Friday, April 15, 2011
Posted: 2:46 p.m.
By Tim Panaccio
CSNPhilly.com
The way the Flyers see it, they played as perfect a hockey game as anyone could rightfully expect against Buffalo.
They just didnt score a goal.
Peter Laviolettes club is down 0-1 in its Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Sabres.
They can take solace in the fact that this is nothing new. In fact, its quite familiar.
The Flyers lost the first three games to Boston in last years conference semifinals even though they played very well. Despite the early deficit, they clawed back to win the series in seven games.
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It just felt like we were playing Boston last year, Claude Giroux said.
We were playing good, but the bounces werent there. I think its just going to be a matter of time before the bounces start to come our way.
I mean, there was panic last year, going into Game 4. But I think we need to relax and keep the intensity we had and chances are going to come.
Kimmo Timonen suggested that the other common denominator between right now and the Boston series was that with every playoff loss, the Flyers had to ratchet up their level of desperation.
Obviously, you want to win all four games right away, Timonen said. Thats a perfect situation and it never happens. That was Game 1. You take from whatever you can and then you move on.
Saturday is a totally new game. Doesnt matter if your won or lost Game 1Tomorrow we need even more of a desperation level.
Truth is, the Flyers need a few more things that are more tangible than intangible: rebound shots and traffic in front of all-world goalie Ryan Miller.
You might say that while Miller had 35 saves, the Flyers made it easy for him by not generating follow shots from the side or getting bodies in front to obstruct his view.
He made the first save and probably every second and third save, Scott Hartnell said. We were jamming around the net, we had people there. It just seems the puck was at your feet or right on his stick.
Hes a strong player. Hes not going to miss those. We have to do a better job of getting shots through and getting traffic in front of him. It seems like he was seeing the shots coming in and sucking them up. We have to do a better job of getting in front of him.
Now, the one aspect of the Flyers game plan that everyone seemed to agree need workagainwas the power play. The Flyers took their usual 0-for swatting five times at pucks and not denting Miller.
This is where the club misses Chris Prongers booming shot on the point. Pronger, a source told CSNPhilly.com, will not play in Game 2, either.
Curiously, they didnt work on the power play during their practice on Friday, but they did video sessions on it.
During the 5-on-3 man advantage, the Flyers had eight shots. Other times, they either didnt get shots or simply tried for the picture-perfect setup pass. Again, looking to beat Miller with a single shot isnt going to do it.
They need some diagonal slap passes then a one-timer with a follow shot, which will keep Miller moving and not stationary within the posts.
It needs to start winning us some hockey games, Hartnell said of the power play. Our second 5-on-3 and couple other times, we have to do a better job of getting set up in the zone.
One time when Paul Gaustad lost his stick we had a couple of great chances and just werent getting shots to the net. Their desperation level was high and we need to match that.
The fans were getting antsy during some of those PP moments and began booing because the Flyers were looking for perfect passing lanes instead of just firing the puck.
You pass the puck around and not get it to the net, its a good way to give them a shutout, Hartnell said. We had over 30 shots. Still not as much as we wanted and the quality shots werent as good as we hoped.
A couple of 2 on 1s, we tried to saucer pass the puck through a guy, over a stick or back door. More times than not, theyre going to work. They didnt work yesterday. Shooting is always the first option.
Miller thought the Flyers werent getting good looks at him because the Sabres had the middle of slot sealed off. Buffalo blocked 16 shots.
For the most part, we were protecting the middle and were pushing out, kind of like pistons on that 5 on 3 and it sent them more to the outside, Miller said.
They wanted that center shot but they didnt quite align the screen they wanted. I think got a little bit delayed with our presence in there trying to box out on the corners. So they were little bit late on a few of those shots where I could see them.
So a good job again by our guys and again it just comes down to how bad you want it during those penalty kills because you have to do everything in your power.
Laviolette said he didnt see major adjustments to be made to the game planagain, it was pretty much perfectjust do more to distract Miller in the crease.
We scored a lot of goals this year; theres a confidence in our group, he said. I dont think its the game we have a problem with. Its the score. Thats an issue.
Youre on limited time here in the playoffs. You only get so much of it to make your mark and if you dont make your mark, then you dont get to go on and continue.
Realistically, while you can look back on Boston where the Flyers lost both games there to start the series, they cant afford to go into Buffalo down 0-2.
Its important to make sure we win a game so we can continue to push, Laviolette said. Nobody likes being behind in a series. Thats not the plan. Thats not what you prepare for. So we got our work cut out for us, now.
E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net
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