Outplayed.

There's plenty that can be said about injuries, bad calls, and non-calls from last night's game 3 between the Flyers and the Penguins. True, it's hard to win without your two best defensemen, the guys who run your power play, control the breakouts on offense, and mark the opposing team's top offensive players. And regarding the work of the men in stripes, you can always look at weak calls that result in power play goals and say, "That was the difference maker."

But last night, none of those things were the deciding factors. The Flyers were simply outplayed by what increasingly looks to be a better team.

It might have been a different game with All-Star Kimmo Timonen and rising star Braydon Coburn logging big minutes instead of Jaroslav Modry (-6 in the playoffs) and Ryan Parent. It's hard to discount the impact of losing your two best blueliners. But defensive play wasn't the Flyers' most glaring weakness last night. They held the Pens to a modest 25 shots, and only two of Pittsburgh's goals were scored at even strength (one was an empty-netter). The blueliners did a pretty good job in the defensive zone last night, which may be lost when the scoreboard reads 4-1 at the final horn.

The biggest problem in this game was again the turnovers. The Penguins ran an efficient trap that slowed the play down and confounded the Flyers' attempts to gain the zone and maintain it in the seemingly rare event they did. There were very few sustained attacks in the Penguins' zone; if the Flyers gained the line and were lucky enough to get a shot off, the Pens collapsed on it and cleared the rebound. True, the best trap busters on the Flyers team weren't in the lineup, but we need to get past that (while silently screaming "Why?" perhaps). The neutral zone woes have been a major problem all series, and we have to begrudgingly give credit to the Penguins and coach Michel Therrien for that efficiency.

It's damn near impossible to win a playoff game in which you only take 18 shots (and about 3 of them were just hard dump-ins that went on goal). Sure, it was frustrating to see how many calls the refs made early in last night's game. The whistles slowed the play down far worse than some light hooking would, and I increasingly feel like a dinosaur who wants just a little of that old NHL back, so players on both sides could play without worrying about every little stick contact. The Flyers may have been jobbed on a call or two, but at least from where I was sitting (as far away as possible), the Pens were down a man in the first period on a weak call too. Again, as a hockey fan, I just want to see both sides not get whistled for contact that has little-to-no impact on the play.

Much has already been made about the non-call on Sergei Gonchar when he poked the puck away from a streaking Mike Richards on yet another brilliant Richie Short-handed Special. In live action, it was tough to tell, because Richards ended up in the net, but the replays, in my opinion, showed a great all-puck play by Gonchar. It's the kind of call I'd have been livid over if it were called against the Flyers, and really, if you're counting on getting calls like that to win, you have no business being on the ice. Here's the play, in which there's some contact made to the skate, but nothing that affected the shot, in my opinion:

(By the way, Richards is playing like a man possessed on every shift. He attacks the puck on the forecheck and finishes his hits cleanly and effectively; this is the example the Flyers need to follow if they want to win.)

Speaking of no business being on the ice... It pains me to say this, but Steve Downie just looks lost out there in this series, and he needs to be replaced by Patrick Thoresen on Thursday. Thoresen doesn't have the ability to be the impact player that Downie can, but he also hasn't coughed up two pucks in his own zone, resulting in third-period goals in consecutive games. We're big Downie fans, and not just because of his rough play, but he's not ready for playoff hockey yet. John Stevens had some blunt words for him after the game, and I'd be surprised to see him again in these playoffs.

It may sound like I'm throwing in the towel, but that's not my intention. The Flyers won four straight against Montreal to advance to this point, so it's certainly possible. However, they're not playing well enough to even win one game right now, and that's gotta change in a hurry on Thursday or they'll be underachieving at a different sport by the weekend. Trust me, I don't enjoy extolling the virtues of the Penguins. But they're outplaying the Flyers in this series, perhaps a little more with each game, and they're winning these contests as much as the Flyers are losing them, if not more.

The crowd was great again last night though, even when it looked like a loss was looming.

Comments

[misterpet]

It's over. When does training camp start.

[johndewar]

Well put.

The game took on the tone of one of those Devils-Flyers games from the mid-90s, I thought. The Pens definitely look dialed-in defensively. The missing D-men aren't helping, but if the Flyers had any sort of depth on the blueline, we'd be a bit better shape.

