VOORHEES, N.J. — Dave Hakstol, often guarded and mostly judicious in his words, wasn’t holding back on this one.
It was regarding a popular topic of discussion leading up the Flyers’ best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Capitals, which kicks off Thursday (7 p.m./CSN) at the Verizon Center.
Can the Flyers play with controlled aggression?
In essence, will the Flyers be physical but disciplined against arguably the NHL’s most vaunted offense, one that will bury you when given just the slimmest opening?
“That’s not really an issue,” Hakstol said Wednesday after practice at Flyers Skate Zone. “I’ve been asked a number of questions on that over the last couple of days. We’ve been a pretty disciplined team yet we’ve played pretty damn hard down the stretch here, so I think we know what that balance is.
“That’s the way I answer that question. It’s just truthful, honest and blunt.”
There are points behind the discipline and self-control chatter.
NHL
The Flyers accrued the NHL’s fourth-most penalty minutes at 966 (11.78 per game).
They also owned the league’s most instigators (four) along with the second-most misconducts (12) and roughing (53) penalties.
As a result, the Flyers surrendered 51 power-play goals — tied for ninth-most — while their penalty-kill percentage was 20th at 80.5.
Aggression is one thing, but controlling it is another.
“We’re going to play the way the Philadelphia Flyers play,” Hakstol said. “We’re going to try to do that from the drop of the puck.
“Playoff hockey is tough, hard-nosed hockey. I’ve got a lot of respect for the way [Capitals head coach Barry Trotz] coaches his teams. I think they’re probably going to go out and do what they do and do it very, very well.”
What Washington does best is score. Of all teams, it doesn’t need help with it.
The Capitals have hockey’s most five-on-five goals (162) and the fifth-most on the man advantage (55). Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom are two of the game’s scariest on the power play. Ovechkin has 19 man-advantage markers, while Backstrom has 27 power-play assists — both NHL highs.
“Their power play is really dangerous,” Claude Giroux said. “They have guys that if you give them room, they’re going to make plays and find a way to put the puck in the net. It’s going to be important for us to stay out of the box, for sure.”
Shayne Gostisbehere, who practiced Wednesday after missing Tuesday’s session for a maintenance day, believes special teams could be the difference in going home or advancing.
“I think that’s where you make or break your series right there,” Gostisbehere said. “If you get a dead power play or dead PK, it’s going to hurt you. It’s not like you’re playing them one game and then you don’t see them for a couple more. You’re possibly playing seven games here so it’s important to get your film in and focus.”
How often the Flyers are forced to go to their penalty kill will be important, as well. The Flyers won’t change their game, though. They’ll do what got them here.
“We’ve got to play our hockey,” Jakub Voracek said. “If we skate, if we forecheck, that’s how you’re going to wear them down. Obviously that’s going to be important if it’s going to go to six, seven games, it might make the difference down the stretch.”
If anything, the Flyers know physicality will be at the forefront.
How will they respond?
“The first 10 minutes of the first game of every series is smash-mouth hockey,” Wayne Simmonds said. “Everybody’s going out there to make a point. Everybody’s going to be throwing their body around, I don’t think you’ll see a play without a hit being finished.
“We’re fully expecting that and we’re going to return the favor to them and get ready to start a heck of a series.”
Capitals: Oshie 'fine' after scare
Giroux and the Flyers know of the Capitals' offensive firepower.
From Ovechkin to Backstrom, to Evgeny Kuznetsov and Justin Willams — all have 50-plus points.
“A lot of offensive players that can make plays out nothing,” Giroux said. “I think we need to be really responsible offensively.”
Another Washington weapon is T.J. Oshie, who survived an injury scare Wednesday.
Oshie, the Capitals’ second-leading goal scorer (26), left practice and did not return.
“Just precautionary,” Trotz said of Oshie, per CSNMidAtlantic. “He’s fine. He just got tangled up with one of the guys there.”