The night began with one-time captain Peter Forsberg spurning the Flyers and choosing instead to sign with the Colorado Avalanche.
Things would get worse before they got better, as the Sabres raced out to a 3-0 lead in a building that has been a personal house of horrors for the Flyers. Already having lost ten straight games and multiple key contributors to injury, it would have been easy for the Flyers to simply pack it in and look ahead to Thursday night's match-up with the Ottawa Senators.
But something happened on the way to loss number eleven.
Jeff Carter scored on a breakaway to make it 3-1. Newcomer Patrick Thoresen fed Scott Hartnell, who cut the lead to one. Then in the third, R.J. Umberger exorcised some HSBC Arena demons of his own and tied the game on the power play.
Then in dramatic fashion, the former Sabre Danny Briere won it in the shootout, the Flyers first shootout win in five tries this year.
Hello, playoffs. Goodbye, losing streak. Good riddance, Foppa.
In hindsight, tonight's game could be the one that we look back on as the momentum-changer for the season. With all of the breaks seemingly going against them, with their post-season lives hanging in the balance, they rallied around Carter, Hartnell, Umberger, and Braydon Coburn. This could be the one where the breaks start going in their favor.
And if it is, it will have been under the unlikeliest circumstances, in the unlikeliest of locations, at just the right time.
After the game, the Flyers re-acquired Vaclav Prospal (29 G, 28 A) from Tampa Bay in exchange for Alexandre Picard and a draft choice. With all the injuries to the front line, adding Prospal without subtracting from the young nucleus (Read: Jeff Carter) represents another shrewd move by Paul Holmgren.
February 25, 2008
February 23, 2008
The Week in Review
The last seven days in Philly sports have given us a couple of wins, a few more losses, speculated trades, cuts, and free agent signings, a prank, an arrest, and a huge payday. Let's take a look back, team by team.
Phillies
The highlight of the Grapefruit league thus far for the Phils has been the elaborate prank orchestrated by Brett Myers, Charlie Manuel, and Ruben Amaro Jr. whereby they convinced Kyle Kendrick he had been traded to a Japanese team. For the most part, I like the prank because it shows me the clubhouse is loose and relaxed heading into the season. But I've got to wonder if the manager and assistant GM would be better served spending time focusing on improving the team and keeping up with the Mets as opposed to creating fake itineraries and trade documents. One other thought on the prank - why not try it on Adam Eaton, just to see if you can get him on the plane?
Ryan Howard won his arbitration hearing and will earn $10 million in 2008, which equates to a 1011% pay raise. I'm pretty sure that will cover the federal cost of living adjustment.
It came to light yesterday that new closer Brad Lidge re-injured his surgically repaired knee on his first throw from a mound this spring. The severity of the injury has yet to be determined, but the situation has the potential to be disconcerting.
Sixers
The NBA trade deadline passed this week without the Sixers making a move, meaning Andre Miller will remain with the club for the balance of the season. And with most of the big names moving to the Western conference, that season actually has the potential to extend beyond April 16. The Sixers are 7-3 in their last ten games and currently hold the eighth spot in the East.
Here's the problem: The Sixers will face some of the NBA's elite teams, including the 41-12 Boston Celtics (twice), the 40-15 Detroit Pistons (twice), the 38-17 Phoenix Suns (twice), the 35-22 Orlando Magic (twice) and the 31-24 Cleveland Cavaliers (twice). Also on the schedule - the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and a homecoming of sorts with Allen Iverson and the Denver Nuggets coming to town. Loosely translated, I wouldn't plunk down a deposit on Sixers playoffs tickets unless its fully refundable.
Eagles
When I heard the words "Eagles" and "arrested for marijuana possession" in the same sentence, I immediately assumed one of Andy Reid's sons would be prominently involved. Nope, it was Mike Patterson and his brother who were busted with small ounces of the wacky weed following a minor traffic accident in New Jersey. By NFL standards, this is almost a non-issue, but its still not the way I'd like my football players to spend their off-seasons.
