missed the gaffe on the clarkson goal, but it didn't cost them the series.
- hammarby31

It didn't even cost them the game. It did, however, give the talking heads something to blather on about incessantly.

Coaching system aside...they really need to work on the consistency side of their game. Whatever style they are going to play, they need to do it on a more consistent basis night in and night out...for me that is the most frustrating characteristic of this team
- matman31

Agreed. Look at game 6 of the Pens series. Play like that consistently and they can play with anyone.

He can, but he has Coached that way his entire career. So I don't see that chancging. But that doesn't mean that the Flyers can't improve and play the way they need to defensively.
- MJL

I hope he throws out what he's been preaching defensively and changes it. It's been his only flaw imo. Otherwise I think he's a great coach and would hate to see that one aspect of his coaching be his undoing. Can't remember a coach use timeouts the way he does and get his team battling back the way they do. But you look at what's left in the final four and they are all teams commited to playing defense. Yes i know the rags and caps aren;t done but those teams are committed to playing team defense.

Listen, Laviolette is a puck pressure attack style Coach. He beleives in pressuring the puck on the forecheck, and gambling and playing the offensive side of the puck, with his defenseman to keep the puck in the offensive zone to sustain pressure. Backs it up with a hybrid lock in the neutral zone, and a very basic man to man defensive zone coverage. He wants to use puck pressure to play in the other team's end. That's how he wants to defend. I've never, and I've said so in the past, liked that style. I think it's too aggressive. But we've had Coaches here who were less aggressive such as Hitchcock and Stevens. And the fans didn't like that style of play. And they wanted Laviolette's style. Remember how every loved his system and it was superior to Stevens system? A team in the playoffs, after playing one way for 82 games and a playoff series, isn't going to change it's style of play. That would be a disaster. I have personally always preferred a style where you defend first, and counter attack off of turnovers to create offense. And forecheck hard when the opportunity is there. With the Flyers speed, I think they would be very strong in that way. At the same time, players decide who wins. St. Louis was the NHL's best defensive team under Hitchcock, and they got swept out.
- MJL

I agree with your comments about the difference in styles between Stevens/Hitch and Lavy. And certainly they can't completely revamp their style of play for a playoff series. But coaches have to make adjustments to their game plans all the time to counteract what the other team is doing. Not talking about wholesale changes in style, but little things that help his team beat the pressure or deal with a specific tactic the opposition is using. Lavy's system, at least as the players executed it vs. the Devils this year, and against Boston last year, did not work. He has to do something to enable the team to succeed against that style of play. It's not all on him, but a lot of it is.

I like Lavy and am not advocating any sort of change in coaches or anything like that. But as Bill pointed out, Lavy was out-coached this series by DeBoer. And imo opinion the same thing happened last year vs. Boston. I think any honest observer of the past two seasons should be at least a little worried about that.

I was thinking the samething about the 4th line center, whatcha think about Gaustad?
- JoeRussomanno

Gaustad will be way too expensive for a 4th line Center.

I was waiting the whole series for a player to step up and change momentum, and fire up the team. To get them going. Other then Bryzgalov, who kept them in a lot of games. The only player who did something to at least temporarily add fire to the Flyers, was Rinaldo last night. With some big hits and physical play. No one else stepped up to try and change the tide.
- MJL

Hence validating my point last night, that for the most part in games 2-5 the team went through the motions. Playing with very little passion. That is the part that is unacceptable.

Hence validating my point last night, that for the most part in games 2-5 the team went through the motions. Playing with very little passion. That is the part that is unacceptable.
- PLindbergh31

Only thing I can think of is the Pittsburgh series took the wind out of them. But that is just not acceptable either. They didn't lose any wind out of their sails in 2010 after boston.

