Broad Street Hockey

Friday Morning Fly By: Road Trip Continues in San Jose

2009-11-20T16:11:50Z

The Flyers invade HP Pavilion, aka The Shark Tank, in San Jose this evening. Photo by Astro Guy on Flickr.

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Your daily dose of Philadelphia Flyers news...

Last night's NHL scores... CAR 6, TOR 5 (SO) - BOS 4, ATL 3 (SO) - OTT 6, PIT 2 - STL 3, PHX 2 - NSH 3, NJD 2 - CBJ 4, DAL 1 - CHI 7, CGY 1 - ANA 4, TBL 3 (OT)
We're gearing up for tonight's showdown with West-leading San Jose with previews from the Inquirer, NHL.com, and San Jose Mercury News. Slim selection today...
Ray Emery will be in net this evening.
Out in San Jose, they won't get a chance to see every East Coast team. Thanks, NHL. [Mercury News]
Get your Flyers and Sixers at recession buster prices. Someone tell them the recession is over... [Gormley]
The Flyers defense has been good. [Daily News]
Notably, Matt Carle has been good. The effects of The Pronger rear their head... [CSN]
Jari Kurri runs things in Finland, and he likes Mika Pyorala's game. The word Olympics has been mentioned. [Bucks Co. Times]
The Flyers are usually plagued with injuries, and while we haven't be exempt this season, it clearly hasn't been as bad as in recent years. Philadelphia ranks 20th in the league, on pace to lose 183 man games to injury this season. [From The Rink]
There was another incidence last night where referees had to use their discretion on the "intent to blow the whistle" rule. I don't think it was as bad, nor as obvious, as the terrible call in the Stars/Wings game the other night, but this one was in OT, so it's clearly not good. It went against the Leafs, so we need a Toronto-based site to break this down. Just for laughs, if nothing else. [Pension Plan Puppets]
Dallas' James Neal scrambles Derek Dorsett's eggs. Suspension worthy? [Kukla's]
Scott Niedermayer tries to give a stick to a little girl, but two drunken idiots decide they want it more. Brawling ensues on live television. [Puck Daddy]

I'll just let that speak for itself...

2009-11-19T22:21:58Z

I'll just let that speak for itself...

Thursday Morning Fly By: Primeau speaks, Win a Boston trip

2009-11-19T16:32:32Z

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

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Your daily dose of Philadelphia Flyers news...

Last night's NHL scores... Flyers 3, Kings 2 - FLA 6, BUF 2 - DAL 3, DET 1 - PHX 3, MIN 2 - EDM 6, COL 4
Recaps of last night's/this morning's squeaker in LA from the AP, NHL.com, the Inquirer, Daily News, Bucks Co. Times, CSN Philly, the Kings (and much more at Kings Insider), FGSB, and Flying P.
Several articles about Randy Jones playing the Flyers for the first time. [Inquirer] - [Daily News] - [CSN]
Keith Primeau speaks on living life with head injuries. [Daily News]
This story was posted by Geoff in the FanShots yesterday, but I wanted to put more of a spotlight on it here. Apparently, Metro Philadelphia thinks that Darroll Powe is a defenseman. I've reached out to the editor for comment, so hopefully we'll have more on this later. [Metro]
The Phantoms won last night 2-0 over Toronto. Tim McManus: "How do you have a winning record (8-6-1-0) when you’ve scored just 34 times in 15 games? By only allowing 37" Johan Backlund has been great. [Post-Star]
Adirondack has a game on Thanksgiving. Really, AHL? [Phantoms]
The worst call all season. And I don't think this can be topped. From Wings-Stars last night... [Puck Daddy]
CSN is giving away a trip to Boston for the Winter Classic. [CSN]
I firmly believe the Flyers are contenders; they got better over the summer and they’re used to playing without Simon Gagne anyway. They had great special teams last year, and Chris Pronger has been playing at a Norris Trophy level so far this season. [Hockey Or Die]
Become a fan of Broad Street Hockey on Facebook. [Facebook]

Pyorala Powers Flyers 3-2 Win Over Kings

2009-11-19T06:57:20Z

More photos » by Mark J. Terrill - AP

1 day ago: Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, left, tries to stop a shot by Philadelphia Flyers left wing Daniel Carcillo, right, as Kings' Matt Greene defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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[Recap] - [Boxscore] - [Complete Coverage] - [LAK Reaction]

These 10:30 PM ET start times are pretty rough. It's already an hour into Thursday here in the East, so I'm going to cut right into the bullet points:

Big Flyers fan presence in LA, as per usual. There was an enormous Flyers flag in the corner to Quick's right throughout the first, and around the rest of the arena there was a ton of visible orange. Good on the Flyers to give the faithful a win.
I'd give Brian Boucher a B+ for his performance in this game, his first win of the season. The first goal he allowed was easily the softest goal a Flyers goalie has let in all year, but he only let in one more after that, making 37 saves on 39 shots. Good numbers, but he looked far from rock solid or even steady for most of the game. But a win is a win is a win.
Speaking of shot totals, the Flyers got absolutely dominated in this category for the first time all year, almost getting doubled up by the count of 39-20, including a ridiculous 21-5 deficit in the third period. For a team that regularly breaks 40 in this category, it came out of nowhere. The Flyers did get a lot of pressure and puts down low in the Kings end, though, so the numbers are a little scarier than the reality was. And the bigger numbers, 3-2, are the ones that matter in the end.
The diving backhand Mika Pyorala netted for his first career goal is the stuff of dreams. He was playing notably better for the rest of the game, hopefully indicating that scoring a goal lifted a big weight off his shoulders and will let him regain the free flowing form he showed in the pre-season.
James van Riemsdyk is looking more and more like a legit threat to win the Calder Trophy with every game. His goal was super aware and super pretty, and he's just generally pretty super. It's been a long time since the Flyers had a guy this great out of the gate, not since Simon Gagne, at least.
Speaking of young guys, that Drew Doughty fellow they've got over there is ridiculous. Glad he's not in the East.
The shot with under 20 seconds left that snuck through Boucher's legs and squeaked along the goal line definitely took years off the life of any Flyers fan watching.
The win was the Flyers' seventh in their last eight games, which is pretty friggin' awesome.
The win also puts the Flyers in sole possession of third in the Atlantic, and only three points behind Pittsburgh with three games in hand.

