JHThree (Posted 2008-04-30 12:13:24)
The Canadiens have badly outplayed the Flyers so far and are getting unlucky. Hilarious. Again, if not for a wretched call, they'd be down 3 games to none. So much for luck. The reality is John Stevens has risen to the occasion in this postseason and come up with a defensive scheme that suits the Flyers personnel, one which they've executed to near perfection. And their forward depth was too much for Washington to handle, and may prove the same for Montreal. As for goaltending, every Flyer fan knows Biron is up-and-down, no model of consistency. If he continues playing well, the Flyers' chances are excellent. If not, then Montreal could come back. But this series is not about luck or shots hitting posts - it's about which team is playing better. To this point, that's the Flyers. Oh, and MJB, Umberger dove? No, but you're an idiot. If the Flyers had done that to someone, you and a bunch of other Habs excuse makers would be crying bloody murder. Enjoy tonight's game - I suspect I will.

Bruce (Posted 2008-04-30 01:04:48)
Habs outplayed the [blah, blah, blah]... those Dirty Flyers [blah, blah!], Price gotta booboo {blah?}, we're Montreal so we're entitled to [blah, blah-blah, blah, blsshhh..] Habs are gonna win every remaining game [blah, squirt, blah-blah]. Snore. [zzzzzzzz]. Sorry, you've been punked, but no team that has "outplayed" their opponent through three games of a Stanley Cup playoff series has NEVER held the lead in a game during regulation. Morons.

Rémi Bourget (Posted 2008-04-29 20:08:49)
The Flyers won't win another game in the series. They have been so outplayed, it is scandalous they stole these two games. OK, Biron stole the second one, that happens. Then the Habs we soooo unlucky Hitting four posts just in the first. Price looked shaky in the last 2 games, but the Flyers have mostly taken advantge of lucky bounces. They are the first team I saw that has more goals than scoring chances! Seriously, wheter it's Price or Halak, our goaltending can't be worse the next game. All of you Flyers fans do you seriously think you can beat Montréal by getting two shots in period? 14 in a game?? Your team has won two games, but they can't compete with our most skilled, more talented speedy players. I stick to my call, Habs in 6. Btw, I can't believe how the dirtiest team in the NHL could complain about that little punch from Kostopoulos. A team that kept on hitting people from behind, trying to injure star player...Have you seen the Richards punch to Halak's face in the 3rd? They are a disgrace to hockey and we'll send these goons golfing...Just like we did with the big bad Bruins.

mike (Posted 2008-04-29 19:41:20)
Every year its the same trash talking, does everyone forget what the playoffs are like? Its whole different game the the regular season. The flyers are dirty but not as bad as there cracked up to be. Price is a rookie its its a huge challenge for him but so did ward in 06.

Cristobal Huet (Posted 2008-04-29 18:43:25)
Too bad the Canadiens don't have an experienced, quality back-up goalie to turn to, eh? Sincerley, Cristobal Huet

BigHabsFan (Posted 2008-04-29 16:24:52)
The Flyers will have a hard time relying on goal-posts and lucky deflections/screens for the remainder of the series. As Matt stated below, their slow defence and inability to sustain pressure in the Montreal end will do them in. This is the exact reason why they play 7 games in a series; the cream will eventually rise to the top. I sincerely hope that Biron and the rest of the team have a false sense of security heading into game 4 becasue it will no doubt be a rude awakening from the conference finals dream that they are currently having. As far as the Hatcher hit: it was a head shot, into the boards, from behind to a player who did not have possesion of the puck. Hatcher has been known to have an inflammatory prescence, to say the least, so if the referees feel that it is in the best interest of the game to remove him before the situation escalates, then so be it. I don't think that constitutes "giving" the game to the Habs.

MJB (Posted 2008-04-29 16:08:51)
Hey Bruce, Are you referring to 'those teams in the late 70s' that won four straight Cups, including one which still holds the record for fewest losses in a season? Don't look under 'P' in the record book. And JHThree, Flyer fan logic - I'm going into the corner for the puck in the opposition end SO DON'T TOUCH ME! Give me a break! Do you seriously think that Umberger didn't see Plekanic? Maybe he was just admiring Hatcher's bloody handiwork. Or maybe he DOVE!?!

