Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 10/20/16 vs. ANA -- Home Opener

Ggunk

Looking forward to tonight. Going to be a fun night in the barn. Hopefully they play from the opening faceoff unlike the previous 3 games.

Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 10/20/16 vs. ANA -- Home Opener
- bmeltzer

Well, we all know Corey Crawford was winless going into Tuesday.

Kidding aside, Brayden Schenn should be a nice boost to the top line and power play. Sad to lose depth with the Raffl injury. Matt Read has played well but I think I would stay straight on the road we were driving if Raffl were to not get hurt. Gordon started off so well, why take from that line?

Sean Couturier. Someone has made mention that he's been apart of the third PK unit. While I believe and voiced he should start most, if not all PK's, assuming he's improved at the dot, his late PK play might be a result of getting the offensive push on the second line that we've desired for so long. Still no excuse. My new main issue is having Konecny play Schenn's spot on the second unit. Both Couturier and Konecny have the opposite hand for stick handing then Giroux and Schenn for the position. I believe the two should switch. To add to my point, what good is the double screen if Konecny is tiny and the goalie can see past him. Couturier is much bigger for that spot. Konecny is clearly the better playmaker along the left half wall.

Bill Meltzer: Flyers Gameday: 10/20/16 vs. ANA -- Home Opener
- bmeltzer

Excited for the home opener and to get Schenn back. Really happy with what I've seen from Konecny and Cooter so far. as everyone has seen, the D has been a mess, and I am praying we can survive until we get Gudas and MDZ back

Well, we all know Corey Crawford was winless going into Tuesday.

Kidding aside, Brayden Schenn should be a nice boost to the top line and power play. Sad to lose depth with the Raffl injury. Matt Read has played well but I think I would stay straight on the road we were driving if Raffl were to not get hurt. Gordon started off so well, why take from that line?

Sean Couturier. Someone has made mention that he's been apart of the third PK unit. While I believe and voiced he should start most, if not all PK's, assuming he's improved at the dot, his late PK play might be a result of getting the offensive push on the second line that we've desired for so long. Still no excuse. My new main issue is having Konecny play Schenn's spot on the second unit. Both Couturier and Konecny have the opposite hand for stick handing then Giroux and Schenn for the position. I believe the two should switch. To add to my point, what good is the double screen if Konecny is tiny and the goalie can see past him. Couturier is much bigger for that spot. Konecny is clearly the better playmaker along the left half wall.
- SuperSchennBros

Couturier is a LH shot, so he's not going to start every PK. Gordon and Giroux are the RH shots that would take faceoffs for that side.

Couturier wasn't one of the two main PKers last year, either. Hakstol prefers not to burden his top two centers with also leading the forwards in SH TOI.

http://www.nhl.com/stats/...,&sort=shTimeOnIcePerGame

Excited for the home opener and to get Schenn back. Really happy with what I've seen from Konecny and Cooter so far. as everyone has seen, the D has been a mess, and I am praying we can survive until we get Gudas and MDZ back
- Hextall271

The defense was a mess for one game, as a whole, and that involved a 19 year old having a bad game that is bound to happen on occasion. Part of the growing pains in developing a player that young at the NHL level.

Couturier is a LH shot, so he's not going to start every PK. Gordon and Giroux are the RH shots that would take faceoffs for that side.
- MJL

I remember seeing Richards and Brind'Amour starting PK's pretty routinely.

From Carchidi's article on Philly.com

In Tuesday's loss, the Flyers erased a four-goal deficit for the first time since they dropped a 9-8 decision to Winnipeg in 2011, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. That's the game when colorful Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov apologized to his teammates and fans, saying he had "zero confidence" and was "lost in the woods."

Bears are in the woods

I remember seeing Richards and Brind'Amour starting PK's pretty routinely.
- SuperSchennBros

Different coach different plans

The defense was a mess for one game, as a whole, and that involved a 19 year old having a bad game that is bound to happen on occasion. Part of the growing pains in developing a player that young at the NHL level.
- MJL

Absolutely. The defense was also very inconsistent in the Arizona game. Generally good but a few too many breakdowns for my liking. Players forcing plays and making ill-timed pinches. It's still early in the season, so I'm not going to get overly concerned.

I remember seeing Richards and Brind'Amour starting PK's pretty routinely.
- SuperSchennBros

Hakstol probably wouldn't have done that. It's his preference. Not sure what this has to do with LH vs. RH centers, as I don't think Brindy and Richards ever played on the same team.

I remember seeing Richards and Brind'Amour starting PK's pretty routinely.
- SuperSchennBros

How is that relevant? How can you consider which side a player shoots from, for positioning on the PP, and ignore it for faceoffs to start a PK?

