Crashing the Crease: Know Your Enemy! Who are the best shootout forwards?

By Kevin A
Posted on 02/21/2013 at 9:00 am

Last night, Patrick Kane scored yet another shootout goal that displayed a huge amount of finesse and once again reminded Flyers fans that the draft lottery is the devil. Even though Schneider got his pad on Kane’s attempt and initially appeared to stop it, the puck bounced off of him and in the net, adding yet another tally to Kane’s career numbers. It wasn’t as fancy as his numerous SO goals, but it got me thinking aloud: is Kane the most dangerous shootout forward for a goaltender to face? The immediate counter argument that sprang up was “no, Datsyuk is.” …

Five-on-five numbers indicate the Flyers just aren’t very good

By Kevin Christmann
Posted on 02/18/2013 at 11:00 am

It’s been a schedule full of disappointments through 16 games in this 2013 NHL season. The Flyers sit in last place in the Atlantic Division, and 12th in the Eastern Conference; but they are only two points out of the eight spot. It’s no secret that the special teams have, and should, receive their fair share of the blame. The power play comes in at eighteenth in the league, while the penalty kill ranks sixteenth. All of that, while the Flyers lead the league in minor penalties, and have had the seventh most power play opportunities. It’s not exactly a recipe for success. …

Ilya Bryzgalov #30 of the Philadelphia Flyers stops a shot by Chad LaRose #59 of the Carolina Hurricanes on February 2, 2013 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3. Image courtesy of Elsa/Getty Images North America.

Crashing the Crease: Has Bryzgalov Really Been Better This Season?

By Justin Brennan
Posted on 02/14/2013 at 11:00 am

As we sit here in the midst of two days without Flyers hockey, let us take pause to reminisce about the old NHL: The forgotten, hazy days of yesteryear, in which teams had more than 21 hours between games, players skated on sharpened butter knives and, in one small corner of the league, an eccentric Russian goalie named Ilya Bryzgalov hitchhiked from Phoenix to Philadelphia and found a new providence, playing hockey for our boys in orange and black. This was a hopeful and optimistic time, one in which that entire City of Brotherly Love ever so quietly gazed with …

Breaking Down the Bullies: Is this the .500 life?

By Marc Siciliano
Posted on 02/13/2013 at 1:00 pm

The Flyers have played 14 games to this point, but if we have learned anything, it is that we know nothing. A mere seven points separate fourth place (Toronto) and last place (Washington). The team has scored less than two goals on TEN separate occasions, while compiling 19 in the other four. Claude Giroux trails Kimmo Timonen in points, and Tye McGinn has the same amount of goals. They feel like a team that is struggling, but they boast a 4-1-1 record over their last six contests. Now sitting at 6-7-1 overall, is this lack of consistency going to keep …

Assembling a Stanley Cup winner; breaking down the last seven Cup teams

By Kevin Christmann
Posted on 02/11/2013 at 11:00 am

It’s no secret that after losing the 2004-2005 NHL season due to a lockout, the dynamic of assembling an NHL team changed dramatically. With the implementation of a salary cap, there were a myriad of new limitations and restrictions placed on teams and how they spend their money. Rich teams could no longer try to buy themselves a Stanley Cup, while poor teams felt like they could finally compete. But is there a formula for building a Stanley Cup winning team? When you have no restrictions on how much money you can spend, there’s really limited concern about spending wisely. …

Ilya Bryzgalov - Courtesy of Frenz Photography

Crashing the Crease: Bryzgalov’s Depth

By Kevin A
Posted on 02/07/2013 at 11:00 am

After the first week of the season, Ilya Bryzgalov’s first report card had him pegged as playing well despite not getting results. His play since then has only continued to impress – if not improve altogether – and in lieu of the Flyers matching a season-high two game win streak with Bryzgalov’s back-to-back victories against Carolina and Tampa Bay, the results are starting to come. At one point a week ago, Ilya was holding onto the ignominious position of most losses among NHL goaltenders despite possessing a rather strong 2.40 GAA and .920 SV%. Since then? He’s gotten a couple …

ECHL Game Recap: Trenton Titans vs. Gwinnett Gladiators

By Justin Brennan
Posted on 02/07/2013 at 7:44 am

The Trenton Titans took on the Gwinnett Gladiators on Wednesday night as they sought to move within three games of .500 on the season and get a measure of revenge for a 4-2 loss in December. From the outset, it was clear tonight would be a back-and-forth affair. Unfortunately for Trenton, they again came up a little short, falling 3-2 to the Gladiators. The first period started out choppy, with the Titans (18-23-3-3) and Gladiators (29-18-2-1) exchanging icings and neither team finding a way to establish much sustained pressure. In what was probably the Titans’ best foray into the offensive …

Breaking Down the Bullies: Home Cookin’

By Marc Siciliano
Posted on 02/06/2013 at 1:00 pm

Though only three games were played, the Flyers have gained a lot since last Wednesday. It was only a week ago when the Flyers were seemingly a few losses away from the start of a shortened push towards a lottery pick, but luck is finally beginning to change for the Orange and Black on their home ice. In addition to getting the bounces, they are finally getting some wins. Even better for the Flyers, those wins have been earned for a variety of reasons. The Flyers kicked off their week with a tough loss to the Capitals that looked to …

CBA Explained: Contract variability

By Kevin Christmann
Posted on 02/04/2013 at 1:00 pm

This week we are taking a look at contract variability which is essentially the amount that salary can vary from one year to the next within a player’s contract. Previously, only the 100 Percent Rule existed, which essentially states that salary can’t vary by more than 50% of the lesser salary in the first two years of the contract. Now the summary of terms states: “For multi-year SPCs that are “Front-Loaded Contracts,” i.e., where the average of the Player Salary and Bonuses in the first one-half of the contract is greater than the AA over the full term of the …

Flyers vs. Hurricanes: A brief first period assessment

By Marcello De Feo
Posted on 02/02/2013 at 8:11 pm

The first period of tonight’s game was sloppy, fast paced, and loaded with ups and downs. Here are some noteworthy items: The defensemen are playing terrible defensively but they are also jumping into the play, generating offense and scoring goals. Obviously, there needs to be more balance here but, if the defense can spark the forwards, less pressure will be put on the defense and it will all work out in the long run. Jake Voracek had his strongest period of the season. If the Flyers are to turn this season around, he needs to be a big part of …

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