After the jump, Travis' pregame questions answered, the video highlights from the game, and your comments on the win.

The Flyers have allowed only six goals in the first period, best in the league. The Kings are close though, only allowing 11 in the first period, good for fourth in the league. Does anybody take over the offensive flow early? Los Angeles controlled the offense early and often, outshooting the Flyers 11-6 in the first frame, and 39-20 overall.
How does Randy Jones play in his first game against his old team? Pretty well. He got a couple nice shots off from the point, and handled himself real well in an interview with FSN Los Angeles.
How does Brian Boucher play with something to prove after a terrible first outing? It's been awhile, so is there any rust? He was by no means great, but got the win in the end. Rust definitely looked like a factor, especially on that first goal.
Does David Laliberte come back where he left off last week as an NHLer? Laliberte was fairly invisible for most of the game, but he was during his first stint as well. Ended as a -1, but didn't have too bad of a night out there.

Comment of the Night

Pyro gonna score tonight…hopefully.

>> flyrsfrk05

Highlights:

Game 18, Preview and Open Thread: Late Night With Michal and Randy, Philadelphia Flyers at Los Angeles Kings

2009-11-19T01:00:14Z

Philadelphia Flyers (11-5-1, 23 pts) at Los Angeles Kings (13-7-2, 28 pts)
Staples Center - 10:30 PM ET - Los Angeles, CA
TV: CSN Philly HD
Radio: 610 WIP, XM 208
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: Battle of California

The Flyers begin a four-game West Coast swing tonight in Los Angeles as they reunite with outcast defenseman Randy Jones. He'll get his chance for revenge tonight as he faces his old team for the first time since they banished him to the minor leagues.

The Kings are depleted with injuries, though. Ryan Smyth found out today that he'll be out for a month while defenseman Rob Scuderi is also missing time. Who needs to step up in Scuderi's absence, according to Battle of California? Take a guess...

Rob Scuderi is almost as important as Ryan Smyth but he's a little easier to replace. Randy "Has a Peephole in His Guest Bathroom" Jones has taken Rob Scuderi's slot. Jones has played a few games for the Kings and is a high plus/minus player. Someone like Rob Scuderi isn't going to give you a lot of plus plays that lead to goals, but he's also not going to make any mistakes that cost the Kings' goals. Jones, on the other hand, will fail to skate hard getting back and cost the Kings a goal (like he did against the Panthers to make it 0-2), but then he'll smartly jump in on the rush and tap in a rebound goal (like he did against the Panthers to make it 3-2). I don't know, I'm not a huge fan of him because I think poor Wayne Simmonds is going to wake up one morning with a sticky face and a lot of questions, but he's fine for a little while.

The Kings also have a few other former Flyers on their roster, but they're two players that were actually liked around these parts. Michal Handzus and Justin Williams are wearing purple and black these days, and Terry "Choking Situation" Murray is their bench boss. Williams should get top line time tonight playing with Alexander Frolov and NHL scoring leader Anze Kopitar. Zus skates with Wayne Simmonds and Teddy Purcell.

On the Philly end, Brian Boucher will get his second start to the season tonight. After a less-than-impressive first outing about a month ago, Boosh will look to get back to winning as he faces a Kings team he got to see a lot of last season. His team played them six times last season and he got in two of those games, winning both. He even shut them out on October 12th. Hopefully, he can put in a serviceable performance tonight considering we're going to be seeing much more of him over the next two months as the schedule picks up.

David Laliberte is back in the Flyers' lineup as Arron Asham exits with an oblique strain. He'll play alongside center Claude Giroux and winger, not defenseman, Darroll Powe. Letting those three loose is an exciting proposition. Other than that, we should see the same lineup tonight as we saw Monday against the Devils.

If you love hockey and have nothing else to do tonight, you'll be a happy camper. There are five games on the NHL schedule this evening and all of them have different start times, so you can catch a ton of hockey from 7 PM to about 1:30 AM when the Flyers are done beating down on the Kings.

After the jump, we'll ask a few questions to be answered as well as the open thread. Join us for some insomniac hockey, won't you?

Questions To Answer

The Flyers have allowed only six goals in the first period, best in the league. The Kings are close though, only allowing 11 in the first period, good for fourth in the league. Does anybody take over the offensive flow early?
How does Randy Jones play in his first game against his old team?
How does Brian Boucher play with something to prove after a terrible first outing? It's been awhile, so is there any rust?
Does David Laliberte come back where he left off last week as an NHLer?

Tonight's game is at 10:30 Eastern on CSN Philly and 610 WIP. If you can't stay up, it'll replay on The Comcast Network at 6 AM tomorrow and on CSN at 7 PM tomorrow night. If you're staying up late, come by for some company and join our discussion, and as always, LET'S GO FLYERS!

