Howie58

We have sunk to new lows. Holding onto sticks is now a challenge!

Greetings:

Here is the lineup:

Flyers projected lines:

Joel Farabee—Claude Giroux—Cam Atkinson
Oskar Lindblom—Scott Laughton—Travis Konecny
James van Riemsdyk—Morgan Frost—Gerald Mayhew
Max Willman—Connor Bunnaman—Zack MacEwen

Ivan Provorov—Justin Braun
Cam York—Travis Sanheim
Keith Yandle—Rasmus Ristolainen

Carter Hart
(Martin Jones)

Well, it looks like Frost has been "promoted" to the 3rd line.  Cam is a second pair (good).  Yandle and Risto together.  That is nearly incomprehensible.  

Howdy:

Sorry to disappoint, but Jake will not be playing tomorrow due to COVID protocol.  I thought he was done, but that isn't the case.  

3 hours ago, OccamsRazor said:

Jake with a hat trick for sure right and the regulation loss am i close???

 

 

The Jake/Cam thing might be one of the few angles of interest.  Losing 10 in a row twice might result in a cave-in.  Losing Hayes for a month can't help.

I accidentally took my game thread down for last night and didn't realize it until this morning.  Nobody put one up in its place.  That's an interesting comment on where we stand with the organization.

BTW, I was driving home from work when we were up 3-2.  My first thought turning on Sirius was that we'd find a way to lose. Sure enough, two minutes after turning on the radio...it's tied.  I knew we would lose once it went to the SO.  

Coates is a bit bombastic but knows his stuff.  He was calling out the defensive lineups late in the game, saying that he would double shift the top pairing. He was pissed our 2nd and 3rd were out against the Isles' top line. 

The opening betting lines show us as a mild favorite (-114).  It's been nearly two years since these teams have played.

https://news.sportsinteraction.com/nhl/matchup/blue-jackets-vs-flyers-odds-012022-147503

We had trouble with this team in the bubble with Niskanen in the lineup.  Trotz's system is boring. But it works against us.  Our D cannot contain the likes of Beauvillier, Martin, et. al.  Things are bad on the offensive side as well.  Our PP is inept.  

I work tomorrow night and don't have ESPN+.  That is a double blessing.  I may need to stay away.  It is alienating.  Seriously.  I never thought watching a Flyers game would be alienating.  2006-07 was bad but that bunch was a bumbling mix and losing was understandable.  This is different and worse.  

It is hard to watch. No PP ability. We can't get quality shots but screen our goalie. Why do I inflict this on myself?

This is a battle of the inept. No consistent offense. Strange to watch. Jones and JJ blame the ice. Shoot, it is a sleep walk.

Greetings:

Here is the lineup:

Projected Flyers lines:

Joel Farabee—Claude Giroux—Cam Atkinson
Oskar Lindblom—Scott Laughton—Travis Konecny
James van Riemsdyk—Kevin Hayes—Gerald Mayhew
Morgan Frost—Connor Bunnaman—Zack MacEwen

Ivan Provorov—Travis Sanheim
Cam York—Justin Braun
Keith Yandle—Rasmus Ristolainen

Martin Jones
(Carter Hart)

We are starting Martin Jones.  FYI, the Flyers have the highest percentage of high danger shots in the league.  The Isles are in the middle.  Also, our statistical probability of making the playoffs is under 1 percent.  

Greetings:

The Islanders are heavy favorites (-194).  We start Jones.  Lineup is further down in the thread.  

The Isle are 6-3-1 over their last 10 and playing excellent defense with high save percentage:  

https://www.espn.com/nhl/preview/_/gameId/401349818

I wonder if Barzal and Lee do their usual damage?  I also wonder if the Flyers can ever score first?  Teams that score first in the NHL win 2/3rds of the games.  We have near zero ability to get a lead when trailing.  We can't sleep the first 10 minutes and expect to win.  

Yeo wants to end bad habits. We seem to have acquired a habit of losing. 

I agree with Fizz that we might have youngins worth developing. York is good. MacEwen tries. Giroux, JVR, Hayes, have unglued or whatever before our eyes. 

Meanwhile, we lose the games in the first 10 minutes. 

Sorry for venting. 

We go ahead and allow a quick tying goal. Sick.

I am seeing 14 SOG. Shoot, how the hell can we win? Donald Duck can be in goal. 