Speaking of Eagles defensive lineman, it has been speculated that the Eagles will cut Jevon Kearse and free up about $6.5 million in salary cap space, which could be used to ink free agent CB Asante Samuel, who will command somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million a year (a.k.a. Ryan Howard money). Signing Samuel might make Lito Sheppard expendable, and rumor is the Birds are shopping him.
It also may clue us in to what the Eagles are thinking in terms of the draft. Florida Gators DE Richard Harvey has been described as a Kearse clone and has been garnering some attention at the NFL combine. I'm not saying, I'm just saying...
Flyers
The free fall continues for the Flyers, who have now lost ten consecutive games including last night's heartbreaker to the Florida Panthers. Up 1-0 with less than five seconds to play, the Panthers bounced in a goal to send the game to overtime, then notched the winner on a power play in the extra frame.
The game wasn't even the most crippling loss of the evening. Team MVP Mike Richards will be out for at least three weeks with a torn hamstring, joining Simon Gagne, Joffrey Lupul, Steve Downie, and Derian Hatcher on the IR.
From the glass is half full department, despite the losing streak the Flyers are only a point out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, and three points out of sixth. With the exception of Gagne, all of the injured players should be back before the end of the season, meaning if the Flyers can right the ship, they could be a dangerous playoff team.
The way this team has played over the last month, that's a big if.
Phillies
The highlight of the Grapefruit league thus far for the Phils has been the elaborate prank orchestrated by Brett Myers, Charlie Manuel, and Ruben Amaro Jr. whereby they convinced Kyle Kendrick he had been traded to a Japanese team. For the most part, I like the prank because it shows me the clubhouse is loose and relaxed heading into the season. But I've got to wonder if the manager and assistant GM would be better served spending time focusing on improving the team and keeping up with the Mets as opposed to creating fake itineraries and trade documents. One other thought on the prank - why not try it on Adam Eaton, just to see if you can get him on the plane?
Ryan Howard won his arbitration hearing and will earn $10 million in 2008, which equates to a 1011% pay raise. I'm pretty sure that will cover the federal cost of living adjustment.
It came to light yesterday that new closer Brad Lidge re-injured his surgically repaired knee on his first throw from a mound this spring. The severity of the injury has yet to be determined, but the situation has the potential to be disconcerting.
Sixers
The NBA trade deadline passed this week without the Sixers making a move, meaning Andre Miller will remain with the club for the balance of the season. And with most of the big names moving to the Western conference, that season actually has the potential to extend beyond April 16. The Sixers are 7-3 in their last ten games and currently hold the eighth spot in the East.
Here's the problem: The Sixers will face some of the NBA's elite teams, including the 41-12 Boston Celtics (twice), the 40-15 Detroit Pistons (twice), the 38-17 Phoenix Suns (twice), the 35-22 Orlando Magic (twice) and the 31-24 Cleveland Cavaliers (twice). Also on the schedule - the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and a homecoming of sorts with Allen Iverson and the Denver Nuggets coming to town. Loosely translated, I wouldn't plunk down a deposit on Sixers playoffs tickets unless its fully refundable.
Eagles
When I heard the words "Eagles" and "arrested for marijuana possession" in the same sentence, I immediately assumed one of Andy Reid's sons would be prominently involved. Nope, it was Mike Patterson and his brother who were busted with small ounces of the wacky weed following a minor traffic accident in New Jersey. By NFL standards, this is almost a non-issue, but its still not the way I'd like my football players to spend their off-seasons.
Speaking of Eagles defensive lineman, it has been speculated that the Eagles will cut Jevon Kearse and free up about $6.5 million in salary cap space, which could be used to ink free agent CB Asante Samuel, who will command somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million a year (a.k.a. Ryan Howard money). Signing Samuel might make Lito Sheppard expendable, and rumor is the Birds are shopping him.