Flyers Crown on Kings, Historically

2009-11-18T21:41:16Z

Matt Carle and Teddy Purcell, two modern knights in the Flyers-Kings joustings. (Photo via Life Magazine)

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One of the biggest surprises early on in this nascent NHL campaign is the Los Angeles Kings, who have stunned many by racing out to a 13-7-2 start that has them in fourth place in the Western Conference. And while most Flyers fans don't know (or care) a whole lot about the Kings, there's a lot of ice under the bridge between these two squads.

Along with the Penguins, Blues, North Stars, and Golden Seals, the Flyers and Kings were part of the six-team expansion of the NHL in 1967. The two have had a pretty long (but not particularly storied) history with one another, the latest chapter of which is set to be written at 10:30 ET tonight, in the House That Kobe Built.

With that historical perspective in mind, here are some things you almost certainly do not know about the Los Angeles Kings, seen through orange-tinted lenses:

The Flyers and Kings have played 135 times, with the Flyers posting an 80-37-16 record in those contests. None too shabby. The Flyers are also a pretty awesome 38-22-8 all-time in Los Angeles.
17 of those 80 Flyers wins over the Kings were of the shut out variety, including four each by Bernie Parent and Doug Favell, and two each by Wayne Stephenson, Pelle Lindbergh, and Roman Cechmanek.
The 1974-75 season, best known in these parts for being the year of the Flyers' last Stanley Cup win, was also the most successful regular season in Kings history in terms of points. The Kings 105 point total was largely because of their incredible number of ties, with their 42-17-21 record including more ties than losses. Sadly for the Kings, there are no ties in the playoffs, and the Kings bowed out in three games to the Maple Leafs in the first round.
The Kings have only won their division once in 41 seasons (1990-91 Smythe Division), a number that compares none-too favorably with the Flyers fifteen division crowns over the same time period.
The Kings and Flyers have never met in the playoffs, making the Kings the oldest team still in existence that the Flyers have never faced in the postseason.
Recent Flyers Hall of Fame Inductee Dave Schultz was traded to the Kings in September of 1976 in exchange for two picks (4th Rd 1977 and 2nd Rd 1978).
Powered almost entirely by Head Coach Barry Melrose's hair gel, the Kings made the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, their only trip to date to the last stage of the playoffs. The Kings lost to the Canadiens in five. In a feat not likely to be repeated any time soon, the Kings played all four of their playoff series against Canadian teams, knocking off the Flames, Canucks, and Maple Leafs on their way to the final. That means that "O Canada" was played eleven times in The Forum during the playoffs, a record for an American arena. The Flyers also didn't face an American team during the 1993 playoffs. Or any team, for that matter.
In the fourteen seasons since that run, the Kings have only won one playoff series, a first round upset of the Red Wings in 2001. The Flyers have fared somewhat better, winning thirteen series.

Little of that will matter come tonight though. With Anze Kopitar and the two or three other Kings you might have heard of at the wheel, there's a pretty good team in Los Angeles these days. But the Flyers are awesome themselves, so it should make for a decidedly good late slate of hockey.

It definitely beats watching that terrible new Jay Leno Show, that's for sure.

After the jump, a look back at the most recent Kings foray into Philadelphia, from last February, as well as any comments or thoughts you may have on the Flyers-Kings match-up.

Highlights from the most recent Kings/Flyers game:

Philadelphia is currently tied for last place in the Atlantic, but that’s highly misleading, both b...

2009-11-18T18:48:03Z

Philadelphia is currently tied for last place in the Atlantic, but that’s highly misleading, both because they’ve played four games less than three of their rivals and because by one measure, the Flyers have been the best team in the entire NHL: Philadelphia leads the league at 1.13 goal difference per game, a portent of even better results to come. The Flyers boast two of the biggest stories of the young season: the wildly successful return from the KHL by controversial netminder Ray Emery (7.0 GVT) ––who is in the top 10 in wins, GAA and save percentage––and the Norris Trophy caliber play of offseason acquisition Chris Pronger (5.7 GVT), who is being given credit for the improved play of 25 year old Matt Carle (4.5 GVT) – Carle and Pronger are tops among all skaters at plus-17 and plus-13. Rookie James van Riemsdyk (3.9 GVT) has provided a welcome boost to Philly’s offense, offsetting the long term loss of Simon Gagne (0.7 GVT). The Flyers of 2008-09 were known for their prolific offense; Paul Holmgren’s moves to acquire Emery and Pronger have now built the nucleus of a championship defense.

Puck Prospectus Quarterly Report

Wednesday Morning Fly By: Flyers prep for Kings in LA

2009-11-18T16:36:02Z

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

3 days ago: Philadelphia Flyers' Danny Briere, left, and New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur watch the puck bounce loose after Brodeur blocked a shot by Briere in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Your daily dose of Philadelphia Flyers news...

