At this point, it's all closing the barn doors after the horses have escaped. The offense has been terrible, the PK has been bad, the Caps have gotten a lot of the breaks (and made their own luck) and Mason has let in 2 goals in back-to-back games which should have never hit the net in the playoffs.

Neuvirth helped get the team here - without him, as with Mason, there is no playoffs for the Flyers. So if he's in, I have no problem with it. And of course he isn't going to fare any better than Mase if the Flyers, starting with the 1st line, don't start putting up some points.

And I don't think it's about pointing fingers at all. If it is, you're pointing at every single player on the team, and the coaches. And probably the ice girls.
- wolfhounds

Still completely disagree...

Also, on the Ovechkin goal. While it is a goal you want him to stop, it happens pretty routinely in the NHL.

Happened last night to Crawford. Same location on the ice, same snap shot, beat him glove side low, just like it beat Mason.

Other similarities? Elite shooter taking the shot. Tarasenko took that shot last night.

It's not about experience, it's about icing the best team. If you think he gives you a better chance of winning that another guy, or you think him playing will help shake things up a bit, then he should be in.
- jmatchett383

I understand. I'm annoyed he wasn't inserted last game (or for the start of the series, to be honest) and feel it's too little, too late. If Hak has a flaw, it's sticking with certain players too long, imo.

All of them.
- jmatchett383

Well then, it's really very simple, isn't it?

TRADE THE ALL OF THEM FOR THE OTHER ONES!

Brayden Schenn, Michael Raffl...that's about it.
- jmatchett383

Thought Manning and Schultz have played well.

Thought Manning and Schultz have played well.
- J35Bacher

Schultz has been the best d-man, and it isnt even really that close.

Here is another thing I dont think people realize. Our offense from the point has been nonexistent for the past few weeks. That was another major reason we even made the playoffs.

well yea that was against a team who didnt even wanna play and they scored two goals in the first 10 minutes, then they skated the game away by allowing us to score 5 straight. believe me, neuvirth is not the right choice here, just a move hak is making purely to try and wake up the team. which is not necessary in game 4 down 0-3, maybe in january or something
- sjk540

I submit that it was actually necessary in game 3, but we can't go back in time so it should be done now.

Still completely disagree...

Also, on the Ovechkin goal. While it is a goal you want him to stop, it happens pretty routinely in the NHL.

Happened last night to Crawford. Same location on the ice, same snap shot, beat him glove side low, just like it beat Mason.

Other similarities? Elite shooter taking the shot. Tarasenko took that shot last night.
- jak521

Was a wicked shot from a gifted player, nothing easy about it. Still, in a tied game in the playoffs, that save has to be made. And Crawford is also on the verge of elimination.

Question for all: Who in your opinion has stood out and played well for the Flyers in the Playoffs? Who has raised their game to an acceptable level from where their baseline play is for the post season?
- flyguy12

None of them

I don't care if people think special teams are the difference in this game, they're not. We're holding on within an inch of our lives at 5 on 5. One mistake we're scored on. Take away one of our men with a penalty, we're scored on. All these outside shots even if we lead in shots means nothing.

Hak doesn't wanna make changes and adjust, we were dead the moment game 1 began.

So, anyone see the Latang slash that went uncalled last night?
- jmatchett383

If he was the slashee, (frank) 'em. If he was the slasher......6 games

"spine-chilling pregame tribute"

Yeah, I specially got chills with the: "Fvck The Pens!" part. Just...Chilling.

Damn, you'd think Bill was channeling his inner Coatesy with all the delusional homerism being flung around like bracelets in this story.

Yup, if it wasn't for some bad bounces, bad officiating and just plain bad luck, the Flyers would clearly have a 3-0 lead in this series. No doubt. The Caps are one fortunate team and don't know who they're messing with. Flyers just playing rope a dope is all. They'll win this in 7 just like they did against Bahstin!

Duh Duh Duh Duh Dada Duh Duh Duh Duh!
- NJPensfan

Thanks. I hope you feel better now having gotten that off your chest. Have a great day.

So, also no point in playing Gagner either, since he's gone after the season? If that's your barometer, then he should be sitting as well.
- jmatchett383

Gagner played last game, and every game this post-season, right? Not really the same discussion.

It's frustration at Hak being slow to make (in my lame opinion) needed changes.

Med is gone after the season, not much point playing him now.
- wolfhounds

Not when we can have an AHL player lead the team in ES TOI.

Still completely disagree...

Also, on the Ovechkin goal. While it is a goal you want him to stop, it happens pretty routinely in the NHL.

