Flight Plan: North and South East

By Nick D
Posted on 03/31/2013 at 11:00 am

The Philadelphia Flyers are feeling a little bit better about themselves today as they beat the Boston Bruins yesterday by a score of 3-1. Despite losing three of their last four games, they gained a point in two of them and are currently just four points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. This week will see them host the Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens, before travelling north to visit the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Winnipeg Jets. You can purchase tickets to all Philadelphia Flyers games here: http://www.tiqiq.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers-tickets/?publisherid=1260333 Unfortunately for the Flyers, they got hit …

Image courtesy of Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images

Atlantic Watch: Flyers keep slipping, Penguins keep winning, Rangers and Devils hanging on to playoff spots, Islanders within reach of postseason

By Craig F
Posted on 03/27/2013 at 11:00 am

The Philadelphia Flyers were the only team in the Atlantic Division not to win a game this week, as they went 0-1-1 against the Pens and Rangers. Things don’t get any easier for the Flyers over the next week, as they take on a division leader and two teams fighting to make the postseason. After a six-day break, the Flyers dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the CONSOL Energy Center on Sunday. Tyler Kennedy, who missed the Pens’ game against the New York Islanders due to being sick, ripped one over Ilya Bryzgalov’s right shoulder with 2:27 left …

It’s time to say goodbye to dump and chase and emphasize puck possession

By Kevin Christmann
Posted on 03/18/2013 at 11:00 am

I’ve always been the kind of person to ask “why”. I tend to not just accept things as they are presented to me, but rather, I’d like to understand the nuances behind whatever it may be. I apply this same questioning to the game of hockey; and of late, particularly why the Flyers, and the game of ice hockey in general, can’t seem to rid itself of dump and chase and strongly emphasize puck possession. If you know me personally, you know that I’ve played roller hockey my entire life, into my young adulthood. I played ECRHA and AIHL hockey, …

Flight Plan: Home Sweet Home

By Nick D
Posted on 02/24/2013 at 11:00 am

The Philadelphia Flyers went 3-1-0 this week, capping off a six-game road trip with a win over the Pittsburgh Penguins by a score of 6-5. They lost the back-to-back game with the Florida Panthers, but beat the Winnipeg Jets, 5-3. More importantly, the Flyers are now in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 20 points and play their next three games at home, where their record is 5-2-1. This week the Orange and Black will host James van Riemsdyk and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, and Daniel Alfredsson and the Ottawa Senators. Get your …

Image courtesy of Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

Atlantic Watch: Devils top the East, Rangers on winning streak, Islanders on losing streak

By Craig F
Posted on 02/13/2013 at 11:00 am

The Philadelphia Flyers were able to extend their point streak to four games this week, as they earned a shootout loss to the Florida Panthers and an overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Although they were dominated in Toronto, the Orange and Black did a good job of rebounding to earn their second road win of the year last night in Winnipeg. The Flyers continue their road trip with three of their six games away from the Wells Fargo Center coming in the next seven days. Philadelphia had a lead after 40 minutes on Thursday, but they only came away …

Image courtesy of Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

Atlantic Watch: 1/23-1/29

By Craig F
Posted on 01/30/2013 at 11:00 am

The Philadelphia Flyers started the week with a pair of wins, but a pair of lackadaisical efforts led to two losses where they were outscored 7-2. The Orange and Black find themselves at the bottom of the division with a trio of meetings against Southeast Division opponents over the next seven days. With a record of 0-3-0 and playing a team they went 0-6-0 against in 2011-2012, the Flyers’ 2-1 win over the visiting New York Rangers wasn’t expected on Thursday night. After a scoreless opening stanza, the tandem of Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek registered their first goals of …

Flight Plan: Week of 01.28.2013

By Nick D
Posted on 01/28/2013 at 11:00 am

The Philadelphia Flyers had an even-up week as they won two games against the New York Rangers and the Florida Panthers, and lost two games against the New Jersey Devils and the Tampa Bay Lightning. As it sits, the Flyers are owners of a 2-4-0 record with four points, which is good enough for last in the Atlantic Division. To boot, any good vibes that may have been building for the club in two near complete game wins over the Rangers and Panthers, were quickly washed away as Philadelphia was easily handled by Tampa Bay in a 5-1 loss where …

Flight Plan 12.18.2011

By Nick D
Posted on 12/18/2011 at 12:00 pm

The Philadelphia Flyers had won seven straight and were rolling along despite missing their best forward, their best defenseman, and a few others. Saturday afternoon, that all came to a head. The Flyers were blanked, blown out by the Boston Bruins in the Flyers’ final home game of 2011, by a score of 6-0. If that wasn’t sobering enough, Philadelphia has almost certainly lost another center to a concussion as 19-year old rookie Sean Couturier took a shot in the back of the head from Kimmo Timonen. If, or more likely when, Couturier is diagnosed with a concussion that will …

Then and Now: Janne Niinimaa

By Craig F
Posted on 06/15/2011 at 10:00 am

What do Chris Pronger, Kimmo Timonen, and Janne Niinimaa all have in common? They were all drafted in the 1993 NHL Entry draft. How many were drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers? Only Janne Niinimaa. Pronger went second, to the Hartford Whalers, while Timonen could be considered the hidden gem of the draft going 250nd to the Los Angeles Kings. Well, we know what Pronger and Timonen are doing with their careers now, but what about Niinimaa? Before the aforementioned question is answered, let us remember Niinimaa’s brief time spent in Philly. Spending three seasons with Jokerit in the SM-liiga after …

Flight Plan Week of 03.13.2011

By Nick D
Posted on 03/13/2011 at 3:31 pm

Ever hear that saying, “take one step forward and two steps back”? How about “two steps forward and one step back… off a cliff”? That’s what the Philadelphia Flyers did as you would think that last Sunday was rock bottom for the guys in Orange and Black when they took a 7-0 beating at the hands of the New York Rangers, but no. The Flyers were able to take any and all progress they had made in their previous two games against the Edmonton Oilers and the Toronto Maple Leafs and not only squander it, but revert back to a …