Obersvations:

- Glad to finally see a win. String together a couple more on this trip and now you have some momentum and can gain some ground.

- People need to relax a little with the whole mantra "PLAY THE KIDS". they do play...but there will be times they don't. Any coach would do that. This team needed a win and the coach trusted his vets to nail it down. These kids are 19, 20 and 21 and learning on the job.

- Liked the Voracek - Filppula - Raffl line. Showed good chemistry. Not so much a fan of Simmonds on that line with Couturier and Giroux. Prefer a more skilled guy there with the puck.

- Elliott was good.

- Also this won't be popular but I like Hextall coming out and defending his coach in the way he did. He put it on the players to get it done or they would be the one going somewhere else. I actually thought that was good.

- Is Provorov starting to hit more? He seems to be a sneaky good hitter. This is the 2nd game he caught someone good on the rush.

- Loved Hagg not backing down in scrums. This team needs to show that attitude to be effective i feel.

- Not sure I want Gudas back in. I know he provides a physical presence , but I just feel like the skills on the back end better right now.
- J35Bacher

I agree with all of this except the part about Gudas. He may be an idiot at times, but he's a much better player than Manning, who he should replace in the lineup.

Only 8 points out of a wildcard spot!

I agree with all of this except the part about Gudas. He may be an idiot at times, but he's a much better player than Manning, who he should replace in the lineup.
- BiggE

I get it. But I just think Manning is a better skater and just has better puck skills. Just my opinion.

Only 8 points out of a wildcard spot!
- Streit2ThePoint

On the comeback!

Some real bad calls last night in our favor. Chances are they won't get help like this from the refs again this season. Need to keep the foot on the gas now.

I am completely dumbfounded how they justified giving Hamonic a match penalty over that hit.

I'm thinking that if we weren't staring at an 11 game losing streak, I would like to have just rolled 4 lines with a three goal lead. Get Patrick, Konecny and Sanheim some experience and minutes trying to defend a lead.

I get Hak wanting to be cautious since even he has to realize his job is not so secure.

Some real bad calls last night in our favor. Chances are they won't get help like this from the refs again this season. Need to keep the foot on the gas now.

I am completely dumbfounded how they justified giving Hamonic a match penalty over that hit.
- hereticpride

There have been some pretty bad calls against us in this 10 game losing streak, including Giroux’s called-off goal against Boston. I’ll take it as some make up calls 🤷‍♂️

What I find funny is hextall told everyone hasktol is in no fear of losing his job. Yet he's coaching like a guy about to lose his job. Benching the rookies to protect a lead makes zero sense for a rebuilding team worried about development. It only means something to a contending team fighting for wins. This delusional fantasy that were a playoff team is not healthy and I still want hasktol fired and am souring mightily on hextall as this thing plays out. He acts like he's the smartest gm that ever lived and can't be criticized because he always knows best. Hubris is usually a fatal flaw in heroes.

Some real bad calls last night in our favor. Chances are they won't get help like this from the refs again this season. Need to keep the foot on the gas now.

I am completely dumbfounded how they justified giving Hamonic a match penalty over that hit.
- hereticpride

We won't get any of those calls in our division games that are coming over the likes of Crosby ovi the rangers Tavares etc.

They finally got some puck luck last night which was nice to see. Not quite ready to have a cumba ya moment for the coach that took 10 losses to break up the top line, but I thought over all the lines worked well . I also agree with Bill that it didn't feel like the Flyers were being that badly out played when the shots were 35-15 at one point....It reminded me of games in Buffalo were the score board showed 60 shots for buffalo when the number was really closer to 45.
Thought Elliot was great...he was the difference. I'm fine with cutting back minutes in game for young players but I can't see a guy like Manning playing while Sanheim sits in the press box, but that's just my opinion. You should always have to earn your ice time. I really hope some of these kids develop under Hakstol and Hextall is correct in his defense of Hak, other wise they will both be gone.

What I find funny is hextall told everyone hasktol is in no fear of losing his job. Yet he's coaching like a guy about to lose his job. Benching the rookies to protect a lead makes zero sense for a rebuilding team worried about development. It only means something to a contending team fighting for wins. This delusional fantasy that were a playoff team is not healthy and I still want hasktol fired and am souring mightily on hextall as this thing plays out. He acts like he's the smartest gm that ever lived and can't be criticized because he always knows best. Hubris is usually a fatal flaw in heroes.
- Tfaehner

This team can be a playoff team. They should be fighting for a wild card spot. And I am not sure how him sitting some rookies is hurting them in final moments. Hakstol isn't the only coach that would do it. Any coach is going to put his best players at protecting a lead out. Right now that is not guys like Konecny, Patrick, Sanheim or Weal.

It's delusional just to assume that the best way to develop a young player is to just sick him out in every situation and see if they fight or freeze.

I love the youth that is starting to join this team but i also know that development isn't just "play them and it will all work out"

I also thought Flyers got quite the break on the Match call against Weise... didn't even look bad in slow mo.....but obviously his head was contacted because he was wobbly. I honestly don't know what a penalty is anymore.

This team can be a playoff team. They should be fighting for a wild card spot. And I am not sure how him sitting some rookies is hurting them in final moments. Hakstol isn't the only coach that would do it. Any coach is going to put his best players at protecting a lead out. Right now that is not guys like Konecny, Patrick, Sanheim or Weal.

It's delusional just to assume that the best way to develop a young player is to just sick him out in every situation and see if they fight or freeze.

I love the youth that is starting to join this team but i also know that development isn't just "play them and it will all work out"
- J35Bacher

I have no problem with shortening the bench to protect a lead, that's Hockey 101. I just don't want to see a guy like Sanheim or Konecny end up getting scratched so that a Manning or Weise can stay in the lineup.