As for Downie, you make a good point. This might be nitpicking but why was the 4th line out there in the middle of the 3rd period to begin with? I mean, they have guys that make $6 and $7 million dollars a year that should have been double-shifted by that point. They were down a goal in a game where they had almost no offensive flow. What was the 4th line going to add there?

[ill]

The Pens are as good as advertised, their D is hard to beat and they can move the puck around pretty damn good. I liked our chances until Downie's turnover in the 3rd. He keeps making costly mistakes, but what other options do we have.

[Pete D]

Couldn't have said it better myself Matt. Its so incredibly frustrating because this team is not far off, even without Timonen and Coburn. But the lack of sustained pressure in the offensive zone has been really hard to watch. One thing I noticed last night is a Penguins player didn't have to get in the face of a Flyer ONCE for being in Fleury's kitchen. They had no reason to.

I hope they get at least one in this series.

[Jewbacca]

Unfortunately well put.

They waited until last night to play probably their worst game of the season.

[Johnny Loaks]

"I increasingly feel like a dinosaur who wants just a little of that old NHL back"

exactly. Thankfully the NHL has realized that goals and end-to-end action are what excites people and draws fans. Goonish clutch-and-grab-and-hook ruined the game in the mid to late 90s and the league finally realized this. Kudos to the refs for calling "every little stick contact" and slowing the game down. Once the players realize that such play isn't accepted, the game will open up and skill will be prized more than oafish physicality.
Unfortunately, the Flyers (and their fans) seem to insist of thuggish play. Starting with the Bullies teams which helped ruin ice hockey with the clutch-and-grab-and-hook style to the Legion of Doom (great players whose overly physical style brought about their premature demise) to today (i.e. Downie et al), the Flyers shade toward toughness and stay away from skillfulness (albeit with several exceptions).
Its high time for the Flyers organization to see that skill and speed are the needs of the new NHL. They need more than two defenders who can carry and pass the puck. They need more than 1.5 lines of skilled attackers. They need to break with their traditional way of playing.
This team seems to be heading in the right direction, yet will the Flyers fans accept it? Will the fans trade success for abandoning the old ways?

[DOC]

@Johnny, Who said anything about thuggish play? The post just said the refs have been calling too much of the little shit against BOTH teams. If they weren't so quick to blow the whistle, maybe there'd be fewer blown calls...

In your critique of the Flyers, you forget the point that the Penguins got called for some ticky-tack stuff too. And the fans you think are being drawn to the sport? They're not flocking like everyone had hoped, and the base is pissed every time their team gets called for some BS contact and the other team gets a goal simply because of being a man up. It's not like the Flyers are dragging people down and getting called for it, at least in last night's game. This alluding the goon days is such a crutch. The Bullies era was probably before you were born.

No penalties were called in the third period, when the game was becoming out of reach for the Flyers, and if goonery was going to happen, as you allege is characteristic of the Flyers, it would have been then.

Let's not forget that the Flyers enforcer has been in the press box for almost the entire playoffs too. Put away your tired stereotypes and focus on the team that is on the ice now.

1.5 lines of skilled attackers? They had 7 players with 20+goals this year. That's pretty damn balanced.

[Loqiel]

Referees should not decide the game. There were very questionable calls on both sides. They shouldn't call "every little stick contact". These are grown men in body armor, not ballerinas in costumes and toe shoes. If you want to call the egregious stuff, I'm all for it: that's why the refs are there. Otherwise, let them play.

The NHL wants rivalries to form; they've changed the schedule to foster such a thing on the notion that familiarity breeds contempt. That's all well and good, but when you have a rivalry, things happen, physical play happens, brawls at center ice (Avs-Wings) and before games happen. You can't have it both ways. You can't name me one past rivalry that was purely about skating and didn't have rough play and fights.

Let them play. Let the players decide the outcome. Don't call all of the ticky-tack stuff, because in the end it shouldn't be about who's working the game and how they're calling it. It should be about the twelve men on the ice trying to attain the apex of their profession: the Stanley Cup.

[TC]

I don't think it's quite honest to say the Flyers had only 18 shots. They certainly took a lot more than that. Shots got deflected or redirected and ended up just wide of the net close to a dozen times, especially in the second and third period. If one of those trickled in, or if someone could have gotten to the far post to tuck it away, the game ends up very differently.