It also may clue us in to what the Eagles are thinking in terms of the draft. Florida Gators DE Richard Harvey has been described as a Kearse clone and has been garnering some attention at the NFL combine. I'm not saying, I'm just saying...
Flyers
The free fall continues for the Flyers, who have now lost ten consecutive games including last night's heartbreaker to the Florida Panthers. Up 1-0 with less than five seconds to play, the Panthers bounced in a goal to send the game to overtime, then notched the winner on a power play in the extra frame.
The game wasn't even the most crippling loss of the evening. Team MVP Mike Richards will be out for at least three weeks with a torn hamstring, joining Simon Gagne, Joffrey Lupul, Steve Downie, and Derian Hatcher on the IR.
From the glass is half full department, despite the losing streak the Flyers are only a point out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, and three points out of sixth. With the exception of Gagne, all of the injured players should be back before the end of the season, meaning if the Flyers can right the ship, they could be a dangerous playoff team.
The way this team has played over the last month, that's a big if.
February 20, 2008
Eight is Enough
Here’s a quick glance at the Flyers by the numbers:
8 Consecutive losses – an untimely slide for the one-time Atlantic Division leader has dropped the Flyers to fourth in the division.
7 Games remaining against the top three teams in the Atlantic – the Flyers will have a chance to make up ground on the Devils (two games), Penguins (three games), and Rangers (two games).
6 Days until the NHL trade deadline – adding defenseman Jaroslav Modry from Los Angeles is likely not the only move the Flyers will make, but no one really knows if the Flyers will add a major player (like a Mats Sundin or Marian Hossa).
5 Scoring categories currently led by Mike Richards – Richards leads the Flyers in goals (23), assists (42), points (65), plus/minus (+13), and short-handed goals (5). He’s also tied with Danny Briere for the team lead in power play points (30). Richards is unquestionably the Flyers MVP this season, and he’ll have to continue to live up to his All-Star status and carry this club down the stretch.
4 Players out with significant injuries – Simon Gagne (concussion) may be lost for the season, Derian Hatcher (knee) and Joffrey Lupul (ankle) and both out for a couple more weeks, and Steve Downie (concussion) is day-to-day.
3 Starts a piece for Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki in the last six games – As the old saying goes, if you have two goalies, you don’t have a goalie. So who’s the number one guy down the stretch and for the playoffs?
2 Goals scored by Briere over the last 16 games – citing a lack of chemistry due to the multitude of injuries, Briere has gone ice cold on the offensive end. I’m not saying he’s been a $52 million bust, but I think everyone (including Briere himself) expected more.
1 Point earned during the eight-game slide – courtesy of last night’s shootout loss in Ottawa
0 Margin for error – The Flyers have fallen to the eighth spot in the East, tied with the seventh seeded Boston Bruins and two points ahead of the ninth seeded Buffalo Sabres, both of whom have a game at hand. Whether or not the Flyers make the playoffs, a circumstance that seemed like a certainty a few weeks ago, now hinges on the remaining 22 games of the regular season.
8 Consecutive losses – an untimely slide for the one-time Atlantic Division leader has dropped the Flyers to fourth in the division.
7 Games remaining against the top three teams in the Atlantic – the Flyers will have a chance to make up ground on the Devils (two games), Penguins (three games), and Rangers (two games).
6 Days until the NHL trade deadline – adding defenseman Jaroslav Modry from Los Angeles is likely not the only move the Flyers will make, but no one really knows if the Flyers will add a major player (like a Mats Sundin or Marian Hossa).
5 Scoring categories currently led by Mike Richards – Richards leads the Flyers in goals (23), assists (42), points (65), plus/minus (+13), and short-handed goals (5). He’s also tied with Danny Briere for the team lead in power play points (30). Richards is unquestionably the Flyers MVP this season, and he’ll have to continue to live up to his All-Star status and carry this club down the stretch.
