Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Frustrating Pattern

The Flyers are letting their frustration get to them now. If they carry that into game 5, they're toast. They're probably going to have to pull out 3 games like game 6 of the Pens series to get this done, anyway. *sigh*

Bill - odds on Giroux getting a reprimand from Shanny for a hit to the head?

the flyers have been a shell of the team they were in the 1st round... everything they did right against Pittsburgh they are doing wrong against the devils... it seems the flyers have forgotten how to take the body ... the fore check has disappeared .... someone needs to wake this team up or their next game will be the end... they need to show the same grit and passion they showed in the come back from 2 years ago against Boston... its time to wake up or pack up

just imagine what would happen if the flyers got 40+ shots on net they are scoring 2-3 on 20-25 shots and letting the devils tee up on Bryz... now there are some shots Bryz just needs to save and has let in but after awhile he must be getting a little shell shocked.... the team is falling apart in front of him and he is doing what he can to keep us in it

They are simply getting beat at all aspects of the game, with the exception of winning faceoffs. I really don't understand how they still don't know to keep the puck away from Brodeur...too many times the shoot ins go right to him and the Devils d has too easy a time getting out of the zone because of it. JVR should be in the press box. I've seen nothing from him at all these playoffs, injured or not. That Zidlicky goal was all on him, as the winger is responsible for that point man. I'd honestly start Rinaldo in hopes of getting some energy in the lineup. The 3rd d pairing of Gustaffson and Lilja is reminiscent of 2010 with Kraijeck and Parent! Simply brutal! Simmonds is worthless out there right now and Jagr isn't doing much either. The sad part is that the effort was there last night, but the Devils forecheck is giving the Flyers fits. They seem to be too fast and too strong on the puck in the corners and the Fly boys can't handle it.

They are simply getting beat at all aspects of the game, with the exception of winning faceoffs. I really don't understand how they still don't know to keep the puck away from Brodeur...too many times the shoot ins go right to him and the Devils d has too easy a time getting out of the zone because of it. JVR should be in the press box. I've seen nothing from him at all these playoffs, injured or not. That Zidlicky goal was all on him, as the winger is responsible for that point man. I'd honestly start Rinaldo in hopes of getting some energy in the lineup. The 3rd d pairing of Gustaffson and Lilja is reminiscent of 2010 with Kraijeck and Parent! Simply brutal! Simmonds is worthless out there right now and Jagr isn't doing much either. The sad part is that the effort was there last night, but the Devils forecheck is giving the Flyers fits. They seem to be too fast and too strong on the puck in the corners and the Fly boys can't handle it.
- aantny88

you hit the nail right on the head with everything you said ... when will they realize that Brodeur can handle the puck like a 3rd d-man ... but no keep giving it to him... how many offensive chances have been broken up by brodeur coming out and handling the puck... when does the coaching staff get their colective heads out of their butts and tell then to stop playing dump and run hockey... guess what boys suck it up carry it over the line take a hit to make a play .. i never thought i would say this but the flyers and playing like a bunch of panzies this round.. they seem afraid to make or take a hit ( with the exception of a small few)... very very frustrating to watch right now

Lavi is being outcoached.

I see no adjustmnents in the Flyers game plan.

They still dump the puck in and allow Marty to play it.

So fustrating to watch.

Bryz was simply awesome last night.

For once people are talking about the Flyers forwards and D and NOT the Goalie....Bryz has done everything he can to keep them in the games, but when the Devils are getting 4-5 whacks at pucks in the crease everytime you should expect to lose.....it is sickening to watch this team right now.....The Devils are just hungrier. The worst part in this is the Flyers are playing TERRIBLE and just barely losing because Bryz is standing on his head...if they played even just mediocre hockey they would be winning this series. It is just sad.

Lavi is being outcoached.

I see no adjustmnents in the Flyers game plan.

They still dump the puck in and allow Marty to play it.

So fustrating to watch.

Bryz was simply awesome last night.
- ggunky

It's nice to see Bryz playing so well given all the crap he received most of the year from the majority of the fan base. Such a shame the rest of the team is wasting his efforts!

The Flyers were not built for the playoffs. They have had a great season. They are not ready to shoot for all the marbles.

Nobody should suggest this has been anything like an unsatisfactory season. The Flyers will be Cup contenders for many years, they are a very young and a very talented team. It is okay to be disappointed with this series. But, Flyer fans should also be celebrating the incredible rebuild that Holmgren has pulled off over a single season.

