IGT Round 1: FLYERS DEFEAT PENGUINS 4-2

[FLYER-FAN]

I have to say even though Kubina was getting beat/turnovers 2/3 times in each of the last 5 games he played in I still would rather see him than either Lilja or MAB .I wonder if he is hurt like someone said ..MAB has been playing much better since he returned from that injury,so perhaps that bad play of his had something to do with that injury ??

I would also like to see Gus and Wellwood especially Wellwood he has looked better every game ......worried about Lilja & MAB. ..Wish Mez was back...Hope Bryz shows us why he is worth $50/mil ....

Oh' I can see Simmonds doing a. JVR impression of last years playoffs...

[castan_b]

my 10 keys to the series:

1) koldjerky makes all the threads ... i think at this point, unless we need to do a game 4 change because we are in a big hole, he has carried the season in terms of wins/thread

2) Couturier finishes the series above a +4 and has at least 4 points

3) the Flyers hold Malkin and Crosby to or less than a combined 22 points ... 19 points would make me feel better but 22 is the drop dead limit in my mind for the series

4) Schenn and Talbot each have 3 (or above) goals in the series

5) Jagr scores when we are down by 1 goal to tie a game ... don't care which one ... but that will swing the series momentum

6) Matt Carle is never on the ice when Malkin is on the ice for the duration of the series ... regardless of his d partner ... unless we are on the pk ... then all we can do is pray that coach Lavs rolls Coburn and Grossmann and Kubina with Kimo, we need shot blockers on the PK ... Malkin tools on Carle

7) Bryz keeps the anger and plays like he has something to prove ... although this is at #7 key for a reason ... Bryz has the fire and i trust a goalie for the first time in a while

8) The Flyers avoid the game 3 letdown, letdown meaning going down 2-0 in the first period after taking a series split back to philly ... that might be the game where key #5 comes into play or could cost us ... keep the foot down on their neck

9) Jodi Shelley has 1 Job in Game 4 (and that should also be the only game that Shelley is dressed for) ... take out Matt Cooke for the rest of the series ... as bad as that sounds, Cooke is their Avery and capable of getting in all of the flyer's heads

10) Pronger gives one hell of a between period speech when we are down by 2 in game 5 ... spurring us to a 3-2 series lead

[phillyeaglesman]

my 10 keys to the series:

1) koldjerky makes all the threads ... i think at this point, unless we need to do a game 4 change because we are in a big hole, he has carried the season in terms of wins/thread

2) Couturier finishes the series above a +4 and has at least 4 points

3) the Flyers hold Malkin and Crosby to or less than a combined 22 points ... 19 points would make me feel better but 22 is the drop dead limit in my mind for the series

4) Schenn and Talbot each have 3 (or above) goals in the series

5) Jagr scores when we are down by 1 goal to tie a game ... don't care which one ... but that will swing the series momentum

6) Matt Carle is never on the ice when Malkin is on the ice for the duration of the series ... regardless of his d partner ... unless we are on the pk ... then all we can do is pray that coach Lavs rolls Coburn and Grossmann and Kubina with Kimo, we need shot blockers on the PK ... Malkin tools on Carle

7) Bryz keeps the anger and plays like he has something to prove ... although this is at #7 key for a reason ... Bryz has the fire and i trust a goalie for the first time in a while

8) The Flyers avoid the game 3 letdown, letdown meaning going down 2-0 in the first period after taking a series split back to philly ... that might be the game where key #5 comes into play or could cost us ... keep the foot down on their neck

9) Jodi Shelley has 1 Job in Game 4 (and that should also be the only game that Shelley is dressed for) ... take out Matt Cooke for the rest of the series ... as bad as that sounds, Cooke is their Avery and capable of getting in all of the flyer's heads

10) Pronger gives one hell of a between period speech when we are down by 2 in game 5 ... spurring us to a 3-2 series lead

i'm sorry castan, but this is exactly the **** i won't stand for.

we are Flyers fans; we are above that type of behavior, just as our team is above that type of behavior. we're better than that.


leave the dirty stuff to the opponent; this team doesn't need to be dirty to win.

[phillyeaglesman]

Less than 24 hours!!!