4 Players out with significant injuries – Simon Gagne (concussion) may be lost for the season, Derian Hatcher (knee) and Joffrey Lupul (ankle) and both out for a couple more weeks, and Steve Downie (concussion) is day-to-day.
3 Starts a piece for Martin Biron and Antero Niittymaki in the last six games – As the old saying goes, if you have two goalies, you don’t have a goalie. So who’s the number one guy down the stretch and for the playoffs?
2 Goals scored by Briere over the last 16 games – citing a lack of chemistry due to the multitude of injuries, Briere has gone ice cold on the offensive end. I’m not saying he’s been a $52 million bust, but I think everyone (including Briere himself) expected more.
1 Point earned during the eight-game slide – courtesy of last night’s shootout loss in Ottawa
0 Margin for error – The Flyers have fallen to the eighth spot in the East, tied with the seventh seeded Boston Bruins and two points ahead of the ninth seeded Buffalo Sabres, both of whom have a game at hand. Whether or not the Flyers make the playoffs, a circumstance that seemed like a certainty a few weeks ago, now hinges on the remaining 22 games of the regular season.
February 14, 2008
Low Five...High Five
Five games ago, the Flyers were the hottest team in the NHL, riding a 13-3-1 record to the top of the Atlantic Division.
Over the last five games, the Flyers have been plagued by injuries, illness, and untimely turnovers. They’ve started slow, fallen a couple of goals behind, and rallied to make the final scores respectable but not enough to earn two points.
And so, five consecutive losses later, the Flyers have plummeted from second to sixth in the Eastern Conference playoff hierarchy.
That’s simply the nature of the tightly bunched Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference.
It’s not often that a five-game skid can be viewed as a positive thing, but perhaps a stretch like this is precisely what this team needed to get them into playoff mode. After a six-game slump prior to Christmas, the Flyers refocused and subsequently went on their aforementioned run to the top of the division.
The injuries to Braydon Coburn and Scottie Upshall don’t appear to be long-term in nature. Joffrey Lupul recently returned to the line up and looks like he hasn’t missed a beat. Barring any setbacks, Simon Gagne should also be able to play prior to the end of the season.
Obviously, the sooner everyone is healthy and playing together the better, as it appears less and less likely that the roster will need adjusting to accommodate Peter Forsberg. Continuity of the roster goes a long way towards building the chemistry necessary to succeed in the second season.
The playoffs are a war of attrition, where one off-night can make the difference between a magical two month run and an early exit. It seems as though the rest of the regular season will be also.
On their way down, the Flyers may have passed the Sixers, who are on the way up.
A few months ago, I was of the opinion that this team, in its current form wasn't going anywhere. I thought Ed Stefanski dealing Kyle Korver to Utah would be the start of the fire sale, with veterans like Andre Miller soon to follow. The philosophy appeared to be sell off the assets, accumulate draft picks and salary cap room, and rebuild from the ground up.
And, to be honest, that seemed like the right thing to do.
But the Sixers have done a complete about-face. Five consecutive wins have the Sixers tied with the New Jersey Nets for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference. Miller has been mentioned as a possible all-star replacement for Jason Kidd (if Kidd ends up going to Dallas prior to Sunday). Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert have come of age.
Perhaps most importantly, the young 76ers like Louis Williams, Thaddeus Young, and Rodney Carney are all getting minutes and contributing when given the opportunity. Maybe they can do some building with the pieces they already have in place.
Now, I'm pleasantly surprised by the Sixers, but not delusional enough to call them a contender in the East. They lack the size and depth to match up with powers like Boston and Detroit. And, if they got an offer they couldn't refuse for Miller, they may have to take it.
But admit it - the thought of playoff basketball in Philly this summer is pretty remarkable.
Over the last five games, the Flyers have been plagued by injuries, illness, and untimely turnovers. They’ve started slow, fallen a couple of goals behind, and rallied to make the final scores respectable but not enough to earn two points.
