I really don’t like the back to back games. Especially when I get a new game to play, just not enough time.
The Flyers beat the Blackhawks in Chicago on Wednesday 5-2.
Scoring for the Flyers was Ben Eager, RJ Umberger, Mike Knuble, Mike Richards and Branko Radivojevic (empty net).
The matchup of Antero Niittymaki and Craig Anderson was the same as the Caulder Cup Champoinship last year in the AHL.
The pace of the game was good, the Flyers were able to dominate the first half of the game, but really had nothing to show for it. The Flyers had scored 2 goals on 22 shots, the Blackhawks 2 goals on 9 shots. Niittymaki over played the breakaway and Vrbata scored on the wrap around. Not totally his fault, definsevly he should have been taken out. The other Blackhawk goal he didn’t have a chance on. The game opened up a bit in the third for the Flyers with Knuble scoring to take the lead.
The three stars were Handzus, Richards and Keith.
The Detroit Red Wings beat the Flyers 6-3 in Detroit last night.
Simon Gagne scored twice, one even strength and one power play. Dennis Seidenberg scored the other goal.
Although the game was tied after two periods, I thought the Red Wings controlled much of those two periods. The Flyers only had 13 shots on goal compared to 27 for Detroit. Detroit’s penalty kill was almost smothering against the Flyers in the first period.
Brian Savage had a goal taken away from him in the second period, he was called for inference. He would have put the Flyers up 1-0 if not for the bad call. Detroit started to capitalize on their play in third scoring a shorthanded goal 15 seconds in. The Flyers were playing catchup the rest of the game, but could not get back even. The Flyers gave up more shots in this game than the last two games combined.
I think Coach Hitchcock summed it up pretty well. “we got schooled.”
It was very obvious the Red Wings where the better team on the ice. One could look at various injuries the Flyers have Desjardins, Primeau, Stevenson, Pitkanen and to a lesser extent Brashear, Therien and Esche. Another excuse could be playing the night before in Chicago while Detroit had two days rest. At any rate the Flyers should take a hard look at their play and level of effort, since there is a good chance that this could be a preview of the Stanley Cup finals.
Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Gagne were the three stars.
Personally, the one team I wouldn’t want the Flyers playing for the Cup is Detroit. Besides the sweep by Detroit the last time Flyers made it to the Finals, the Flyers have not won in Detroit since November of 1988. Obviously there is a mental block of a sort when it comes to playing in Detroit.
Chris Therien missed both games with a sore back. Donald Brashear was also out with a quad muscle strain.
Well, the road trip is finally over.
Before the road trip if someone were to tell me the Flyers would go 8-3, I’d be pretty happy.