The defense was a mess for one game, as a whole, and that involved a 19 year old having a bad game that is bound to happen on occasion. Part of the growing pains in developing a player that young at the NHL level.
- MJL

Although I cringed seeing how bad of a game Provy had, I am absolutely ok with it. I wanted the kids to be up with the big squad and you knew stuff like this would happen especially to Provy as mistakes by D men are more apparent than a forward. I'll say it now, as long as he learns from it and doesn't make the same mistakes too often, then it's all worth it. I can't imagine how hard it would be for him to have all the fan and media pressure then have to learn one of the hardest positions at the nhl level. Add that to the fact that Chicago has top level elite forwards and this was bound to happen.

doomed

Absolutely. The defense was also very inconsistent in the Arizona game. Generally good but a few too many breakdowns for my liking. Players forcing plays and making ill-timed pinches. It's still early in the season, so I'm not going to get overly concerned.
- jmatchett383

The rest of the team also wasn't much better. The Flyers were a mess last game as a whole. The entire team structure broke down, mishandling of the puck, poor decision making. You name it, it happened. Not good to see for sure, but hopefully that is corrected tonight.

Although I cringed seeing how bad of a game Provy had, I am absolutely ok with it. I wanted the kids to be up with the big squad and you knew stuff like this would happen especially to Provy as mistakes by D men are more apparent than a forward. I'll say it now, as long as he learns from it and doesn't make the same mistakes too often, then it's all worth it. I can't imagine how hard it would be for him to have all the fan and media pressure then have to learn one of the hardest positions at the nhl level. Add that to the fact that Chicago has top level elite forwards and this was bound to happen.
- Hextall271

doomed
- SnipeDevil6

ok

Although I cringed seeing how bad of a game Provy had, I am absolutely ok with it. I wanted the kids to be up with the big squad and you knew stuff like this would happen especially to Provy as mistakes by D men are more apparent than a forward. I'll say it now, as long as he learns from it and doesn't make the same mistakes too often, then it's all worth it. I can't imagine how hard it would be for him to have all the fan and media pressure then have to learn one of the hardest positions at the nhl level. Add that to the fact that Chicago has top level elite forwards and this was bound to happen.
- Hextall271

Along with being in Chicago which gave them last change and the ability to see Provorov out there having a bad game so every time he hit the ice you put Kane's line out.

Recipe for an ugly game.

Along with being in Chicago which gave them last change and the ability to see Provorov out there having a bad game so every time he hit the ice you put Kane's line out.

Recipe for an ugly game.
- dragonoffrost

Hopefully, in 2 or 3 years, seeing Provorov out there will make a coach want to keep his top line on the bench.

Actually, REALLY OPTIMISTICALLY, there will never be a good time for a coach to play his top players against the Flyers because we will have 6 Ray Bourques (and one Brandon Manning) on defense.

Although I cringed seeing how bad of a game Provy had, I am absolutely ok with it. I wanted the kids to be up with the big squad and you knew stuff like this would happen especially to Provy as mistakes by D men are more apparent than a forward. I'll say it now, as long as he learns from it and doesn't make the same mistakes too often, then it's all worth it. I can't imagine how hard it would be for him to have all the fan and media pressure then have to learn one of the hardest positions at the nhl level. Add that to the fact that Chicago has top level elite forwards and this was bound to happen.
- Hextall271

Totally agree. This is what you sign up for when you have a 19 YO defenseman on the team.

It reminds me of a young pitcher who gets lit up in his 3rd start. You want to see how they come out and respond next time.

Ideally, an athlete playing at the highest level is equipped to handle rough outings.

How is that relevant? How can you consider which side a player shoots from, for positioning on the PP, and ignore it for faceoffs to start a PK?
- MJL

You brought up the point. Brind'Amour and Richards were too penalty killers that often saw there share of starting the PK in the defensive zone. If the other team for example were on the two man advantage, last season Bellemare regardless of what has the opposing face off man normally starts in the defensive zone in that situation. Why over Couturier?

doomed
- SnipeDevil6

Big, if true

You brought up the point. Brind'Amour and Richards were too penalty killers that often saw there share of starting the PK in the defensive zone. If the other team for example were on the two man advantage, last season Bellemare regardless of what has the opposing face off man normally starts in the defensive zone in that situation. Why over Couturier?
- SuperSchennBros

Simple as Coaches decision. He has a player he prefers out there in that situation so he uses that player.

Coots and G getting less PK time is probably a plan so that they are fresher for the PP and ES.