Well Flyers fans, we’ve made it. Tonight, for the first time since the Penguins stole our souls, we get to see real Flyers hockey. All the hype of the off season is over, and the questions from preseason are answered.  So much has changed since last season. We all know about the new faces and the old ones that are long gone. Where the team was confident in its ability last year, this team now knows it’s stocked, and will have the swagger to prove it. I don’t want to bore you with another “look-who’s-new-we’re-good-except-for-the-goalie-question-mark” post that every mutherflippin’ person who writes about hockey has been saying for over 2 months now. The time of nervous wondering and anticipation is over. It’s now time to shed those thoughts and go skate your ass off every night to get 2 points. We begin this season down in Carolina against a tough, playoff-caliber team in the Canes. Although a lay-up game against the Isles would be nice for the first game, it’ll be great to see such a battle in the very first 60 minutes of the season. Cam Ward got paid, they stole Andrew Alberts, and oh yeah, perennial all-star Eric Staal skates in tobacco country. I didn’t even mention Rod the Bod. Brind’Amour is starting his 800th season and is out to prove something after a sluggish 2008 campaign. I don’t like the sound of “determined Rod Brind’Amour” anymore than you do… I like how the Canes are put together, and tonight’s game will be a grinding affair. It feels like a Lappy special tonight, and I’d love to see him get a greasy assist and punch Kostopoulos right in the kisser. I may be going out on a limb, but I think the Canes are taking the Southeast this year, and the games against them will be some of the best all season. They play in a shit division and will be right in the mix the whole way against the Washington Commies. They have a lot of grinders on their squad, mixed in with some finesse and an above average blue line. Add in the most underrated goalie in the league and you have a very dangerous team. The Flyers match up well against the Canes, and it will be a matter of puck possession tonight. Apparently the RBC Center is the loudest barn out there, but 2 first period snipes by a rejuvenated Danny Breeze will squash their 7th man right away. For the Flyers, it’ll be our first real look at the complete team. I’ll be watching Giroux, JVR, Pronger, Lappy, Carcillo and Danny Breeze. Will the new lines work? Does Carter start the year on a tear? How many bad penalties do we take? How does Rabbit do in his first game? Who does Carcillo bite? How sweet will Richie’s first goal be?
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