I'm not trying to make a "if this happened" case for the Flyers. I'm just pointing out that, though they were beaten, they put up solid pressure all game long, and it's a shame they couldn't put the puck home.

As for Downie, I love the guy too, but he's been lousy so far. Derian Hatcher was absolutely brutal last night. Ryan Parent, I thought, acquitted himself very nicely, and I'm looking forward to seeing him get plenty of minutes next year. Lasse Kukkonen is the new Luke Richardson. I hope he is not a Flyer next year. At least, not a full timer.

The blue line seems to be the real trouble in this series. If next year, the Flyers use Timonen/Coburn/Jones/Parent/Hatcher/Smith, they might be in good shape, but Hatcher and Smith are both old, old players, and their abilities are visibly diminished from previous campaigns. I'd like to see another quality defensemen in the mix--someone who can skate and move the puck, instead of a Hatcher/Smith bruiser type, but time will tell.

[Joe]

The Pens are just too damn fast. The only way to stop a fast team with good puck skills is to stuff them defensively and hope for the best on offense.

Does anyone know of any rituals used in 2004 when the Red Sox came back from 3 down against the mighty Yankees? We could use some of their magic.

[MPR529]

refs can make all the bs calls they want in any game. problem is throughout the league, it's not consistent. until there truly is consistency, we'll always bag on the refs.

take the refs off the ice entirely (like they did with the goal judge) and call penalties from above.

Yeah, I'm still drunk.

[Chris]

@ Johnny

Lets face it, everyone loves a player who plays with a bit of an edge. The biggest knock on Crosby, and deservedly so is that he is a Nancy Boy who refuses to fight or stand up for his guys. He makes other people do it for him. What makes me, and many other people appreciate Ovechkin is the fact that he's willing to trade shots with people, stand up for himself, and skate with a reckless abandon. Crosby gets one shot and then hides behind the likes of Ryan Malone and Georges Laraque like the coward he is.

Also, I don't think Downie is a thug at all. He plays a physical game, but he's like a Darcy Tucker or Gary Roberts type player. He is a guy that can skate and score, but also likes to aggitate and do the rough stuff. There's nothing wrong with that at all.

I agree with you that they need more than two defenders who can skate and pass. To me, the entire series has boiled down to that because with the exception of Kukkonen, I think the defense has played pretty well. Hatcher's been playing his heart out, and some of the calls against him have been pretty weak in my opinion. I'm just thankful that Mike Rathje isn't playing. What a dumbass signing that was.

[Chris]

@ Johnny

Lets also not forget that defense aside, the offense has been atrocious in this series for the Flyers. They are having trouble handling each other's passes in the offensive zone, they are making awful decisions with the puck, losing battles along the boards, missing the net entirely, and just playing extremely sloppy hockey.

Credit where credit is due, the Penguins are playing very well and are responsible for some of this stuff, but the Flyers just look lost out there right now. Briere and Prospal have been non-existant. Carter and Richards are playing their guts out, but unfortunately no one is backing them up or playing with the intensity those guys are.

[johndewar]

@TC:

Might be too soon to discuss, but I'd be surprised if either Hatcher or Smith were back next year. Parent will almost definitely start the year with the big club next year.

Mobile defensemen that can move the puck are a valued commodity (like decent starting pitchers in baseball). Even mediocre ones command alot of money. Even Joni Pitkanen is holding up the Oilers right now, money-wise, and folks are still waiting for his potential to even come close to being realized. You're right in identifying their need, but I have no idea how Holmgren will satisfy that need within the framework of the cap.

[DSD]

Yeah, I'm disappointed but I'm also gonna put on som orange colored glasses and drink the team Kool Aid for this post...If we were told in September that the Flyers would be plaing in theEastern Conference finals, we would be ectatic. The Flyers had a terrific year, better than what ny optimistic person could have hoped for. Unfortunately, they were foreced to play this series without their best defensemen, and, after Game 2, without their 2nd best defensemen. To compound the situation, they just are not scoring. Sure, Timonen and Coburn are vital to the Flyers offense, as they are really the only defensemen on the team that can carry the puck and start an offenive rush, which the Flyers clearly miss. But, with that said, i don't think we should get down on this team. They are young and are more skilled than some people give them credit for. I believe their forwards are fine...offseason priority should be to add defensive depth, especially another defensemen that can contribute offensively. This team is close and will be a yearly player come playoff time. We Flyers fans have a lot to look forward to.