Last night's NHL scores... WSH 4, NYR 2 - MTL 3, CAR 2 (SO) - OTT 3, TOR 2 - NSH 4, SJS 3 - COL 3, CGY 2
The Flyers are in Los Angeles preparing to take on the Kings at 10 Eastern tonight. We've got previews from NHL.com, the Inquirer, Daily News, Bucks Co. Times, and Meltzer. I don't even think the LA papers have a Kings beat writer now that Rich Hammond has moved his operations to the Kings' website. Be sure to check out lakingsinsider.com, though. SBN's Battle of California should have something later as well.
The only thing I could find from the LA Times was this three paragraph blurb on Schultz's HOF induction. One of those paragraphs were a quote of Anthony SanFillippo. [LA Times]
Want a free t-shirt? Who's gonna score the most points on this upcoming road trip? [FGSB]
Brendan Shanahan has retired from the NHL. [From The Rink]
After a "lazy" road loss in Philadelphia, the Devils took no rest on Tuesday. [Star-Ledger]
Goal celebration goes terribly wrong. Side note: why do people insist on throwing an annoying song over a perfectly good video? [FanHouse]
NHL teams, and really, teams in every pro sport, have taken up the practice of legalizing scalping on internet marketplace's like StubHub and so TeamExchange. Here's how they make their money. [Mike Chen]
Colton Orr just absolutely demolishes Matt Carkner. [YouTube]
Thanks to everybody who listened to BSH Radio last night. If you missed the show, however, the recording is now up. We should be listed on iTunes soon as well. To get the recording, look over on the right side bar here at the site. In the player that's embedded, you can play the show right from your computer. Or, you can download an mp3 at our page on Talkshoe, linked right here. Apparently my mic wasn't on for the first five seconds or so. What an idiot.

Broad Street Hockey Radio premieres tonight, Tuesday, at 7 PM ET

2009-11-17T19:30:11Z

The state-of-the-art radio facilities here at BSH. We wish.

View full size photo »

Tonight, join myself, Ben, and Geoff as we delve into all things Flyers on the premiere edition of Broad Street Hockey Radio. The show will begin at 7 PM ET, but the live stream will be available beginning at 6:45. How do I get to the stream, you ask? Don't fear. Just come right here at show time to broadstreethockey.com and the player will be located right at the top of the page.

On tonight's show, we'll break down the Flyers 3-2 win over New Jersey from a night ago and look ahead to a brutal road trip that sees the orange and black travel out west to face off against some of the best teams the other conference has to offer. We'll also take a look at the brewing competition for the third defensive pairing, and we'll make our selections for the Flyers All-Decade Team.

Of course, we'll be taking your calls all show long. The number to call in is (724) 444-7444, with a Call ID of 66314.

If you can't tune in live, you'll be able to catch a recording of the show at your leisure beginning about 15 minutes after we go off the air.

We'll see you tonight!

Tuesday Morning Fly By: BSH Radio, LIVE tonight at 7 PM

2009-11-17T16:02:39Z

Your daily dose of Philadelphia Flyers news...

Last night's NHL scores... Flyers 3, Devils 2 - NYI 4, BOS 1 - CBJ 3, EDM 2 (SO) - PIT 5, ANA 2 - LAK 4, FLA 3 (SO) - TBL 4, PHX 1
We've got recaps of last night's from NHL.com, CBC, the Inquirer, Daily News, CSN Philly, the Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger, the Bucks Co. Times, the NY Post, FGSB, Meltzer, and In Lou We Trust.
... and stories on Dave "The Hammer" Schultz's induction into the Flyers Hall of Fame from the Flyers' official site, the Daily News, the Bucks Co. Times, and Anthony SanFillippo.
Schultz speaking pre-game about the current problem with headshots in the NHL: "Get rid of the instigator and I bet most of the players would be a lot more careful with those hits to the end (sic?). There are no consequences. And the equipment is out of hand. I want the guys to be protected, but the shoulder pads now are a joke. When I played, I wouldn't hit a guy with my shoulder. I would hurt my shoulder!" [FanHouse]
A transcript of John Stevens' post-game presser. [Courier-Post]
Arron Asham suffered an oblique strain in the game and he won't make the trip out west with the team this week. He'll miss about two weeks, overall. [Inquirer]
David Laliberte has been recalled from Adirondack to replace Asham. He'll meet the team in Los Angeles. [Post-Star]
The Florida Panthers have a new owner, and when asked if his club is the next Phoenix, he says "Absolutely not. It's not even a good comparison at all" The man's name is Stu Siegel, and he has a Philadelphia connection as a former member of the UPenn hockey club. [Puck Daddy]
You've probably realized that Comcast SportsNet in our fair city has re-branded themselves as "CSN Philly" and that they're pushing content on their website more and more, even introducing television reporters as "CSNPhilly.com Insiders." Could this be a preemptive strike at ESPN by Comcast, as they deepen their local roots? [The Sporting Blog]
A defense of the Bullies-era of hockey in regards to today's headshot issue. [USA Today]
The top-10 worst teams of the decade. Guess which one of ours makes the cut... [PD]
Broad Street Hockey Radio goes LIVE tonight at 7 PM Eastern. Just come right here to the homepage later today for everything you need to know.

Flyers stop Devils streak, honor Dave Schultz with 3-2 win

2009-11-17T05:04:35Z

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

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[Recap] - [Boxscore] - [Complete Coverage] - [NJD Reaction]

There was no melee. There were no fights. There were no teeth knocked out, nor was there any blood drawn. But the Philadelphia Flyers honored Dave "The Hammer" Schultz as best they could with a 3-2 win on his night, tonight. Yes, the story of the night, regardless of the score, was his induction into the Flyers Hall of Fame.

His name will live forever in the rafters of the Wachovia Center and every subsequent building the Flyers call home. After tonight, he will be forever enshrined as one of the greats in team history, an honor reserved for just twenty of the hundreds of players that ever pulled on an orange and black sweater. He thanked his teammates, the front office staff, his coach, his family, and us.

But after the nostalgic ceremonies, there was a hockey game to be played, and the current incarnation of the Broad Street Bullies would successfully halt the streaking New Jersey Devils. They entered the game with an eight game win streak and they exited it with a one game losing streak and their first road loss on the season. How did Philadelphia do it?

