at the end of Game 1; penalties that were way too obvious to dismiss by these suspect officials.

If the Flyers didn't go the cheap route late the man advantage comparison is only 3-1 Rangers. More so, that Akeson double minor call was a no brainer. Of course calls were missed, on both sides, but that's how it goes unfortunately.

Game 2 the Flyers took some undisciplined penatlies again. Yes the Rangers got away with a few indiscretions but Philadelphia did as well.

Game 3 was evenly and poorly officiated all the way through.Officials aren't the reason why the Flyers are trailing in the series and the series is still very much up in the air as of now.

Their top players needs to be better and Mason needs to stand tall in net for the Flyers to have a chance.
- MidnightMarauder

Yup, no argument from me on the above.

Pens blogger talking about them needing to win game 4 to get rest for the next round. Really??!
- Just5

i mean id like to win game four, just because i think they have a better shot of winning the series...

he's flat out sucked. simple as that. and he's sucking at at time when he can't.
- hammarby31

I think that is overstating it.

He had a solid game two and created their first goal last night.

He could be a lot better, especially on the PP, but flat out sucked?

He's a Fraude too?
- Tomahawk

I wish Giroux was going too, but man, anybody watching this series could at least be honest and say that the Rags are doing their best to not let Giroux get off

And I don't blame them -- if Giroux doesn't get going, who else do you have to be afraid of, besides Voracek?

Sather's tapioca all over Holmgren's brow.
- PLindbergh31

the egg yolk got turned into tapioca, this is an improvement

Only Staal was drafted by them... Girardi was homegrown. But the rest of the guys were smart trades and UFA signings.

Edit: the only solace I take from their blueline is knowing that guys like Skjei and McIlrath look like busts.
- Tomahawk

It's just more about having young talent under team control. Being able to offer a player a long term deal with 2-3 years of rfa left makes a world of difference. It's difficult for any player to turn down an amount of money that will set you for life when you could be one hit away from losing everything.

he was part of the loss last night, no question. that first goal....the flyers are playing with energy, it's early, the building's rocking...garbage goal that should never happen. i feared it, it happened, and the rest was predictable as could possibly be.

mason will be ready.

that said, the flyers need to wake the (frank) up and figure out how to get decent chances on goal. 48 attempts missed the net or were blocked. that's insane. csp gets lucky on two plays and stops the rest. they have to make life miserable for him, and right now they're not paying the price to do that.
- hammarby31

The shot that Hartnell had was perfectly placed. It's unbeleivable that it not only hits the shaft of his stick, but deflects off the cross bar. Could've easily deflected in. And they are definitely not getting in his grill enough, or getting inside for screans, deflections, rebounds, etc.

He's a Fraude too?
- Tomahawk

Sidney Fraudsby

I wish Giroux was going too, but man, anybody watching this series could at least be honest and say that the Rags are doing their best to not let Giroux get off
- AllInForFlyers

Think part of it is the ineffective power play. Of course that isn't all on G, but we all know he has to play better if the Flyers are going to get out of the first round. That being said, he also needs to play more minutes. Same with Jake.

Yeah...and Sidney Crosby hasn't scored in his last eight playoff games

That should tell everybody something
- AllInForFlyers

Yes, it tells me that Crosby needs to pick up his game. Same as Giroux does.

I think that is overstating it.

He had a solid game two and created their first goal last night.

He could be a lot better, especially on the PP, but flat out sucked?
- Marc D

has he had a good shift or two, made a nice play here or there? yes. that's about it. he's making bad decisions, not skating all that well, and is involved too much in nonsense. i just don't see determined, hungry, making a difference, captain giroux yet.

yet.

You really have to be jealous of the Rangers' blueline... everybody's got size, speed, sacrifice, puck-moving ability and experience.
- Tomahawk

.....and many of their forwards are exceptional skaters with slick stick skills which would expose the Flyer's D, causing Coach Berube to play Coots and Read big minutes to help out and not so much Giroux etc.. I think Berube is doing a great job playing with a short deck on the back end. There was a reason that Homer went all out to get Shea Weber signed to an offer sheet. Tough match ups in the playoffs, which would be even tougher, in this series, if Kreider was in the Ranger lineup. When Andrew Mac Donald is an upgrade at the deadline, you know where the issue is.

Yes, it tells me that Crosby needs to pick up his game. Same as Giroux does.
- MJL

Easy to say, harder to do

If it was that easy...don't you think they would've done it by now?

"Picking his game up" is the kind of fan-speak that means absolutely nothing when a team is clearly trying to shut down one or two players and has the personnel to be successful at it

It's just more about having young talent under team control. Being able to offer a player a long term deal with 2-3 years of rfa left makes a world of difference. It's difficult for any player to turn down an amount of money that will set you for life when you could be one hit away from losing everything.
- PhillySportsGuy

Definitely, hence why you eschew day 1 UFA purchases for youngsters w/ upside like Moore, Falk, Diaz, Stralman, etc. Even McDonagh was a 'stalled' prospect when they got him.

Worst thing is, they spend a little over $19M for their entire group, and the Flyers are closer to $30M.
- Tomahawk

And that's most certainly going to change with Girardi's extension, and if they re-sign Stralman. And Moore is also an RFA. So it's all relative.

The shot that Hartnell had was perfectly placed. It's unbeleivable that it not only hits the shaft of his stick, but deflects off the cross bar. Could've easily deflected in. And they are definitely not getting in his grill enough, or getting inside for screans, deflections, rebounds, etc.
- MJL

it was a perfect shot and was a bounce they didn't get. csp was beaten clean, had no clue where the puck was. it's the kind of luck MAF had in 08 or 09...the number of posts and out on him were beyond comprehension.

if that goes in, it's 3-2, and who knows what happens. of course, it didn't, and it ends up with poopbag making it 4-1. predictable.

Definitely, hence why you eschew day 1 UFA purchases for youngsters w/ upside like Moore, Falk, Diaz, Stralman, etc. Even McDonagh was a 'stalled' prospect when they got him.
- Tomahawk

Imagine how good Montreal's defense would be with McDonagh

Imagine how good Montreal's defense would be with McDonagh
- PhillySportsGuy

Subban/McDonagh would be obscene.

Easy to say, harder to do

If it was that easy...don't you think they would've done it by now?

"Picking his game up" is the kind of fan-speak that means absolutely nothing when a team is clearly trying to shut down one or two players and has the personnel to be successful at it
- AllInForFlyers

It's not fan speak, it's reality in my opinion. Most every top team has the personel and players to try and shut down top players. It's what the playoffs are all about. Rising above it. You either do, or you schedule your tee times. Nothing to do with being easy, or fan speak. Remember in the beginning of the Season when the Flyers had trouble scoring? Same thing is happening now for the same reasons.