3/8/13
This game could not have been scripted any worse for the
Flyers. These rivalry games always make the fans for both teams, and the
players for both teams fired up. In fact, this rivalry right now may be the
best one in the NHL. It’s at the level of Red Sox vs. Yankees rivalries. These
games are always a good one no matter how good or how bad one of the teams is.
The Flyers and Penguins play a similar style of hockey. They attack, attack,
attack, and put pressure on the offensive side of the rink. Defense is optional
for both teams. The goalies are both adequate too in Marc-Andre Fleury and Ilya
Bryzgalov. So how did this script unfold last night? Let’s break it down
period-by-period:
Everything seemed to be going right for the Flyers at the
start of the first period. They came out with high energy and attacked the
offensive zone and made the Penguins mad enough to commit stupid penalties. The
goals in this period happened like (snaps fingers) that. Jakub Voracek scored 2
goals in this period, both on the power play. Unfortunately he scored the first
of four goals, and what turned out to be the last goal for the Flyers.
Voracek’s first goal, scored close to nine minutes into the period, seemed like
Claude Giroux’s pass bounced off Voracek’s stick and found a way between
Fleury’s legs. Voracek’s second goal, scored with eight seconds remaining in
the period, whiffed on a slap shot from the blue line and the puck trickled its
way right between Fleury’s legs. After Voracek’s first goal, Chris Kunitz
scored the first of two goals he scored for the Penguins 47 seconds later on
the power play. Sean Couturier couldn’t get the puck out of the defensive zone,
which made the Penguins rush the Flyers’ zone. When the Penguins were setting
up their offense, the puck hit Nicklas Grossmann’s skate and found its way
towards Kunitz and he put the puck in the net. Three minutes after Kunitz
scored his goal to tie the game at one, Zac Rinaldo found a rebound after a
Grossmann shot hit Fleury’s pads and scored the second goal for the Flyers.
Also three minutes after Rinaldo’s goal, Kimmo Timonen fired a blind snap shot
on to Fleury and it pinballed off of him and went into the net to make it 3-1
Flyers. At the end of the first period it was a 4-1 Flyers lead. Could the
Penguins show some life in this game or did the Flyers suck the life out of
them with that spectacular first period?
It seemed like the Flyers stopped playing after the first
period. I don’t know what was said in the locker room by Penguins coach Dan
Bylsma, but he sent a powerful message to his players that made them play
better the rest of the way. Tomas Vokoun replaced Fleury in net to start the
period. The Penguins came out with a lot of energy and were not ready to bow
down to the Flyers. Pascal Dupuis scored the Penguins’ second goal five minutes
into the second period. Sidney Crosby took a rebound and handled the puck
beautifully and wrapped around the net, which Bryzgalov got stuck on one of the
posts, and found a wide open Dupuis for a wide open net. A few minutes later,
James Neal found the back of the net to make it a 4-3 Flyers lead. Neal threw
the puck into the middle of the zone and the puck bounced off of Braydon
Coburn’s stick and the puck redirected into the back of the net. The Penguins
scored one more goal in this period to tie the game at four. Tyler Kennedy
scored the goal as Brandon Sutter screened Bryzgalov’s view as he had
difficulties seeing who had the puck. That goal also ended Bryzgalov’s night as
Brian Boucher had to replace Bryzgalov in net.
We have reached the third and final period in this game with
the score tied. Who would score the goal that could ultimately win the game? It
didn’t take that long for that question to be answered either. The Penguins
scored the fifth and final goal of this game 18 seconds into the period. Kunitz
scored which turned out to be the game-winning goal for the Penguins. This was
his second goal of the game too. The goal was scored off an odd man rush in
which Boucher looked slow going lateral from post-to-post. The only other big
moment in this game was when the Flyers thought they had tied the game at five
a piece off a Timonen slap shot, but the goal was disallowed when Scott
Hartnell’s stick was over the crossbar. Do I agree with the call? Yes, because
I thought the top of Hartnell’s blade was over the crossbar. The Flyers went on
to lose this game 5-4.
Overall, this was the worst game the Flyers have played this
season. The last time they blew a three goal lead was 20 years ago. This was a
rarity for the Flyers, but one they should try to forget. What’s mind boggling
is the fact that the Flyers quit after the first period. The Penguins were not
fazed by the Flyers early momentum as they gained momentum the rest of the way.
There’s not one player to blame about this loss. This loss I feel is solely on
poor coaching. The Penguins adjusted their game, while the Flyers kept throwing
the same stuff the Penguins saw in the first period throughout the entire game.
It would have been nice if the Flyers won this game to take a 2-1 lead in the
season series, but home ice has not been favorable for both teams.
Will this game hurt
or help the Flyers as they prepare for their game on Saturday against the
Boston Bruins? Sound off and stay tuned until next time…
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