For starters, Ray Emery put together another excellent game. It's one thing to out-duel Martin Brodeur in one game, as Emery did when these teams first met last month. But to do it in two games against him, as a member of the team he's owned for his entire career, is something else. Emery made 33 saves in total, and many of them came in an up and down first period that the Flyers escaped with a 1-0 lead. If it weren't for Emery's performance in the first twenty minutes, in which he made 14 of his saves -- many of them difficult -- the face of the game could've been vastly different.

The Flyers took over the contest in the second period, stretching their lead on a Scott Hartnell power play tally before penalties would turn around and haunt them. You can sit and debate the weak tripping call on Mike Richards at the 15:18 mark of the second period all you want, but when it comes down to it, the Devils capitalized on the 5-on-3 chance they had following it, trimming the Flyer lead to 2-1.

New Jersey was outplayed by the Flyers in the second, but to come out of the period with only a one-goal deficit was huge for them. It was also a credit to Brodeur, as well, who played great in the second. For a team that had made it their M.O. this season to come from behind on the road, the Devils felt good as they entered the third. Luckily, the Flyers came out and proved that they weren't going to let NJ come back on their ice.

James van Riemsdyk would score a power play tally on a fumbled pokecheck by Brodeur with about nine minutes left in the game, and then played suffocating hockey the rest of the way. The Devils would strike with less than a second left in the game, but it was obviously too little, too late as the orange and black sent them packing.

After the jump, a few more assorted thoughts from the evening, we'll answer our pre-game questions, grab some popcorn and watch the highlights, and select a comment of the night.

Some assorted thoughts...

The Flyers defense deserves a lot of credit for this one, as well. As a whole, the team blocked a whopping 26 shots tonight. That's obviously going to make the game a lot easier for Razor.
Oskars Bartulis put together another clean game. He was a plus-two in 12 minutes, 27 seconds of ice time alongside Ryan Parent. He also blocked four shots of his own.
It seems like every goal Scott Hartnell scores is an ugly one. Tonight, he banked it off of Devils' defenseman Mike Mottau and it found twine behind Brodeur.
Darroll Powe now has six goals on the season.
Giroux set up Powe's goal with a pass that looked easy, but was actually extremely difficult -- a testament to the guys' raw skill. Without looking, he fed the puck through the slot, past a NJ defenseman, and to a wide-open Powe.
Emery had to make a few key saves, but on the whole, he didn't have to work nearly as hard for them as Brodeur did down the other end. That's another credit to the defense for keeping the pressure off of their goaltender.
It was two Brodeur errors that led to goals on this night. On the first, he played the puck around the boards to Arron Asham, a turnover that led to the goal. On JVR's game winner, he poked the puck out of the front of his crease, but it went right to the stick of the Flyer rookie, who didn't hesitate in putting it to the back of the net before Brodeur even knew what hit him.
Speaking of JVR's goal, he deserved every bit of it. It came on a bit of a lucky break from his perspective, but on the two shifts leading up to the goal, he was working his tail off and generated several chances all on his own.
We love you too, Dave.

Questions With Answers

Do the pre-game ceremonies hurt the Flyers or help pump them up? It didn't hurt the Flyers, that's for sure, but it didn't seem to adversely effect the Devils either. The Flyers definitely won the early part of the first period, but the first 20 minutes as a whole were pretty evenly matched.
Can the Flyers solve Brodeur, and can Emery out-duel him again? Emery did out-duel the Hall of Famer yet again. Their numbers on the night were similar, but Ray was much more composed in his net.
How does JVR look in his return from the flu? Great. It didn't look like he was suffering at all, especially in the third period when you'd expect him to be gassed.
How many fights are there tonight, out of respect for Mr. Schultz? None, unfortunately. That's okay -- there was a little scrum in the final second of the game, and Mike Richards channeled The Hammer a little bit in his response to Jamie Langenbrunner pinning Emery to the ice. Look for more December 12.
Does the move to center help Claude Giroux? Hard to say. You could make the same criticisms of his game tonight -- that he passes too much, doesn't take enough shots, etc. -- as he's heard all season long. But just because he hasn't put a puck in the net doesn't mean he's not contributing.
How much emotion does The Hammer show in his Hall of Fame speech? He didn't cry or anything like that, but he was definitely humbled by the experience. Most of all, he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to play in this city and for this organization. He may have been a monster on the ice in his playing days, but Dave Schultz is an absolute class act and a Philadelphia Flyer for life.

Highlights:

Comment of the Night:

Ya know, I have to reprogram myself to not passively be okay with the Islanders winning. They have the same number of points as the Flyers now.

>> Ben Rothenberg

Asham injured against Devils, out 2 weeks; Laliberte recalled

2009-11-17T03:16:48Z

Asham injured against Devils, out 2 weeks; Laliberte recalled

There was speculation in our open thread this evening that Arron Asham was injured. He didn't play past the midway point of the second period, and following the game, Anthony SanFillippo reported that the forward will be out two weeks with an oblique strain.

David Laliberte has been recalled from the Phantoms to replace the injured Asham.

Dave Schultz inducted into Flyers Hall of Fame - with video

2009-11-17T01:33:49Z

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

Dave Schultz speaks during his induction ceremony to the Flyers' Hall of Fame.

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Good luck, and God bless the Philadelphia Flyers.

>> Dave Schultz, pointing to the Flyers bench

Prior to this evening's game at the Wachovia Center, the Flyers inducted Dave "The Hammer" Schultz into the team's Hall of Fame. He is the 20th player to receive the honor. The ceremony reportedly went long and the organization will likely be fined by the league for delaying the start of the game. Any fine levied is well worth it, however, and I'm sure Ed Snider agrees. UPDATE: According to Anthony SanFillippo, the Flyers were given an extension for puck drop. They just made the 7:20 PM deadline, meaning no fine will be handed out.