[Tartan69]

@DSD - Amen to that. Worst to almost first in one year is not too shabby.

[Chamomiles Davis]

@DSD - That sums up how I feel as well.

Impressed? Absolutely.
Satisfied? Hell, no. Still waiting for a championship.

P.S. Is anyone else suffering seizures from this Nine Inch Nails ad?

[Sanganoski]

I also feel that a more mobile defenseman is in order for the off-season. Getting back to the game, and "hind-sight" is always better, if the Flyers could've sustained some decent pressure, Fleury was ready to be had, because when he was first stopping shots, his rebounds were left, not on the doorstep, but in the goal scoring region and not a winger in sight crashing the net. He looked like Carey Price on a few occasions, I don't know if it was all the "hoopla" but he was available, but the Flyers didn't cash in. With the price of gas being what it is today, it's going to be real tough to continue, when the "fly-guys" tank is running on empty. Congrats to them anyway for getting as far as they did and making last season just a bad dream.

[Benjamin]

Concur MattP, though I have trouble disassociating getting outplayed from missing two key players, who as you put it, "run your power play, control the breakouts on offense, and mark the opposing team's top offensive players".

However, it's obvious that Pittsburgh clearly understands the signifigance of the Flyers losing Timonen, and then Coburn, and have taken full advantage of it in their gameplay. They can afford to take more risks, and play more aggressively, while they know the Flyers will recoil, take less chances with more hesitation and fear of mistakes. The Flyers are just not the same team that played the first 2 rounds with amazing confidence and cohesiveness.

It's awesome being in the eastern conference finals, but if you told me in september that we would be playing in the conference finals, and lose significant players the day before game 1 and the start of game 2, I'd ask that we not be playing. You get your heart and hopes up, just to be left shaking your head wondering what could have been. I'd rather be able to say, "we got beat, they were just better", than have to say, "well they played better, BUT..."

At least T.O. took the field when we lost the Superbowl, even if the Patriots cheated....HA HA, Just Kidding! We got beat.

[bizurk]

A wise post and some wise follow up comments. This looks to be a disappointing end to a vibrant season, and looking to the refs is preposterous. I'm ecstatic that we finally have a real netminder, and am confident that Holmgren will add some blue-liners with dangle skills.

The number of times that the 'rush' was started with bland passes to Pens had me pulling my hair out. We've had very little in the way of even-up offense, and that needs to improve next year. It all starts with crisp passing out of our own zone, and fast, skilled D guys are the key.

Has it occurred to anyone else that Marian Hossa would have been a really nice deadline pickup for the Fly-guys.

[Seeker]

I don't think Downie is a thug at all

Of course he is.

He's the epitome of low class....a microcosm of your fan base.

Sorry but it has to be said.

The guy blows a pass which ends up behind Biron. Out of frustration with his OWN mistake, he doesn't try to stop the goal, but instead takes a late cheap hit on Sykora. That's low class!

Sykora is shaken up by aforementioned cheap shot and the trainer helps him to the bench to the tune of Flyers fans BOOING his recovery. That's low class!

Might I point out that when Coburn took a puck to the eye, Penguins fans applauded when he was able to get back on his feet without the need of a stretcher? That's class!

[Seeker]

....about Flyers fans here complaining that Versus was seemingly pro-Penguins:

Aside from the fact that I don't agree on that allegation, it seems rather odd that you'd be complaining at all.

Versus is owned by Comcast. Comcast basically owns the Flyers.

So you are in effect saying then that your ownership is pro-Penguin?

You'd think that IF they were actually pro-Penguin they might show a bar in Pittsburgh's reaction to a Penguin's goal like they did in game 1 & 2.

[Seeker]

Truth be told....

I wouldn't fault your blueliners too badly.....even IF you had your full compliment of them.

The Ranger's much-heralded defense couldn't stop the Pens offense either. And I don't think it would be reasonable for anyone to say the Flyer's defense was at their level any time during the season.

It's just that the Penguins really are that good.

[I Miss Dimitri]

Oh my God, SHUT THE FUCK UP SEEKER!!