I agree with your comments about the difference in styles between Stevens/Hitch and Lavy. And certainly they can't completely revamp their style of play for a playoff series. But coaches have to make adjustments to their game plans all the time to counteract what the other team is doing. Not talking about wholesale changes in style, but little things that help his team beat the pressure or deal with a specific tactic the opposition is using. Lavy's system, at least as the players executed it vs. the Devils this year, and against Boston last year, did not work. He has to do something to enable the team to succeed against that style of play. It's not all on him, but a lot of it is.

I like Lavy and am not advocating any sort of change in coaches or anything like that. But as Bill pointed out, Lavy was out-coached this series by DeBoer. And imo opinion the same thing happened last year vs. Boston. I think any honest observer of the past two seasons should be at least a little worried about that.
- BringBack25

I don't feel that either Series was on the Coach. And I disagree with Bill, that Laviolette was out coached. That's just way too simplistic based on the results. You can make all the adjustments you want as a Coach. The players have to implement it, and use their will to enact it on the other team. The FLyers were so badly outplayed in all aspects, that any adjustments attempted to be made, were futile. Listen to the Players comments. From Giroux and Hartnell. They knew what they were lacking.

Jagr is one of the greats. It is so weird how a guy that was hated for so long here is so loved in just a short amount of time. That was really moving to hear him say that about this being the best year of his career, last night.
- JoeRussomanno

I don't think it's weird. You always have some level of "hate" for the great ones when they don't wear your colors. But if they ever do, w00t!!!!!!!

Hence validating my point last night, that for the most part in games 2-5 the team went through the motions. Playing with very little passion. That is the part that is unacceptable.
- PLindbergh31

I wouldn't go as far as to say going through the motions. But they were lacking that extra gear to match the Devils in intensity and commitment.

Defense was really your weakness all playoffs long.
- noename09

Defense became a weakness as soon as Pronger exited.

Only thing I can think of is the Pittsburgh series took the wind out of them. But that is just not acceptable either. They didn't lose any wind out of their sails in 2010 after boston.
- JoeRussomanno

I think the Devils had a more taxing series with Florida. A 7 games series with numerous OT games. I think the Pittsburgh series was pretty much pond hockey with defense being optional, Flyers get credit for winning that series, but facing a hard forecheck and sound defensive team was their undoing. Games 2-5 in this series was pretty much the same thing we saw in the season series with the Rags, very little adjustments, Flyers had no idea what to do. Equal blame goes to the players and coaches.

He can, but he has Coached that way his entire career. So I don't see that chancging. But that doesn't mean that the Flyers can't improve and play the way they need to defensively.
- MJL

I'm confident they can. It'll take a personnel tweek or two but it can be done.

OK, so he's supposed to score goals, too? Hope he works on that this summer.
- Jsaquella

As bad as my Isles played this year, an how bad my defense was,
most games won by the Isles were bc Nabby stole the game.
If you stopped JT's line, the Isles couldnt score a goal,

Thats the only point im trying to make about Bryz, he doesnt steal a game, which was needed.

Flyers are young an talented, so be so gung-ho on your goalie, geez

Gotta say I agree with all this. I will say too, I think the injuries S.T louis suffered in that series hurt them bad.

Something I'm not sure of, can Lavy change his system to be more defensive? It's becoming a weakness and I like his offensive approach but his defensive approach has me worried going forward.
- JoeRussomanno

I'm not sure how much Lavy can change also. If Jagr, Briere and JVR are on the opening night roster, an even slightly more defensive style of play will go down in flames.

It didn't even cost them the game. It did, however, give the talking heads something to blather on about incessantly.
- Scoob

of course, and that's why i turned off the tv as soon as the clock hit zero, and haven't turned it on since. i don't want to hear a word of it. i haven't read a single article other than bill's piece here, and i won't. i know what i saw. don't need someone else to skew it, pissing me off more than i already am.

I wouldn't go as far as to say going through the motions. But they were lacking that extra gear to match the Devils in intensity and commitment.
- MJL

Ok, that is fair. But that raises eyebrows to me in playoff games consistently being outworked.

I wouldn't mind a 4th line center that can kill penalties and win big faceoffs, guy like Scott Nichol.

