SB Nation - Danny Syvret

Not OK: Tollefsen injured for 13th time since 2006

Travis Hughes — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:40:00 -0000

More photos » by Michael Perez - AP

2 months ago: Boston Bruins' Trent Whitfield, right,and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (55), of Norway, during a fight in the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, in Philadelphia. The Flyers defeated the Bruins 4-3. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

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Since the Flyers signed Ole-Kristian Tollefsen back in July, I've written several times about his inability to stay healthy for any period of time throughout his NHL career so far.

So after missing 16 games with a concussion and several more as a healthy scratch this season, it figures that in the first period of the first game he cracks the lineup again, he'd skate into the corner and injure his knee. He'll miss three to four weeks with what the Flyers called a Grade 2 sprain of that knee.

Let's update the injury chart, shall we?

December 2006, broken nose, missed 1 game
Early February 2007, broken ribs, missed 1 game
Late February 2007, elbow injury, missed 2 games
April 2007, hip injury, missed final 3 games of season
November 2007, hand injury, missed 4 games
December 2007, neck injury, missed 11 games
February 2008, concussion, missed 3 games
March 2008, upper body injury, missed final 7 games of season
December 2008, head injury, missed 16 games
February 2008, knee injury, missed final 27 games including 4 playoff games
September 2009, minor injury, missed training camp time and first 3 games of season
November 2009, concussion, missed 14 games (some as a healthy scratch, though)
December 2009, knee, out 3 to 4 weeks

This poor guy can't catch a break, but there comes a point where you have to stop feeling bad and begin wondering why he's been such an injury magnet. ~~Danny Syvret has been called up from the Phantoms and will play tonight in Pittsburgh~~ Coburn will return to the lineup and play tonight in Pittsburgh, probably with Oskars Bartulis.

Poll

How many more games will OKT play this season?

Building Blocks: Flyers earn solid victory in Boston

Travis Hughes — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:57:23 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

Look at that face.

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[TSN Recap] - [Boxscore] - [Boston Reaction]

The Boston Bruins hadn't lost a game all season after scoring the first goal, the best mark in the NHL. The Philadelphia Flyers had a 2-11 record when allowing the first goal of the hockey game, the worst mark in the NHL. So you can imagine how fans of the orange and black felt when Vladimir Sobotka scored a lucky, ugly goal in the latter stages of the second period to break a scoreless dead lock.

Same old story, right? It didn't matter that the Flyers had worked hard all game, or that the offensive pressure was there, or that the defense had been quite solid throughout, or that Brian Boucher continued to play like it was Game 7 of the Finals. Nope, bad luck would bite them this time, and a cheap goal would lead this ill-fated team toward yet another loss.

That's what overreacting sounds like when, in the end, the opposite actually happens.

The Flyers didn't give up. When the third period started, they continued to apply the pressure, not giving up. Hard work by Claude Giroux forced a power play, which they were unable to capitalize on, but you could feel it coming. Boston couldn't get out of their end except for a few futile little rushes the other way, which were quickly stomped out by the Flyers defense. With Philly again pressing in the Bruins end, Arron Asham was able to feed James van Riemsdyk in the slot, where he poked the tying goal through the pads of Tim Thomas.

The Flyers didn't stop there, though, continuing to control the pace for the next eight minutes, until a drive from Kimmo Timonen at the point deflected off a Bruin and found its way behind the net. And just like that, Philadelphia had a third period lead. Hard work rewarded.

Scott Hartnell would take a dumb penalty in the waning minutes, but on the ensuing kill, Kimmo Timonen lifted a shot from the far corner all the way down the ice into an empty net to seal the victory. It doesn't get any easier tomorrow in Pittsburgh, but this was an excellent victory tonight. Baby steps. Building blocks.

After the jump, a few more thoughts on this solid Flyers victory, questions with answers, highlights & pressers, and the comment of the night.

Some assorted thoughts...

Ole-Kristian Tollefsen left the game after the first period with a knee injury. He's reportedly going to be out two to three weeks, and Danny Syvret is on his way to Pittsburgh to meet the team. He'll play tomorrow night.
Boston fans are livid about a few questionable calls in this one, proving that everybody -- not just a select few Flyers fans -- believes the NHL is out to get them. Here's a quote from the game thread at Stanley Cup of Chowder...

Stuff like that makes me wonder. With the Classic coming up and Philadelphia clearly not being up to snuff as a team, it’s a little convenient that a game would be called this bad, with much of it in their favor, in the last matchup before the big one.

...you can snuff out the absurdity there, I'm sure. The commenter is referring to a non-goal call in the first period. The Bruins crashed the net and the puck wound up in it. There was no review, justified by the officials because Boucher never had a chance to make a plau. Jack Edwards probably had a heart attack on NESN, and if we can get a clip of that, we'll pass it along.
The Flyers peppered the Bruins with 38 shots, a nice little picture of how much offensive pressure they created. Not all of them were quality, but still.
The power play still looks terrible, though. They're not generating any movement, not getting creative with passes, and opting to take only low-percentage shots through traffic. It has to change.
There was a reported brawl during the Mites on Ice game in the first intermission at TD Garden. And they say we like fighting in Philly. If we get video, we'll be sure to pass it along as well. If you have video, please shoot us an email ASAP, because this has to be hilarious.
JVR broke a 12-game goal-less drought.
Giroux and Hartnell showed a ton of chemistry, and Carcillo looked really strong on the top line. In fact, the entire team put in an excellent effort tonight. They truly earned this one.
Hartnell did take a ton of penalties, though, and you can be sure Peter Laviolette will make him pay in practice.

Questions With Answers

Tim Thomas hasn't won a game since the 2nd and hasn't been great this season. Can the Flyers take advantage? Thomas didn't look particularly weak tonight.
Claude Giroux has scored the Flyers' last three goals. CAN SOMEONE ELSE SCORE, PLEASE? Giroux played fantastic hockey again, but yes! JVR and Timonen had Flyer goals.
Can the Flyers get the first goal and gain some momentum early? No, but they certainly stole the momentum out of the gate in the third and rode it to victory.
Power play. Goals? Nah, don't ask too much, now...
How's Tollefsen look now that he's back in the lineup? Poor guy. Another injury. It's almost funny, in a sick sort of way.
Does Carcillo noticeably hold back at all, fresh off his four game suspension? He didn't take any dumb penalties and even drew one or two, but from an aggressiveness standpoint, he didn't seem to hold back. He put together a nice little game.