Last chance to address their obstruction in media..
Their 2nd goal came after some blatant hooking on Simmonds. He almost broke his stick and no call.
Their checking in the 3rd period is perpetual hooking. Every single chceck is the stick parallel to the ice. And then comes the penalty on our side... Absurd.
This is where the frustration comes from.
I know it's not our main problem, but the crying form Brodeur paid him off...
Let's use it the same way...

Lavi is being outcoached.

I see no adjustmnents in the Flyers game plan.

They still dump the puck in and allow Marty to play it.

So fustrating to watch.

Bryz was simply awesome last night.
- ggunky

This is spot on! Even when the Flyers do get into the Devils zone, almost all their players collapse down low to protect the net/Brodeur. That should leave the Flyers' point men open to make a play...guess what none of them could hit the broad side of a barn with a beach ball right now!

Lavi is being outcoached.

I see no adjustmnents in the Flyers game plan.

They still dump the puck in and allow Marty to play it.

So fustrating to watch.

Bryz was simply awesome last night.
- ggunky

He was great, and we've squandered two solid games by him this series. I have no criticism of him.

I hope the team can at least win Tuesday so as not to go down on home ice, but the way NJ has dominated the series without us adjusting, I see little hope.

I really think LA has a great shot at winning it all, and I hope they do. If it happens, then I'll be very happy for Carter, Richie, and more importantly, Hextall will get his name on the cup as the Assitant GM..

The Flyers were not built for the playoffs. They have had a great season. They are not ready to shoot for all the marbles.

Nobody should suggest this has been anything like an unsatisfactory season. The Flyers will be Cup contenders for many years, they are a very young and a very talented team. It is okay to be disappointed with this series. But, Flyer fans should also be celebrating the incredible rebuild that Holmgren has pulled off over a single season.
- spatso

I don't think they are ready to compete in the final four until the D gets sorted out. You can't lose a Pronger and replace him with Grossman and an injured Kubina who can't dress and expect to win.

I did expect a better effort against NJ though and I really saw them winning the series in 6 or 7 games. If we had made it though, I didn't see us giving the Rangers much of a go in the ECF and would have predicted they'd lose in 5. I'm surprised how tired the team looks.

Last chance to address their obstruction in media..
Their 2nd goal came after some blatant hooking on Simmonds. He almost broke his stick and no call.
Their checking in the 3rd period is perpetual hooking. Every single chceck is the stick parallel to the ice. And then comes the penalty on our side... Absurd.
This is where the frustration comes from.
I know it's not our main problem, but the crying form Brodeur paid him off...
Let's use it the same way...
- Ondrej F

Well, we know that the rules change in the playoffs and more is allowed the deeper you go. It almost goes back to the pre lockout days, but again this isn't news.. NJ plays picks and obstruction to a tee and we just can't fight through it/haven't played the same game as they have with picks etc... We had to adjust and we didn't.

Last chance to address their obstruction in media..
Their 2nd goal came after some blatant hooking on Simmonds. He almost broke his stick and no call.
Their checking in the 3rd period is perpetual hooking. Every single chceck is the stick parallel to the ice. And then comes the penalty on our side... Absurd.
This is where the frustration comes from.
I know it's not our main problem, but the crying form Brodeur paid him off...
Let's use it the same way...
- Ondrej F

Funny I was thinking that exact same thing on the Hartnell goaltender interference call. I did see quite a bit of hooking and holding from the Devils, especially when they fell into that 1-2-2 trap during the 3rd period. All season the Flyers have had issues with teams that play defensive minded hockey (Tampa Bay, NYR). The coaching staff needs to adjust and haven't.

Girouxs hearing today at 11am

Last chance to address their obstruction in media..
Their 2nd goal came after some blatant hooking on Simmonds. He almost broke his stick and no call.
Their checking in the 3rd period is perpetual hooking. Every single chceck is the stick parallel to the ice. And then comes the penalty on our side... Absurd.
This is where the frustration comes from.
I know it's not our main problem, but the crying form Brodeur paid him off...
Let's use it the same way...
- Ondrej F

Their inability to score has nothing to do with obstruction or non-calls. They just aren't playing anything resembling a team game. There's no plan, no adjustments, and no answers to anything the Devils are doing.

The Flyers look like a team that hasn't practiced together all season, while the Devils look locked in.

