Matt Read scored with just 18.6 seconds left in regulation to help Ilya Bryzgalov beat his former team as the Flyers edged the Coyotes 2-1. Bryzgalov limited his former team to a single goal on 31 shots, while Read registered his second game-winning score within the last three games. Claude Giroux provided his 12th assist of the season with the primary helper on James van Riemsdyk’s tally which opened the scoring in the second period, which gives him the team lead in that category. Mikkel Boedker lit the lamp early in the third, and Mike Smith stopped 40 Flyers shots, but it was not enough …
Atlantic Watch: 11/9-11/15
Who would have thought a week that featured three games against mediocre Southeast Division opponents could provide such entertaining hockey (no sarcasm) and debate? An unusual scene in Tampa Bay, resulting in the equivalent of a puck-possession staring contest, has caused such a stir that the general managers needed to talk about it at their meetings, multiple short-handed penalty-shot goals were awarded AND converted, Braydon Coburn fought a former Philly scrapper in addition to scoring a goal, and the Flyers almost (I know I’m stretching it here) blew a two-goal lead in the final ten seconds of a game. Let’s start with …
Connolly Scores In OT To Give Lightning 2-1 Win
On a night where Chris Pronger and the Flyers’ defense attempted to throw the Lightning off their game, it was Tampa Bay who had the last laugh as they beat Philly, 2-1, in overtime. Marc-Andre Bergeron tied the game in the middle of the third period setting up Brett Connolly’s game-winner exactly halfway through OT. Dwayne Roloson had 14 saves tonight in the win, while Ilya Bryzgalov posted 22 saves in a what turned out to be a game played like a stalemate between two warring generals. Pronger returned after an absence of just over 2 weeks, and in the first period, he …
Flyers Shred Blue Jackets 9-2
What a doozy! In Jeff Carter’s return to Philadelphia… Er, anyway, even Carter couldn’t have helped his new team survive the Flyers’ 9-2 thrashing of Columbus last night. The game, which the home team controlled from the start, was a real crowd pleaser. It featured a little bit of everything and a whole lotta scoring. The Flyers started off the first period fast, scoring two within the first 3 1/2 minutes, and worked up a staggering 5-0 advantage before it was all over. Among these were a pretty power play goal by Jaromir Jagr, a great dexterous goal by Max Talbot and a goal from the blue …
Flyers Hang On, Win 3-2 In Buffalo
Despite racking up an early three-goal lead and chasing Ryan Miller in the process, the Flyers saw all but one of those early scores go to waste, holding on to beat the Sabres 3-2 tonight in Buffalo. With the exception of two unlucky bounces, Ilya Bryzgalov provided another stellar performance by making 29 saves, while ex-Flyer Ville Leino had no points in his first game against Philly since departing as a free agent. Nine different Flyers registered a point tonight with Sean Couturier, James van Riemsdyk, and Scott Hartnell providing the goals within the first seven minutes of the game. Miller, who was yanked …
Atlantic Watch: 10/26-11/1
The week opened up roughly, but it ended smoothly as the Flyers seem to be moving towards playing better after a 5-1 win at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. Giving up 14 goals in back-to-back nights, the Flyers lost in inexplicable fashion to two currently horrendous teams, who are both experiencing difficulties in play and personnel. Rebounding back from those two horrific losses, the Flyers spanked Carolina with both Danny Briere and Chris Pronger out of the lineup. The Flyers began the real Halloween horror show by suffering a 5-1 defeat in Montreal last Wednesday, giving the lowly Habs their first road win …
Atlantic Watch: 10/19-10/25
To say this was a rough week for the Flyers would be an understatement. They managed to pull out one victory this week, but it came at the cost of losing Chris Pronger to a nasty eye injury. Embarrassing losses to the Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues provided a rough taste of reality for the Flyers, a team that had yet to experience much adversity since their hectic roster shuffle in the offseason. Despite all the negative aspects of this week for Philly, the Flyers are still second in the Atlantic Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference with 11 …
Flyers Fall Apart, Lose To Caps 5-2
Failing to tie the game at two after dominating the second period, the Flyers allowed three goals in a 2:30 minute span to start the third giving the Washington Capitals a 5-2 road win on Thursday night. Alex Ovechkin was the first star of the game as he scored two goals on three shots. Roman Hamrlik and Joel Ward recorded their first goals as members of the Caps, while Tomas Vokoun stopped 40 saves as Washington increased their franchise-best start to 6-0-0. Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier scored the goals for Philly, which got just 23 saves from Ilya Bryzgalov. …
Some thoughts through game three
The Flyers quickly dispelled concerns about stumbling out of the gate and needing time to jell. Through three games, they’ve amassed six points and a league-best +5 goal differential. So what trends are starting to form? Claude Giroux is proving me wrong for saying that his offensive output might drop from last season. He has three goals in as many games, which leads the league, and he also leads all forwards with five points (Kris Letang has six points through four games). Defensive stalwarts, Chris Pronger and Kimmo Timonen lead the team in ice time, averaging 23:44 and 23:30, respectively. I …
What about Kimmo?
Early reports speculating about the potential 18th captain of the Philadelphia Flyers show that it is down to a two-horse race between veterans Chris Pronger and Daniel Briere. Conspicuously missing from that race is veteran defenseman Kimmo Timonen. Timonen, one of the longest-tenured Flyers, is a shining example of what a team should look for in a captain. He plays hard and through injuries. He’s honest and not afraid to speak up to say what he feels, even if the sentiment is unpopular. He’s a dark horse and an often overlooked star who gives 100 percent every night, although the spotlight is …