Comment of the Night

Everyone remember what clothes they have on RIGHT NOW so you can wear them again tomorrow…

>> NoalB

Highlights

Laviolette Press Conference

Boucher, JVR, & Timonen Post Game

Ousting John Stevens: Too soon, or a necessary decision?

Travis Hughes — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:59:32 -0000

The sole reason for this website is to mobilize the Flyers fan base and send a message to the Flyers organization. That message is that Head Coach John Stevens has had enough time to hone his coaching skills and mold this Flyers hockey team into a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Instead, inconsistencies continue to plague Stevens and his players. And we're not talking about big name players going in and out of the lineup with injuries. We're talking about just about the entire squad falling asleep for 1-2 periods at a time, and then suddenly waking up in time to muster a late 3rd period effort that still falls short. They are the same issues from 2-3 years ago that still haven't been addressed, and they are reasons why this Flyers hockey team will not be able to contend with the NHL elites like the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have been desimated [sic] by injuries all year long, yet still are sitting atop the Eastern Conference. It's called a "60 minute effort", and Stevens has yet to show that he can get that concept across to his team.

>> Newly founded FireJohnStevens.net

In professional sports, the coach is always the scapegoat. No matter what the team or the situation, if a team is under performing, it's easier to say goodbye to one guy than to do so with a whole case of players. If the Flyers continue to play inconsistent hockey as they have over the last, oh, 100 regular season games or so, it's perfectly plausible to think John Stevens could be gone as the bench boss of this club.

And these rumors have circulated in the past, like when the team opened the season winless in their first six last season, or when they lost 10 straight the year before, or when the Flyers fell to Pittsburgh for the second season in a row. But never have the waves of discontent seemed as violent as they do now. The dissent seems louder now among Flyer fans, here on this site, in other places on the web (as evidenced by the above quote), and even in the media.

Over the weekend, Sam Carchidi of the Inquirer penned an opinion article that questioned Stevens ability to mold the Flyers into Stanley Cup contenders, using those same Penguins as an example.

If this inconsistency continues, the calls for coach John Stevens' job will grow louder. Last season's Penguins are the model franchise for getting results with an in-season coaching change. The Penguins were 27-25-5 and 10th in the Eastern Conference when coach Michel Therrien was fired in mid-February. Therrien's replacement, Dan Bylsma, led the Pens to an 18-3-4 regular-season finish, the fourth seeding, and the Stanley Cup.

It's a different situation here in Philly, though. In Pittsburgh, Therrien had lost his team. They simply didn't want to play for him and his defensive style was not suited to their talent. It would be a lot like if Ken Hitchcock were still around coaching this Flyers bunch. Carchidi even mentions that "the Flyers love playing for the hardworking Stevens," so how can a parallel be drawn here?

That's not to say there aren't legitimate questions to ask. The fact of the matter is -- and we all know it -- that this team has been unacceptable inconsistent since the start of last season and even before then. John Stevens has been the coach the entire time. But Mike Richards has also been captain the entire time. And Jeff Carter has been his wing man. And Kimmo Timonen has been an assistant captain. And... well, you get the point. Could it be the players, not the coach?

It seems Daily News beat writer Frank Seravalli believes so. He wrote an opinion piece today defending Stevens, but it was one quote from an unnamed Flyers player that stands out.

"It's not Johnny," the player who asked not to be named told Seravalli. "We have a lot of problems right now. He's not one of them. His systems work. He is in our face when we're not doing what we're supposed to. He has a lot more fire than people know about. For whatever reason, we've let him down."

What could those reasons be? The injuries are the most obvious problem. Danny Briere, Simon Gagne, Darroll Powe, Blair Betts, and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen have all missed considerable time, forcing players like Jared Ross, David Laliberte, Andreas Nodl, Oskars Bartulis and Danny Syvret into the lineup. Some of those players have stunk up the joint while others have been serviceable, but it's still a dramatic drop in NHL talent.

The power play has failed them lately. The penalty kill has been terrible, too. And one could argue this team is built around superior special teams ability. When those units don't click, success probably isn't going to come. How is that Stevens fault?

The argument could be made, of course, that the inconsistency was there before the injuries and the recent struggles -- it's been here for years now. But who knows how much of that is truly Stevens fault. Could the team be too comfortable playing for Stevens? Could they need a shakeup in the so-called leadership group? Could the front office be the real problem, not giving Stevens the proper tools he needs?

I don't know if we'll ever know the answers to these questions. I just hope we don't toss out another coach just because it's the easy way out.

A Statistical Look at the Flyers, through 16 Games

Geoff Detweiler — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:45:09 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

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Once again, I was able to get Tom Awad of Puck Prospectus to give me his most recently compiled data on GVT.

(Here's the link to my earlier story breaking down the VUKOTA projection based on GVT).

The data's most recent update was from Sunday, November 15th, so last week's games against the Devils, Kings, Sharks, and Coyotes are not included. Obviously, last night's game against the Avalanche is also not included.

Needless to say, there are some positives and some negatives through 20% of the schedule. Most interesting is just how good James van Riemsdyk has been, how well Ray Emery has played, and another look at The Pronger effect.

Follow after the jump for the findings.