To be honest, as big of a Bourdon hater I've been this year, he hasn't been terrible during his current stint. He's even contributed to the offense, being one of the only dmen on the team who can get a shot on the net.

Like Hatch has said, Kubina as been underwhelming in the offensive zone/on the PP. I, too, can't remember the last time he got off one of the lasers we were all excited about when the Flyers acquired him. The only one that stands out came in his Flyers debut. He also hasn't been perfect in the turnover department, makes some bonehead plays regularly and takes unnecessary penalties.

I'd love to see Gus take the 6th spot, because of his speed, but I won't be up in arms with any three of those guys. If I had to choose between Kubina and MAB, I'd probably pick Kubina, only because of his size and experience (like phillyeaglesman said). Also, a MAB mistake in the playoffs might make me burst a vein in my forehead.

Who does everyone see breaking out this postseason? Is Giroux going to play like the Captain he'll eventually be and put the team on his back or will one of the young guns step up, ala JVR last year?

Personally, I think Voracek is going to have a huge series. He's had an outstanding final leg of the season and Read has begun stepping up his game again lately, as well. The speed of that line is going to do great things for us in April.

I also think Wellwood is going to pot that shorty he's been so close to getting many times this year.

i have a few names in mind, to be honest.

however, being the superstitious person i am, i will not name anyone.

don't wanna put the ol' jackson jinx on them!

[WoodandNails]

Those are some very specific keys to the game, castan.

For key 9, why game 4?

Also, I hope we hold Crosby and Malkin to much fewer points than 22. If the series goes a full seven games, that's still 3+ goals per game from only two players. Maybe there will be some overlap if some of those points are coming on the PP, but you figure that would knock it down to no less than 2+ goals per game from only two players. We're a 3.3 GPG team in the regular season, and you expect that to decrease in the playoffs against a solid goaltender.

I don't think we need Talbot or anyone on that fourth line to put the puck in the net, but I wouldn't be surprised if Talbot shows up on the score sheet more than a few times this series. He and Jagr have come to play against Pittsburgh so far this year, and I don't see why that would change now. However, if all he and Coots do all series is keep Malkin and Neal in check, I'll be more than happy with them.

You bring up an interesting point about Pronger. I'm sure it depends on how he is feeling on any given day, but I wonder if he will make more of an effort to be with the team during the postseason (when they're in Philly, of course).

[WoodandNails]

i have a few names in mind, to be honest.

however, being the superstitious person i am, i will not name anyone.

don't wanna put the ol' jackson jinx on them!

You're thinking of Bourdon, aren't you?

"Rinaldo! Rinaldo! Zack Rinaldo!" could sound pretty good coming off Tim Saunders' tongue, as well.

[3iverson3]

Oh' I can see Simmonds doing a. JVR impression of last years playoffs...

I can really see Voracek blossoming after the playoffs. The guy is a great skater and has to step up

[Hatch]

i guess for me it comes down to....would you rather have kubina or bourdon in there?


personally, i'm taking kubina every time. i know the Flyers love MAB, but Kubina brings more size, and that plays a factor IMO for this series.


not to mention the playoff experience he brings as well.

Agreed. I'm just not ready to trust MAB in a playoff series of this magnitude yet. I'd almost rather him and Gus have another year of experience at this level before we rely on them.....I can't see Kubina's experience being replaced at this point.Just wish we could find a way to incorporate his shot into things a little better. He seems more on a Pass or dump first and shoot second mentality..........if there is no injury there that's preventing him from unloading a few I'd like to see him come out and hit a few bombs just to let the defense know he's there......he could help change the complexion of the zone and open their D up a little. But that's probably wishful thinking because it hasnt' happened so far so I'm thinking what we have been getting is what we will get..

[Hatch]

I will not fear the JJ Jinx and list a few names here.......predicting goals, points and game winning goals is way too much of a crapshoot. I think of it more in terms of guys that are always involved and making their presence on the ice felt by the other team almost ever shift.

To me I think Schenn, Simmonds and Voracek will be three guys that have strong series from that perspective. I just think those three guys have that playoff type mentality and tenacity and it will definitely show in this series. While none of those guys were the sexy names to get ......this type of series is exactly whey we brought them in here this year.

