Crossing Broad

Ovechkin Sick With the Philly Flu

Alex Ovechkin won't be celebrating any goals against the Flyers tomorrow night.

According to multiple reports, including this one from Puck Daddy at Yahoo Sports, Capitals star forward Alex Ovechkin will be sitting out tomorrow's nationally televised game against the Flyers.

The reason? "Nagging injuries" that will keep Ovechkin out for about a week to "completely heal up." My take on it: The Philly Flu. Let's face it - most players around the league are suffering from some sort of nagging injury by this point in the season, but play anyway.

This is the last time the Flyers and Capitals face off against each other. A win for Washington in Philly would tie them for the Eastern Conference lead. While letting Ovechkin rest would give him six days of "healing" (the Caps have off until Friday and haven't played since last Saturday), the Capitals have not won their division, or even clinched a playoff spot. Their top offensive weapon should be on the ice.

Either way, the Flyers are pumped for the game, which will likely feature plenty of physicality and a playoff atmosphere. The Caps want Ovechkin to rest up for the playoffs and not expose him to a rough game tomorrow night, but most teams wait to at least clinch a playoff spot before making these types of decisions.

In conclusion: The Flyers and their fans are tougher than Ovechkin; at least we work for Megadeth security.

Could Luis Castillo Be the Phils' Opening Day Second Baseman?

Phillies fans can only hope Luis Castillo doesn't drop pop-ups here like he did in a Mets uniform.

According to David Murphy of the Daily News, the Phillies are on the verge of signing veteran second baseman Luis Castillo, who was released by the Mets this afternoon. If the Phillies ink Castillo, the Mets would still be responsible for most of his $6 million salary (LOLMETS).

The move by the Phillies is intriguing. If Chase Utley's injury isn't as serious as we all hope, Wilson Valdez and possibly Josh Barfield would seem to be viable replacements for the time being. If Chase Utley's injury will keep him out of the lineup for an extended period of time, Luis Castillo is likely not the answer.

While Castillo did bat .302 for the Mets in 2009, he is far removed from the player he once was with the Marlins. The 35-year-old would be nothing more than another option for Cholly. Most scouts agree that Castillo has lost a step at the plate and in the field, so it would seem that Wilson Valdez will see most of the playing time at second despite the signing.

What do you think Phillies fans? Who will be the Phillies opening day second baseman?

Flyers Down Stars in Shootout to Clinch a Playoff Spot

The Flyers defeated the Stars in a shootout last night 3-2. The two points clinched a playoff spot for Philadelphia. David Isaac at PhillySportsDaily has more on the game.

The game had a playoff-like feel to it, with the Stars trying to hold on to a playoff spot in the Western conference at home. Despite coughing up a 2-goal lead, Ville Leino shifted by a sliding Kari Lehtonen in the shootout to seal the deal for the Flyers. Kari Lehtonen has never beaten the Flyers in 12 career games.

It was also encouraging to see Sergei Bobrovsky play a strong game for the Flyers, who still need to determine who their playoff netminder will be. Games like this will make the decision easier for Lavy.

The #1 and #2 teams in the East (Flyers v Capitals) face off on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center at 7:30 PM.

 

Flyers' Schedule Only Gets Tougher

Is Danny Briere returning to form after his post-All Star Game slump?

The Flyers lost to the tenth-place Atlanta Thrashers in a shootout last night. The question I asked myself after the game was, "Did the Flyers steal a point in Atlanta by tying the game late, or piss away another perfectly good opportunity to grab two points against a mediocre team?"

The problem is that most Flyers fans have been asking themselves similar questions  all too often since the All Star break. It's also concerning that the Flyers aren't piling up the points to secure the top spot in the conference against weaker opponents.

Since the Flyers win against Tampa Bay (who was second in the conference at the time but has since fallen to fifth) on February 15th, the Flyers opponents have been: Florida (twice), Carolina, New York Rangers (twice) , Coyotes, Islanders, Senators, Leafs (twice), Sabres, Oilers, Atlanta (twice). Out of the 14 games, the Flyers only won 6 of them. Even more concerning: Except for the Coyotes in the West, all of these teams are on 7th or worse in their respective conferences, and only two of these teams will squeeze into the playoffs.

