Since you've decided to shirk your familial responsibilities and mail in another Mother's Day appearance only to leave early so you could scan the internet and watch some playoff hockey, I'll share a little secret with you: I didn't think the Flyers had much chance to win both games 1 and 2 in Pittsburgh. Bold sentiment, I know.
But I do think they're more than capable of stealing a road game before returning home, and although the Penguins' victory on Friday night was fairly decisive, the adjustments the Flyers need to make aren't as substantial as it might seem. The Penguins are a great team, but they're definitely beatable.
Marty Beer-Run
If I could lactate, I'm pretty sure the only gift I'd want today would be for Marty Biron to stay his ass in the crease all game. His gaffes in game 1, especially a horribly misplayed puck behind the net, had immediate results on the score board. Marty's played the best hockey of his career in these playoffs, but like a lot of goalies, he likes to range out too far from the crease or play pucks behind the net when the duties should just be left to a d-man. True, the place was loud, which makes communication on those plays tougher, but he recovers too slowly after leaving the crease to even try it.
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Your Mother.
There were some great hits by both sides on Friday night, which is a trend that should bode well for the Flyers. Word on the street is that Steve Downie could be in the lineup tonight, and if so, things could get interesting early (not just at Downie's hands; his not being a healthy scratch would likely be a sign of a game plan that includes increased physical play). The Penguins power play unit isn't something we want to see a whole lot of, but the Flyers may need to take a few calls to initiate the chippy play it could take to slow things down. Also, the Pencils aren't shy, so any shenanigans could draw them into the fire.
But let's not get out of hand with it either; the league delayed the start of this series to ensure its game 2 would be on national TV. The Sidney Crosby Protection Clause may be in full effect.
Dude Can I Crash Here?
On Friday, the most dangerous of the Flyers' chances came when they crowded Marc-Andre Fleury's crease, which for some reason, they essentially stopped doing after the first period. Maybe the refs said, even if you clearly score, we're gonna just waive it off and send it to the Roulette Room in Toronto, and the Flyers had to try another strategy. Of course there's also the possibility Michel Therrien implemented a design to stop their rushes before they got the chance, and if that's the case, the Flyers better have an answer ready for it tonight. They need to get in front of MAF, screening shots and increasing the incidence of rebounds. The Flyers beat the Caps and Habs in part by getting in their goalies' heads. They need to find a way to do that again this series.
Control the Line of Scrimmage
Turnovers killed the Flyers on Friday, with many of them occuring in the neutral zone. Some looked to be bad bounces, others just lackadaisical puck advances and receptions. On paper and in reality, the Penguins' scorers are too good to allow those odd-man rushes. The Flyers simply have to be more careful when gaining the zone.
News
Stormy
We can't blame the game one loss on the 2008 Playoffs unofficial cheerleader, so, much to your chagrin, she's back. With a vengeance. [via Preston & Steve]
I'm sure there are a few more areas that need improvement. Whaddyinz think they need to do?
