Photo courtesy of CSNPhilly.com

Around the Net March 8, 2013: Flyers embarrassed; Chris Pronger speaks, more

Welcome to Around the Net, a weekly look through linkage at the Philadelphia Flyers and other news from around the NHL. Flyers blow 4-1 lead,lose Scott Hartnell summed it up: [Philly.com] [Broad Street Hockey] [The 700 Level] [The Checking Line] [Hockeybuzz-Bill Meltzer] Pronger speaks Chris Pronger spoke yesterday and hasn’t given up on a return: [CSNPhilly] [The Hockey News] Around the NHL A look at last night’s games: [Puck Daddy] Get your Philadelphia Flyers tickets here. That’s all for this week, join me next week for more links from around the web on the Flyers and the NHL.       

brayden-schenn-interference-sidney-crosby

Flyers Hockey: The Team

Since its early years, the Philadelphia Flyers have been known for a certain type of hockey — hard-hitting and gritty with a “never say die” attitude. Just before the 1969-1970 season, team owner Ed Snider was fed up with the team being manhandled in the playoffs, and told his then-General Manager Bud Poile to acquire players to make the team bigger and stronger. Thus began the reign of the Broad Street Bullies, a group of players — with Bobby Clarke and Dave Schultz at the helm — who were not only big and tough, but skilled. And feared. Now, that …

Bryzgalov's had some difficulties in pulling off the poke check in the past.

Crashing the Crease: Bryz and the Art of the Poke Check

Tuesday night’s game at Madison Square Garden was quite possibly the single most glaring example of one of Bryzgalov’s greatest shortcomings: he is not particularly good at the poke check. Playing the poke check correctly is the epitome of a very fine line for any goaltender. A successful poke requires quick and decisive action: there is no time to spare in deciding to go for the poke, but at the same time it can’t be done too early – or “telegraphed” – lest the forward read it and simply walk around it. Against the Rangers, Bryzgalov’s poke attempts were telegraphed, …

Briere

Breaking down the Bullies: Keeping track of the mistakes

It was so close. The now mythical three-game winning streak, a feat not yet accomplished by the Flyers in 2013, was just 41 minutes away in Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers.  Sitting at .500 after back-to-back wins, the first period produced both offense and optimism; it seemed like all was right in the land of the orange and black. Then THE line change happened: you know, that awful, inexcusable line change with less than a minute to go in the period that allowed Ryan Callahan to tie the game. Two goals from Rick Nash later, the team …

Image courtesy of Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images

Atlantic Watch: Rangers on Winning Streak, Islanders on Point Streak, Devils Need Brodeur, Players Lost on Waivers

The Philadelphia Flyers started the week with a pair of wins, but ended the seven-day stretch on a sour note with a frustrating loss in New York last night. The Orange and Black need to grab some points this week, as two of their three contests over the next seven days are against the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Boston Bruins. Philly started the week with a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday. Claude Giroux scored just 23 seconds in and Wayne Simmonds converted on a power-play chance a little over four minutes into …

Image courtesy of Matthew West

College Hockey Roundup: UMass-Lowell owns Hockey East; Penn State Holds NCAA Attendance Mark

Two weeks ago, the Hockey East conference appeared to be taking shape with the surprise Merrimack Warriors leading the pack. No. 6 Boston College, No. 4 New Hampshire and No. 18 Providence have battled to stay among the conference’s elite throughout the season, but one team written off by many by December 1st has charged to the front of the line. No. 7 UMass-Lowell entered the 2012-2013 campaign with a new, confident swagger after first-year head coach Norm Bazin orchestrated the greatest NCAA Division I turnaround by a rookie skipper. Bazin returned to his alma mater in 2011 in an …

Image courtesy of www.raiderhockey.com

Draft Eligibles 2013: Prince Albert’s Josh Morrissey could be a fit for Flyers

The Prince Albert Raiders don’t get the same type of fanfare as their Western Hockey League counterparts in Portland, Edmonton, and Kelowna largely because they are so far north in the prairies of Saskatchewan. The Raider’s though are quietly having a solid year and currently sit fifth place in the WHL’s Eastern Conference. Last year, Prince Albert finished dead last in all of the WHL. One reason for the team’s turnaround this year is the emergence of defenseman Josh Morrissey. The 6-foot, 175-pound blueliner started of the season with 14 points in 16 games and currently has 15 goals, 28 …

Harry Z

Around the Net March 5, 2013:Tye McGinn update; Flyers-Rangers preview, more

Welcome to Around the Net, a weekly look through linkage at the Philadelphia Flyers and other news from around the NHL. In case you missed it… Tye McGinn is not in good shape at the moment: [Broad Street Hockey] Harry Z got four games for his demolition of Mike Lundin: [The Checking Line] Flyers are finally getting healthy: [Philly.com] Flyers face a tough week, starting with the Rangers tonight: [The 700 Level] [Hockeybuzz-Bill Meltzer] [CSNPhilly] Go on a road trip, get some Philadelphia Flyers tickets here. That’s all for today, join me Friday for more links from around the web on the Flyers …

940-nhl-nhlpa-8col

CBA Explained: Cap Advantage Recapture penalty

This week CBA Explained will dive into one of the more unique aspects of the new collective bargaining agreement; the “Cap Advantage Recapture” provision. It is designed to penalize teams for signing players to “back-diving” contracts that serve to reduce a player’s cap hit. It has the potential to haunt teams that signed players to these cap circumventing deals, even if those players were traded away. This led to some worry for Flyers fans in the cases of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. As stated in the summary of terms: “For all existing SPCs with terms in excess of six (6) …

Image courtesy of www.kitchenerrangers.com

Stolarz, Alderson locked in; Sestito goodbye, Leighton sent down

The Philadelphia Flyers were a busy organization on Friday. First, they announced the signings of free agent winger Brandon Alderson and goaltender Anthony Stolarz to entry-level contracts. In 59 games played with the Sault. Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League, Alderson has totaled 25 goals 32 assists for 57 points. The Oakville, Ontario native is listed as 6-foot-5, and 212 pounds and brings much needed size to the winger position in typical North American Flyer fashion.  Last year with the Greyhounds, Alderson registered 30 points in 69 games played. Prior to playing for Sault. Ste. Marie, the 21-year …