Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Beat Goes On for Flyers, Downie and Line Chemistry

i wanna see a video of the Rinaldo Game Misconduct that happened. Heard there was some ridiculous calls on that.

i wanna see a video of the Rinaldo Game Misconduct that happened. Heard there was some ridiculous calls on that.
- BernieKorch

Everything had settled down for the most part. Players were at their respective benches.

Rinaldo skated over tho the Sabres bench to challenge Ott. IMO that is why they gave him the 10min misconduct. Rinaldo is lucky he didnt put his team down a man. Just seemed like a silly/odd move to make.

Now if Ott said something to provoke that (Probably did) is a different story.

Everything had settled down for the most part. Players were at their respective benches.

Rinaldo skated over tho the Sabres bench to challenge Ott. IMO that is why they gave him the 10min misconduct. Rinaldo is lucky he didnt put his team down a man. Just seemed like a silly/odd move to make.

Now if Ott said something to provoke that (Probably did) is a different story.
- ImThatGuy

haha yup sounds about right thanks!!!

Love the roll this team is on.

Rinaldo's must cut out the dumb penalties. He is lucky last night he didn't get 2 mins to put Philly short.

Everything had settled down for the most part. Players were at their respective benches.

Rinaldo skated over tho the Sabres bench to challenge Ott. IMO that is why they gave him the 10min misconduct. Rinaldo is lucky he didnt put his team down a man. Just seemed like a silly/odd move to make.

Now if Ott said something to provoke that (Probably did) is a different story.
- ImThatGuy

Actually, Rinaldo skated over right after Ott Threw a punch at one of the Flyers players....everything had been settled up until Ott threw the punch, which yes was at the benches.

I might be alone in this, but I'm still not confident this turn-around is enough, or will last. The team still feels very fragile, and while they are winning, they haven't really dominated much.

Actually, Rinaldo skated over right after Ott Threw a punch at one of the Flyers players....everything had been settled up until Ott threw the punch, which yes was at the benches.
- Pyzik

Yeah, Ott didn't have the courage to go w/ Simmonds, so Rinaldo offered his services... turns out old Stevie-boy was only interested in chirping and taking shots with his gloves on.

Bill,

What are your thoughts on Giroux's wheels? To me, he seems a step slower this year. This is really evident when you see guys making up ground and tracking him down from behind when odd man rushes are starting.

I mean, he doesn't have world class top end speed but in the past I would have given him a "+" speed rating for sure.

What are your/others thoughts/observations?

Actually, Rinaldo skated over right after Ott Threw a punch at one of the Flyers players....everything had been settled up until Ott threw the punch, which yes was at the benches.
- Pyzik

Actually Jim Jackson called it a punch to the face in his Jack Edwardian manner however it looked to me like he just pushed off Simmond's chest.

I don't know why I dislike JJ's calls so much. I mean Gene Hart was as big of a homer and I loved him back in the day.

If the game is broadcast on another station and available for viewing in my area, I will generally watch the non CSN version.

Love the roll this team is on.

Rinaldo's must cut out the dumb penalties. He is lucky last night he didn't get 2 mins to put Philly short.
- PhiFaninEdm

I can't blame Rinaldo for what he did. The Refs were completely off on all those calls. First, Buffalo had the penality, but Ott took a late run at Rinaldo which while legal, was not necessary. Rosehill took exception and went after Ott. Ott continued roughing back, Rosehill and Ott should have been off-setting minors for Roughing.

Refs missed that call, and Simmonds and Ott get to talking along the boards. It Ends with Ott punching Simmonds. Even if the Ref's missed the first call, they could have fixed this issue and ended anything happening by giving Ott a Roughing penality there... That would have given the Flyers a 4-on-3 which is why i think they didnt make the call, it wouldn't have been offsetting.

They did make the right call on Rinaldo. He was continuing to bolster the situation, but not enough to get a minor penality. He was jabbering, not trying to hit or get past a ref... But again, if the Refs would have made the right calls the first 2 times, it wouldnt have come to this....

Just an example of how poor Refs can let a minor situation get out of hand.

Actually Jim Jackson called it a punch to the face in his Jack Edwardian manner however it looked to me like he just pushed off Simmond's chest.

I don't know why I dislike JJ's calls so much. I mean Gene Hart was as big of a homer and I loved him back in the day.

If the game is broadcast on another station and available for viewing in my area, I will generally watch the non CSN version.
- TheRat14

I like Jim Jackson, its Coatsy and Jones that I'm not thrilled with. Coatsy can't get a thing right, and while Jones does have good hockey knowledge, he is too busy srewing around with Coatsy to give it. I sure miss Jim Jackson and Dornhoffer. Really wish it was just Jackson and Clement.

