3-31-11 Thrashers @ Flyers Preview

 

The last time these two teams meet, the Flyers played like they didn't give a shit, and they had a few reasons to give a shit. Like winning the Atlantic, winning the East, or pride. Just five days before that game, the Flyers lost in embarrassing fashion to the Thrashers, giving up four goals in the third period and losing in a shootout.  Lets hope the Flyers do a better job of defending their home turf this time around.

The Flyers are coming off of a good performance against their divisional rival Penguins and are looking to build on some solid play, but they have had a hard time finding an acceptable intensity level in recent weeks. A perfect example of this lack of intensity is the number of power plays the team has earned over the last two weeks. In their last seven games, the Flyers have averaged 2.1 power plays per game, and three of those games only had one power play opportunity. The team simply hasn't been working hard enough to force the other team to commit a penalty.

Look for the Hartnell-Briere-Leino line to continue its good play tonight. They have been the most productive line against the Thrashers this season.  Briere and Leino both have three goals and five points against the Thrashers this season, with Hartnell picking up three assists. If the Flyers' good habits are to carry over from the Pens game, I expect this line to be the one setting the example.

The Thrashers' playoff dreams are on the line tonight. An L tonight would close the door on a disappointing season. Even though their chance of making the playoffs is a long shot, I don't expect them to let it slip away without a fight. The Flyers could have their hands full tonight it they slip back into some of the bad habits that we have seen lately, but I expect them to build off the momentum they gained beating the Pens two nights ago. Flyers pick up the two points tonight 1-4.

3-17-11 Flyers @ Thrashers InGame Recap

1st Period
Turnovers Sloppy start lacking the jump I was hoping for -1
No Shots on Goal - Five minutes in and not a single shot on goal -1
1st goal - Stapleton just blew past Giroux and beat Boosh on a shoot he should have saved -3
Giroux - Claude makes up for getting beat on the goal with some fancy stick work in close +2
Forecheck - Good pressure on the forecheck generates a decent cycle and a couple of shots +1
Good Pressure - Still trying to generate a coupe of great scoring chances +1
Extra Pass - They are still looking for the extra pass instead of putting the puck on het and fighting for recbounds -1
Slash - That is probably the weakest slashing call I have ever seen -/+
Penalty Kill #1 - Excellent PK against a good power play unit to prevent the Thrashers from regaining the lead in the last minutes of the first period +1

As I mentioned in the preview, I thought the team would come into tonight's game with something to prove, but they didn't hit the ice with half of the jump I thought they would. They got off to a slow start and had a couple of bad turnovers. They seemed to pick up the pace after the Thrashers took the lead, but let then seemed to loose focus again as the period moved on. It was a better first period than they played against the Panthers, but still not anywhere close to what this team is capable of. -1

2nd Period
Blind Drop Pass - Giroux makes a stupid blind drop pass to 3 Thrashers players in stead of putting the puck deep -1
Carcillo Fight - He tried to start one in the first but failed, lets see if it works like it did on Tuesday +1
Didn't Work - Flyers still look sloppy and Thrashers dominated in the Flyers' zone to earn a goal -3
Uniterested - They look completely uninterested in this game. One guy per line is trying while the other float. -1
Odd Man Rushes - They Flyers are giving up more than they should becuase the forwards are not getting back to hep -1
1st Shot on Goal - Seven minutes in -1
Power Play #1 - The PP started good but then quickly deteriorated. Atlanta's PK is horrid, the Flyers should scored. -1
Briere - Flyers take advantage of a bad play by the goalie and tie the game up. +1
Good Cycle - Leino-Briere-Hartnell generate a good scoring chance off the best Flyers cycle of the game +1
Trailing again - The Flyers continue to get out worked by the Thrashers -2
Leino Takes a Dive - If you can't out work them you might as well dive to get the advantage +/-

Leino taking a dive pretty much sums up that period. The Flyers are currently looking for the easy way to win instead of working for it. The forecheck has been non existent for the majority of the game, the Flyers are making lazy plays that lead to turnovers and failed clears, and look generally uninterested in the game for long stretches. The Flyers only have 12 shots on goal up to this point. The Flyers couldn't hold a lead against the Thrasher a few days ago, lets see if they can come from behind. -7