Matt (Posted 2008-04-29 15:14:12)
I'll do everyone a favour and explain why the Habs will win this series: 1. Price has not been good this series. Fine, everyone can see that, but he'll rebound because he is good, and he'll start to dominate the Flyers like he can. Price will not continue to let in the weak goals that allow the less-talented Flyers to play with the lead. Marty Biron is an average goalie playing well, he'll play well for seven or eight games, like he is now, but sooner or later the flood-gates will open up, and the Flyers will lose three or four straight like they did all season. 2. Montreal has dominated the series thus far. They have out-shot the Flyers badly, except for the first game. It's a game of inches, Montreal and several open nets and hit three posts in the opening frame last night, Philly had five marginal shots. Soon the good-luck will run-out for Philly, and their lucky throw-at-the-net shots will not go in, and they will lose badly, especially when you have stupid dirty players like Downie or Hatcher being idiots. 3. MOntreal's powerplay found it's groove last night after Hatcher's hit from behind (an accurate call by the officials). The Flyer's PK will bend and break, just like it did last night, and again, Biron's luck will run out. He's an average goalie, always has been. He's a lot like any of Philly's goalies from the past: average. 4. Montreal is too fast for Philly, it shows in the way they move the puck, the chances for each team, and the shots on goal. If Hatcher gets suspended (very unlikely) it would actually be an advantage for Philly because he looks like a big orange and black pylon out there. Those are the main reasons why Montreal will dominate the rest of this series. Biron's luck will run out, Price will return to form, and the Habs speed will have the big slow Philly 'D' with whiplash they'll be turning around so much. And another note: The officiating has been fine this series, other than the early gift the officials gave Montreal (the five on three, which is just a product of Downie being an idiot, again). Hatcher's hit from behind was the correct call and a no-brainer. I actually know why Umberger went FLying after Plekanec barely touched him, Umberger went into the corner expecting no contact, got touched then went down like a sack of hammers, happens all the time when you're clipped with a legitimate hip-check at full flight. I find officiating sucks both ways, and it has to be accepted because it's not going to get better unless there are more officials. And who can forget Thoreson pushing Morrisson into Huet, leaving a wide open net for Kapanen, that's the only reason the Flyer's won that series, again, officiating usually sucks both ways.

Caz (Posted 2008-04-29 14:47:28)
Kudos to the Flyers for finding a way to get the "unflappable" Price off his game. Did anyone notice him pushing players (mostly Briere) outside the crease on at least 3 occasions? He was clearly frustrated and distracted. Even if the Habs continue to outshoot the Flyers, they will not win if they don't create traffic in front of Biron and start clearing bodies in front of Price. It's the quality of shots, not the quantity. I'm not buying the hand injury to Price. Remember the bad goal against the Bruins where he was handcuffed glove side? That was before the slash he took in game 2.

shadd (Posted 2008-04-29 14:24:25)
great now elbows, boarding, cross checking, slashing are all clean, but a hip check that a player almost completly avoids is dirty...... and the flyers fans have decided that there shall be no more hip checks. please keep me posted on any other rule changes

JHThree (Posted 2008-04-29 14:01:06)
It sure would be nice to see THN address the elephant in the room - that there is clearly an agenda in the officiating. While Derian Hatcher was taking what should have been no more than a two-minute boarding call, he also was a victim of an uncalled crosscheck in retaliation by Boullion (is the league allowing retaliation now, or just when it is against the Flyers) and a clear intent to injure RJ Umberger by Plekanec. The best (worst, actually) efforts of the officials managed to steal game one for Montreal, but despite getting every call and then some in this series, Montreal is still down 2-1 and should be down 3-0. Oh well, it'll be over soon enough. Everyone watching knows who the better team is, and it's not the overrated first seeds. And to the haters, no, the Flyers really aren't a particularly dirty team. If you need a reason to hate them, go ahead. The Downie and Boulerice incidents happened - and both guys were punished substantially, but since one of those happened in the preseason, the other in the first week. Since then, I think a fair review would show the Flyers haven't even been one of the 10 most dirty teams in a league where EVERY team takes its turn with the nasty business. Get over it, haters. The Flyers are back and aren't going away.

Rob M (Posted 2008-04-29 12:24:52)
I have to agree that game was called right down the middle. With respect to Price, if you watch the replays and the angles the shots came in on, there was a screen on every shot which decreased his chances of making the save. Now I am not a Montreal fan, I dislike them very much actually, but those goals were not Price's fault, it was poor positioning by the Habs defense that caused those goals.

