Sure the goalie was in perfect position. The get creative! He has to find a way where there is none. You may not think he has the skills to improve, but he should. Race to a stop, try to chip the puck over the goalie. Fake the shot, see if anything opens. Swing wide and try to bank it off the goalie. Go for the wrap around. Try something, anything.
- NC Flyers Fan

He did try something, anything. He shot the puck. Right play

He did try something, anything. He shot the puck. Right play
- MJL

I wish more of the forwards would try this tbqh

I know from experience of sitting directly behind the bench including against the glass what you can hear and see. I also know that you can't tell much looking at the back of the coaches head. Calling it like it is has nothing to do with people skills.
- MJL

lol..

The group I was with were having a lengthy convo based on how little the man moves during the game. WE WATCHED HIM. When its 4-0 in the first period and people are chanting for Gritty and theres not a lot of fun in the game other stuff happens. Idgaf what you have done when have sat behind the glass. I watched Hak last night. We joked about him last night. I saw a flair immediately following the second goal. He wasnt happy.. But he didnt pull the guys together. He didnt call a time out. He didnt single players out or pull players aside.. He was his normal super level headed self. I know exactly what I watched. I know exactly who has a been for three years.

I get that you are the protector of all things flyers fans get frustrated about, but I know how emotionless that man was bec I was 5 feet from him for a little over 2 and a half hours.

I wish more of the forwards would try this tbqh
- johndewar

Patrick was trying

While I think it may be time for a new coach, it’s also time to change the leadership group of this team. That was an inexcusable embarrassment last night. It reminded me of the blowout by Buffalo in 2006 that was followed by Clarke’s resignation and Hitchcock’s firing.

Unload some vets and bring up some kids, at least they’ll give you some (frank)ing effort.
- BiggE

The leadership of the group is poop!!
It's been this half-butt effort for the past 5 years.
But you csnt just trade leadership. Nobody is going to give up what we want for Giroux. I 100% agree with the leadership issue but didnt say it earlier bc of the poop storm it will create in here but enough is enough.
To get spanked at home like that on your home opener on a season when fans are expecting our boys to take the next step is unacceptable.
Hak no longer gets free passes from me. Hak needs to address the lack of compete from our group.
Bench roo. Bench the entire leadership group and call up AHL guys for a game and hope that the leadership can get the message

Disagree completely with that. This is a human element here and happens with every team at some point and is a serious reach. Shows a lack of understanding of systems in my opinion.
- MJL

Maybe so, but his system has been in place for a couple of years, the core has been here for a couple of years. Ya figure someone on the ice should know if a system is in place and if so how to follow it.

He did try something, anything. He shot the puck. Right play
- MJL

Yeah, by the stat lines it wasn’t just Laughton. Three of his shots, I vividly remember. Only 2 on the score card. Either 1 deflected or they miscounted. Some breadbasket anger was for others with the same shot placement. No, I want them to shoot, but when a goalie is on and not giving up rebounds, it wouldn’t hurt to shoot differently. There is something to be said for a certain, bare minimum in shot quality.

By the looks of the board this morning, I'm guessing the season is already over three games in. Too bad there aren't 79 games left to play or anything.

By the looks of the board this morning, I'm guessing the season is already over three games in. Too bad there aren't 79 games left to play or anything.
- ajw12

Welcome to Overreaction Central - All Gloom, All The Time

Sidebar: All these keyboard geniuses should get off their butts and go get some NHL jobs. They're wasting their superior talents and intellect here.

lol..

The group I was with were having a lengthy convo based on how little the man moves during the game. WE WATCHED HIM. When its 4-0 in the first period and people are chanting for Gritty and theres not a lot of fun in the game other stuff happens. Idgaf what you have done when have sat behind the glass. I watched Hak last night. We joked about him last night. I saw a flair immediately following the second goal. He wasnt happy.. But he didnt pull the guys together. He didnt call a time out. He didnt single players out or pull players aside.. He was his normal super level headed self. I know exactly what I watched. I know exactly who has a been for three years.

