I read something about saying Giroux isn't an elite player if he can't make his teammates better but I disagree with that statement. Crosby doesn't make his players better, his linemates still suck. Kunitz is ok but the other Scrubs they add to the top line like Stemniak, Bennett or Gibbons any better. Sure you can take pressure of them and get them the puck but it is up to them to do something with it. Hartnell is too streaky. When he hot he plays like a top line guy but when he isn't he brings the entire line down. He makes awful passes and often loses races to pucks. I missed tonight's game as they had the dumb basketball game on TSN instead but PP is hurting this team and I don't feel as if the top line is getting enough ice time
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

HA! sweet (frank)ing christ.

Berube needs to be called out on giroux and voraceks ice time. You are getting our coached and completely dictated when your on home ice in a playoff game and their minutes are so low

Berube needs to be called out on giroux and voraceks ice time. You are getting our coached and completely dictated when your on home ice in a playoff game and their minutes are so low
- Just5

Agree 100%

Why was Voracek's ice time so low last night? I don't get it.

I'm gonna take a few days off of this board until after Game 4. Getting too riled up/missing too much work. Still hoping Flyers in 6.

Berube needs to be called out on giroux and voraceks ice time. You are getting our coached and completely dictated when your on home ice in a playoff game and their minutes are so low
- Just5

I think it's more about playing who he thinks is playing the best. But that can be biting off your nose to spite your face.

I'm gonna take a few days off of this board until after Game 4. Getting too riled up/missing too much work. Still hoping Flyers in 6.
- jmatchett383

damn you

I agree... but it's a start.

Personally, if a change were to be made on the top line, I would move Raffl back to the spot (he played effectively there for awhile this season) over Akeson. Raffl has speed but also a bit of grit.
- bmeltzer

Also the Hartnell Schenn Simmonds line earlier this year played amazing. But where does that leave Vinny?

Also the Hartnell Schenn Simmonds line earlier this year played amazing. But where does that leave Vinny?
- FlyersSteve118

Centering the 4th where he belongs

I'd say marc Staal has been an x factor in this series. Dude is a legit top pairing guy. He saw a lot of time against giroux last night and was very effective.

I'm gonna take a few days off of this board until after Game 4. Getting too riled up/missing too much work. Still hoping Flyers in 6.
- jmatchett383

I'd love a Flyers win in 6, but this series is going 7. The series is shaping up to be a microcosm of their entire season.

Lose game 1, and look bad in doing so
Know that game 2 is all but a must game, fall behind, then ramp it up and take the win
Take a deep breath, feel good about yourselves and lose game 3
Know that game 4 is all but a must game. They will find a way to win it.
Without the do or die pressure, they lose game 5, and they will look awful doing it.

Now with their backs against the wall, they play their best, most complete game of the series and win game 6 in convincing fashion.

They will then say all the right things going into game 7. However they will be listless at the start, take at least one really dumb penalty and be down 2-0 going into the 2nd. The play will be relatively even in the second and either Jake or Giroux will make one big play to get them on the board late. 2-1 after two.
In the 3rd, they dominate, but Hank stands tall, until, with Mase pulled, they score in the last 30 seconds to tie it up.

So they go into OT in game 7 and ???????

What, you think I'm just going to give away the ending?

Centering the 4th where he belongs
- Just5

Yeah he sucked last night. I just had a feeling the rags were gonna score the third goal when his line got pinned so deep for so long. I really really hope the flyers find a way to deal with Vinny for the future.... Hes a detriment to the team. Probably have to give a good player to get a team to take his cap hit.... Gonna suck.

Teams will trade a draft pick for Vinny if it comes to that. I'm not worried about that at all.

I'd say marc Staal has been an x factor in this series. Dude is a legit top pairing guy. He saw a lot of time against giroux last night and was very effective.
- Just5

They were as lucky with his eye injury as we were unlucky with Pronger's.

Would be nice to see us block shots. We get hit with shots.

Big difference.

Berube needs to be called out on giroux and voraceks ice time. You are getting our coached and completely dictated when your on home ice in a playoff game and their minutes are so low
- Just5

Agree. Matt Read who I feel has been invisible can't be getting more ice that Giroux.
Read. B Shcenn, Couturier.... Let's get some offensive contributions!

We gotta shake some lines up to get Giroux and Jake the space they need to create some more chances and get clear shots off. None of this bull crap shooting at the damn legs and skates of the large dmen Rangers have. I wouldn't even mind moving Simmonds up to the first line to have that physical presence on the boards and in front of the net. Think he could get G and Jake that space and time to slow down the game and create that perfect chance. Regardless if line changes do happen or not, we need to move the puck much faster on the PP. Our PP has been too simple and way beyond predictable, which is why almost every damn shot was blocked. Our PP game just seems to be figured out. Idk what has to happen to speed it up, but you look at the Rangers PP and they have the Flyers skating all over, even though we shut it down majority of the time. But they still have creative or skilled passes across ice or drop back passes. All we do is pass to giroux, then he either passes to simmonds up front or back to the point, then back to giroux then back to the point then back to giroux. it's the same thing every single Powerplay. What happened to that great play we run where Giroux dishes it to the right side to Jake and then Jake does quick shoot pass to simmonds? Fast paced plays like that need to happen and with it we will get those shots on King Henrik and he has been giving up soooo many rebounds this series that we need to have that traffic and take advantage of it.

