Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Line Matching, Quick Hits

Wish they were starting tonight

I don't feel any better after reading this. I'm very concerned with us playing the rangers. Lots of badfeelings.

I have some wierd feeling Philly is going to win game 1. No evidence or facts. Just feel like this team has really taken to their coach and his identity and will be a tough out this year. And for some reason i think Detriot will give Boston problems in round 1.

This is going to be a tough, tough series.

Personally, I still can't pick it, though if Steve Mason isn't ready to rock, it becomes a lot easier to forecast.

But if Mason does play and is solid, there are legitimate reasons to pick either team.

One thing I do know: The young players are well-served in playing a series like this. The Rags are gonna make the Flyers earn their goals, and this is a good test for the younger players on the roster who weren't counted on as much for 2012, or weren't even there at all, in the case of a person like Michael Raffl.

I don't feel any better after reading this. I'm very concerned with us playing the rangers. Lots of badfeelings.
- Flyersgod

Really, we should be concerned -- the Rags are good. Not respecting them is foolish -- they have talent, they have a good defense, they have a good goalie, and their coach is no idiot -- he was just in a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals three years ago.

I think that there are several keys to the series for the Flyers:
1) penalties: dumb, and needless
2) passing: behind the back, no look, etc..
3) coby: he seems to be a north/south kind of player, if you get him moving sideways, he panics and coughs up the puck
4) kimo: can he go the distance
5) defensive play by the forwards
6) patience: the players get frustrated easily
7) 60 minutes of play

I'm just saying.... Your thoughts?
Thanks.

Bad omen: Stuck behind school bus with a stop every ten feet while trying to get to the gas station prior to going to the bathroom in my car because I refuse to use portapotties.

I have some wierd feeling Philly is going to win game 1. No evidence or facts. Just feel like this team has really taken to their coach and his identity and will be a tough out this year. And for some reason i think Detriot will give Boston problems in round 1.
- J35Bacher

Taking game one hurt us in the NJ series...

If I am the flyers I am dumping the puck into McDonaugh's corner all night on game one and make him take a hit when he goes to receive it. Make that shoulder take somehits. I understand the Rangers are good and not taking anything away from them but this Flyers team can play too.

I think that there are several keys to the series for the Flyers:
1) penalties: dumb, and needless
2) passing: behind the back, no look, etc..
3) coby: he seems to be a north/south kind of player, if you get him moving sideways, he panics and coughs up the puck
4) kimo: can he go the distance
5) defensive play by the forwards
6) patience: the players get frustrated easily
7) 60 minutes of play

I'm just saying.... Your thoughts?
Thanks.
- OrangeAndBlack1

Completely agree with 1 and 2. Completely.

Goals might be hard to come by in this thing. Giving the Rags stupidity-based power plays...that would just be so stupid, I don't even want to think about it.

As for No. 2...I'm just one of those guys who believes that when you have a goalie like Lundqvist, you have to have the will to fire at will and keep on firing.

Shoot the puck, if you have it on the 2-on-1. Fire that thing. Because the odds are he's going to make a ton of first saves. So shoot with conviction, know that is what you're going to do, and drive to the net for rebounds -- he can't stop every single shot cleanly. No one can.

This is going to be a tough, tough series.

Personally, I still can't pick it, though if Steve Mason isn't ready to rock, it becomes a lot easier to forecast.

But if Mason does play and is solid, there are legitimate reasons to pick either team.

One thing I do know: The young players are well-served in playing a series like this. The Rags are gonna make the Flyers earn their goals, and this is a good test for the younger players on the roster who weren't counted on as much for 2012, or weren't even there at all, in the case of a person like Michael Raffl.
- AllInForFlyers

As you say, win or lose, I think the players on the team are poised to learn much more from this series than if then ended up drawing Pittsburgh. That series, while entertaining, would most likely turn into a disorganized run and gun mess. I'm not sure what, if anything, you learn from that.

