Two games this weekend for the Flyers. First one was a loss to the Devils at home 4-1 on Saturday. The second a win in New York against the Islanders 4-1 on Sunday.

Saturday the Flyers came out slow and really didn’t pick it up to try to match the Devils speed, aggressiveness and determination until almost half way thru the first period. By this time the Flyers were down by a goal and it was pretty much down hill from there.

Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer hit the nail on the head with regards to the Flyers play.

Yesterday, coming off three days of rest they said they needed, the Flyers somnambulated through a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils.
They are playing like a team that thinks it can flip on intensity like a switch. It can’t. Very clearly, this team doesn’t have that ability.. This year, they (the fans) have learned to wait and see what level of energy the Flyers have brought to any given game. It really is that obvious.
Some games they care, some games they just seem to be thinking about getting it over with. Perhaps by now you’ve guessed which sort of game this was.
All you need to know is that the biggest cheer came when the Phillies score appeared on the scoreboard screen. When a Flyers fan is cheering for the Phillies on the first day of April, that doesn’t speak well of the hockey team.

I do have to say the Knuble-Gagne-Forsberg line and to a lesser extent the Carter-Umberger-Niko line did show some good energy throughout the game. Simon Gagne did pick up a power play goal in the third, but by this time the Flyers were already down by 3. Antero Niittymaki was average in goal at best, but the defense in front of him wasn’t any better. Any time you play Martin Brodeur you have to bring your ‘A-game’ that simply didn’t happen on Saturday.

Petr Nedved did leave the game in the second period with a groin injury he has been working thru. He also missed Sunday’s game. His ‘lower body injury’ has him listed day to day.

Any positives from the game? Sure, the Flyers did kill off all 4 penalty kills they had.
That’s about it. Derian Hatcher was minus 3, Simon Gagne, Peter Forsberg, Mike Richards and Eric Desjardins was minus 2.

Brian Gionta, Martin Brodeur and Simon Gagne were the three stars.

Sunday, the Flyers won.
Flyers scored three goals in the first period. The first by Mike Knuble then R.J. Umberger and Jeff Carter each scored an unassisted goal. Sami Kapanen added a short handed empty netter late in the third to finish off the Islanders. Carter’s goal was his 20th of the year.

Robert Esche who the day before was working thru the Flu sitting as backup started and played very well.

With Petr Nedved out with his injury some of the lines were adjusted. Gagne-Forsberg-Knubled stayed together. Niko-Cater-Umberger stayed together. Michal Handzus moved back to center with Brashear and Radivojevic on the wings. Richards centered Stevenson and Kapanen. Brian Savage was a healthy scratch for the second straight game.

Carter and Umberger have had some success together on and off this season. The line looked good with Ben Eager when he called up earlier in the season. But since the Flyers have acquired Niko Dimitrakos that line has really started to develop into a second scoring line for the Flyers. They always seem to be either first or second best line for the Flyers recently.

Robert Esche, R.J. Umberger and Mike Knuble were the three stars.

So what was the difference between the two games?
Simple, the Islanders are not the Devils. DiPietro is no Broudeur. Esche did look better in net, but the quality of team Niittymaki faced was definitely better. As far as effort goes, the Flyers really didn’t show any more Sunday then they did on Saturday. Playing good enough to beat teams under 500 but not ones in the playoff chase will not get you very far come playoff time.

Still two points behind the Rangers for first in the division, which is who they play next.