And so, five consecutive losses later, the Flyers have plummeted from second to sixth in the Eastern Conference playoff hierarchy.
That’s simply the nature of the tightly bunched Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference.
It’s not often that a five-game skid can be viewed as a positive thing, but perhaps a stretch like this is precisely what this team needed to get them into playoff mode. After a six-game slump prior to Christmas, the Flyers refocused and subsequently went on their aforementioned run to the top of the division.
The injuries to Braydon Coburn and Scottie Upshall don’t appear to be long-term in nature. Joffrey Lupul recently returned to the line up and looks like he hasn’t missed a beat. Barring any setbacks, Simon Gagne should also be able to play prior to the end of the season.
Obviously, the sooner everyone is healthy and playing together the better, as it appears less and less likely that the roster will need adjusting to accommodate Peter Forsberg. Continuity of the roster goes a long way towards building the chemistry necessary to succeed in the second season.
The playoffs are a war of attrition, where one off-night can make the difference between a magical two month run and an early exit. It seems as though the rest of the regular season will be also.
On their way down, the Flyers may have passed the Sixers, who are on the way up.
A few months ago, I was of the opinion that this team, in its current form wasn't going anywhere. I thought Ed Stefanski dealing Kyle Korver to Utah would be the start of the fire sale, with veterans like Andre Miller soon to follow. The philosophy appeared to be sell off the assets, accumulate draft picks and salary cap room, and rebuild from the ground up.
And, to be honest, that seemed like the right thing to do.
But the Sixers have done a complete about-face. Five consecutive wins have the Sixers tied with the New Jersey Nets for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference. Miller has been mentioned as a possible all-star replacement for Jason Kidd (if Kidd ends up going to Dallas prior to Sunday). Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert have come of age.
Perhaps most importantly, the young 76ers like Louis Williams, Thaddeus Young, and Rodney Carney are all getting minutes and contributing when given the opportunity. Maybe they can do some building with the pieces they already have in place.
Now, I'm pleasantly surprised by the Sixers, but not delusional enough to call them a contender in the East. They lack the size and depth to match up with powers like Boston and Detroit. And, if they got an offer they couldn't refuse for Miller, they may have to take it.
But admit it - the thought of playoff basketball in Philly this summer is pretty remarkable.
February 10, 2008
Decisions, Decisions
Now that the NFL off-season has officially started, there will continue to be rampant speculation surrounding what the Eagles will do in free agency and the draft. One thing we know for sure is that they will do something. Whether or not that something satisfies Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook’s separate requests for additional weapons remains to be seen.
Let’s start with the open market. There will be big names available, including Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel and wide receiver Randy Moss, but big names typically command big dollars, and that hasn’t been the Eagles’ mantra. Any free agent signings will probably be of the under-the-radar variety (like Chicago ’s Bernard Berrian).
The Eagles slapped their franchise tag on would-be free agent L.J. Smith, meaning he’ll be in the fold for at least one more season. On the surface, franchising Smith might not seem to be that big a deal, but he’s been relatively productive when healthy, and there was no quality tight end available that would have drawn the Eagles’ interest.
Trades seem to be a thing of the past in the NFL anymore, and I’d be surprised to see the Eagles make one (despite reports to the contrary, which I’ll come back to later). Disgruntled Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson has spent most of his off-season trying to talk his way out of Cincinnati , but it appears as though he’ll be staying in Ohio . Ditto Larry Fitzgerald in Arizona . And, as Freddie Mitchell and Billy McMullen would attest, the Eagles haven’t had a ton of success in drafting wide receivers. So unless the Birds can steal Javon Walker from the Broncos, we’re looking at another year of Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown, a tandem that falls somewhere between Marvin Harrison/Reggie Wayne and James Thrash/Todd Pinkston.