They have to replace Carle or sign him to a decent contract. MAB and Gus do not replace Carle.

I really hope we don't see any knee jerk moves. They have a young team-as NFG pointed out, without Jagr, Briere & Hartnell, the average age of the forwards is 22.5 years of age.
- Jsaquella

Agreed. Wouldnt mind seeing them also add another power forward (bigger winger) to take Jagr's spot if he wont be back. I know Jagr is a big guy but hes not very physical imo. He uses his body well to shield people off.

As bad as my Isles played this year, an how bad my defense was,
most games won by the Isles were bc Nabby stole the game.
If you stopped JT's line, the Isles couldnt score a goal,

Thats the only point im trying to make about Bryz, he doesnt steal a game, which was needed.

Flyers are young an talented, so be so gung-ho on your goalie, geez
- Ur Not Me

He has stolen games this year. That's where your theory breaks down.

But as Bill pointed out, Lavy was out-coached this series by DeBoer.
- BringBack25

I don't go that far. The Devils didn't do anything differently this series than they did all year. Two different styles collided. You can't change a style or philosophy in the playoffs. One of the styles was going to come out on top. We all knew that going into it.

I like what PL did with this team this year.

I think the Devils had a more taxing series with Florida. A 7 games series with numerous OT games. I think the Pittsburgh series was pretty much pond hockey with defense being optional, Flyers get credit for winning that series, but facing a hard forecheck and sound defensive team was their undoing. Games 2-5 in this series was pretty much the same thing we saw in the season series with the Rags, very little adjustments, Flyers had no idea what to do. Equal blame goes to the players and coaches.
- PLindbergh31

much like the boston series. and if the flyers had ANYONE who could have grabbed the bull by the horns, we'd at least be in a game 6 situation. game 3 was the turning point, and while they probably didn't deserve to win it, they had the opportunity, and who knows how that would have affected the rest of the series.

I wouldn't go as far as to say going through the motions. But they were lacking that extra gear to match the Devils in intensity and commitment.
- MJL

Part of that was execution, maybe a big part of it. Failed clears lead to an extra 20 or 30 seconds of hard work chasing down the puck in your own end. Turnovers lead to having to expend effort to correct the mistakes made. Failuer to generate a forecheck that can sustain pressure allows the other team to save energy to press their attack.

I think that the Flyers did work hard. Unfortunately, they did not work smart.

much like the boston series. and if the flyers had ANYONE who could have grabbed the bull by the horns, we'd at least be in a game 6 situation. game 3 was the turning point, and while they probably didn't deserve to win it, they had the opportunity, and who knows how that would have affected the rest of the series.
- hammarby31

Agreed. Schenn's deflection missed by fractions. Thoroughly outplayed series could have been 2-1, and from there who knows what happens.

I don't feel that either Series was on the Coach. You can make all the adjustments you want as a Coach. The players have to implement it, and use their will to enact it on the other team. The FLyers were so badly outplayed in all aspects, that any adjustments attempted to be made, were futile. Listen to the Players comments. From Giroux and Hartnell. They knew what they were lacking.
- MJL

Well, we'll disagree then. Bill, myself, and others have pointed out that Lavy was out-coached in this series. If you don't agree, you're entitled to your opinion. I am not saying that the entire blame for the lost series goes at Lavy's feet, but some of it surely does. IMO, just to write this off as the players failing to execute, or "lacking" is a woefully incomplete analysis of the situation. Lavy has to do a lot better as well if we are ever going to get past the teams that play this style and play it well.

much like the boston series. and if the flyers had ANYONE who could have grabbed the bull by the horns, we'd at least be in a game 6 situation. game 3 was the turning point, and while they probably didn't deserve to win it, they had the opportunity, and who knows how that would have affected the rest of the series.
- hammarby31

That's where you hope that the young guys paid attention and learn from this. Learn that, you don;t have to wait for a veteran guy to step up, just do it yourself.