It would've been fitting for the team to be handed a penalty by the league on Dave Schultz night.

Take a jump and check out the videos from the arena tonight, courtesy of the Flyers and the NHL.

A tribute to Dave Schultz, narrated by Jim Jackson...

The pregame video honoring The Hammer...

The induction speech...

Game 17, Preview and Open Thread: The Hammer Enters The Hall, New Jersey Devils at Philadelphia Flyers

2009-11-16T22:17:54Z

New Jersey Devils (14-4-0, 28 pts) at Philadelphia Flyers (10-5-1, 21 pts)
Wachovia Center - 7:00 PM EST - Philadelphia, PA
TV: Versus HD, TSN 2 HD
Radio: 610 WIP, XM 205
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: In Lou We Trust

It'll be Hammer Time at the Wachovia Center tonight as Dave Schultz enters the Flyers Hall of Fame. But after the memories are relived, the speeches are given, and the standing ovation for a great Flyer subsides, there is a hockey game to be played. And man, should tonight be a hockey game.

The New Jersey Devils are the hottest team in hockey, winners of their last eight and nine of their last 10. They've won nine straight in a row on the road and are undefeated away from home on the season. With a win tonight, they'll tie the record for most road wins to begin a season.

It looked like the Devils win streak could come to an end on Saturday night. Washington jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead before New Jersey struck back with five unanswered goals en route to a 5-2 victory. The Devils finished their chances and outplayed the Caps when it mattered most, and that's how they've been able to string together this streak.

New Jersey isn't blowing teams away. For the most part, their wins have been one or two goal cushions that were the result of come-from-behind efforts. Cue John Fischer from In Lou We Trust...

In my opinion, the Devils are in that odd area where they've won so much - undefeated on the road - yet the wins largely didn't come easy. In five of the last six games, the Devils conceded the first goal - most recently, the first two goals against the Caps - forcing them to make a comeback. Can we honestly expect the Devils to keep doing this over and over? Yet, just when I think the opening to a game may lead to the eventual end of the winning streak, the Devils dig deep and eventually make their presence felt, equalizing before killing off the game for yet another win.

So what do the Flyers have to do to win tonight? They need to score first and not let up off the gas pedal until the final horn sounds. In essence, they need to do the same things they did in defeating the Devils back in October. In that game, they received outstanding goaltending from Ray Emery while five different players in front of him scored goals. They were helped by Martin Brodeur, who looked positively awful that night, and we shouldn't expect that again from the future Hall of Famer.

But while the Devils are scary good right now, there's no reason to believe the Flyers can't end their streak. James van Riemsdyk is back in the lineup after missing Saturday's game with the flu. Claude Giroux is switching to center, and he'll play in between Darroll Powe and Arron Asham tonight. Taking his place at wing is Mika Pyorala, who will move up to play with Mike Richards and Scott Hartnell.

Riley Cote is back in the press box thanks to the return of JVR. Ole-Kristian Tollefsen is still out, and it's looking like we'll see more of Oskars Bartulis tonight, meaning Danny Syvret will sit again.

Questions To Answer

Do the pre-game ceremonies hurt the Flyers or help pump them up?
Can the Flyers solve Brodeur, and can Emery out-duel him again?
How does JVR look in his return from the flu?
How many fights are there tonight, out of respect for Mr. Schultz?
Does the move to center help Claude Giroux?
How much emotion does The Hammer show in his Hall of Fame speech?

Tonight's game will be broadcast on Versus in the US and TSN 2 in Canada. Locally, you can listen at 610 WIP or online at the Flyers official website. If you're going to the game, arrive early and applaud Dave Schultz until your hands fall off. If you're staying home, as always, join us here for the conversation, and LET'S GO FLYERS!

"There's some rinks that get pretty loud. Here it's more nasty than anything. It's fun. It's a fun...

2009-11-16T22:01:40Z

"There's some rinks that get pretty loud. Here it's more nasty than anything. It's fun. It's a fun atmosphere to get in. It's these guys in the locker room against everybody. Makes it fun to play these games."

-- Martin Brodeur, on playing in Philadelphia

Dave Schultz, The Player Who Defined An Era

2009-11-16T16:15:18Z

Dave Schultz will enter the Flyers Hall of Fame this evening.

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From a total lack of identity in the sixties, two players gave the Flyers their character in the seventies. Bobby Clarke gave them their hard-working, tenacious, never-say-die quality, while Dave Schultz gave them their sneering, cocky, even arrogant "Broad Street Bullies" temperament.

>> Gene Hart, the Voice, in his 1990 book SCORE!

Following the 1969 season, the Philadelphia Flyers were a two-year-old organization with an identity crisis. They had been defeated by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year. But it wasn't just the fact that they had lost -- after all, Ed Snider, Bud Poile, Keith Allen, and the rest of the Flyers' brass knew it wouldn't be easy going as an expansion franchise.

No, it was the way they lost. The Blues absolutely stomped all over Philadelphia in the 1969 West Division Quarterfinals. They embarrassed every single player that wore orange and black and every single person that worked in the front office. Jacques Plante stood on his head in goal while his comrades in front of him beat the living daylights out of the Flyers en route to a four-game sweep. While Philadelphia went home ashamed, the Blues went on to second of what would be three straight Stanley Cup Finals appearances.