Here is the table of Tom's results for the Flyers:

	Name	Team(s)	P	GP	G/GAA	A/GA	Pts/SA	+-/Sv	OGIT	DIT	RPM	Val OG	Val D	Val S	Total

1	Ray Emery	Philadelphia Flyers	G	15.2	2.24	34	431	0.921	8.8	1.3	0	6	0.1	0.6	6.7
2	Chris Pronger	Philadelphia Flyers	D	16	4	13	17	13	8.6	7.9	11.2	3.8	2.5	0	6.3
3	Matt Carle	Philadelphia Flyers	D	16	2	10	12	17	8.2	6.8	14.7	2.1	2.6	0	4.7
4	James van Riemsdyk*	Philadelphia Flyers	F	13	4	11	15	7	4.7	3.9	5.1	3.1	0.7	0	3.8
5	Jeff Carter	Philadelphia Flyers	F	16	7	12	19	2	7.5	6	-1.1	3.5	0.3	-0.2	3.6
6	Mike Richards	Philadelphia Flyers	F	16	8	8	16	2	6.9	7.5	0	3.1	1	-0.7	3.4
7	Claude Giroux	Philadelphia Flyers	F	16	1	7	8	5	4.4	3.8	4.4	0.7	0.8	1.1	2.5
8	Kimmo Timonen	Philadelphia Flyers	D	16	1	11	12	-2	8.5	9.1	-5.4	1.8	0.5	0	2.3
9	Scott Hartnell	Philadelphia Flyers	F	16	5	7	12	0	5.6	4.3	-1.7	2	0.1	0	2.1
10	Braydon Coburn	Philadelphia Flyers	D	16	3	4	7	-3	7	8.9	-6.5	1	0.4	0	1.3
11	Danny Briere*	Philadelphia Flyers	F	12	7	3	10	-2	5.6	4.4	-4	1.6	-0.1	-0.5	1.1
12	David Laliberte*	Philadelphia Flyers	F	4	2	1	3	4	1.1	1	3.5	0.7	0.4	0	1.1
13	Blair Betts	Philadelphia Flyers	F	9	1	1	2	3	1.8	2.9	2.4	0	0.7	0	0.7
14	Simon Gagne	Philadelphia Flyers	F	9	1	4	5	2	2.9	2.8	1.4	0.4	0.4	-0.2	0.6
15	Daniel Carcillo	Philadelphia Flyers	F	16	2	1	3	4	2.7	2.5	2.9	0	0.5	0	0.5
16	Arron Asham	Philadelphia Flyers	F	13	3	1	4	-1	2.9	2.8	-2.7	0.4	0	0	0.4
17	Darroll Powe	Philadelphia Flyers	F	16	5	0	5	-2	4.4	4.6	-4.8	0.4	0.1	0	0.4
18	Ryan Parent	Philadelphia Flyers	D	8	0	2	2	-1	1.6	2.4	-1.8	0.3	0.1	0	0.4
19	Ian Laperriere	Philadelphia Flyers	F	16	1	3	4	-1	4	5.2	-3.3	-0.3	0.4	0	0.1
20	O. Tollefsen	Philadelphia Flyers	D	9	0	2	2	-1	2.2	2.5	-2.4	0.1	-0.1	0	0.1
21	Mika Pyorala*	Philadelphia Flyers	F	16	0	1	1	3	3.4	4.1	1.4	-1.1	0.7	0.5	0.1
22	Riley Cote	Philadelphia Flyers	F	4	0	0	0	0	0.3	0.3	0	-0.1	0	0	-0.1
23	Oskars Bartulis*	Philadelphia Flyers	D	2	0	0	0	0	0.5	0.6	-0.3	-0.1	0	0	-0.1
24	Danny Syvret	Philadelphia Flyers	D	13	0	2	2	-3	2.9	3.6	-4.7	0	-0.2	0	-0.2
25	Brian Boucher	Philadelphia Flyers	G	1	4	4	28	0.857	0.6	0.1	0	-1	0	0	-0.9

First, you can figure out most of the stat categories, but OGIT is offensive/goalie ice time, while DIT is defensive ice time. RPM is Puck Prospectus' adjusted plus/minus, an explanation of which can be found here. Val OG is offensive/goalie GVT score, while Val D and Val S are GVT defensive score and shootout score, respectively.

Second, who gets the credit for three of the Flyers four best players being off-season acquisitions? Having Ray Emery, Chris Pronger, and James van Riemsdyk at the top of this table might be a surprise, but not to anyone who has been watching the Flyers this season.

As the table shows (and you could see for yourself), James van Riemsdyk has been one of the team's best players so far. Using GVT, he's the fourth best Flyer so far this season, and the best forward. At a total GVT of 3.8, van Riemsdyk finds himself tied for 56th place in the entire NHL. For a guy who wasn't even a lock to make the team, that's quite an accomplishment. As far as rookies go, he is listed as the third best behind Washington goaltender Semyon Varlamov and Colorado forward Ryan O'Reilly.

Another pleasant surprise this season has been the play of Ray Emery. Many are still not convinced (and that's understandable) but his performance through the Flyers first 16 games was not easily topped. He was ranked the 10th best player in the NHL - tied with Marian Gaborik - with a 6.7 total GVT. Among goalies, he came in 7th. He also came in 7th for save percentage and was tied for third in goals against average. It may be a small sample size, but these rankings are relative to every other goalie, and he tied for the 10th most ice time in the league. You may have noticed that he gained points for his performance in the shootout - stopping 7 of 9 shots against - in which he is tied for 26th among all NHL players, and tied for 10th among goalies. Now, the skeptical amongst you can point to Antero Niittymaki's stats (8.8 total GVT) which are as good, if not better than Sugar Ray's. They would be right. However, Martin Biron is only at 1.7 total GVT, so... call it even?

Another hard to miss development in the table is Chris Pronger and Matt Carle sitting second and third. Obviously, this is where The Pronger effect shows the extent of its reach. Before the season, most people predicted that Chris Pronger would elevate the play of his partner. But to hear "Matt Carle" and "Olympic team" (let alone "Norris Trophy") in the same sentence is still unusual. Personally, I've always been a fan of Carle's, but not many people would argue that he is in fact, this good. For this one, I'm just going to use bullet points.

Overall, Pronger is ranked as the 16th best overall player in the NHL with Carle tied for 33rd. This equals 1st and 6th, respectively, among defensemen.
Pronger's offensive contributions rank him tied for 20th in the NHL with Joe Thornton, and just above Jeff Carter. No, that's not a typo. Pronger is contributing offensively at the same rate as Joe Thornton.
On the defensive side, Pronger is 5th in the NHL while Carle is tied for 2nd.
GVT ranks Pronger as the second best two-way player in the NHL, while Carle is tied for 12th. Perspective: Anze Kopitar is in 1st, Pavel Datsyuk is tied with Carle, and Sidney Crosby is tied for 18th.
They were first and second in all of the NHL in plus/minus, with Pronger falling from second to third in Relative Plus Minus. Carle maintained his lead in that category.
Carle was tied for 11th in scoring among defensemen.

