ECQF Game 3: Penguins 3 @ Flyers 6 - Penguins Lead Series 2-1

3

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6

And we have a series.

• All that orange is a beautiful thing. From the T-shirts (which the Penguins were too cheap to give out this year) to the Kate Smith, it's easily the best playoff atmosphere in any sport. And I say that as a completely impartial observer.
  
• It definitely got pretty scary there in the early second, with the Penguins erasing a two-goal cushion in like twenty-five seconds of playing time. Sure the Flyers had the lead for 53 minutes of this game and never trailed, but those seven minutes weren't fun. The Frenchies got together and decided that not having the lead was no good, and decided that they (Martin Biron, Claude Giroux, Simon Gagne, and Daniel Briere) should start playing really well. And it was a beautiful thing to see.
  
• Claude Giroux is such a great human being. Not only did he get a real pretty goal, a prettier assist, and the prettiest fight (that he only got roughing for), he also has managed to grow a playoff beard that is almost as orange as his jersey. It's a great look.
• The main thing to take home from tonight's game is that I really know what I'm talking about. I've been saying all series long that the key is whether or not Marc-Andre Fleury plays well, and tonight was another shining example of that. Fleury stunk up the joint wire to wire, with a save percentage around 82%. And the Flyers won. Game 4 will largely balance on how he bounces back.
• As much as dumping on Daniel Carcillo is the pasttime here, I gotta say he had a pretty decent game today. He was one of only four Flyer forwards who didn't spend any time in the box, and didn't do anything too boneheaded. I still think Luca Sbisa contributes more, but it worked out alright today.
• The only thing I noticed Sidney Crosby do all game was get face washed by Darroll Powe, who by the way is having one hell of a series.
• Congrats to Jared Ross on choosing a pretty good occasion to score his first NHL goal.

Tuesday is now the hugest night of everyone's life. Git 'er tied, boys.

ECQF Game 1: Flyers 1 @ Penguins 4 - Penguins Lead Series 1-0

1

@

4

Can't get too much worse, right? Right...?

• The Flyers can't afford to think everything was okay in this game, and that they'll just bounce back. Because it wasn't, and they won't. The Flyers have to do exactly what they did after that horrible performance in Toronto not so long ago. Beat themselves up over it, change shit, and come out firing, and score five goals in the first period. That would be good.
• The Flyers just did not look good. Any of them. Braydon Coburn looked okay. Maybe Mike Richards wasn't bad. But nobody was great. Jared Ross may well have been the third best player on the ice. Not good.
• Just about every Flyer forward was totally invisible tonight, except for the two previously mentioned, Scott Hartnell, and Claude Giroux.
• Arron Asham's penalty was really weak. Led to the first goal, and the game seemed over from there on. That's the only whining I can muster out of this--the Flyers didn't deserve to win at all.
  
• Martin Biron was pretty mediocre. No terrible goals, but he could have had the first three. Especially the third, from Evgeni Malkin. Those are the kind of weird breakdown goals that the Penguins seem to get a lot vs. our boys. No reason for Biron not to start Game 2, it really isn't debatable. He hasn't been immaculate, sure, but Antero Niittymaki has been just bad lately, so putting him in really shouldn't be an option.
  
• That guy who predicted that the Penguins would win Game 1 by the score of 4-1? He must be a freakin' genius.

The split is what we needed, and the split is still in play. Game 2 becomes a must win now, no way around that.

Game #80 Preview: Flyers @ Rangers 4/9/09

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The Flyers are in, but still can finish anywhere between third and sixth, with home ice or without it, against Carolina, Pittsburgh, or even New Jersey. So these last three games against the New York teams are big.

Why the Flyers Will Win:

• The Flyers are much better than the Rangers. That oughta count for something.
• Next to the Penguins, it's pretty safe to say that the Rangers are this team's least liked opponent. The Flyers would undoubtedly love to keep the Rangerss out.

Why the Rangers Will Win:

• David Sloane, who has never before played a game at ANY professional level, will be starting tonight for the Flyers in place of the injured Ryan Parent. I'm not sure why it's not Luca Sbisa making his triumphant return, but it's probably a cap issue. Work it out, Holmgren. Jared Ross, John Kalinski, and Luca Sbisa are all much better than Danny Syvret, Andreas Nodl, and whoever this Sloane clown is.
• This could be the Rangers' last home game 'til October, potentially. That could be some motivation for them.

Prediction: Rangers win 3-1. No idea why.

Game #61 Preview: Flyers @ Devils 3/1/09

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As trade winds swirl and blow most every Flyer's name around, a "big" game in Jersey looms. Truth be told, the Flyers are pretty much a lock to finish in fourth, so no games in the regular season matter. Fourth is good, and would mean home ice for the first time since the lockout. Kind of a pathetic thought...

Still gonna watch the game though, so might as well talk about it.

Why The Flyers Will Win:

• Daniel Briere makes his triumphant return!
• Briere's BFF Marty Biron has a big opening here, a chance to clinch the starting spot on the heel's of Niittymaki's disaster vs. Montreal. He does well when the games matter.
• Scott Clemmensen's ghost has got to be haunting the Devils. He got screwed faster than a girl scout who came to sell cookies at R. Kelly's house.
• If Martin Brodeur plays, he'll be tired AND obese. If Kevin Weekes plays, he'll be not very good, because he's Kevin Weekes. Advantage Flyers.

Why the Devils Will Win:

• Daniel Briere makes his triumphant return! Odds are he gets reinjured and KO'ed for the season by the end of the first period. Morale killer.
• Claude Giroux went to the Phantoms while Jared Ross stays? Huh? Put Giroux on defense for all I care, he's gotta stay in the lineup. And Guenin? Seriously? Keep Kukkonen up, even if he sucks and can't get picked up on waivers to save his life.

Odds are this is somebody's last game in a Flyers jersey. Whether it is Randy Jones, Joffrey Lupul, Braydon Coburn, or Scottie Upshall is yet to be determined. Hell, it might even be Briere's. Can't say I hate any of them or love Keri Lehtonen or Jay Bouwmeester, so I'm not too pumped for the rest of this week.

Prediction: 3-2 Devils. In OT if we're lucky. This pre-deadline stretch is a big ol' pile of fuck it.