1. When will we score first?

2. Can we defend against a top line?

3. Can we stop errant passes?

Our PP is depressing. 

Chuck, please accumulate picks.  Maybe you luck out and get someone decent.

15 minutes ago, mkscrewy said:

150-0. Hart plays great. Flyers provide no support. Ok with letting the goalie do everything. 

Especially the first 10 minutes.  

Greetings:

The Rangers are favored (-150) with a projected score of 4-1. 

https://freepicks.picksandparlays.net/more-free-picks/nhl-picks/new-york-rangers-at-philadelphia-flyers-11522-nhl-picks-and-predictions

It looks like Shesterkin versus Hart between the pipes.  Shesterkin was in goal the last time these teams me in December, when we lost 4-1.  I haven't seen any projected lineups.  

Well, we aren't likely to hit 17 and 18 game losing streaks:

We might hit two 10-gamers.  That might be a first.  If memory serves, we were the first team to make the playoffs with both a 10-game winning and losing streak.  

If we do hit another 10-gamer it will be clear that coaching wasn't the big issue.  That raises "other," and Scott may have no alternative but to get rid of Fletcher.  If he takes Yeo out was well, fine.  

2006-07 may be the best lesson from recent history.  It was the worst in hour history and one of the worst ever.  It brought a shock.  Granted, Holmgren's fixes weren't longstanding but they yielded a more-than-respectable squad.  I think a sub-.500 season will wake Comcast up.  They already lost their TV exclusive.  Now their hometown hockey squad comes unglued.  I think Brian Roberts pulls rank and cleans house.  CF's offseason moves aren't working out as planned--the Ellis trade could be a long-term disaster.  Those moves plus a non-playoff year may bring changes at the top.  If not, things are really, really screwed up, much like Toronto or Florida were for decades.  

This franchise is in a deep funk.  Comcast leadership and Scott need to see a systems problem. We have had the same inconsistency for a decade plus.  

I think this trade deadline and off-season (which will not include a playoff absent a new "Miracle on Ice"),  will be an important pivot.  Candidly, I don't think Yeo will be a big part of the problem or solution.  I think the bigger issues are what we've been discussing the last few weeks.  Who are we drafting? Why do they seem to stagnate?  Is our medical staff competent?  Do we know how to make timely, relevant "add on" trades to bolster a core?  

I could go on.  Tomorrow we play a Rangers team that turned it around in 2-3 seasons.  I live eight miles from Sunrise and see a Panthers squad that's become top-flight through good drafts and really shrewd pickups.   

Clarke's remarks earlier this week have some merit.  Yeah, he made some miscues as GM, but the Snider Way meant hard competition.  It's one thing to watch a loss.  It's another to watch, as we did last night, two periods of compete after a snoozer first.   This shouldn't happen constantly.  

I hope Fletcher--if he is GM--admits defeat on Risto and doesn't re-up him.  Meanwhile, he needs to start selling and follow in the Rangers footsteps with a quick rebuild.  If Scott thinks Fletcher is part of the problem, I go after one of the Nashville or Columbus Assistant GM's to get us back on track.  

I wonder how many goals we have given up in the first and last two minutes of periods this year?  I suspect it is far higher than peers.  We also fail to open scoring. That's a recipe for losing in this league--I think first goal scorers win 60% of games.  Last night was a prime example of how our slow starts are crushing.  

5 minutes ago, Fizz said:

No disrespect, I just don't see what you see in Farabee. York on the other hand will be a stud in this league.

I agree on York. Maybe Farabee isn't that great but compared to his teammates, his quick shot and speed stand out.

The computer simulation was one goal off.  3-2 instead of 3-1.  If you take out the stink bomb first, there were positives.  But Rask made timely stops.  And we have no Pasta Man.  Our PP isn't good.  

On another note, I thought the ESPN coverage was good.  I liked Messier, Boosh, and the others.  The occasional overhead/aerial shot is different and gives a feel for the half-ice.  

Farabee and Cam have some juice.  I am unsure about the rest of our forwards.  Yeo has some gumption going for the open net early.  But the losses pile up.  Maybe Yeo changes the bad habits.  But that won't matter much without the talent. 

Well, somebody heard me. They woke up.

The team is lethargic. I can't figure out if it is attitude, talent, coaching, or all of the above.

It took eight minutes to get a shot on Rask. Yikes. Our D is quite a mess. No office is non-existent!