I think it's safe to say Chris Pronger has a lot to do with how well Matt Carle is playing. Aware that this is probably getting a little long, I'll finish it up with a few assorted thoughts. (More bullet points!)

Claude Giroux is known as a good defensive player, and it shows in his defensive GVT - second best among Flyer forwards at 0.8. And while you may have guessed Blair Betts (0.7) was third, he is tied with two others: James van Riemsdyk and Mika Pyorala. I can hear your surprise.
Darroll Powe's offensive value through 16 games was equal to Simon Gagne's through 9. That speaks more to Gagne's injury than Powe's ability, but it's still interesting.
David Laliberte's offensive value through 4 games was equal to Claude Giroux's through 16. That will happen when you score twice as many goals in a quarter as many games.
We can mostly agree that Danny Syvret played his way out of the Flyers lineup. But Steve Eminger, Luke Schenn, Hal Gill, and Nick Schultz were tied with him in total GVT and Brett Lebda, Ruslan Salei, Andrej Sekera, Jeff Woywitka, Luca Sbisa, Brendan Mikkelson, Andrew Ference, Aaron Ward, and Jack Johnson were all worse.
For those wondering, Randy Jones through three games has a GVT of 0.5, but only a 0.1 defensive rating; the same defensive value as both Darroll Powe and Ryan Parent.
Lastly, remember that clamoring for Mike Komisarek in the off-season? He's tied for the third worst skater in the league with a total GVT of -1.3. Also, Jay Bouwmeester is tied for 190th with a 1.8.

Much thanks to Tom Awad for giving me this data again. Hopefully, this will become available more frequently and with less hassle. Any questions, just ask. I have his entire spreadsheet if there's anything you want to look at.

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

Geoff Detweiler — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:59:39 -0000

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

JVR breaks finger, Pyorala scores first (kinda) as Flyers top Blues 2-1 in SO

Travis Hughes — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:24:33 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

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

Although it doesn't officially count as his first NHL goal, Mika Pyorala scored the decisive goal in the shootout as the Flyers beat the St. Louis Blues 2-1 tonight in South Philadelphia. Claude Giroux added another shootout goal on yet another unbelievable move, while Brad Boyes put one in for St. Louis. Chris Mason made 35 saves for the Blues, allowing a second period goal by Scott Hartnell. T.J. Oshie scored in regulation for the Blues.

Some assorted thoughts from the game...

The third line of Ian Laperriere, Blair Betts, and Dan Carcillo continued to be the pacesetters for the Flyers. They were buzzing around each time they hit the ice and they are doing an excellent job as a checking unit. Carcillo drew several penalties and has certainly turned his play around so far this season.
Hartnell and Giroux hooked up several times in the game, with Claude feeding his linemate with pretty passes in the slot. Hartnell deflected one of those into the net for the Flyers only regulation goal.
James van Riemsdyk and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen left the ice in the third period with injuries. JVR returned briefly but was shown bleeding from his finger and he didn't play after that. Reports are saying that he broke that finger and he's day-to-day. Tollefsen did not come back to the bench. Stevens was forced to stretch his bench a bit, giving Mika Pyorala and Darroll Powe several extra shifts in the third.
Tollefsen's injury came in the corner on an awkward collision with the boards. He fell to the ice and stayed down for almost 20 seconds while play continued. His defensive partner, Danny Syvret, couldn't weather the storm, and St. Louis scored while OKT stayed down in the corner. As mentioned, he didn't return, and there's no word as of this writing on his condition.
Ray Emery looked incredibly sharp throughout, and despite one weak goal in the third, he owned the Blues, making several key saves. 30 total.
The officiating was atrocious as usual, most notably with a diving call on Carcillo midway through the second. Keith Tkachuk sent him awkwardly into the boards and as Carcillo fell to the ice, the zebras called him for embellishment. While Tkachuk did get a boarding call on the play, you can be sure that if he hit any other player besides Carcillo, no diving call would've been made. To his credit, though, Carcillo restrained himself following the questionable hit.
Emery showed some of the rage he's known for during a second period scrum in his crease. His teammates came to his defense quickly after one of the Blues' players took a few liberties with him, but it's nice to see Emery still has that edge, especially when it doesn't go over the line.
Arron Asham and Cam Janssen, former teammates in New Jersey, renewed relations in this one. Janssen took Asham early in the fight, but Asham rebounded nicely after almost falling to the ice and took it to Janssen.
The Flyers controlled the offensive pace in overtime, even getting a breakaway on a Mike Richards feed to Scott Hartnell. Chris Mason made an excellent save on that breakaway, keeping the puck just on the line to keep the Blues alive in the hockey game.
The Flyers win shootouts?

Overall, tonight was a solid win for the orange and black. If it were a divisional game, you might be mad about giving away the extra point to the opposition, but considering we won't see the Blues again until next season (or, potentially the Finals I guess), it's not a big deal. Four straight wins, but now the boys are off until Thursday, when they'll try to keep it rolling on dollar pretzel night at home against Ottawa.

After the jump, we'll answer a few questions and check out the comment of the night.

Questions With Answers

How do the Flyers react to sickness after a busy 24 hours? Didn't seem like they were affected too much, surprisingly. With a shortened bench in the third, the Flyers were able to gut out a solid win.
What does the Carcillo/Betts/Laperriere line do for an encore after playing a key role in three of the Flyers five Friday night goals? They didn't show up on the scoresheet, but they again set the tempo and made noise each time they hit the ice. The unit is becoming very important for this team.
Can the young, speedy Blues dictate the tempo against the Flyers? It was pretty even throughout the game.
Mason made 37 saves on the Flyers last time they met. Can he keep up that magic? Mason was solid -- very solid -- but the Flyers were able to solve him just enough to squeak out the win.

Comment Of The Night

That’s a Scott Hartnell goal right there.

