Revised Flyers-Islanders Series Schedule
The National Hockey League has announced the revised schedules for the second round of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference playoff series, following the postponement of all Thursday and Friday games. Here is the new schedule for the Flyers vs. Islanders series, with start times and broadcast information (through Game 5).
Sat, Aug. 29: 7 p.m. NBCSN Sun, Aug. 30: 8 p.m. NBC Tue, Sept. 1: 7 p.m. NBCSN *Thu, Sept. 3: TBD *Sat, Sept. 5: TBD
* If necessary
Friday Media Transcripts
Flyers players Matt Niskanen and James van Riemsdyk (session 1) and Claude Giroux and Scott Laughton (session 2) spoke via Zoom on Friday morning to members of the media. Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault will speak on Saturday, both before and after Game 3 against the Islanders. Transcripts are courtesy of the Flyers.
MATT NISKANEN AND JAMES VAN RIEMSDYK
What does delaying the game two days do to the momentum you built from the overtime game?
JvR: Each game obviously presents a unique and different challenge. Obviously we’re all professionals here. When the games come and we arrive at the rink, we’re ready to go. We’re ready to put forth all our effort, attention and energy into playing the game and having a good result. Once we get to the rink and get there to play, we’ll be ready to roll.
How soon after Game 2 did the conversations about making some statement and sitting out started within your group?
MN: I think it first came to my attention on the bus. We just had a big win. Guys first get on their phones usually when they get to the bus and a lot of times conversations happen there. That was the first time the news of the NBA came to our attention. Obviously, things progressed from there, over dinner and into the next day.
What role did being in the bubble play into the decision the players made into not playing yesterday? Like what impact did it have to have four teams in one place rather than all over the country like normal?
JvR: Certainly for that aspect of it, us being in these bubbles and the quarters that we are in, obviously you are seeing a lot more of the other teams, not only the team you are playing, but the other teams in the other series as well. Obviously it’s way easier to kind of have more of these dialogues within bigger groups. I would think yesterday morning and into early afternoon, a lot of these conversations were being had. There’s probably forty-fifty guys here kind of talking together. Obviously we were on the phone with guys from the Edmonton bubble and guys from the Hockey Diversity Alliance, too. There was quite a few different people involved just talking through these sorts of things, what the NBA had done and what was the best course of action from us going forward.
Have you gotten a chance to talk to Wayne Simmonds about everything and what’s going on the past few days?
JvR: You know what, I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to Simmer yet. Yesterday was a bit of a whirlwind in the morning with all these meetings that we were having and the discussions we were having with the different calls and the members of the Hockey Diversity Alliance. I know obviously Simmer is a part of that as well. He’s been a part of all these conversations with the league and stuff like that too. Obviously the work that those guys have done so far to get the ball rolling on things has been great. We want to try to support them and have their back going forward.
What’s your biggest challenge as a player that might be in the lineup some nights and out of the lineup on other nights?
JvR: At this time of the year, it’s all about the team’s success. We’re trying to win games. We have a team goal of winning a championship. Certainly you want to play every game and it sucks when you don’t get a chance to go out there and try to contribute. That being said, it’s all about the team right now. You be a good teammate. You work hard in practice. You try to make the most of your opportunities when you get back in the lineup. That’s pretty much what I’m focusing on. All the rest is just white noise. Just trying to do that. Obviously like I mentioned before, we have a big team goal. This is a close knit group that we are a part of, so it makes it fun to be here with these guys. We have as good of a chance as anyone to do some big things. That’s all what we’re focused on. The individual stuff kind of gets put in the backseat, especially at this time of the year.
What are your views toward the backlash that AV is getting for some of his comments yesterday, if you even know that it was happening. What do you say to people about the person that AV is?
MN: I can speak to my experience with AV. He’s a pro. He’s a dedicated pro. His number one goal is to try to bring a championship to the Flyers organization. These are not easy times with everything going on. There’s a lot of layers to it. For us as players, we just wanted to do the right thing. We talked about things. As a group, we decided to take some action yesterday. I think that’s the appropriate thing to do. I will let AV answer questions about how he approaches life in the bubble with everything else going on.
CLAUDE GIROUX AND SCOTT LAUGHTON
How healthy are you to play without going into specifics? If you are healthy, how surprised were you to not play in the last game?
SL: Yeah, I’m healthy. I think at this time of the year, you have to elevate your game. I think obviously in some of the games, my puck management could have been better for sure and things like that. Try to work on my game and become better for this team. Try to get back in. Once I do that, I know I’ll work as hard as I can to show the boys that I’m here.
After 24 hours, what’s your emotions now on the decision not to play and what was accomplished?
CG: I think yesterday was a good day. Just the way all the players got together. All four teams in the bubble, we had some great conversations. We all talked with Ryan Reaves and Matt Dumba and be able to hear what they had to say. Everybody is on the same page. Everybody is supporting. We all stand together.
As the captain of this team, what impact do you think it will have to sit out in solidarity as you look to fight for change?
CG: We know that it’s not going to solve everything tomorrow. It’s a process. For me, it’s just getting conversations with everybody. The last six months I think I had great conversations with my teammates, with my wife. Just kind of educate yourself and know a little bit more. I think when the NBA took a stand, we all respected that. We wanted to stand with them.
Could you give us a general sense of what the response was when you talked to Chris Stewart about what you guys can do to contribute?
SL: I reached out to Stewy in the morning. Just wanted to, I guess, pick his brain and see what he thought. With everything going on, the last 24 hours have been crazy for sure. Just wanted to see what his thoughts were. As the day progressed, I think more and more conversations started to happen. Like G said, we’re in the bubble. You have a bunch of guys who are playing against each other that night and the next day and we’re all coming together for one goal, to stand united and to be together through this. I think that shows a lot of about the guys here. Just about what we’re all about.
Claude, does your relationship with Wayne Simmonds, Chris Stewart, and any other black players around the league contribute to a sense of urgency on your part to show support to the movement?
CG: I played with Wayne for seven years and we were great friends. We’re still great friends. Just all the years we have together. Playing with Stewy this year, getting to know him too. Just being able to support them to know that we are all in this together, I think that’s very important.