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Point/Counterpoint: The other side of Shanabanning

Welcome to the newest edition of “Point/Counterpoint,” where a pair of Flyers Faithful scribes present both sides of one particular issue with their own unique view and flair. This week, Nick D. and Bob H. square off over whether or not players who are constant victims of questionable hits should also feel the wrath of Brendan Shanahan. First up, Nick: This season has seen a marked change in how the National Hockey League deals with infractions that are deemed suspension worthy. Shanahan has been doling out suspensions in an effort to change behavior, not just discipline players for their actions. …

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Good News/Bad News

First, the good news… Ilya Bryzgalov was rightfully honored for the tear he’d been on for the last month,   named this morning as the National Hockey League’s First Star for the month of March. Bryzgalov enjoyed the finest span in his brief Philly tenure, going 10-2-1 with a 1.43 goals-against average, .947 save percentage and a league-best four shutouts. The 31-year-old Russian won seven consecutive starts to begin March, and posted his four whitewashes in a five-start span in the middle portion of the month. In the process, Bryzgalov set a new franchise record for scoreless play at 249 minutes, …

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Penguins Get Calls, Flyers Win 6-4 In Pitt

In a game of importance for home-ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs, the Philadelphia Flyers walked into Pittsburgh today and left with a 6-4 victory. “We haven’t talked about home-ice or the Rangers, or the Penguins or the Senators. We talked about the two points. That’s really all we can control right now,” said Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette. “Eventually we’ll either have home-ice or we won’t.” Not only did they move to within one point of the Pens in the standings, the visitors overcame numerous non-calls from the officials and drew an end-of-the-game line brawl and hissy …

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Spezza, Alfredsson Lead Sens To Shootout Win In Philly

Despite a three-goal deficit after the first 20 minutes, the Flyers were still able to earn a point in their 4-3 shootout loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday afternoon. After Philly scored three goals in the second period to tie the game, the Sens won the shootout thanks to goals from Milan Michalek and Jason Spezza. Spezza, Daniel Alfredsson and Chris Neil tallied for the Senators, who moved four points ahead of eighth-place Washington. Craig Anderson turned in a superb performance, making 36 saves and rescuing his club from the prospect of taking only one point away. “Our team …

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Flyers Leading Semi-Charmed Kind Of Life, Roll Over Leafs 7-1

Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds combined for four of the Flyers’ goals tonight, as they handled the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 7-1 win on the road. Sergei Bobrovsky ended a personal four-game losing streak with a 16-save performance for his first win since early February. Since Jonas Gustavsson got hurt in warm-ups to tonight’s game, Jussi Rynnas made his first NHL start. Unfortunately for Rynnas, the Flyers offense lit him up. Following a pair of goals in each of the first two periods, the Orange and Black put home three tallies in the final 20 minutes for their second three-goal …

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Atlantic Watch: 3/21-3/27

In their three home games this week, the Flyers were able to clinch a playoff spot with a pair of wins over teams currently sitting outside the postseason scenario. Unfortunately, Ilya Bryzgalov suffered a chip fracture in his right foot. Hopefully for Philly, Bryzgalov will be back by the end of next week when the club takes on the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers as part of their four-game schedule over the next few days. On Thursday, the Orange and Black earned two points against the Washington Capitals with a 2-1 shootout win at the Wells Fargo Center. Wayne Simmonds potted …

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Roloson’s Goaltending And Carle’s Goof Lead To Flyers’ Loss

The Flyers may have outshot the Tampa Bay Lightning 38-15 in tonight’s contest, but Dwayne Roloson stopped 35 to lead the Bolts to a 5-3 win over the Flyers. It didn’t help that Matt Carle flubbed a routine play behind the Flyers’ net to hand Tampa Bay the game-winning goal in the third period, as the Lightning beat Philly for a third time in the four-game series. With just under three minutes left in the third period, the Flyers were looking for the game-tying goal when Carle skated behind Ilya Bryzgalov’s cage. Without any pressure from the Lightning’s forwards, Carle …

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Briere Scores Twice, Flyers Beat Habs 4-1

For the first time since his hat-trick on January 7th against the Ottawa Senators, Danny Briere registered a goal that wasn’t an empty-netter in the Flyers’ 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens tonight. Briere’s two goals came at a crucial time in Philly’s victory, as his pair of power-play tallies in the second period helped the Flyers win their third game of the season over the Canadiens. “I just want to find a way to keep scoring goals,” said Briere. “It’s been an up and down season but the team keeps winning and that is all that matters.” Special teams played …

Flyers' Giroux celebrates his game winning goal in front of Blackhawks' Niemi during overtime in Game 3 of the NHL Stanley Cup final hockey series in Philadelphia

They’re Coming: Playoffs

Less than a month away, April 11th. The playoffs are coming and there’s nothing we can do to stop them. Would we even want to? Playoff hockey is the best part. Even people I know who aren’t avid hockey people, but enjoy sports, will watch playoff hockey. It’s when urgency and desperation is at its height and some of the most amazing things can happen. The celebration after Mike Richards’ goal against the Montreal Canadiens in the 5th game of the 3rd round in 2010 will forever stick in our minds. It was a moment of awesome greatness. We see …

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Read And Simmonds Score in Shootout, Flyers Beat Caps 2-1

After an early goal from Alex Ovechkin, the Flyers were able to rally back for a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals in a shootout tonight at the Wells Fargo Center. The victory was the third of the season against the Caps and the Flyers’ fourth in a shootout. Following the opening round of the shootout, where Matt Read and Matt Hendricks scored for their respective teams, Wayne Simmonds beat Braden Holtby glove-side on the Flyers’ fourth turn for the extra point. To close it out, Ilya Bryzgalov, who made 30 saves in the game, denied Troy Brouwer for his third shootout …