Not one person on this post has been talking shit or saying anything negative about your team/city and you start taking digs.

The 'class' thing is played out, please stop bringing it up. We hear it all the time and really don't care what outsiders have to say about it. They/you have no idea.

You are the one coming in here and bringing the quality and intelligence of this discussion down.

Fucking leave.

BTW: I'm sure you know waaay more about Downey than we do after watching him for 3 games. Fucking idiot.

[Benjamin]

Seeker, do they have a bar inside the Pens arena? The Flyers fans they showed game 1 and 2 were at the bar/restaurant that is INSIDE the Wachovia center, not some downtown, obscure bar. That is likely the ONLY reason they showed it at all. Cameras are already there.

[Benjamin]

I personally believe the resentment of Philly fans is a result of outside cities not having the same level of passion and pride, and therefore not understanding how great being a philly fans is, or are just jealous that the same level of enthusiasm doesn't exist in their cities. It drives them nuts that, no matter what, Philly fans never let up in their support, even when all logic suggests they should.

[ATTENTION Seeker]

Hey, look at me guys! I'm a Pens fan and your team and fans are low class blah, blah, blah...

I like to make stupid points and start arguments cause i'm a fucking loser rah, rah, rah...

Guys, i'm over here!!

Guys, guys, look what i'm doing!!

Hey...guys?

[Titus Pullo]

Seeker, nothing says "class" like coming onto a Philly sports site and equating the Flyers' fanbase with "thugs."

Most of the comments on this thread are from fans expressing how proud they are of the team going from worst to the Eastern Conference finals in a year. You're the one who is putting a negative spin on things.

Admit it, you're just as negative as the so-called "thuggish" Philly fans that you love painting with a very broad brush. You love talking trash, but always hide behind your smug superiority, always acting as if you're above it all.

If you want pro-Penguins talk, go to a Penguins fansite. It makes me wonder why you don't do that, but then I recall all of your incessant references to youth hockey coaching, and I realize that Penguins fans don't want you there, either. They're probably bored of you, too.

[Sanganoski]

"Homer" has his work cut out for him this off season as does Stevens. Hope they both come back, not with a "Vengeance" but with a little more insight that, although this team went this far, there is still a little traveling to do, and some of the tires are becoming "bald" and are starting to loose air which led to this "rough ride"!

[Seeker]

fans expressing how proud they are of the team going from worst to the Eastern Conference finals in a year

Ummm....your team admitted it tanked last season. So that's not exactly much of an accomplishment when you know that.

[Seeker]

"I personally believe the resentment of Philly fans is a result of outside cities not having the same level of passion and pride, and therefore not understanding how great being a philly fans is, or are just jealous that the same level of enthusiasm doesn't exist in their cities."

Wow! What a ridiculous rationalization of why the rest of the sports world think you lack class.

All you people need to do is look in the mirror to figure that one out. I couldn't possibly be that you cheer a referee getting hit in the face with a puck or booing an opposing player when he can get up after being hurt. Naaaa....you live in a bubble there.

Everyone is just so jealous that they haven't a team that chokes since 1975. We in Pittsburgh have no passion even though the NHL says we're #1 in fan support. Of course, the Steelers have virtually no fans at all....they just are found at every away game in force.

Your idea of passion and "pride" is BOOING your own teams! If that's "passion", then no, we don't have any just like you lack class.

[Seeker]

"I'm sure you know waaay more about Downey than we do after watching him for 3 games. Fucking idiot."

Well, at LEAST I know how to spell his NAME you fucking idiot. Maybe YOU have only seen him play 2 games????

I also know all about him in minors and since his big NHL debut getting suspended....for being a THUG.

We play you 8 times a season and have 3 in the post season...that's 11 times. I also watched all your post season games.

PS: He didn't play in Game 1 so you should watch who you call an idiot when you're the one that seems to be so clueless.

[Seeker]

"Seeker, nothing says "class" like coming onto a Philly sports site and equating the Flyers' fanbase with "thugs."

Well, the only person I equated (actually I directly called him) a thug was Steve Downie.

Do you always read things into what people actually say?

It's not a good habit at all.

You COULD instead perhaps take a look at yourselves, the signs your fans display, the way you reacted to injured players and officials, the throwing of things and picking fights with visitors (even children and elderly people), etc. Then MAYBE, just maybe you could figure out why Philly fans are considered classless in every city that has the misfortune to have to experience them.