>> Ben Feldman

Flyers make easy work of Canes, 6-1

Travis Hughes — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 21:54:02 -0000

More photos » by Tom Mihalek - AP

Carolina Hurricanes center Matt Cullen's skates go out from under him in front of Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ray Emery in the first period of a NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

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

When a team that's lost seven straight comes into your building, you have to step on their neck quickly and avoid giving them any hopes of breaking the skid. With three first period goals, the Flyers did just that on Saturday afternoon with a dominating 6-1 win to kick start what is probably the most exciting 72 hour period in the history of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

After Scott Hartnell scored on the power play, David Laliberte would pot the first goal of his NHL career, a rebound that fell right on his stick that he easily deposited into an empty net, to give the orange and black an early 2-0 lead on Halloween. Matt Carle made it 3-0 on a wrap-around goal late in the period, capping off a period that was absolutely dominated by the Flyers, a bit of foreshadowing toward the rest of the afternoon.

Some assorted thoughts...

Laliberte now has more goals than seven different Flyers, and he has as many as Claude Giroux, Kimmo Timonen, Simon Gagne, and Ian Laperriere.
Eleven different Flyers hit the score sheet: Braydon Coburn, Laliberte, Laperriere, Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Hartnell, Chris Pronger, James van Riemsdyk, Carle, Timonen, and Ryan Parent. Carle, JVR, Coburn, Laliberte, and Hartnell all had multi-point afternoons.
Coburn scored two third period goals in what he called a big "confidence booster." Hopefully it's a step in the right direction for his season.
After several games of registering several scoring opportunities but not being able to bury them, the Flyers finally executed today.
Ray Emery was great today, making 39 saves. It's atypical of this Flyers club to be out-shot the way they were today, but luckily their goaltender was up to the challenge. Unfortunately for the other club on the ice, Michael Leighton looked terrible. The Flyers got to him often.
There was a bit of a lull in the second period, and that's when the Canes built that ridiculous shot advantage, outshooting Philadelphia 20-8 in the twenty minutes. Early in the period, Carolina came out with a furious pace to their step. They got a goal out of the fray, but 14 seconds later, James van Riemsdyk shut down the Canes glimmer of hope on a pretty individual effort that made it 4-1. The Flyers didn't look back.
Mika Pyorala, Danny Syvret, and Arron Asham finished the day minus-1, the only Flyers in the minus on the day.
There were three fights in the second period. Ian Laperriere, Arron Asham, and Dan Carcillo dropped the gloves for the Flyers. The consensus after the game among John Stevens and the players is that that kind of play can help bring a team together even more, something the Flyers need to do in order to make this season a success.
Ryan Parent left the game early after possibly re-injuring himself. Stevens said that they didn't want him "pushing it" and that he thinks Parent will be fine. Just a precaution. Hopefully.

With revamped defense and rejuvenated offense, the Flyers did their job today. Nothing more, nothing less. With a team like Carolina coming in the way they're playing, a big win should be expected. Think that's harsh? That's what it takes to win a Cup. Coach Stevens agrees. When asked if the team has earned a day off with this loss, he quickly responded with a "No."

After the jump, questions with answers and comment of the (day).

Questions With Answers

Can the Flyers kick the struggling Hurricanes while they are down? Yes. Without a doubt.
How does Laliberte play in his first NHL game? He impressed Stevens enough to move him from the fourth line to the Carter/JVR line at the start of the second period. Two points in your first NHL game? Best Halloween ever.
Do the changes on the blueline have any effect? Coburn seemed energized, but it's tough to get a full rad because of the injury to Parent. Nevertheless, one goal against is nothing to frown at.
How do Betts and Parent look in their first games back? As mentioned, Parent left early. He should be fine. Betts was clearly testing his shoulder throughout the game, delivering several checks with that shoulder. He looked fine, finished a plus-1 in 15:23 of ice time. Betts also won 72% of his faceoffs.
How does the threat of a SEPTA strike tonight, accompanied by city-wide Phillies phever, put a damper on the crowd today? The crowd was very much into the game, but with it out of hand in the third period, a resounding "Yankees Suck!" chant echoed through the Wachovia Center. We'll see how it goes on Monday with a 5 PM start.

Comment(s) of the Day

It’s only fitting for the Flyers to win on Halloween.

>> doubleh

It’s still New York. AL or not, everybody hates the Yankees.

>> Ben Rothenberg

Role Players Shine as Flyers Beat Bruins in Shootout, 4-3

Geoff Detweiler — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:31:17 -0000

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

Receiving goals from Chris Pronger, Darroll Powe, and Arron Asham should always be a luxury. Having Ole-Kristian Tollefsen lead the team in points is just unusual. With two assists and a fight, Tollefsen was a most unlikely player of the game selection by the CSN broadcast.

Claude Giroux netted the lone goal in the shootout and the Flyers won when Michael Ryder found iron on the Bruins third and final shot. Ray Emery finished with 23 saves on 26 shots, including more than a couple highlight-reel saves. Overall, Emery had a solid game for the Flyers, even with the huge rebound he let up on the third Bruin goal.

Concerns about the Flyers long-layoff were seen early, but went away quickly. After going up 1-0 on a Chris Pronger slap shot, the Flyers found themselves down 2-1 in the second period. But a mere 65 seconds after falling behind, Darroll Powe slammed one home from atop the crease to tie the game back up. Less than 5 minutes later, Arron Asham broke down the right wing on a great outlet pass from Tollefsen and shot far corner, beating Tukka Rask to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead.

After a quiet game from the officials (three penalties called through the first 58 minutes), Simon Gagne was called for hooking with just over 90 seconds to go in the game. The call was questionable, but the Flyers almost won the game when Jeff Carter stole a cross ice-pass (seriously, do teams not watch film?) and broke in all alone on Rask. The goalie wasn't fooled though, and the stage was then set for Claude Giroux to net the game winner.

After the jump, random thoughts, Questions with Answers, and the Comment of the Night.

Random Thoughts:

As mentioned in the comments by Ben Feldman, Emery left his crease in the shootout. Hopefully this trend continues.
Dan Carcillo continues to be an image of discipline. After taking a dangerous hit from behind, he showed some displeasure, but kept just cool enough not to draw a penalty. He walked the line today, but you know he would have jumped it last year.
Ian Laperriere had a very good game. He had three hits and a blocked shot, finishing a +1 with just under 16 minutes of ice time.
Coach John Stevens did a good job dishing out the ice time tonight as all 20 skaters finished with over 10 minutes of ice time. Chris Pronger still managed 28:16 though.
Fourth line production was huge tonight. Darroll Powe's goal was assisted by Dan Carcillo and OKT, while Danny Syvret and Mika Pyorala were also on the ice.
Danny Briere, Jeff Carter, and Scott Hartnell each finished a -2 on the night, while Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn were a -1. Every other Flyer skater was a +1. This is becoming a worry, as the five are now a combined -21 on the year. They are also the five worst Flyers in that category.