What nobody knew at the time, however, was that the Flyers would win two Cups in the next decade, while the Blues still have yet to hoist the trophy in their history. But if it weren't for that beatdown at the hands of St. Louis in 1969, there might not have been a parade down Broad Street in 1974 or 1975. If not for that beatdown, the Flyers would have never realized the identity that still follows them to this day.

After the '69 playoffs, Snider took a long look in the mirror. He knew that, as an expansion club, it would take years for the Flyers to develop and acquire the kind of talent that Montreal and Boston and Toronto possessed. In order to beat those clubs, they would have to literally beat them. It was then that he established his doctrine -- that no club of his would ever be embarrassed and intimidated the way they were by the Blues that April, and that they would be the ones doing the intimidating instead.

It was that decision that led to the selection of Dave Schultz in the fifth round of the '69 Amateur Draft. In junior, Schultz was a big, strong player who put together a balanced mix of hard-nosed hockey with some scoring touch, and he didn't fight nearly as often as he would in his pro career. Beginning in 1972 as a Flyer, he really established his reputation as a pugilist and the leader of the Broad Street Bullies. He and his compatriots, notably Don Saleski, Bob Kelly, and Moose Dupont, wouldn't put many pucks in the net, but they were Snider's doctrine realized.

It was the job of Schultz to go out and make it possible for Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, and Rick MacLeish to do their jobs. His presence alone was felt throughout the entire arena, and really, the entire city. Fans in every NHL rink hated him, and he loved it. He knew his role and he played it perfectly. Schultz was the policeman, and only over his dead body would anybody in another sweater take liberties with his teammates. He'd do anything and everything he had to do to be sure his team would be the boss.

The Flyers weren't the most skilled of teams in the 1970s, but they became the first expansion franchise to win a Stanley Cup because they knew they weren't the most skilled of teams.They knew they had to take other routes to hoist the Cup. They knew that each player in orange and black had a role to play, and nobody knew their role better than The Hammer.

Dave Schultz may have only been a Flyer for four seasons, but those were four years that defined his career, his life, and an era of Philadelphia hockey. Tonight, he'll finally take his rightful place in the Flyers Hall of Fame.

Monday Morning Fly By: The Hammer's Call to the Hall

2009-11-16T14:52:46Z

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Your daily dose of Philadelphia Flyers news...

Last night's NHL scores... CAR 5, MIN 4 (SO) - ATL 3, EDM 2 - CHI 4, SJS 3 (OT)
Previews of this evening's matchup with the division-leading New Jersey Devils from the Canadian Press, NHL.com, Inquirer, Courier-Post, The Newark Star-Ledger, In Lou We Trust, and The Bergen Record.
The Flyers will induct Dave Schultz into the Flyers Hall of Fame prior to the game this evening. He's the 20th member of the Hall and the first member of the Cup teams to be inducted since Joe Watson in 1996. [Flyers History] - [Inquirer]
"It makes me feel unbelievable. I don't think I've grasped that I will be forever in the Flyers organization. My grandchildren, my great grandchildren will come here and see my name. That's incredible." - Dave Schultz. [Courier-Post] - [Transcript of Media Availabilty]
The Devils will try to play spoiler. They will go for their 10th straight road victory tonight in Philadelphia, a mark that would tie the NHL record for road wins to start a season. [NHL.com]
New Jersey is a scary team and they'll be a tough test for the Flyers tonight. Down 2-0 to the Capitals on Saturday, they reeled off five unanswered to beat Washington 5-2. [In Lou We Trust]
Bob Clarke thinks Eric Lindros deserves to be in the Flyers' Hall. Does a certain Daily News beat writer read BSH...? [DN]
James van Riemsdyk may play tonight, but still recovering from the flu, should he take a risk as the team prepares to head out west for a week? [CSN Philly]
Wayne Fish reports that John Stevens is contemplating moving Claude Giroux to center. [Bucks Co. Times]
The Devils' trap system is widely regarded as boring, but does it deserve some respect? [Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]
In his Sunday notebook, Tim Panaccio talks about Ken Hitchcock's 1000th NHL game. "We didn't have very much success. I kind of forgot how to be a head coach," said Hitch of his days in Philly. [CSN]
Team USA could play in front of the largest crowd in hockey history this May. In Germany. [Toronto Sun]
Carolina finally wins a hockey game, although it took a shootout over the lowly Wild to do it. [Canes Country]
Rick Nash scores on one leg. [YouTube]
Welcome Sean and his blog Now Is The Time to the Flyers' blogosphere. [Now Is The Time]
Just another reminder, BSH Radio goes live tomorrow night at 7 PM Eastern right here at broadstreethockey.com.

Sabres Beat Flyers 3-2, Win Streak Ends at Five

2009-11-15T17:59:39Z

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

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[Recap] - [Boxscore] - [Complete Coverage] - [BUF Reaction]

If that game could be described in one word, frustrating would be my choice. The Flyers had plenty of chances, but just couldn't bury them. Ryan Miller made 29 saves on 31 shots and the Sabres scored two power play goals, enough to pull out the win.

As mentioned in the game thread, the Sabres second goal was purely Ray Emery's fault. He lost track of the puck behind the net, got caught on the opposite post, and was unable to recover in time. After that goal made it 2-0, the Flyers dominated play until Danny Briere got called for a four-minute high-stick, where Paul Gaustad had a beautiful deflection to put the Sabres up 3-1.

Even with Jeff Carter's short-handed goal with nine and a half minutes remaining, the Flyers were unable to come back and tie the game.