I get that you are the protector of all things flyers fans get frustrated about, but I know how emotionless that man was bec I was 5 feet from him for a little over 2 and a half hours.
- jak521

None of this strengthens your position. In fact it weakens it. Like I said earlier, Keith Jones who was close enough to hear and see everything that was goingon behind the bench, said the coach was very animated.

Maybe so, but his system has been in place for a couple of years, the core has been here for a couple of years. Ya figure someone on the ice should know if a system is in place and if so how to follow it.
- RustyPipes

They know how to follow it. They did in the Vegas game.

By the looks of the board this morning, I'm guessing the season is already over three games in. Too bad there aren't 79 games left to play or anything.
- ajw12

Im with you. Big game tonight. Havent earned the right to look past anyone and they better be motivated.

We smoked Washington early on last season and they won the cup soooo

I guess the coach for the Isles, who lost a superstar, beat SJ 4-0.
We get a back up-plus tired team and get blown out with no jam etc...
To me Hakstool needs to go back to college and we need to end this experiment, he is no Badger Bob!

They know how to follow it. They did in the Vegas game.
- MJL

There!! You nailed it. You admit they followed a system for the Vegas game and the last two not so much. So then, why didn't they follow a system the last two games and who is responsible for ensuring the system is correctly executed.

Welcome to Overreaction Central - All Gloom, All The Time

Sidebar: All these keyboard geniuses should get off their butts and go get some NHL jobs. They're wasting their superior talents and intellect here.
- Scoob

I mean the game wasn't pretty whatsoever and I stayed for the whole thing despite having to listen to the annoying fair weather fans there most of the game. But it's game 3 let's relax a bit here.

Hey look on the bright side, the last team to lose the home opener at wells fargo by a score of 8-2 went on to win the Stanley Cup....

Hextall is doing a great job! From where we were when he took over to this point you can see a difference.
I am not a fan of Hak. I wont lie. His decision making is questionable at times and so is his choice of personnel on the ice.
I agree that hak wont lead us to the holy grail.
I'm more concerned with this happening year after year. The laziness and noncompetitiveness of this team infuriates me some days
The kids that needed to step up and contribute more havent done anything. At all
Patrick looked better tonight but they are passing when it should be a goal and they can't finish.
Its early though...right...?
- sILKAsSINASALO

i honestly thought they made 2 too many passes on the first goal that led to the to Provorov turnover at the blue line. looking to make the perfect play

There!! You nailed it. You admit they followed a system for the Vegas game and the last two not so much. So then, why didn't they follow a system the last two games and who is responsible for ensuring the system is correctly executed.
- RustyPipes

The coach is ultimately responsible but he cant out on the ice. Do you think Hakstol coached them to play a.different system last night than they did in Vegas?

None of this strengthens your position. In fact it weakens it. Like I said earlier, Keith Jones who was close enough to hear and see everything that was goingon behind the bench, said the coach was very animated.
- MJL

Keith Jones is employed by Comcast and a former Flyer. He does his best to not be critical of the team. Jak agreed that Hakstol was animated for 30 seconds. Perhaps that was the same point in the game that Jonesy was describing?

I mean the game wasn't pretty whatsoever and I stayed for the whole thing despite having to listen to the annoying fair weather fans there most of the game. But it's game 3 let's relax a bit here.

Hey look on the bright side, the last team to lose the home opener at wells fargo by a score of 8-2 went on to win the Stanley Cup....
- ajw12

Yes, I hope the team remembers this as well. But most of all I hope they win tonight.

The coach is ultimately responsible but he cant out on the ice. Do you think Hakstol coached them to play a.different system last night than they did in Vegas?
- MJL

If the coach puts in a system and the players don't execute, then there should be consequences. Vets never see consequences - there-in lies a problem. Do you think that if players in Toronto or Tampa don't follow the coach's system, they don't see any consequences?

I mean the game wasn't pretty whatsoever and I stayed for the whole thing despite having to listen to the annoying fair weather fans there most of the game. But it's game 3 let's relax a bit here.

