Friday, February 11, 2011
Posted: 3:32 p.m.Updated: 3:48 p.m.
By Sarah BaickerCSNPhilly.com
Thursdays 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes wasnt, by any stretch of the imagination, one of the Flyers best games of the season.
The team was flat at times, sure, and despite a strong performance by Brian Boucher, a shutout still eludes them. But look a bit below the surface and the victory tells a lot about why the team has managed to find so much success lately.
Both goals, for instance, were scored on the power playa unit that had been lukewarm at best in recent weeks. The defense held onto a one-goal lead, a big contrast to just a month ago, when even a two-goal lead in the third period could (and sometimes did) dissipate in seconds. Further, it was the first win the Flyers have notched after a significant layoff this season.
Special teams, holding leads and maintaining energy after days off have been the Flyers primary struggles through this year, but they were all a success Thursday night.
The timing is likely not a coincidence.
Once you get down to the halfway point or start getting into February, and Im pretty sure were going to make the playoffs, you want to look at the things you can improve on, said Sean ODonnell. Certainly special teams, power play, penalty killing, and bearing down at certain times is something that we want to make sure we fix as April rolls around.
NHL
Its hard to significantly criticize the Flyers, of course, as they sit atop the Eastern Conference with 77 points and are just a pair of points shy of the league-leading Vancouver Canucks. But there have been problem areas this season.
The Flyers coaching staff has systematically attacked each of the teams weak spots, though, as they have developed, dedicating significant time to all of the aforementioned areas. And the players have responded accordingly.
I think its a testament to the coaches and the players, Danny Briere said. The coaches make us aware and accountable for those areas. The one-goal games, closing out teams in the third period, special teamsweve spent a lot of time working on special teams the last few weeks. And the players, for adjusting and being able to use their play when its needed.
After going 8-for-29 through the last eight games, the Flyers power play is suddenly at 27.5 percent over that stretch. Thats a significant improvement from the numbers just a few weeks ago, when the teams man advantage struggled mightily, and floated around in the leagues bottom half. Its now at 17.9 percentnot great, but definitely on the upswing.
The fact that theres improvement is critical because the power plays effectiveness is only going to get more important as spring approaches.
I would 100 percent agree with that, said coach Peter Laviolette. Teams that dont find success on the specialty teams in the playoffs usually have a quick exit. The penalty kill has to be sharp, and the power play has to produce.
To defenseman Matt Carle, its Laviolette and the Flyers' coaching staff that deserves the credit for righting the team's wrongs as the season has progressed.
As players, we just go out and play and try to keep things simple, Carle said. The coaches, theyd probably tell you that they over-analyze things more than anybody. When we get away from the rink, we try to get away from hockey because we get so much of it. But I think theyre the ones that harp on certain problem areas and address those in practice.
Gs knees
Claude Giroux was on the ice at practice Friday, despite blocking a shot from the point with his left knee during a scary moment in the second period of Thursday's game against the Hurricanes.
Giroux hobbled off the ice and into the locker room after getting hit, but returned to the game less than 10 minutes later. He was surprised to receive so much attention on Friday for doing something certain other teammates do regularly.
Blair Betts goes on one knee and tries to block a shothes obviously had a slot of slap shots hit his knee, his handI get one blocked shot and everybody knows about it, Giroux said. I think Bettsy and Darroll Powe and all those guys are the real warriors for sure."
The shot hit a part of knee that didnt have a lot of padding, Giroux said. Its nothing to worry about.
Im fine, its just a little bruise, he said. Its part of hockey, so Ill survive. Its all good.
Related: Flyers hold off Hurricanes for third win in a row
E-mail Sarah Baicker at sbaicker@comcastsportsnet.com