I might be alone in this, but I'm still not confident this turn-around is enough, or will last. The team still feels very fragile, and while they are winning, they haven't really dominated much.
- youarewrong

I feel a hell of a lot better now than I did a few weeks ago. They have gotten a lot better and still have room to grow. Giroux is very close to breaking out (he keeps hitting ht post) and Voracek has been terrific lately. I, also, think Simmonds has found his game again. I can't speak highly enough about the 3rd line.

Jakub Voracek, who saw a five-game point streak snapped last night, sat on the bench for much of the latter half of the third period. Berube said after the game that he wanted to get two centers on the ice because of all the faceoffs and stoppages of play. Voracek finished the game with four shots on goal and was credited with a takeaway in 14:03 of ice time.

That's a fine explanation by the Chief, but it still feels like a bit of a punishment for Voracek.

I like Jim Jackson, its Coatsy and Jones that I'm not thrilled with. Coatsy can't get a thing right, and while Jones does have good hockey knowledge, he is too busy srewing around with Coatsy to give it. I sure miss Jim Jackson and Dornhoffer. Really wish it was just Jackson and Clement.
- youarewrong

I like Keith Jones. I feel like they don't even tell Coatsy what's going on. He'll be like "And here you'll see the goal…Oh, no wait, this is the great check of the game and it's..number 22, that's Luke Schenn"

That's a fine explanation by the Chief, but it still feels like a bit of a punishment for Voracek.
- johndewar

I wanted to comment on that as well. If you want to take someone off the top line and add Hall for a defensive zone face-off, that's fine. just make sure the guy you take off is Hartnell and not Jake!

I feel a hell of a lot better now than I did a few weeks ago. They have gotten a lot better and still have room to grow. Giroux is very close to breaking out (he keeps hitting ht post) and Voracek has been terrific lately. I, also, think Simmonds has found his game again. I can't speak highly enough about the 3rd line.
- PhillySportsGuy

Well yeah, I feel better.... But to me it feels like I'm walking on thin ice... one step in the wrong direction and your falling through...

I do also like the 3rd line, however I think Giroux would be served much better by having Downie on his wing. He will bring what Hartnell does in the corners, but has a better passing game to feed Giroux and Voracek.

I like Jim Jackson, its Coatsy and Jones that I'm not thrilled with. Coatsy can't get a thing right, and while Jones does have good hockey knowledge, he is too busy srewing around with Coatsy to give it. I sure miss Jim Jackson and Dornhoffer. Really wish it was just Jackson and Clement.
- youarewrong

Saunders and Clement should be the TV team...

How painful was it listening to J.R. trying to steal Jones' thunder in the booth last night? The guy likes to talk, but all he does is offer aimless platitudes and cliches. You'd think he actually would have something interesting to say.

Actually Jim Jackson called it a punch to the face in his Jack Edwardian manner however it looked to me like he just pushed off Simmond's chest.

I don't know why I dislike JJ's calls so much. I mean Gene Hart was as big of a homer and I loved him back in the day.

If the game is broadcast on another station and available for viewing in my area, I will generally watch the non CSN version.
- TheRat14

I like JJ and frankly, don't understand why folks don't like his calls.

I don't think the Flyers broadcast team is overly homeriffic, but since they are paid by the team, they are going to slant a certain way.

I wanted to comment on that as well. If you want to take someone off the top line and add Hall for a defensive zone face-off, that's fine. just make sure the guy you take off is Hartnell and not Jake!
- PhillySportsGuy

Yep.

I like Keith Jones. I feel like they don't even tell Coatsy what's going on. He'll be like "And here you'll see the goal…Oh, no wait, this is the great check of the game and it's..number 22, that's Luke Schenn"
- PhillySportsGuy

My favorite is when he is reading the "quote" of the game.. After he gets about a 1/3rd of the way though..boom it all goes to hell..... Like watching the "slow kid" crumble in reading class... you want to help him, but you have to let him finish....

Saunders and Clement should be the TV team...

How painful was it listening to J.R. trying to steal Jones' thunder in the booth last night? The guy likes to talk, but all he does is offer aimless platitudes and cliches. You'd think he actually would have something interesting to say.
- Tomahawk

I was at the game and didn't hear him. JR got a nice round of applause from the arena when they showed him on the jumbotron.

My favorite is when he is reading the "quote" of the game.. After he gets about a 1/3rd of the way though..boom it all goes to hell..... Like watching the "slow kid" crumble in reading class... you want to help him, but you have to let him finish....
- youarewrong

Someone needs to tell the producer of the broadcast that the "quote of the day" is a dumb segment regardless of who delivers it.

My favorite is when he is reading the "quote" of the game.. After he gets about a 1/3rd of the way though..boom it all goes to hell..... Like watching the "slow kid" crumble in reading class... you want to help him, but you have to let him finish....
- youarewrong

I know. It's like he doesn't want to read it so he starts paraphrasing. It's a short quote, not an entire novel. There is no need to paraphrase. Just read it word for word.