Happened last night to Crawford. Same location on the ice, same snap shot, beat him glove side low, just like it beat Mason.

Other similarities? Elite shooter taking the shot. Tarasenko took that shot last night.
- jak521

Might not have been such a problem if the 100 ft goal didn't happen the night before.

Might not have been a terrible goal but it was a stoppable one.

[quote=jak521]Schultz has been the best d-man, and it isnt even really that close./quote]

This is true.

Nick Schultz has been our best defense.

Nick Schultz. Nick (frank)ing Schultz. He has been our best defenseman.

Nick Schultz. Seriously, Nick Schultz.

Safe to say Medvedev has played his last game as a Flyer.
- MBFlyerfan

So did Umberger, hopefully.

Reallly disappointed they are giving Neuvirth the start.
- jak521

I'm not. Mason has been shaky despite making some really nice saves. I don't know if he's 100% either. Neuvirth has played great this year and this could provide a spark or rally point.

No it shouldnt have happened at all.

Mason has let up 8 goals against while shorthanded, and not a single one of them did he have a chance. We sink back and play a 1-1-2 or small passive box. Johansson has literally been allowed to park right in front of Mason, and AO has had a few open shots.

The 4 EVEN strength goals that he has given up consisted of a bad luck play (TOTALLY on Mason) and a play where the purest shooter in the game beat him on a snap shot. That happens.

Aside from those, he hasnt had a chance.

SO, Mason has allowed two goals that he really should have saved over a 4 game series.

Oddly enough, the Flyers have only scored two goals total... this entire series.
- jak521

Why are you talking about Mason here, I was talking about Medvedev getting in the lineup. I am all for Mason playing tonight and am upset he is being sat, but my comment was about playing Medvedev, maybe i quoted the wrong comment.

i guess we've all been off our game...

Was a wicked shot from a gifted player, nothing easy about it. Still, in a tied game in the playoffs, that save has to be made. And Crawford is also on the verge of elimination.
- wolfhounds

Crawford is not on the verge of elimination; the Blackhawks are. That might sound like nitpicking, but I'm just trying to highlight the issue at hand. Goalies are only one of six players on the ice at a given moment (at even strength). The entire team has 60 minutes to win a game.

If Mason, aside from two iffy goals, is standing on his head and keeping his team afloat while killing penalty after penalty; then he is surely doing his part.

Combination of both, IMHO.
- Streit2ThePoint

You have the best team of the season playing the worst team to make the playoffs. This isn't unexpected. It's just hard to watch. But I still think it is particularly valuable for Gost (who is seeing that even some things he could do that were risky in the regular season don't play in the playoffs) and Hak, who is likely learning some significant truths of post season life.

I'm not. Mason has been shaky despite making some really nice saves. I don't know if he's 100% either. Neuvirth has played great this year and this could provide a spark or rally point.
- funmaster18

guy has played one game, albeit a completely meaningless one against a team made up of over half AHLers, in the last 2 months. regardless of a spark or rally point he provides to the rest of the team, doesnt mean hes going to perform well. in fact, id go so far to say that we would have let up more goals without mason in net.

They statistically comprised five-tenths of one percent of the sellout crowd but that fact will never be portrayed in most accounts of the souvenir bracelets thrown down on the ice

If a sellout crowd at Wells Fargo Center is 19543 people, then by my math, 0.005% of that crowd rounds up to be just one person.

But this looks like a lot more than just one wrist band.

And...


Looks like the percentage of knuckle dragging embarrassing fans is a LOT higher than that.

I don't care if people think special teams are the difference in this game, they're not. We're holding on within an inch of our lives at 5 on 5. One mistake we're scored on. Take away one of our men with a penalty, we're scored on. All these outside shots even if we lead in shots means nothing.

Hak doesn't wanna make changes and adjust, we were dead the moment game 1 began.
- SuperSchennBros

I think we were dead at 11:32 in the 2nd of game 1. It was still 0-0 at that point.

Schultz has been the best d-man, and it isnt even really that close.

Here is another thing I dont think people realize. Our offense from the point has been nonexistent for the past few weeks. That was another major reason we even made the playoffs.
- jak521

I've been surprised at the drop in Streit's play to end the season... Not blaming him for Flyer's woes. Just making an observation.

Not when we can have an AHL player lead the team in ES TOI.
- Feanor

So maybe other players should play better.

Streit has been nothing.

Gostisbehere has been containted

MacDonald has been "meh"

Gudas has been doing his part except for some questionable penalties.

Manning and Schultz have probably been the best dmen. Also Manning seems to be pushing to puck offensively and doing well. His shot was the reason for the goal in game 3.