Hey look on the bright side, the last team to lose the home opener at wells fargo by a score of 8-2 went on to win the Stanley Cup....
- ajw12

Totally agree with this. They need to have a good game tonight and the veteran leadership group needs to lead the way.

I was at the game last night... stayed for the whole damn thing too.

1- People love Gritty. I love Gritty. Him making his regular season entrance the way he did was awesome lol.

2-The fans vehemently booed all of Hak, Weise, and Mac. Its distasteful, especially on opening night, but its obvious that the fan base has grown beyond tired of certain things.

3- "Elliot battled": Forget that. Yes he did not get much help at all.. but we started off with a ton of pressure and had a couple good looks early and then he gives up two really soft goals on the first three shots he sees. Took the wind completely out of the sails of the team.

4-The fact that this team is so easily deflated is extremely problematic. They caved and had ZERO fight in them. A decade ago this org. would not have stood for that type of beating in any game let alone on home ice and on opening night.

5-The only players I thought even played remotely well was the second line, Laughton (top player in my eyes), Raffl, and Voracek. G and Ghost werent horrible, but the effort just wasnt there for most of the night.

6- I sat right behind Hak. That man seriously is the definition of stoic. Down 4-0 in the first and not a single emotion escapes him. No yelling. No bs with the refs (despite an OBVIOUS crosscheck on Ghost which resulted in the third goal), and zero attempt (outside of the locker) so slow the onslaught. He should have used a timeout after that second goal. Two goals mere seconds apart, early on in your home opener. We were rattled and were never able to get our pace back. We were constantly on our heels. I think the Sharks had something like 26 shots on net through the first period. Insane that he did not even try to slow things down. Also, IDGAF if were playing tonight in OTT.. Pickard should have started that second period.

7- I have been to about a hundred games in my life.. I have never been to a game where the place was that empty to start the third period... even during the 06-07 season. It was about a third filled. Everyone knew that nothing exciting was gonna happen, primarily because this team lacks true character.

All around, the worst opening night game I have ever been to. Also, extremely surprised that there was no giveaway on opening night. Wild. Total let down.
- jak521

#3 for sure (all of this really), I just feel like Elliott plays a defensive game if that makes sense. Side angle shots he is often sideways. that first goal he had so many holes i think i could have scored (obviously not but you know what I mean). I am just not a fan. sure he plays like he did vs Vegas on occasion and he is probably the best option between the 3 goalies on the NHL roster but god I pray Hart is the real deal. the building was electric and they came out hard and boom 2 weak goals took the air out of the building

None of this strengthens your position. In fact it weakens it. Like I said earlier, Keith Jones who was close enough to hear and see everything that was goingon behind the bench, said the coach was very animated.
- MJL

For 37 seconds. He turned away from our net said something that had a few explitives in it. Barked for about half a minute and then settled right back into his spot. It WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.. I thought for sure he was gonna take a time out, but instead he just changed his lines up from what was gonna to do. He pulled a player back on to the bench and sent (I wanna say Voro's line) a different line out.

After they scored their third goal (the reviewed one) when they went to commercial time out I watched their tv in the floor and they showed it go in and he just shook his head called the one ref over (we thought he was gonna challenge it) and said something about Ghost (pointed to him anyway, and we assumed he was pissed there wasnt a call on the cross check)... then he climbed down off the bench and for the rest of the game was expressionless. From then on out he looked exactly like his team did.

To be honest guys, I think its time for your team to gut itself and rebuild. you have quality young D, a promising young G and Patrick. Since we know that G and D take a little longer to mature, now should be the time to clean house up front and tank. That way when the next 2-3 top of the draft picks get there, the D will be the leaders, the goalie will be ready and the top end talent up front can just be plug and play.

Your team reminds me of Buffalo when we had Vanek, Roy, Pomminville and Miller as the leaders. There is talent, but its just not getting it done. Plus, itll be a few years before you can challenge Toronto and Tampa (the cap is going to catch up to them ). Otherwise, in 3 years when Giroux, Simmonds, and Voracek are all mid 30 and you've finished 6th, 7th or 8th in the East the last 3 years, where are you going to be.

I think its a perfect time for the rebuild