I can't even pretend to be anywhere even close to being the analyst that Bill is, but here is my $0.02 on last night.

They got their asses kicked. Plain and simple.

Sure, they spent a lot of time in the Rangers zone, but were never a threat, even on the power play.

The coaching staff has their work cut out for them in order to make this a series. Game 4 is a must win.

Flyers gotta shoot wide when players go down to block shot. Try to get it to a forward on the side of the net.

Best case - you get it to an open forward and get a solid scoring chance.
Worst case - You shoot the puck into a ranger's face.

Teams will trade a draft pick for Vinny if it comes to that. I'm not worried about that at all.



They were as lucky with his eye injury as we were unlucky with Pronger's.
- Feanor

I wouldn't say it all had to do with luck. I think that Pronger having previous concussions was a factor in his last injury, while Staal is a younger guy without many of the hard miles Pronger has endured. Many will say the flyers were very unlucky. I say it's the risk an organization runs when you trade out much of the future for a player with a lot of hard miles. It was great getting to he finals but their still recovering from the fallout.

Flyers gotta shoot wide when players go down to block shot. Try to get it to a forward on the side of the net.

Best case - you get it to an open forward and get a solid scoring chance.
Worst case - You shoot the puck into a ranger's face.
- FlyersSteve118

i was advocating headhunting shots last night. just aim for the head...poop bobby clarke did it.

We gotta shake some lines up to get Giroux and Jake the space they need to create some more chances and get clear shots off. None of this bull crap shooting at the damn legs and skates of the large dmen Rangers have. I wouldn't even mind moving Simmonds up to the first line to have that physical presence on the boards and in front of the net. Think he could get G and Jake that space and time to slow down the game and create that perfect chance. Regardless if line changes do happen or not, we need to move the puck much faster on the PP. Our PP has been too simple and way beyond predictable, which is why almost every damn shot was blocked. Our PP game just seems to be figured out. Idk what has to happen to speed it up, but you look at the Rangers PP and they have the Flyers skating all over, even though we shut it down majority of the time. But they still have creative or skilled passes across ice or drop back passes. All we do is pass to giroux, then he either passes to simmonds up front or back to the point, then back to giroux then back to the point then back to giroux. it's the same thing every single Powerplay. What happened to that great play we run where Giroux dishes it to the right side to Jake and then Jake does quick shoot pass to simmonds? Fast paced plays like that need to happen and with it we will get those shots on King Henrik and he has been giving up soooo many rebounds this series that we need to have that traffic and take advantage of it.
- arichardson22

Only if jagr were here......

One thing I can't stop thinking about from the game:

How did Carcillo not get a 10 minute misconduct for his behavior after being called for that penalty on Read? It was a horrendous call on ahell of a play, I'd be upset too, but I'm sure we can all say that we've gotten tossed from men's league games for less talk directed at an official.

Just funny to me, thats all.

We gotta shake some lines up to get Giroux and Jake the space they need to create some more chances and get clear shots off. None of this bull crap shooting at the damn legs and skates of the large dmen Rangers have. I wouldn't even mind moving Simmonds up to the first line to have that physical presence on the boards and in front of the net. Think he could get G and Jake that space and time to slow down the game and create that perfect chance. Regardless if line changes do happen or not, we need to move the puck much faster on the PP. Our PP has been too simple and way beyond predictable, which is why almost every damn shot was blocked. Our PP game just seems to be figured out. Idk what has to happen to speed it up, but you look at the Rangers PP and they have the Flyers skating all over, even though we shut it down majority of the time. But they still have creative or skilled passes across ice or drop back passes. All we do is pass to giroux, then he either passes to simmonds up front or back to the point, then back to giroux then back to the point then back to giroux. it's the same thing every single Powerplay. What happened to that great play we run where Giroux dishes it to the right side to Jake and then Jake does quick shoot pass to simmonds? Fast paced plays like that need to happen and with it we will get those shots on King Henrik and he has been giving up soooo many rebounds this series that we need to have that traffic and take advantage of it.
- arichardson22

I think the best way to improve the PP would be actually skating after we get set up. I love the umbrella style we deploy, and i think we have the perfect mix of players to compliment it, but they just get into their positions and stand there waiting for the puck. Any team in the league could make our PP look ineffective if we don't start showing some hustle and desperation.

I think it's more about playing who he thinks is playing the best. But that can be biting off your nose to spite your face.
- MJL

Biting off your own nose would be an impressive feat.

One thing I can't stop thinking about from the game:

How did Carcillo not get a 10 minute misconduct for his behavior after being called for that penalty on Read? It was a horrendous call on ahell of a play, I'd be upset too, but I'm sure we can all say that we've gotten tossed from men's league games for less talk directed at an official.

Just funny to me, thats all.
- FloHaake

I wonder if Refs are required to review all the calls they make, or if they take it upon themselves to do so. Because they sure got that one wrong. It was actually a great defensive play by Carcillo.