Questions with Answers:

How does the defense as a whole perform after a terrible group outing last Saturday? This was a very good game for the defense. They got one goal and four assists from their blue line tonight, and Boston's goals came on a screen, a deflection, and a juicy rebound in the slot where Kimmo was draped all over his man. See next answer.
How long does the Syvret/Tollefsen getting more minutes experiment last? At least for this game. Syvret logged 14:18 tonight, with more ice time in the third period than he saw in the first. Tollefsen logged 11:58, also with more time in the third than he saw in the first. The pair both got more ice time in the second period with the long change, but they played well overall.
Can the well-rested Flyers take advantage of a team coming off of a game last night? Well, they won. The Bruins came out stronger, but the Flyers quickly matched their energy level. In the third period, it appeared as if both teams slowed down after a physical second and start to the third, but at least the Flyers didn't appear tired as they did in Florida last week.
How many hot dogs are consumed by the Wachovia Center crowd on dollar dog night? Travis, what's the final tally? Travis: 21,235 -- six by me.

Comment of the Night:

"John Boruk looks BA in this pic. Asham looks like he is about to come over the boards and eat the camera."

flyrsfrk05

Phantoms Beat Writer Tim McManus: A Philly Guy At Heart

Travis Hughes — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:00:42 -0000

The Phantoms have undergone quite the transition over the last few months, and as they've moved away from the Delaware Valley to the unknown world of upstate New York, it's been a Philadelphia native who has brought us the news we need to know.

Tim McManus, the Phantoms beat writer for the Glens Falls Post-Star, was born and raised just a stones throw away from the South Philly Sports Complex. A graduate of La Salle University in the Olney section of the city, he lived in Philadelphia for his entire life before leaving for grad school. He worked at The Trentonian in (you guessed it) Trenton, NJ before landing his current gig in Glens Falls two and a half years ago.

McManus has been a diehard Philadelphia fan his entire life. The 27-year-old's fondest Flyers memory came in 2000 when Keith Primeau scored in the fifth overtime to beat Pittsburgh. After a long evening high school event, McManus tells us that he "never thought he'd get home in time to see five periods of hockey" and that when his friend called the house phone right after the goal (in the middle of the night), it didn't matter because everybody was awake anyway.

McManus is clearly a media guy that knows how to utilize new media tools. His blog on the Post-Star website is truly awesome work; it's a fantastic way to keep up with the day-to-day activities of the Flyers' farm club. He's also on Twitter (@PSPhantoms), and of course his articles in the paper are chock full of quality coverage.

We had the pleasure of asking McManus a few questions this week. Among other things, we chatted about the future of the Phantoms in Glens Falls and their potential future move to Allentown, how Randy Jones is handling his AHL demotion, and who is lining up to be the first injury callup to the Flyers.

See our complete interview with exiled Philly fan and Adirondack Phantoms beat writer Tim McManus after the jump.

Broad Street Hockey: Since you grew up a Flyers fan, what was your reaction when you found out you'd have the chance to cover their farm team? It's pretty ironic considering you work in, of all places, Glens Falls, NY.

Tim McManus: I think the best part is that I finally have a good answer for all my friends and family who wonder what the heck I’m doing living closer to Montreal than Philly.

But seriously, knowing the team’s history and being familiar with the Flyers organization has made the job easier. I hadn’t been keeping up with the Phantoms like I once did, but the roster wasn’t a complete mystery. I knew who some of these guys were. I know to pay extra attention to the goalies because the Flyers have been looking for one as long as I’ve been alive. I know the Flyers are in the midst of trying to change their identity (for better or worse) from the Bullies to a skating/scoring kind of team. I think understanding that context helps me to do the job better than if, say, it was the Edmonton Oilers affiliate here.

I also hope it makes me a better source of information for fans in the Philly area. I’m always conscious to write something for that audience as much as the one here in Glens Falls. I try to think about what kind of news I want to hear about the Phillies farm team. I’m not surprised at all by how many Philly fans made the ride up here for opening night or how detailed some of the questions they send me are. There’s no limit to how hungry Philly fans are for any information and I hope they’re getting it on our blog.

BSH: It's still early, of course, but what are your expectations for the Phantoms this season? How do they compare with the rest of their division and how far do you think they can go this year?

TM: Barring a major rash of injuries/callups, I expect the Phantoms to be a playoff team and probably one that should win a round or two. They play in the league’s toughest division, but they can’t use the excuse that they’re young anymore. In fact, they have to sit a veteran each night just to get under the league limit (six).

There is plenty of depth at forward. They have five players who scored more than 20 goals in the AHL last season: Jon Matsumoto, Pat Maroon, David Laliberte, Jared Ross and Krys Kolanos, who had 30 in just 47 games with Houston. Another new addition, Lukas Kaspar, had 17 splitting time with Worcester/San Jose. So this is a team that should be able to score, especially when you add NHL vet Jason Ward.

The challenge is defensively. They’re breaking in three AHL rookies on the blueline – Kevin Marshall, Marc-Andre Bourdon and Joonas Lehtivuori– and two rookie goalies. Not surprisingly, defense has been a weakness through three games. Although, I can’t really pick on the defensemen. The forwards have made some bad turnovers, took some bad penalties, and haven’t been real crisp in their defensive zone coverages.

Both Ross and Matsumoto have said their goal is a division title. I don’t know if anyone is catching Hershey– the Bears brought back most of their Calder Cup winning team from last year – but I’d consider it a disappointment if the Phantoms didn’t improve on last year’s record and make a run at being one of the final four teams in the conference standing.

For whatever it’s worth – probably nothing – EA Sports did a simulation of the AHL season on NHL 10 and had the Phantoms losing in the finals to Abbotsford.

BSH: What is Randy Jones' role going to be with the Phantoms. How is he handling the demotion?

