Post-Game Talk: #79: Flyers at Red Wings, Wednesday, April 6, 2016

[bungle]

I'd like to see Hakstol get the Flyers to the playoffs in his first season, but I'm kind of burned out on watching this current lineup.

 

[orangecrush8]

So 5 points needed without Detroit's help tonight or 3 pts needed if Detroit wins in regulation tonight.

Sound about right?

Yes. Best case scenario (Flyers W & Bruins regulation L) after tonight is 1 point needed over the final 2 games.

 

[Hiesenberg]

I'm losing faith. This defense is terrible and Ghost looks out of gas. I think they win but miss by a couple of points. I don't think they win at all this weekend. Wednesday game was huge and they got nothing.

 

[skoods]

Some terrible "fans" on this site. People calling for Schenn to go because of one game? People saying that this is the most unlikeable Flyers team in memory? You little girls need to stop watching the games and play with your doll houses if you want something that won't leave you so upset afterwards.

It was one game. They come out and win tonight, it's meaningless.

 

[Petr Svoboda Mullet]

Pretty much. Win tonight, Bruins loss and we're in the drivers seat.

 

[FlyerFaithful17]

Some terrible "fans" on this site. People calling for Schenn to go because of one game? People saying that this is the most unlikeable Flyers team in memory? You little girls need to stop watching the games and play with your doll houses if you want something that won't leave you so upset afterwards.

It was one game. They come out and win tonight, it's meaningless.

I agree that people need to get behind the team, but last night was certainly not meaningless. They are just now likely required to get some points this weekend as well.

 

[Curufinwe]

Some terrible "fans" on this site. People calling for Schenn to go because of one game? People saying that this is the most unlikeable Flyers team in memory? You little girls need to stop watching the games and play with your doll houses if you want something that won't leave you so upset afterwards.

It was one game. They come out and win tonight, it's meaningless.

That type of "fan" sees bad losses as an opportunity to go after their favorite targets regardless of whether they had anything to do with the loss.

 

[DogwoodFLY]

I still can't get over that nothing was called on their first goal. A Hook into a spear causing Ghost to throw the puck in front of his own net.

Don't even get me started on Milbury.

 

[Les Averman]

I had to miss the first period of the game, so I'm not sure how the effort looked out there, but the one player that was noticeably giving a crap effort in the 2nd/3rd period was Simmonds. I'm not one to ever say, "This guy shouldn't be on the team, or let's trade him," and I'm not saying that but the effort needs to be there on a game like last nights. The only decent play was his hit on Abdelkader, which sprung Giroux's slap shot from the slot, but the rest of his effort was horrendous, especially for a guy who has an A on his jersey. While Jake needs to put more of those pucks on net on that PP in the 2nd period, Simmonds blew two pretty good opportunities because he looked like he just wasn't ready for a pass and didn't react.

Other Notes:
- As somebody else mentioned, Ghost has got to be tired. Given that he played in the NCAA and his injury last year, he's played significantly more games in this period of time than he has in his life and it's showing. There's just not as much going on with the breakouts or even with his creativity from the point. Not really anything you can do about it but just something to be cognizant of.

- Mason haters are the worst. He's been playing lights out. The first goal was a fluke and he nearly made the save on the break away for the second goal. He's the best goalie we's had in probably 25-30 years and it's not really close IMO.

- Voracek looks like a different player from last year. There's no confidence in his play, a lot of mismanaged pucks and he hasn't been creating like he did last year. I'd like to see him put back on the first line with G and see if that can spark him.

- Gagner and Read have been horrendous. I personally didn't really buy into Gagner's hot streak. He doesn't really show up for the strong majority of the game and then he may have a nice play or two but he's horrible defensively, soft and inconsistent. I'd imagine there's no way he's back. Read has been an offensive black hole and a bit too passive defensively for my liking. The defense isn't really a concern for me but we can't paying this guy 3 million a year for this level of play. Not sure if he has any value but I'd be more than OK with unloading him this offseason.

- Vandevelde has impressed me recently. However, take this for what it's worth. Comparatively, he's been playing a lot better the last few games than he has for the rest of the year. He's still not bringing any offense but his forechecking and PKing has been better the past few games than it was earlier in the year. This is the first time all year I can say that he's been playing the best hockey on his line (not that the competition is all that fierce).


Lastly, I don't think we're going to make the playoffs but I hope I'm wrong. I know the odds are still in our favor but I think we're too worn down and simply not good enough to sustain the level of play that we were putting out there.

 

[BringBackHakstol]

It's hilarious how quickly people forget that this team was over performing and isn't supposed to be where they are.