Just for the record genius, I never knew this place existed before someone here came onto OUR blog and challenged us to trash talk....maybe you should advise your own to stay away from Penguin blogs doing that first?

[jd]

win or lose, i still liked this flyer team, and am proud of all they have accomplished this year.

my one wish is that, if we do lose tomorrow, we, as fans, send the team out in the same fashion the habs did: a standing ovation and a thank you.

[Benjamin]

I'm going tomorrow, and personally feel honored to participate in giving our Flyers one hell of a rousing applause for the final minutes of the game, regardless if we're winning or losing. They had a great season, with moments of sheer greatness and reciprocating periods of playing terrible. They played with their hearts, and learned a lot about themselves to emerge as true contenders for the Eastern Conference (Everyone knows, even you seeker/capsfan/dale, that this rivalry was even this year, and the defensive losses turned the table for against the Flyers in an even match).

I appreciate everything the Flyers gave us. The long break since the 2nd series that ended on the last free day with learning Timonen was out for the year undoubtedly affected the Flyers. It's human, and I don't blame them for it. Had they learned early in the break, I would not doubt for a second that the team could have adjusted and prepared for the change, to at least make this the 6 or 7 game series everyone expected.

Game 1 was full of weird Flyer behavior, and obvious sign of a bad hangover from the concerning news the day before. Game 2 they came out ready, and despite the equally painful loss of Coburn, at least fought extremely hard to overcome yet another loss, but fell short from defensive miscues. Game 3, the true nature of these losses developed into the Penguins taking full advantage of the Flyers vulnerabilities from injury. Good teams know how to take advantage of the injury losses, but I'm not giving a team I thought equal to ours, and give them too much credit. Had the Penguins NOT taken advantage of the Flyers defensive losses, they would have looked pretty weak and to be frauds. But we know that they aren't frauds, and they have talent, and teams with talent go in for the kill against a wounded animal. Sure, it's easy prey, victims of unfortunate events, but it's a win for them.

We held out hope as fans that the Flyers could figure out a scheme to handle the obvious disadvantage against their offense with our defense missing their Rooks. They tried using the offensive line to support the D more, they tried slowing the game down, controlling the puck for better shots, but it all played directly into the Penguins game plan. Which was to attack relentlessly, play extremely tight, and throw away all caution, because the Flyers will be weak on the blue line, will have trouble moving through the neutral zone, and when pressured, will likely make mistakes as a result from the pressure placed on the remaining defensivemen trying to do more than capable.

Oh well. I'll enjoy letting them know tomorrow night that I can't wait to drop the puck again next year, if it happens to be the last game. They may come back for game 6.

[TH]

So how furiously do you masturbate to pissing us of, Seeker?

Anyway, ignoring the mental midget from Yinzertown, Smith's not back, nor should he be back. In retrospect, he was a poor choice for the captaincy. Hatcher should retire. The Flyers need to concentrate on a free-agent D-man in the offseason. Tim Panaccio floated the idea of Bryan Campbell on WIP this morning, and apparently, Briere is close to him. I like Parent on the big club too, a year of seasoning should get him ready for the Cup run next season.

All told, the Flyers are in great shape for next year. We'll be better prepared to take the Penguins next year. As for now, I get the prospect of a joyless Cup Final, since I hate both the Pens and the Wings. Rock.

[Chris]

Seeker, all of the comments on this site are well-written and frankly very well stated thoughts. Your attempt to classify every single Philadelphia fan as an uneducated neanderthal is unfair and idiotic. You know what turns Philadelphia fans into "classless thugs?" It's dumbasses like you who go around insulting a city you know nothing about and ridiculing a fan base that is passionate and knowledgable.

By the way Seeker, you seem to forget how those "classless" Flyers fans gave Mario Lemieux a standing ovation in his first game back from Hodgkin's. That was pretty classy if you ask me.

I don't see you ripping on New York fans for chanting "Buy a Porsche" at Ron Hextall just a few months after rookie goalie Pelle Lindburgh was killed in a car accident. That's pretty classless if you ask me.

You don't know what you're talking about, and all you're good for is spitting out the same bullshit about Philadelphia and its fans we've been hearing for forty years.