TM: Given the youth on the Phantoms defense, Jones is going to have a real big role here both in terms of ice time and leadership. Right now they have him paired with Kevin Marshall, a rookie the Flyers are high on. I think fans are going to really like the way Marshall plays – physical, not afraid to fight, etc. – but right now he’s a little excitable. Jones has been a calming influence. I liked the way he’s gone over a couple of times after the whistle and untangled Marshall from scrums before he could take a penalty.

I think he’s handling it OK. He appears to be giving it a good effort in practice and his teammates like him. I asked someone who knows a lot more about hockey than I do what they thought of his first game (a 3-2 loss to Worcester) and they said he was the best defenseman out there. I guess he should be.

I have a feeling he’s going to put up good offensive numbers, or at least lead the Phantoms defenseman in points. He’s gotten a lot of power play time and has looked real confident with the puck on the point. The power play has looked best with him out there.

BSH: Which players are lining up to be the first call-ups to the Flyers, both on defense and up front?

TM: I think the answer to the forward question is going to be the guy who shows the most playing two ways. All of the guys I mentioned above have shown they can score at the AHL level. But if the Flyers need a guy, they’re not going to be looking for a big-time scorer. They’re going to want someone who won’t be a liability defensively. Unless they want to take a look at a prospect, maybe Pat Maroon, I guess they’d stick with someone who saw NHL time last year, like Jared Ross, Jon Kalinski, or Andreas Nodl (who’s leading the team in scoring through three games).

Defensively, I’m not so sure because they’re so young there. I assumed Danny Syvret would be that first call up, but he’s already there. Personally, I like Joey Mormina. He has NHL size – he’s 6-foot-6, 220 pounds – and has been very professional. Last year he was one of the AHL leaders as a plus-37 and is plus-3 in the two games he’s played here. At 27, he’s not a prospect anymore, but he’s a guy I could see playing solidly in a limited role if need be. But I have no idea if the Flyers agree with me on that. Aside from Jones, and we know he isn’t going, there isn’t anyone with NHL experience they can call on.

BSH: Is Johan Backlund going to be the every day goaltender down there? The Nic Riopel pick really impressed me at the Draft and my initial thought was that he could be a late round gem. Any glimpses of that?

TM: Coach Greg Gilbert won’t come out and say it officially, but by all appearances, Backlund is the No.1 guy. They want to see what they have in him and whether he’s a guy that could be a backup in the NHL next year. They won’t find that out by sitting him.

It’s funny, I wrote a ton in preseason about how the goalie position was going to be the team’s biggest concern, because both had shaky moments in camp. But so far (and it’s a real small sample) they haven’t been the problem. In two home starts (one preseason, one regular season), Backlund was strong. Now, he gave up six in Syracuse on Saturday in a game I wasn’t at, but from what I hear, he was in a shooting gallery due to numerous defensive breakdowns.

I like Backlund’s size. He really fills up the net and has shown surprising quickness for a 6-3 guy. He’ll need to work on finding the puck in traffic and being more aggressive in clearing guys from the crease. He’s also given up back-to-back goals in under a minute in each of his last two starts. It’s worth keeping an eye on that to see if it’s just a fluke or if a trend is starting.

Riopel may be a steal because of his size. He’s about 6-foot and looks like a high school kid. But in his one game action on opening night, he was terrific in the 3-2 loss. He gave up a goal on a tough deflection on the third shot he saw, and looked like he was jumping at the puck on the next few long drives. But he settled and allowed just two more goals, both on power plays. The defensive effort was poor in front of him. His lateral movement was very quick and so was his glove hand, which was important because everyone tried to beat him high.

People who I’ve talked to said the key for Riopel is developing patience. Early in camp he was trying to outguess people, and you can’t do that at this level. In talking to him, he projects a real confidence. I guess I would be too if I set the record for goals-against-average (2.01) in the Quebec Major Junior League. I think they want him to stay here even if he plays less than he would at a lower level to get the top-flight instruction and practice time.

BSH: The home opener in Glens Falls was, by all accounts, a smashing success. Do you think the fan base can keep it up for the entire season? And of course, we all know the rumors surrounding a potential move to Allentown. Whether or not that happens, do you think a team will be in Glens Falls once the Phantoms three-year lease is up?

TM: The Phantoms owners have been pretty straightforward: their long term goal is Allentown, but they want to create a successful enough financial model where another team will follow this one in Glens Falls. To do that, the front office thinks they need to average more than 4,000 people a night. On Saturday nights, that won’t be a problem. On Fridays and other weekdays, I think it will be. The question is whether the Saturday night crowds and the six visits by Albany, when they’ll likely do more than 5,000, can keep the average above 4,000?

I think so, though it will help if the team is good. The town is used to winning hockey: the Red Wings won four Calder Cups in 20 years and missed the playoffs just once. When Detroit started losing interest in putting a competitive team here, the attendance went off a cliff. No coincidence. And Glens Falls showed no interest in lower levels of hockey that played here – the city wouldn’t support it.

If they do get that 4,000 average, I think another team will follow. There are several AHL teams that would be looking up at that attendance number. While the Glens Falls Civic Center lacks the luxury boxes that draw in a lot of revenue, the overhead is also low as well. The contract is favorable to the team.

I think some fans are turned off by the impermanence of the team. The contract is for three years, but there is a team out after each year. But I try to calm people’s fears on that. For one, look how long it took to build the stadiums in Philly. Do we really think they’re going to get that arena built in Allentown using some public money in a down economy in three years? And yes, the Phantoms can exit their contract at any time, but as long as Allentown remains the long-term option, are they really going to want to start over someplace new for the second time in as many years with another move on the way? You have to think the relocation costs would be higher than the cost to stay in Glens Falls.

And lastly, there’s so much change in minor league sports anyway. Is it really a big deal if there’s a different name on the jerseys in three years? Sure beats having no hockey at all.

BSH: What would you say to disgruntled Philadelphia Phantoms fans about the teams' move? Should they still support the Adirondack version?

TM: I understand if anyone’s upset about the Phantoms leaving Philadelphia. If I hadn’t left to get into this line of work, I would be too. But I hate the occasional e-mail I get or blog comment that takes it out on the fans of Glens Falls or mocks the people up here. Glens Falls is a hard-working, blue collar city that reminds me a lot of Northeast Philly or South Philly. They love their sports here and it’s a great hockey town. When the Red Wings left 10 years ago, it was as if Philly lost the Flyers, Eagles, Phillies and Sixers all at once. People here deserve a second chance. This was once as good an AHL city as there was. The Civic Center is a real intimidating setting for a hockey game, one fans of the old Spectrum would appreciate.