 

[Danko]

Read has been an offensive black hole and a bit too passive defensively for my liking. The defense isn't really a concern for me but we can't paying this guy 3 million a year for this level of play. Not sure if he has any value but I'd be more than OK with unloading him this offseason.

Cannot wait until he is gone.

 

[OriginJM]

i was in the ER during the game and i was hoping they'd give me more morphine to deal with the pain of being a Flyers fan

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

i was in the ER during the game and i was hoping they'd give me more morphine to deal with the pain of being a Flyers fan

Didn't they score 3 PP goals against Ottawa?

Before that the first unit didn't score since February 14th against Calgary, IIRC.

 

[Flyotes]

The team needs to score more goals.

Goals For: 203 (24th of 30), Goals Against: 211 (14th of 30) (was 13th before last night)

Defense, as much as it needs fresh bodies, was part of the surprise this season.

Guys that took a step backward (V, Read, etc) have taken a lot of danger out of this team.

If V never wakes up it is going to get ugly. This year he's gotten somewhat of a pass. If he's a turd next year it is time to criticize the hell out of him. I get he's injured. That excuse won't hold in October.

 

[YEM]

It's hilarious how quickly people forget that this team was over performing and isn't supposed to be where they are.

weird post
they earned their positioning & frankly the east is full of mediocre and sub-par teams

 

[explosive skating]

I think most people here overreacted.. I agree they lost a huge game but their effort wasn't that bad.

The game was even, they didn't get bounces and that's all. Remember that the first goal shouldn't have happened because it was caused by illegal play. And that goal set the tone of the game. And then Voracek mishandling the puck led to the second one. Even EN was fluky

 

[Larry44]

I think most people here overreacted.. I agree they lost a huge game but their effort wasn't that bad.

The game was even, they didn't get bounces and that's all. Remember that the first goal shouldn't have happened because it was caused by illegal play. And that goal set the tone of the game. And then Voracek mishandling the puck led to the second one. Even EN was fluky

The first goal, Richards practically took Ghost's sweater right off his friggin' arm, but no hooking penalty? Bettman's NHL.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I think most people here overreacted.. I agree they lost a huge game but their effort wasn't that bad.

The game was even, they didn't get bounces and that's all. Remember that the first goal shouldn't have happened because it was caused by illegal play. And that goal set the tone of the game. And then Voracek mishandling the puck led to the second one. Even EN was fluky

I wouldn't really say that, Detroit pretty much shut them down offensively last night. They clogged up the middle of the slot & kept the Flyers to the outside. The Flyers aren't an overly skilled team so that's pretty much a death sentence to them if you take away that from them.

 

[hckyplayer8]

The team needs to score more goals.

Goals For: 203 (24th of 30), Goals Against: 211 (14th of 30) (was 13th before last night)

Defense, as much as it needs fresh bodies, was part of the surprise this season.

Guys that took a step backward (V, Read, etc) have taken a lot of danger out of this team.

If V never wakes up it is going to get ugly. This year he's gotten somewhat of a pass. If he's a turd next year it is time to criticize the hell out of him. I get he's injured. That excuse won't hold in October.

Oops. Somebody bucking the Manning! Streit! Defense! 4th line! narrative. Be prepared to get blasted.

 

[Hurricane28]

Oops. Somebody bucking the Manning! Streit! Defense! 4th line! narrative. Be prepared to get blasted.

Not really, he cites the people who haven't been good this year, while you cite Giroux as the problem, when he was been one of the best players this year

 

[1865]

Yeh, how on Earth isn't their first goal a hook? I mean, if you had to put together a classic example of it, you'd use a video of that play.

 

[Striiker]

Oops. Somebody bucking the Manning! Streit! Defense! 4th line! narrative. Be prepared to get blasted.

And surely, since you're clueless, you don't see how those things contribute to scoring less goals, right?

Because bad players have no impact on the offense at all? Of course not. Clearly the answer is to cry about the players who actually do perform.

Smart.

 

[Rebels57]

I still can't get over that nothing was called on their first goal. A Hook into a spear causing Ghost to throw the puck in front of his own net.

Don't even get me started on Milbury.

Yup. It was still a foolish decision by Ghost. He should have obviously went around the boards or just ate it up against the wall, but he was very clearly hooked and speared.

The amount of holding and interference that is being let go in games nowadays if ****ing staggering. Detroit may be the biggest perpetrator of that.

 

[Rebels57]

Oops. Somebody bucking the Manning! Streit! Defense! 4th line! narrative. Be prepared to get blasted.

Aren't you the guy who was blasting Giroux last night?

 

[hatcher]

Aren't you the guy who was blasting Giroux last night?

Who wouldn't blast him? He was terrible when it mattered. Seguin and Benn would have won that non contact game easy last night just dumping and chasing. They can board battle and score on the rush.