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Minor League Update: 4/9-4/16

The Adirondack Phantoms finished 10th in the Eastern Conference for the 2011-2012 regular season, as the club missed a playoff berth by five points. As they headed into the final week of the campaign with an outside chance to make the postseason, the Phantoms dropped two of their final three tilts to miss an opportunity to win the Calder Cup. On Friday night, the Phantoms traveled to the MassMutual Center and lost 4-2 to the Springfield Falcons (Columbus Blue Jackets). Wade MacLeod potted two goals in the midst of the Falcons’ three-goal third period including the game-winner at the 12:33 …

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Flyers Dominate Disgraceful Penguins, 8-4, Lead Series 3-0

The Philadelphia Flyers came out and beat the Pittsburgh Penguins today at the Wells Fargo Center 8-4 to move to within one victory of an Eastern Conference Semifinals’ appearance. After Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier stepped up for the Flyers in Games 1 and 2, it was Matt Read in Game 3, as the rookie put home his first two playoff goals in the NHL. His power-play goal late in the second period was the game-winner for Philly. “You look at a guy like Matt Read stepping up with the goals,” veteran Max Talbot said about Read before he commented …

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Couturier And Giroux Record Hat Tricks, Flyers Complete Another Comeback For 8-5 Win

Down 2-0, 3-1, 4-3, and 5-4 in tonight’s contest, the Flyers overcame every deficit they saw to ultimately win Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against the Pittsburgh Penguins at CONSOL Energy Center. Jaromir Jagr produced the game-winner 9:13 into the third period, while both Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux posted hat tricks to increase the Flyers’ lead to 2-0 in the series. Couturier added on an assist for a four-point night, while Giroux was credited with three assists for a six-point night — one which set a new franchise single-game playoff record. Max Talbot notched a short-handed goal …

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Voracek Drills Home Game-Winner In Overtime, Flyers Take Game One, 4-3

Trailing 3-0 after 20 minutes, the Philadelphia Flyers embarked on a comeback for the ages, rallying for a 4-3 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to open up this Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series on Wednesday. Jakub Voracek displayed hard work, and received some luck, on his game winner which halted the action 2:23 into the fourth period. The Flyers carried the momentum gained from their monstrous third period into the extra frame, as Voracek found himself in the corner of the Penguins’ defensive zone to start the series of plays that led to the deciding score. With a wrap-around pass …

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Atlantic Watch: 4/4-4/10

The Flyers finished their 2011-12 regular season with a pair of games that didn’t have any kind of effect on the standings, as they beat the Buffalo Sabres and lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s those same Penguins that the Flyers will play in the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, which starts tonight. Philly’s final home game of the regular season was also their final win, as they beat the visiting Sabres 2-1 on Thursday night. Ville Leino may have had a disappointing year, but he recorded his eighth of the year and second against the Flyers in the second period …

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Minor League Update: 4/2-4/8

With one week left in the AHL regular season, the Phantoms find themselves within reach of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Adirondack sits in 10th with 76 points, which is one less than both the eighth place Manchester Monarchs (Los Angeles Kings’ AHL affiliate) and ninth place Portland Pirates (Phoenix Coyotes). The Monarchs have a Game in Hand over both the Phantoms and Pirates, as Adirondack finishes the 2011-2012 season with a pair of home games. To start the week, the Phantoms beat the Albany Devils (New Jersey) 3-2 on Friday in Adirondack. As they entered …

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Penguins Finally Beat Flyers At CONSOL Energy Center 4-2

Today’s game may have not meant much in the standings, but the Flyers could have done two things in their 4-2 road loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins: remain perfect at the CONSOL Energy Center and keep Evgeni Malkin from reaching the 50-goal mark. Philly failed to do either, as Brayden Schenn and Jaromir Jagr tallied in the loss that dropped the Flyers’ record to 47-26-9 for the 2011-2012 regular season. “Wasn’t a good game, no question about it from both sides,” Jagr said. “You might have to face them seven times the next two weeks. The loss, as well as Malkin’s …

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Flyers Beat Sabres, Begin Playoffs At Pittsburgh

For the second straight season, the Flyers had a hand in ending the Buffalo Sabres’ hopes to win the Stanley Cup, as Philadelphia beat the Northeast Division club 2-1 tonight at the Wells Fargo Center. Matt Read produced the game-winning goal late in the third period, while Ilya Bryzgalov stopped 25-of-26 shots for his first win since March 24. Read carried the puck through the neutral zone and blew by Robyn Regehr at the Sabres’ blue line before he headed towards Ryan Miller all alone. As he moved left-to-right, Read remembered Miller’s poke check from earlier in the contest and released a shot before …

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Atlantic Watch: 3/28-4/3

In their four-game schedule this week, the Flyers posted a record of 2-1-1 and picked up what might be there most intense victory of the 2011-2012 regular season with their win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. It’s those same Pens that the Flyers trail by three points for fourth in the conference and the chance for home-ice advantage in the clubs’ first-round playoff series. The Orange and Black still have a shot for fourth, but they’ll need to beat a team fighting for their playoff lives along with the Pens this week. The Broad Street Bullies started off the week with …

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Rangers Score Four In First Period, Sweep Flyers With 5-3 Win

A four-goal first period for the New York Rangers helped them hold on for a 5-3 win over the Flyers tonight at the Wells Fargo Center. Five different players scored for New York, while Henrik Lundqvist picked up his career-best 39th win of the season — six of them coming at the expense of the Orange and Black. “The last 15 minutes of the first period wasn’t good at all,” Kimmo Timonen said. “A couple of bad breakdowns in the defensive end. The start wasn’t that bad.” Ryan McDonagh, Brian Boyle, Artem Anisimov lit the lamp in the opening 20 …