Girouxs hearing today at 11am
- keatondixon

oh my gaude

Last chance to address their obstruction in media..
Their 2nd goal came after some blatant hooking on Simmonds. He almost broke his stick and no call.
Their checking in the 3rd period is perpetual hooking. Every single chceck is the stick parallel to the ice. And then comes the penalty on our side... Absurd.
This is where the frustration comes from.
I know it's not our main problem, but the crying form Brodeur paid him off...
Let's use it the same way...
- Ondrej F

Lets not forget Marty Playing the puck out of the Trapizoid and not getting called for it....which is what set off Giroux

The flyers look mentally spent. I am going with what Clement brought up. The forwards are not supporting the D down low and are waiting for the play to come to them instead of initiating the play.
One play that comes to mind is when the puck was high in the D zone, a devils guy got the puck along the wall. Simmonds could have made a play and took out the guy with good body position to prevent a pass. Instead he peeled off and stood near the D man and watched the devils guy chip the puck deeper, got help from another devil and the easily won the board battle against the sole flyer player.

The are like the guy who complains that he had his guy covered it wasn't his fault the other team scored.
Meanwhile the devils are supporting each other and not giving the flyers any time to pick their choice of plays.

I just cam here to see the feel and it reminded me of my 2000 Devil team. I believe this series is far from being over (as I warn my fellow Devil fans also) and all you have to do is look back into history against these two teams. Back in 2000 the Devils were being dominated by the Flyers and I remember telling my friends that they(Devils) are "dead". Flyers were the better team that year (had home ice) and the Devils looked like they didn't even want to compete. Well we all know how that turned out but thats good news for the Flyers now. They actually would have an easier chance of making a comeback this year then the Devils did that year. They have 2 of the remaining 3 games on home ice (Devils only had 1 that year) and the Flyers have the firepower to make a comeback plus Bryz is playing great right now. As a Devil fan I respect the Flyers way too much to call this series over or even close to being over. History sometimes like to repeat itself, I'm just hoping not right now.

The Flyers are letting their frustration get to them now. If they carry that into game 5, they're toast. They're probably going to have to pull out 3 games like game 6 of the Pens series to get this done, anyway. *sigh*

Bill - odds on Giroux getting a reprimand from Shanny for a hit to the head?
- tangent_man

100% on Giroux getting a reprimand. Hearing at 11.

There's a multitude of reasons why NJ has a 3-1 lead. First of all, the Devils have play very well. They have a game plan, and are executing it very well.

The Flyers have helped them, too. IMO, the Flyers have a multitude of issues. For one thing they are very young and inexperienced. The Flyers have a lot of rookies, as well as second and third year guys under age 25, being asked to carry a ton of weight. That is great for learning purposes, but it can suck for winning today.

The Flyers are as banged up as any team left in the playoffs. Danny Briere said after the first round that there were a lot of guys dealing with pretty significant injuries. I have seen hints that Briere, Giroux, Hartnell, Schenn, JvR, Timonen, Grossmann, Kubina and Bryzgalov are all playing-or have played with-injuries that would likely keep them out of regular season games. This isn't an excuse, but a contributing factor to the way the series has played out.

There's also a visible let down coming out of the war against Pittsburgh. The first round was a physical and emotional battle. That there is a let down to some degree shouldn't amaze anyone. It's troubling that the let down has been to the extent that it has been. That said, bating the Pens gave a lot of people a false sense of security.

Finally, another big factor is, the Flyers have not found an effective counter to the Devils game. I don't want to lay this all on Laviolette, but his adjustments have not been effective, and I wonder if his full scale line changes after game two hurt more than helped. With the Flyers being such a young team, I wonder if the line juggling didn't send the wrong message.

I'm sure there's other issues, but those are the ones I see as being the big ones. The Flyers face long odds, that may well be insurmountable. But at the same time, we still have a lot of reason to be excite for the future of this team....and that includes Tuesday night.

Lavi is being outcoached.

I see no adjustmnents in the Flyers game plan.

They still dump the puck in and allow Marty to play it.

So fustrating to watch.

Bryz was simply awesome last night.
- ggunky

Yeah you know the Devils have been playing the same way for the last three games, it's not like they're doing anything different.
The Devils are the hungrier team right now, Flyers don't seem to want it bad enough.
Also the Flyers are way too careless handling the puck.

Girouxs hearing today at 11am
- keatondixon

how's it goin'?