3rd Period
Power Play #2 - Dump the fucking puck in! Couple of good chances, but no goal. -1
Shots from the Point - Flyers are getting pucks on net from the point. Good scoring chances +1
Timonen - Couple of really good defensive plays along with a couple of failed clears +/-
Penalty Kill #2 - Not the best kill, but a kill none the less +1
Penalty Kill #3 - Better job on the kill that time. +1
Hartnell - Misses the open net off a great move by Leino. Not the easiest shot, but makable. -1
Getting Outworked - Bad turnovers on cute passes and getting beat to all the loose pucks -1
Team Me - Players are now trying to do everything theselves instead of using their teamates -1
Sustained Pressure - Flyers generate some pressure for the first time in about 10 minutes +1
Good Cycle - Flyers start to work in the last 4 minutes +1
Tied Up - The Flyers actually forecechk and low and behold they generate a goal. Where the fuck was this the rest of the game +2

The team is just lazy. They put forth the effort in the last 2 minutes and earn a goal. If they tried that hard the rest of the game they could have been up by six goals. Glad they get rewarded for not playing for the majority of the game. +3

Overtime
Boosh -Makes a good save to prolong the game +1

Shootout
Flyers Lose - -1


Total 
-5

3-17-11 Flyers @ Thrashers Preview

It's only been four days since the worst melt down of the season for a Flyers team that finally hit a couple of potholes on their ride to the playoff, and they already have an opportunity to make it right. If this team has an ounce of pride, they should be highly motivated to come out and prove to themselves, the Thrashers, and their fans that Saturday's game was an anomaly.

Since their last meeting, the Thrashers lost another game to the Devil's, which dropped them to 12th in the standings and six points out of the playoffs. The Thrashers have 12 games left and would consider this season to be a major disappointment if they failed to make the playoffs after being in sixth place at the midpoint of the season. They will be extremely desperate for these two points and they should be extremely confident that they can get them.

The Flyers are in the midst of a 16 game streak where their inconsistent play has yielded them eight wins and wight loses (8-7-1). The teams downfall over those games has been a lack of focus, which has resulted in few blown leads in the third period. The team stops playing the way that earned them the lead and resorts to making lazy plays instead of hustling to make the right play.

I once again don't know what to expect out of this team, but I do know what I want. I want to see a team that is ready to rectify its inept showing against this Thrashers team in the third period of Saturday's game. I want to see a team that is dedicated to working its ass off to get in on the forecheck and getting back to help out the D in the neutral zone. I want to see a team that is ready to prove that they want to hold on to first place in the Atlantic and in the East. Do I think we will see that team? Yes. I think the Thrashers will put up a fight, but the Flyers should skate out of Atlanta with the win. 5-2.

3-12-11 Thrasher at Flyers Pregame

After losing in the last minute of overtime to the Devils last night, the Atlanta Thrasher boarded a plane to Philly for tonight's game against the Flyers. After playing good hockey for the first half of the season, the Thrashers have been in free fall since early January, losing 19 of their last 25 games. The Thrashers should be desperate for a win since they are only six points out of eighth place with only 14 games to play, but they might also be a little spent coming into their third game in four nights with the previous two games going into overtime.

The Flyers are coming off of their best game in weeks and will be looking to build on their improving play. One area of their game that could still use some work is their power play. In last two games the Flyers have had a five minute power play against two of the worst penalty killing units in the league and have only been able to score one goal during each of them. The Thrashers gave up three power play goals on six opportunities last night to a Devils team that has a worse power play than the Flyers. This could be a perfect game for the Flyers to get multiple power play goals in a single game for the first time in 14 games.

The Thrashers have struggled mighty in the second game of back-to-backs this season; going 2-7-3, averaging only 2.33 goals, and being outscored 48 to 28. The Flyers have the capability to offensively over power the Thrashers who will ice a defensive unit that is a combined -39 for the season. This is a perfect game for the Flyers to go out and impose their will on an opponent. If the Flyers are able to duplicate their aggressive starts from the two previous games, they should be able to take advantage of a tired Thrashers club and put this game out of reach early.