Maxime (Posted 2008-04-29 12:07:09)
Bruce...did you watch the game, or just the highlights? The zebras did a fine job yesterday. Face it Flyers fans (I know you won't), you have a dirty team, and can't accept the trashing from 29 other cities's fans. You try to find excuses in other players actions, or blame the refs. Why can't you just admit : "Yes, we are dirty, but we are winning". I'd respect that a lot more than trying to find excuses, because Philadelphia is the only place in the world which doesn't seem to see the Flyers as a dirty cheapshotting team.

Maxime (Posted 2008-04-29 11:53:31)
Everyone in Philly must have been ecstatic when Prospal punched Kostopoulos, who was on the ice, right in the face, and not get called, even though Prospal was sitting on the bench. About the catching injury...nobody noticed the hit to the hand Price takes in game 2? I don't remember who did it, but Price freezes the puck, and while the scrum starts, a Flyers players slashes his glove hand. You can actually very clearly see Price pulling his hand back, shaking it, clearly feeling the hit. That, was again another cheap shot that went under silence. Grats to the Flyers for being ahead, but so far i've only seen 2 players on that team deserve it, Richards and Umberger, and Richards elbow on Halak was out of place, so basically, the only player so far who deserves to win this series, is R.J. Umberger. For his sake, i wish him well in the remainder of the series. For the rest of the team, i hope the Habs rally up and crush them in the next 3.

Joe Blake (Posted 2008-04-29 11:08:14)
The Flyers seem to have a game plan . Playing good positional hockey, taking the body.Arguably the best goal tending(Biron)so far in the playoffs. A lot of pressure on Price and maybe too much praise too early.Good that Hatcher took the 5 minute penalty to make it a game. Montreal needs intensity and effort from all players , all shifts.

Fred Bartsch (Posted 2008-04-29 11:07:12)
First let me say that as a long time HOCKEY fans that I (along with many others) jumped down the Flyers throats for the way their team was playing "Bone Head" hockey. Also as a liftime N.Y. Rangers fan I can't say that I really like the Flyers. Now in watching the playoffs this year I have to say this, that while I still don't like the flyers style of play I have to give G.M. Holmgren and Coach Stevens "High Marks" for the turn around of this team. Also I have to admit that the Montreal Canadians are my lest favorite team, I am really enjoying seeing the Flyers up 2-1 in this series. I can only hope that they continue playing (SMART) hockey and defeat the Canadians in their next (2) games. The Flyer fans should be proud of what their team has accomplished in the last year, and I'm sure they are. Although it kills me to say this, but Let's Go Flyers. Now it's time for me to go lay down, take (2) aspirins and think of what I just said.

R.G. Michaud (Posted 2008-04-29 09:48:50)
OK, so right after the Price gaffes w/his glove in Game 2, I asked my play-off watching buddies, "do you think Price might have an injury to his catching hand?" I think Ken, that you and I may be onto something. As a goalie myself, I know I wouldn't want to back off of a playoff game, but because we have seen how brilliantly this young man CAN play, there obviously is something wrong that he's not telling. I hope Price and the HABS can solve this, because I really feel they are outplaying the Flyers in a big way otherwise. If that means Halak has to step up and be "the man" for now, then so be it. GO HABS GO !!!

bert wilson (Posted 2008-04-29 09:05:00)
ed's quote "lame attempt of opponents to degrade based upon inferior knowledge and laziness" How is this possible when Gary Bettman was considering penalizing the team and management if they did not stop the cheap shots earlier in the year. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3139926 How is a direct report from ESPN "lazy". The fact is the Flyers won a tough series against the Caps with tough hockey. They won key road games, which is impressive, given that they almost missed the playoffs. It is NOT impressive to benefit from lame tripping penalty in OT to win a series though. They seem to be peaking at the right time. The win in Montreal was impressive, as was their play in the first two periods in game 1. With that said, the Flyer have consistently been a team full of cheap shots, which has been documented by the league, the commish, and the media. It does not mean they are not a good team. But I could see why people get pissed or hate them. That five-min major last night was BS. I look forward to seeing what the Habs have for Derian Hatcher next.

whatsthatsmell (Posted 2008-04-29 06:38:08)
The NHL in public promotes the run and gun talented style of the Pens, yet rewards the rough and tough style of the Flyers and Ducks. Between Prongers TWO cheap shot elbows to the heads of two players on two different teams, and the Flyers antics this year, it is apparent that to win the cup, all you have to do is load up on goof cheapshot artists, makes the playoffs, then knock out everybody you play against.