Image courtesy of Scott Audette/NHLI

St. Louis, Purcell Lead Lightning Past Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight at the Tampa Bay Times Forum by the score of 5-1 in Michael Leighton’s first start of 2013. Martin St. Louis had four assists and Teddy Purcell had a goal with two helpers, while Philly’s goalie stopped 21 of 26 shots from the opposition in the loss. Sean Couturier had the Flyers’ lone goal, as Max Talbot had the only assist. Anders Lindback may have allowed a soft girl early, but he did a great job to limit Philly to one goal, as he stopped 24 of the Flyers’ 25 shots. In …

Image c/o  Amanda Kurtz

Flyers return Laughton to Ontario Hockey League

On Sunday the Flyers returned 2012 first round draft pick Scott Laughton to the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League. With the lockout-shortened season, Laughton was allowed to play in five NHL games before it would officially signal the start of his entry-level contract (ELC). By returning him to Juniors before his sixth game, the Flyers effectively extend his ELC one year, and delay Laughton’s eligibility for restricted free agency. When faced with the same situation last year, albeit allowing 10 games instead of 5, the Flyers opted to keep the, then, 18 year old Sean Couturier. However, in …

Image c/o  Amanda Kurtz

Scott Laughton is not Sean Couturier, and maybe he shouldn’t stay with the Flyers

Any minute now word should trickle down about whether Scott Laughton will be staying with the Flyers for the foreseeable future, or if he will be returned to his Canadian junior club in Oshawa to continue his development and prolong the start of his entry-level contract (ELC).  As part of the shortened season, junior players can only play in five games before the decision must be made. The opinion on whether or not he should be sent back seems relatively split down the middle. Laughton’s supporters will argue that he’s been fantastic in his role, and been one of the …

Courtesy Lady Neat http://www.flickr.com/photos/neat1325

Facing an uphill battle up front

It’s hard to imagine a worse start to the season for the Flyers. With the schedule being so cramped, the Flyers found themselves on the menu for two home openers after starting the season with a tough loss to their in-state rivals Pittsburgh. Unfortunately for them, the damage has been caused by a host of issues throughout the line-up, and it seems to have festered with each passing game, adversely affecting the level of play in greater volumes as the madness unfolded. Now the Flyers are 0-3 and facing nothing but questions and the occasional Seth Jones quip. So where …

Image courtesy of Northjersey.com

Atlantic Watch: 1/19-1/22

This wasn’t the way the Philadelphia Flyers wanted to start the season, but there is still plenty of time to turn it around. After they opened the 2013 campaign with a loss at home to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Orange and Black lost a pair of road games in Buffalo and New Jersey to start the year on a three-game losing streak. Philly doesn’t just sit at the bottom of the division, they sit at the bottom of the league, as there are there are seven teams yet to record a point, but the Flyers are the only team to …