BSH: Finally, what do you miss most about the Philadelphia area? Favorite cheesesteak joint?

TM: Every time I go back, I head for a cheesesteak from John’s Roast Pork. That’s the real deal right there, down to the long lines and the owner’s mom behind the register yelling for you to speed up. Just a little shack on Snyder and Weccacoe but twice as good as the big names. Have to love that the owner is an old St. John Neumann graduate like me. Go early though – they close around 2 or 3, really whenever they feel like it. I think that adds to the charm.

I miss the people most. There really is no place as quirky and passionate and crazy. I can say that because I am one. Everywhere I go I identify myself first as a Philadelphian. I’m proud of that and I hope my career takes me home soon.

Great thanks to Tim for answering our questions, and we hope it answered a lot of the questions you might have about the Phantoms current situation. We'll be checking in with Tim throughout the season for more Adirondack goodness, but in the meantime, be sure to check out the Post-Star's main hockey page, the blog, and Tim's Twitter feed.

More Early Season Statistics

Geoff Detweiler — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:17:07 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

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Hopefully this won't be a multi-part series, but there are some more interesting stats to look at from the first 5 games. But whereas my previous post dealt with emerging trends, this one I plan to compare players to give some context.

Here, we'll look at Darroll Powe, the third defensive pairing, and the duo of Braydon Coburn and Kimmo Timonen.

As mentioned in the comments, Darroll Powe is beginning to see some high pressure situations. He's getting more PK time and even more time at the end of games. Like I said in that thread, he has simply been unlucky so far this year. Besides the great keep by Getzlaf, Powe has generally had a good start to the season. Lets look.

In looking at who he's playing against, his qualcomp is slightly stiffer than Matt Carle, and slightly easier than Simon Gagne. Comparing Powe's start to Gagne's may be either unfair to Gagne, or too generous to Powe considering Gagne's nagging groin injury but keep in mind I'm not comparing the player's skill level, but rather their starts to the year. So with that, the comparison begins:

Powe's goals for per 60 minutes is better than Gagne's (2.24 to 2.06), but his goals against per 60 is second worst on the team at 4.48. Gagne, meanwhile, is joined by Blair Betts as the only Flyers not to be on the ice for a 5-on-5 goal against. Before championing Gagne a defensive specialist and Powe a liability, I again go back to his luck to start the year. Powe trails Gagne in the shots for per 60 minutes by one, while leading Gagne in fewer shots against per 60 by 0.2. Continuing, Gagne is on the ice for 2 extra missed shots for and 1.9 extra missed shots against. So the Flyers are firing 4.5 shots at the net more than the opposition while Powe is on the ice and 5.8 more than the opponent when Gagne is on the ice. As we already knew, Gagne is the superior offensive player of the two, but defensively, the two give up nearly identical amounts of shots on target. While the fact that Gagne started in his defensive end 7 more times than Powe may be telling, it speaks more to Gagne's (and his linemates') ability to get out of his own end than it does to Powe's poor defensive ability (Ex: Scott Hartnell started in his own end the same amount of times as Powe, and leads the team in SA/60).

Next, we turn to the new third defensive pairings of Parent/Syvret and Parent/Tollefsen. How have these three players begun their seasons? Well, none of them have been on the ice for a 5-on-5 Flyers goal, but that's not what they're here for. It appears as if Tollefsen has gotten stuck on the ice at inopportune times since he leads the D in qualcomp while Syvret and Parent bring up the rear. The qualcomp helps explain why Tollefsen has the highest GA/60.

So as before, we first look at where the players started. Parent has started in the defensive zone 14 times and the offensive zone 15 times, Syvret 8 and 6, and Tollefsen 2 and 8. With Tollefsen starting away from his own net so much, it is completely understandable that he has the lowest SA/60 among all defenders and the lowest missed shots against. But what isn't as easily understood is his astronomically high goals against per 60. This, I'd imagine, is a combination of bad luck, good competition, and very little ice time (sample size). Overall, the team is firing 6.7 more shots at the opponents net with Syvret on the ice, but 3.5 less with Parent. This also might be explained away with Syvret's little ice time, but this isn't to say that Parent is poor defensively either. Rather, Parent has given up fewer shots per 60 than Coburn, Timonen, and Syvret. Again, this is probably more an indication of how Coburn and Timonen started the year, but the third pairing appears to be doing just fine.

Which brings us to how bad Coburn and Timonen have been over these 5 games. (Disclaimer: these stats aren't exclusive to one player. We all saw Coburn's bad game against Pittsburgh, so this isn't necessarily a reflection on Timonen, but since they're partners, their numbers are very similar.) First, both Timonen and Coburn have negative qualcomps. That should suggest they would have solid numbers since they should be able to shut down the other team's bottom 6 forwards - or those that have thus far produced like bottom 6 forwards. That isn't the case. To begin the dismal run through of stats: their GA/60 are 3.84 (Coburn) and 4.26 (Timonen) while they are giving up 29.2 (Timonen) and 32.4 (Coburn) shots against per 60. With Timonen on the ice, the opponent is firing 0.9 more shots at the net than the Flyers, while they are a +3 with Coburn on the ice. These numbers are skewed by the fact that opponents aren't missing the net with both Coburn and Timonen out there. Strictly in terms of shots on goal, the Flyers are a -6 with Kimmo and a -6.2 with Coburn. They just also happen to be on the ice for a lot of missed shots by the Flyers. It's probably not a coincidence that Timonen has 4 missed shots himself.

Basically, 5 games isn't much to get a picture of. But Darroll Powe is giving up less shots on goal than Simon Gagne, yet he's on the ice for 4.48 goals against per 60 minutes. Ryan Parent is having a solid year despite getting less than 11 minutes of even strength time per game, and the Coburn/Timonen pairing is giving up 6 more shots on goal while they are on the ice than the team is when those two aren't on the ice. Interesting 5 games they were.

Again, all stats acquired from Behind the Net.