Reading posts about our defense being the worst and how we have no chance to beat a team with a good goalie.
Yikes..
Probably people that didn't watch the flyers until the playoffs, and don't understand that this was two offensive powerhouses that went to battle in round one. And did they miss game 6?! That was awesome defensively.
It's fine though... hopefully everyone picks whoever we face, like they did with the pens... love being an underdog.
Probably people that didn't watch the flyers until the playoffs, and don't understand that this was two offensive powerhouses that went to battle in round one. And did they miss game 6?! That was awesome defensively.
It's fine though... hopefully everyone picks whoever we face, like they did with the pens... love being an underdog.
Yea, Bryz had a 968 and 3rd star.
But yes we suck and can't play D.
Our defense will look better with some rest, Grossmann and Meszaros back in the lineup, and matching up against teams that don't bring near the attack Pittsburgh just brought. The criticisms of the D and goalie are ill-founded as the game is all about matchups and what team can wear the most faces....or otherwise dominate and overcome any weakness on the backend.
Well during March the defense and Bryz were lights out, and they were pretty good in game 5 and great and game 6. If Grossmann and Mez come back the ultimate goal can be achieved.
In fairness the flyers defense isn't great - that was clear even from game one of round 1 IMHO but when the team works together it's a different story. There's lots of bollocks stated on ESPN etc... but the current team is a little light on defense - but they counter it with an amazing powerplay team. TBH defense is the weakness but there's no one better when playing specials. Just my 2c
You know what's a really good defensive strategy? Putting the puck in the other team's net.
I'm hoping that, with the win against Pittsburgh, Bryzgalov has the playoff monkey off his back and can go back into March mode. The rest should help a lot for the hidden injuries and other bumps and bruises. Hopefully, Grossmann will be back, Timonen will be feeling somewhat better, Bourdon can be an option, and Laviolette can mix and match D line-ups to go up against the team's next opponent.
Oh, and Chris Pronger, history is sending you a text message. Make a miraculous comeback to put this team over the top.
Does anyone even really want to be seen as favorites?
It seems the Flyers don't often play well in that situation, and it has been that way for as long as I can remember being a fan...
Maybe the media is trying a reverse jinx or something and feel dogging the team will help get them the cup, which would be huge for the league and the Flyers image...
Does anyone even really want to be seen as favorites?
It seems the Flyers don't often play well in that situation, and it has been that way for as long as I can remember being a fan...
Maybe the media is trying a reverse jinx or something and feel dogging the team will help get them the cup, which would be huge for the league and the Flyers image...
Haha sorry for ousting you man.
I don't want the Flyers to be seen as favorites, kills it IMO. I like them as underdogs way too much. So does Claude.
Panaccio says Meszaros won't be ready for a few more weeks. But having Grossmann back will definitely help.
The Flyers' D needs to play a collapsing style while allowing Bryzgalov to still see the puck. Sort of sounds like an oxymoron but if they execute it right they will be tough to beat.
In my opinion, there are only two things that could derail the Flyers at this point: poor play by Bryz and lack of experience up front. I mean, those are two very obvious and apparent issues, but strong play by (hopefully healthy) Bryz could take care of at least some of the inevitable defensive lapses they'll suffer.
people are going to question the goaltending and defense until the Flyers prove it on a more consistant basis. The Flyers won by a playing a team oriented defensive game. They are going to have to keep playing like that.
I am sick and tired of hearing the the Pens were the highest scoring team in the league excuse. They are very good offensively. It doesnt excuse the lazy defensive play and shoddy goaltending we saw for most of the series. EVERYONE is going to have to be better on the defensive side of the puck going forward.
I think the emergence of Gus and grossman coming back are going to give our defense a huge boost. And Hopefully we make it far enough to see Mez come back.
Also I think 3rd pairing wont matter as much considering the teams left are not stacked with forwards. Boston has good depth but that is about it, nothing like what pittsburgh had.
I also love how we went up against , in what the media calls" the greatest offense juggernaut in the league". But when we give up some goals against them its cause our goalie sucks?
A Coburn-Grossman pairing and a Meszaros-Carle pairing would allow Timo to be on the 3rd pairing. Strange to say but with his age and backward steps he has taken lately, he may in fact be better in such a role.
Don't really care what people have to say criticizing the Flyers. I don't care if we win 1-0 or 10-9 a win is a win in the playoffs and one step closer to the cup. If they end up winning it no one will be able to discredit them without looking foolish.
I think the emergence of Gus and grossman coming back are going to give our defense a huge boost.
Lets pump the breaks on that. Gus played 1 good game, I'm not ready to say he has emerged into anything yet. Give the kid a series or two before we start counting him as a plus on the defense.
I admit that reading post after post and many articles dismissing the Flyers gets tiresome, but being a favorite and getting praised didn't help the Penguins. So really it doesn't matter. It's very annoying how everyone seems to say how bad our defense/goal tending is ignoring how we were missing Pronger and Meszaros the whole first round. Grossmann missed a good part of the 1st round. Then there is Bryz has been playing hurt.
Even if Bryz won't get back to 100% if this break before the next round even if he goes from 75% to 85% that should be a big improvement. Plus adding Grossmann back in (and hopefully Mez at some point soon), and maybe Kubina gets healthier and maybe can contribute a bit more (added rest for Timonen should help too). Additionally if Gus can keep playing like he did in game 6, and I think we'll be in pretty good shape. And I think people could be surprised how much better defensively this team looks moving forward. This isn't even bringing up the fact that we were playing the top offensive team from the regular season with arguably the two best offensive players in the world, and no one else we could potentially meet in the playoffs can come close to matching that. Even some of the teams who were up there in terms of goals per game in the regular season have seen their offense go pretty cold in the playoffs (e.g. the Rangers and Burins).
The same comments are made in regards to western teams not being able to score enough goals. Hopefully the Flyers can bear down and play well enough defensively to beat a team who doesn't have their goalie imploding.
but if they execute it right they will be tough to beat.