It's the day after and I tried to forget the game immediately, so here are just a few random thoughts:

It's not that the Flyers didn't play hard, or didn't show up tonight - they did - but Richards, Carter, Carle, and Timonen's shift that led to Carter's shortie was inspiring. It makes you wonder how good this team would be if they played like that for 60 minutes.
Last game, I singled out Richards for having a bad night. Tonight, I single out Carter. He got the shortie, but it was after a couple of whacks in front of the net. It also went off a Sabre's leg, who had his back to the play. I don't want to say he's snakebitten, but he had the same problems Richards did - pucks bouncing over his stick and passes being intercepted.
Just like Richards last game, Blair Betts won 67% of his faceoffs, but one he lost directly led to Gaustad's goal.
The Flyers dominated the face-off circle tonight, winning 63% (36 of 57) of the draws.
Riley Cote played 4:19 tonight. That's a season-high. I know there are two doors on the bench, but I didn't know we needed two doormen. David Laliberte anyone?
Speaking of low ice-time, Arron Asham only played 6:46. His game log shows some interesting ice times...
Oskars Bartulis only played 13:58, finished a -1 (on Emery's mistake), but impressed me once again. When OKT returns, I wouldn't be surprised if Danny Syvret takes a drive up north.
The officiating tonight was certainly strange. Powe's hook call was avoidable but borderline, Carcillo's cross-check was weak, and both Parent and Carter's slashing calls were questionable. At least Pronger and Richards picked up on the mood of the officials, both having their sticks "slashed" out of their hands. At least they were consistent.

After the jump, Highlights, Questions with Answers, and the Comment of the Night

Questions To Answer

How much ice time does Riley Cote get if, in fact, JVR doesn't play? 4:19. A season high!
Can the Flyers beat Ryan Miller for the second time in just over a week? No. Buffalo played a solid defensive game, and while Miller didn't stand on his head, he did play well.
How does Mika Pyorala play up on a top line, and can he finally pot his first goal? He played well, but still couldn't put one in. I'm beginning to think he's a strong defensive forward with very little scoring touch. Also, his passes just couldn't find their way to the target.
Does the Carcillo-Betts-Laperriere line dominate the game as they did last Friday in Buffalo? Another good game, but they just couldn't get into a rhythm.

Comment of the Night

I feel like I have been blue-balled all night. Teasing me with all these chances but I just can’t get my nut!

flyrsfrk05

Game Highlights

Game 16, Preview and Open Thread: Six Straight? Buffalo Sabres at Philadelphia Flyers

2009-11-14T21:27:49Z

Buffalo Sabres (11-4-1, 23 pts) at Philadelphia Flyers (10-4-1, 21 pts)
Wachovia Center - 7:00 PM EST - Philadelphia, PA
TV: CSN HD, MSG Buffalo
Radio: 610 WIP, XM 207
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: Die By The Blade

Last Friday, as the Flyers cruised to a 5-2 victory in Buffalo over the Sabres, they rode the coattails of the third and fourth lines. Tonight in a rematch at the Wachovia Center, they'll look for a full-team performance as the orange and black go for a sixth straight win.

The team is red-hot right now. With 24 goals in their last five games, they are proving their offensive depth while Simon Gagne sits on the shelf. Danny Briere missed a few of those games, but he's back and trying to prove to the Philadelphia faithful that his injury issues are not a repeat of last season's nightmare.

Ryan Parent will also return to the lineup this evening after sitting on the sidelines since Halloween. That means Oskars Bartulis, who played better than expected in his NHL debut Thursday night, will sit. Ole-Kristian Tollefsen is still out with a mild concussion.

As noted earlier here at BSH, James van Riemsdyk is likely out of the lineup with a case of the flu. Riley Cote will replace him, playing on the fourth line. Mika Pyorala will probably jump up and take JVR's spot on the first line with Jeff Carter and Briere.

The Flyers are finally starting to play some actual hockey games. Long, frustrating breaks between games were common early in the season, but beginning now the team plays practically every other day until Christmas. That means we'll likely start to see backup goaltender Brian Boucher start a few games here and there, but not quite yet. John Stevens is opting to start the hot hand, Ray Emery, who has looked great over the course of this winning streak.

The defense in front of Emery has been solid too, a key component in this win streak. Braydon Coburn has fallen out of his early slump, Kimmo Timonen has been Kimmo Timonen, and Matt Carle succeeded learning his trade from one of the best teachers in the world, Chris Pronger.

If the Flyers want to win again tonight, they'll need the same effort they've been getting this entire win streak. It starts in goal and stretches to the defense while the offense takes the pressure away. Ryan Miller will try to steal a game for the Sabres, but the Flyers have to make sure he can't do that.

After the jump, a few questions to answer tonight.

Questions To Answer

How much ice time does Riley Cote get if, in fact, JVR doesn't play?
Can the Flyers beat Ryan Miller for the second time in just over a week?
How does Mika Pyorala play up on a top line, and can he finally pot his first goal?
Does the Carcillo-Betts-Laperriere line dominate the game as they did last Friday in Buffalo?

Tonight's game is broadcast locally on CSN and 610 WIP. As always, join us here for the conversation, and LET'S GO FLYERS!

JVR "probably" out with the flu, Cote likely in

2009-11-14T19:40:24Z

JVR "probably" out with the flu, Cote likely in

Riley Cote looks to play in just the fourth game of his season tonight, moving from his cozy seat on press row to an equally cozy seat next to Brian Boucher at the end of the Flyers bench.

The reason for Cote's likely insertion into the lineup? According to CSN's Sarah Baicker on Twitter, Rookie James van Riemsdyk has a case of the flu and "probably" will sit this evening. Don't expect Cote to see much ice time, if in fact he does get in the lineup. In three games this season, he's played a total of 7 minutes, 13 seconds.