Which brings us to the draft. The Eagles currently hold the 19th overall selection, and there are varying opinions regarding what position they should address with which player. Here’s a random sampling of some mock drafts, some from credible sources like ESPN and Rivals.com, others from people with no real connection to the NFL:
www.nfldraftcountdown.com – Mario Manningham (WR, Michigan )
www.walterfootball.com – Chris Williams (OT, Vanderbilt)
www.draftking.com – Derrick Harvey (DE, Florida )
www.nfldraftdog.com – Limas Sweed (WR, Texas )
http://football.about.com – Jeff Otah (OT, Pittsburgh )
www.fftoolbox.com – Sam Baker (OT, USC)
www.nfldraftblitz.com – Vernon Gholston (DE, Ohio State )
www.mynfldraft.com – Malcolm Kelly (WR, Oklahoma )
http://collegefootball.rivals.com – Dan Conner (LB, Penn State )
www.espn.com – Mel Kiper Jr.: Chris Williams (OT, Vanderbilt)
www.espn.com – Todd McShay: Calais Campbell (DE, Miami )
So apparently the Eagles primary need is a tackle to supplant Jon Runyan and William Thomas, a defensive end to replace Jevon Kearse, or (stop me if you’ve heard this before) a wide receiver.
In my opinion, the Eagles should grab a receiver, but not one of the ones mentioned above. My guy is California ’s DeSean Jackson, who would immediately step in as the punt and kick returner and could develop into a Steve Smith-type threat. The problem is, most of the mocks I’ve seen have Jackson off the board before the Eagles pick at 19.
Would the Eagles make a move up to get Jackson ? Well, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Ravens would have an interest in trading for Donovan McNabb. Baltimore owns the eighth pick in the draft. The Eagles have said they’re not moving McNabb, but if Baltimore offered the eighth pick in a package, would the Eagles change their tune? For that matter, should they?
Yes, the off-season is here. And the Eagles will do something. Whether they dip a toe in the pool or plunge off the high dive is still anyone’s guess.
Let’s start with the open market. There will be big names available, including Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel and wide receiver Randy Moss, but big names typically command big dollars, and that hasn’t been the Eagles’ mantra. Any free agent signings will probably be of the under-the-radar variety (like Chicago ’s Bernard Berrian).
The Eagles slapped their franchise tag on would-be free agent L.J. Smith, meaning he’ll be in the fold for at least one more season. On the surface, franchising Smith might not seem to be that big a deal, but he’s been relatively productive when healthy, and there was no quality tight end available that would have drawn the Eagles’ interest.
Trades seem to be a thing of the past in the NFL anymore, and I’d be surprised to see the Eagles make one (despite reports to the contrary, which I’ll come back to later). Disgruntled Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson has spent most of his off-season trying to talk his way out of Cincinnati , but it appears as though he’ll be staying in Ohio . Ditto Larry Fitzgerald in Arizona . And, as Freddie Mitchell and Billy McMullen would attest, the Eagles haven’t had a ton of success in drafting wide receivers. So unless the Birds can steal Javon Walker from the Broncos, we’re looking at another year of Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown, a tandem that falls somewhere between Marvin Harrison/Reggie Wayne and James Thrash/Todd Pinkston.
Which brings us to the draft. The Eagles currently hold the 19th overall selection, and there are varying opinions regarding what position they should address with which player. Here’s a random sampling of some mock drafts, some from credible sources like ESPN and Rivals.com, others from people with no real connection to the NFL:
www.nfldraftcountdown.com – Mario Manningham (WR, Michigan )
www.walterfootball.com – Chris Williams (OT, Vanderbilt)
www.draftking.com – Derrick Harvey (DE, Florida )
www.nfldraftdog.com – Limas Sweed (WR, Texas )
http://football.about.com – Jeff Otah (OT, Pittsburgh )
www.fftoolbox.com – Sam Baker (OT, USC)
www.nfldraftblitz.com – Vernon Gholston (DE, Ohio State )
www.mynfldraft.com – Malcolm Kelly (WR, Oklahoma )
http://collegefootball.rivals.com – Dan Conner (LB, Penn State )
www.espn.com – Mel Kiper Jr.: Chris Williams (OT, Vanderbilt)
www.espn.com – Todd McShay: Calais Campbell (DE, Miami )
So apparently the Eagles primary need is a tackle to supplant Jon Runyan and William Thomas, a defensive end to replace Jevon Kearse, or (stop me if you’ve heard this before) a wide receiver.