What I find funny is hextall told everyone hasktol is in no fear of losing his job. Yet he's coaching like a guy about to lose his job. Benching the rookies to protect a lead makes zero sense for a rebuilding team worried about development. It only means something to a contending team fighting for wins. This delusional fantasy that were a playoff team is not healthy and I still want hasktol fired and am souring mightily on hextall as this thing plays out. He acts like he's the smartest gm that ever lived and can't be criticized because he always knows best. Hubris is usually a fatal flaw in heroes.
- Tfaehner

The number one priority of any coach is to win. Don't worry though, there was plenty last night in the Flyers game that was dysfunctional. They just had a good night offensively and got some breaks.

There have been some pretty bad calls against us in this 10 game losing streak, including Giroux’s called-off goal against Boston. I’ll take it as some make up calls 🤷‍♂️
- arichardson22

in the end they are supposed to even up....hasn't felt that way this year.

I have no problem with shortening the bench to protect a lead, that's Hockey 101. I just don't want to see a guy like Sanheim or Konecny end up getting scratched so that a Manning or Weise can stay in the lineup.
- BiggE

100 %

This team can be a playoff team. They should be fighting for a wild card spot. And I am not sure how him sitting some rookies is hurting them in final moments. Hakstol isn't the only coach that would do it. Any coach is going to put his best players at protecting a lead out. Right now that is not guys like Konecny, Patrick, Sanheim or Weal.

It's delusional just to assume that the best way to develop a young player is to just sick him out in every situation and see if they fight or freeze.

I love the youth that is starting to join this team but i also know that development isn't just "play them and it will all work out"
- J35Bacher

I have no problem with shortening the bench to protect a lead, that's Hockey 101. I just don't want to see a guy like Sanheim or Konecny end up getting scratched so that a Manning or Weise can stay in the lineup.
- BiggE

I get it.

But I also have thought Sanheim could have used a couple games off during this 10 game losing streak, they just didn't have that option.

How many games has Konecny been scratched this year?

Hakstol has scratched Weise and Lehtera more than anyone I believe so far.

This team can be a playoff team. They should be fighting for a wild card spot. And I am not sure how him sitting some rookies is hurting them in final moments. Hakstol isn't the only coach that would do it. Any coach is going to put his best players at protecting a lead out. Right now that is not guys like Konecny, Patrick, Sanheim or Weal.

It's delusional just to assume that the best way to develop a young player is to just sick him out in every situation and see if they fight or freeze.

I love the youth that is starting to join this team but i also know that development isn't just "play them and it will all work out"
- J35Bacher

We are not a playoff team. There are 5 teams in our division alone who are legitimately better than us. I thought at the season if we beat expectations we might get a wild card. We got our worst fears instead.

Having a young guy play 7 8 minutes a night is developing nobody. You want them to get better at things you have to develop them in those areas and than give them the opportunity to execute them. I don't need the kids to see 5 minutes protecting a lead but it was a 3 GOAL LEAD. They should have been out some. If it's cut to 2 you shorten the bench. We are coaching and playing beyond scared. And it's not benching them for the final few minutes it's entire third periods. It's a joke. If our team window is not now you don't sit your young guys every third period to win a few more games you let them develop. I disagree 110% with everything you said and I'm going to just discontinue the rest of this debate because there's 0 common ground.

I get it. But I just think Manning is a better skater and just has better puck skills. Just my opinion.
- J35Bacher

Really!?

Glad to see the boys win one last night and actually show a pulse! The key though will be, can they follow this up with wins vs Edmonton and/or Vancouver.

Also, if what Bill alludes is true, and Sanheim takes a seat when Gudas returns, Im not going to be happy. The kid needs to play. The last thing this team needs are kids like Sanheim, Konecny and Patrick playing scared that any mistake will have them glued to the bench or scratched. Unless they keep making the same mistakes over and over again, you need to let them play through it and learn from their miscues.
- BiggE

Bingo. I'm glad you replaced Tangent_Man as our representative from Atlantic County.

(he says, trying to goad the aforementioned TMan out of the shadows)

The number one priority of any coach is to win. Don't worry though, there was plenty last night in the Flyers game that was dysfunctional. They just had a good night offensively and got some breaks.
- MJL

Against better team's we don't win that game. But either way from a confidence standpoint I'm glad to see a win. Even if I don't like how we got it. Beggars can't be chosers.

What I find funny is hextall told everyone hasktol is in no fear of losing his job. Yet he's coaching like a guy about to lose his job. Benching the rookies to protect a lead makes zero sense for a rebuilding team worried about development. It only means something to a contending team fighting for wins. This delusional fantasy that were a playoff team is not healthy and I still want hasktol fired and am souring mightily on hextall as this thing plays out. He acts like he's the smartest gm that ever lived and can't be criticized because he always knows best. Hubris is usually a fatal flaw in heroes.
- Tfaehner

The Flyers as an organ-eye-zation love them some playoff round monies. Gotta try to make the playoffs and develop the kids at the same time.

I get it.

But I also have thought Sanheim could have used a couple games off during this 10 game losing streak, they just didn't have that option.

How many games has Konecny been scratched this year?

Hakstol has scratched Weise and Lehtera more than anyone I believe so far.
- J35Bacher

All true, I just hope it stays that way.

Bingo. I'm glad you replaced Tangent_Man as our representative from Atlantic County.

(he says, trying to goad the aforementioned TMan out of the shadows)
- Flyskippy

I can get him to come over and watch a game with combo of good scotch and a chance to hang with my pooch. Getting him to come on Buzz though is a tougher nut to crack.