[Fred]

I don't come into the Flyers forum often, but I can't wait for this series. I picked the Flyers in 6, but that will depend a lot on Ilya

Go Flyers!

[Randall Stevens]

I will not fear the JJ Jinx and list a few names here.......predicting goals, points and game winning goals is way too much of a crapshoot. I think of it more in terms of guys that are always involved and making their presence on the ice felt by the other team almost ever shift.

To me I think Schenn, Simmonds and Voracek will be three guys that have strong series from that perspective. I just think those three guys have that playoff type mentality and tenacity and it will definitely show in this series. While none of those guys were the sexy names to get ......this type of series is exactly whey we brought them in here this year.

they are exactly who I think will have a Giroux 2010, JVR 2011 series. one of them at least.

With the way Voracek can skate to the net in the offensive zone... I think he might be be breaking out soon (just wish he had better offensive instincts)

[Randall Stevens]

game day!!!

cant wait to watch Couturier, a 19 year old rookie with as much muscle as a newborn squirrel, shutdown the best power forward in the NHL

[delfinko]

my 10 keys to the series:

1) koldjerky makes all the threads ... i think at this point, unless we need to do a game 4 change because we are in a big hole, he has carried the season in terms of wins/thread - I approve

2) Couturier finishes the series above a +4 and has at least 4 points - I don't think he needs 4 points, but he will need to be a + player

3) the Flyers hold Malkin and Crosby to or less than a combined 22 points ... 19 points would make me feel better but 22 is the drop dead limit in my mind for the series - If the series goes 7 games then 22 is a fair number. 3 points combined per game would actually mean we are doing really well shutting those two down considering they each average like 2ppg against us.

4) Schenn and Talbot each have 3 (or above) goals in the series - That's a stretch. This team is too deep to rely on 6 goals from two players that didn't nearly put up 3 points per 7 games let alone 3 goals. It's not to say it wouldn't be great, I just don't think it's necessary to get that production from them to win the series.

5) Jagr scores when we are down by 1 goal to tie a game ... don't care which one ... but that will swing the series momentum - I really like this. I'd even say in a 1-1 tie this would be just as much of a momentum boost.

6) Matt Carle is never on the ice when Malkin is on the ice for the duration of the series ... regardless of his d partner ... unless we are on the pk ... then all we can do is pray that coach Lavs rolls Coburn and Grossmann and Kubina with Kimo, we need shot blockers on the PK ... Malkin tools on Carle - Carle is like the red headed step child. While I agree he looks lost out there at times, he is no where near as bad as we make him out to be. Among defensemen on the team Carle had the most minutes, most puck possession, most blocked shots, and the least penalty minutes, was a + player on the season, and has been much more aggressive since the arrival of Grossmann. He's becoming the new Jeff Carter.

7) Bryz keeps the anger and plays like he has something to prove ... although this is at #7 key for a reason ... Bryz has the fire and i trust a goalie for the first time in a while - He's the biggest key of the series to me. If he's in his own head we're done.

8) The Flyers avoid the game 3 letdown, letdown meaning going down 2-0 in the first period after taking a series split back to philly ... that might be the game where key #5 comes into play or could cost us ... keep the foot down on their neck -Good call. This is classic Flyers.

9) Jodi Shelley has 1 Job in Game 4 (and that should also be the only game that Shelley is dressed for) ... take out Matt Cooke for the rest of the series ... as bad as that sounds, Cooke is their Avery and capable of getting in all of the flyer's heads - I personally don't even need to see Jody Shelley suit up for the Flyers again.

10) Pronger gives one hell of a between period speech when we are down by 2 in game 5 ... spurring us to a 3-2 series lead - I'd rather not be down by 2 in game 5, but I do hope Pronger shows some face in the locker room.

Good ideas here. My keys

1. Bryz's brain. It gets in his way of being great. I think if he can just clear his mind, we'll be good.
2. Defense. Got to stay aggressive like we've been since mid-February.
3. Special Teams. Got to play disciplined. They have too much talent to be giving 3+ power plays per game.
4. Schenn and Couturier. Got to keep Malkin and Crosby in check.

[TheRuckus]

Might be going to the game tonight.

[phillyeaglesman]

game day is finally here. feel like it's been forever since i saw the boys lace 'em up.


GO FLYERS!!!