In my opinion, the Eagles should grab a receiver, but not one of the ones mentioned above. My guy is California ’s DeSean Jackson, who would immediately step in as the punt and kick returner and could develop into a Steve Smith-type threat. The problem is, most of the mocks I’ve seen have Jackson off the board before the Eagles pick at 19.
Would the Eagles make a move up to get Jackson ? Well, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Ravens would have an interest in trading for Donovan McNabb. Baltimore owns the eighth pick in the draft. The Eagles have said they’re not moving McNabb, but if Baltimore offered the eighth pick in a package, would the Eagles change their tune? For that matter, should they?
Yes, the off-season is here. And the Eagles will do something. Whether they dip a toe in the pool or plunge off the high dive is still anyone’s guess.
February 3, 2008
Flyers Prove Their Mettle Again
There's a glaring difference between an average hockey team on a hot streak and a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
At this point, you'd have to say the Flyers fall into the latter category.
The Flyers shut out the defending Cup champion Anaheim Ducks last night at Wachovia Center, pushing their record to 13-3-1 since Christmas, a stretch that has seen the Flyers elevate their Atlantic Division standing from worst to first.
The 2007-08 Flyers have shown an uncanny ability to bounce back from losses that would have crippled them a year ago.
Last year, a 7-3 loss to New Jersey would have sent the Flyers into a tailspin.
This year, they followed the loss to the Devils with subsequent wins over Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.
Last year, a shutout loss at home against the Rangers wold have crushed the fragile psyche of a young hockey team.
This year, the Flyers rebounded with a shutout win of their own.
You could attribute the success to the veteran leadership of the three former captains (Jason Smith, Kimmo Timonen, Danny Briere) they acquired in the offseason, the coaching of John Stevens, who won AHL championships as a player and coach, or the experience gained from last year's debacle resulting in breakout years from all-star Mike Richards and defenseman Braydon Coburn.
In truth, its the confluence of all of these that has transformed the Flyers into one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. With 63 points through 51 games, the Flyers are on pace to eclipse the 100-point plateau a year after finishing with the worst record in the league in what would be an epic turnaround.
So evidentally the ability to bounce back in not limited to single games.
At this point, you'd have to say the Flyers fall into the latter category.
The Flyers shut out the defending Cup champion Anaheim Ducks last night at Wachovia Center, pushing their record to 13-3-1 since Christmas, a stretch that has seen the Flyers elevate their Atlantic Division standing from worst to first.
The 2007-08 Flyers have shown an uncanny ability to bounce back from losses that would have crippled them a year ago.
Last year, a 7-3 loss to New Jersey would have sent the Flyers into a tailspin.
This year, they followed the loss to the Devils with subsequent wins over Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.
Last year, a shutout loss at home against the Rangers wold have crushed the fragile psyche of a young hockey team.
This year, the Flyers rebounded with a shutout win of their own.
You could attribute the success to the veteran leadership of the three former captains (Jason Smith, Kimmo Timonen, Danny Briere) they acquired in the offseason, the coaching of John Stevens, who won AHL championships as a player and coach, or the experience gained from last year's debacle resulting in breakout years from all-star Mike Richards and defenseman Braydon Coburn.
In truth, its the confluence of all of these that has transformed the Flyers into one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. With 63 points through 51 games, the Flyers are on pace to eclipse the 100-point plateau a year after finishing with the worst record in the league in what would be an epic turnaround.
So evidentally the ability to bounce back in not limited to single games.
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