I think that there are several keys to the series for the Flyers:
1) penalties: dumb, and needless
2) passing: behind the back, no look, etc..
3) coby: he seems to be a north/south kind of player, if you get him moving sideways, he panics and coughs up the puck
4) kimo: can he go the distance
5) defensive play by the forwards
6) patience: the players get frustrated easily
7) 60 minutes of play

I'm just saying.... Your thoughts?
Thanks.
- OrangeAndBlack1

My five keys:
1. Score first.
2. Physical but discaplined.
3. Gap between forwards and dmen needs to be controled.
4. No soft goals against
5. Quality over quantity on shots. Make sure we are getting good shots thru

I'd hate to sound like a neanderthal or the "typical" Flyers fan, but the Flyers' best chance of winning this series is to literally pound on the Rangers every chance they get. Every single player should play as physical (and as clean) as possible, while not being so aggressive as to take themselves out of the play. They will just have to grind New York into submission. That, and we need the Mason/Emery combo to be at least equal to Lundqvist more often than not.

If I am the flyers I am dumping the puck into McDonaugh's corner all night on game one and make him take a hit when he goes to receive it. Make that shoulder take somehits. I understand the Rangers are good and not taking anything away from them but this Flyers team can play too.
- J35Bacher

I agree with this about 75,000%. Hit him clean, but him him hard and often.

Edit: Cue discussion about teams hiding injuries and targeting injured players in the play-offs.

The final 2 games of the 8 games Stolarz was originally suspended for have been waived. He's now eligible for the Memorial Cup.

The final 2 games of the 8 games Stolarz was originally suspended for have been waived. He's now eligible for the Memorial Cup.
- ob18

Now I know what it's like to be a Devils' fan (league arbitrarily reversing sanctions), without the horribleness that comes with being a Devils' fan.

As you say, win or lose, I think the players on the team are poised to learn much more from this series than if then ended up drawing Pittsburgh. That series, while entertaining, would most likely turn into a disorganized run and gun mess. I'm not sure what, if anything, you learn from that.
- eayost

Agreed -- whether they would do it again is obviously up for debate, but not only are you correct, it doesn't help the Flyers to play Pittsburgh again because they've already beaten them with many of the players on this retooled roster.

Playing another team, a well-coached one at that, is a better test for them as they continue to evolve into a perennial Stanley Cup contender, hopefully.

I don't feel any better after reading this. I'm very concerned with us playing the rangers. Lots of badfeelings.
- Flyersgod

It's the playoffs. It's not supposed to be easy, and it's supposed to be a challenge.

I'd hate to sound like a neanderthal or the "typical" Flyers fan, but the Flyers' best chance of winning this series is to literally pound on the Rangers every chance they get. Every single player should play as physical (and as clean) as possible, while not being so aggressive as to take themselves out of the play. They will just have to grind New York into submission. That, and we need the Mason/Emery combo to be at least equal to Lundqvist more often than not.
- jmatchett383

Thats the way they should always play. Its hockey not basketball. Hitting and being physical are synonymous with the playoffs.

Wish they were starting tonight
- bird_dog_pa

I know what you mean.

still, giving Mason one more day can't hurt, right?

I don't feel any better after reading this. I'm very concerned with us playing the rangers. Lots of badfeelings.
- Flyersgod

Yeah, I'd feel better about winning a long series if we had home ice..The bad feelings i have on this are due to how they seem to shut down our top line in MSG. Without them going, we might not score a lot. Also, I think Hartnell and Simmonds need to make Lundqvist uncomfortable in net.

Thats the way they should always play. Its hockey not basketball. Hitting and being physical are synonymous with the playoffs.
- twotoekenn

yes. physicality is great. I love that they are an intimidating team. you just better have the talent to go along with it. I think that is where a lot of Flyers fans feel that they should progress a little bit in order to hang with the West. It's the drafting of players like Rinaldo and signing of players like Rosehill instead of searching for more offensively/defensively talented options that frustrate many fans.
You can go ahead and tell me that Rinaldo is good for whatever reasons, and I know he brings and energy when he goes out there and can knock another team off of their game, but he often comes with a pretty big price to pay that has cost them in many scenarios.

see the Anaheim Ducks

After sleeping on it, I hate the MacDonald contract more than I did yesterday. I guess on the eve of the playoffs starting, now isn't the time to worry about it.

After sleeping on it, I hate the MacDonald contract more than I did yesterday. I guess on the eve of the playoffs starting, now isn't the time to worry about it.
- PLindbergh31

Ha! Exactly -- it's always fair to question, because no one, no player, is perfect. There are some concerns.

But as you said...the playoffs are here. And one thing isn't in dispute: He's here now, and we definitely need that dude to play well, starting tomorrow