If the Flyers can't beat teams who will be playing golf in April instead of playing playoff hockey, how can they win the Stanley Cup? Some will argue that the Flyers are simply playing more desperate teams, and that the Flyers aren't motivated since grabbing first place in the conference on January 4th and maintaining a weak grip.

Flyers fans can only hope that this is the case. If this theory is true, then the Flyers should play better to close out the season. Instead of playing cellar-dwellers, the Flyers close out the season with a huge game against Washington on Tuesday, 2 games against Pittsburgh, a home game versus Boston, and a match against the red-hot Jersey Devils. Maybe in the previous 14 games, the points were simply a luxury and not a necessity. But with the Capitals and Penguins oh-so-close to overthrowing the Flyers' reign, these points are necessities for a deep playoff run.

If the Flyers weren't desperate before, they should be now. With games against stronger opponents and rivals to close out the season, the Flyers have a chance to show their true colors. Will they show up now that it matters?

Angel Pagan Continues to Be a Pathetic New York Met

In a pathetic attempt to pull a Jimmy Rollins with a "we're the team to beat" statement, Mets' outfielder Angel Pagan told the told the New York Daily News that his team can give the Phillies a fight in the NL East this season.

        "If we have health, we can give them a fight. Everyone is counting on Philadelphia, but they have to do it. I got my money on my team, bro. I love challenges and that's why I'm looking forward to it. I believe in surprises."

 

OK, Bro.

If by "fight" Pagan means "stay within 20 games of the Phillies," then yeah, sign me up. 

Thankfully, this is the time of year when even the Royals think they can compete for a division title.  The Mets, Nationals, and Jayson Werth can fight it out all season long... for a spot in the basement.

LOLMETS

Cliff Lee.

Five Flyers Predictions for the Second Half

Claude Giroux was the Flyers only 2011 NHL All-Star. Although disappointing, this could work to the Flyers advantage.

The Flyers officially began the second half of their season Tuesday night in Buffalo. Their Eastern conference-leading record of 26-10-5 is one of the best starts in franchise history. Here are five Flyers' predictions for the final 42 games.

1. The Flyers will not have a definitive number one goaltender. Yet the Flyers will continue to win. Peter Laviolette believes that he has two starting goalies, with Brian Boucher and Sergei Bobrovsky. Although he has shown a propensity to not play his back-up goaltender, the Flyers do not have a definitive pecking order, which leads me to believe that both players will get their fair share of action. More often than not, the hot goalie will get the starting nod. And as we have seen all season, when the Flyers lose, Laviolette will likely start the other next game. One thing is for certain: the demotion of Leighton will prevent the dreaded three-goalie tandem and keep goals from behind the net to a minimum.

2. The Flyers special teams will improve when Chris Pronger returns. The Flyers currently rank 20th in the NHL in powerplay percentage and only 17th best on penalty kill. It's no mistake that the two top teams in the NHL, Detroit and Vancouver, are in the top three on the powerplay. In order to win the divison and have another deep playoff run, the Flyers need to improve on special teams. It's conceivable that the return of a rested Chris Pronger will help the Flyers improve in both areas.

3. Having Claude Giroux as the Flyers' lone All-Star Game representative will be a good thing. Flyers' fans learned this afternoon that Danny Briere and Mike Richards were snubbed in not being elected to the 2011 NHL All Star Game. But the Flyers can use this to their advantage. Fresher teams are often winning teams, especially in the playoffs. The Flyers (especially Mike Richards, who continually wears down late in the season) could use the week off to their advantage.  Secondly, the Flyers can use this as motivation. In my opinion, there is no better way to show the NHL that they made a mistake than to win the Stanley Cup.

4. Andrej Meszaros will continue to be a force on defense. Although Meszaros never lived up to his rookie season potential with Tampa Bay, Paul Holmgren traded for him and his $4 million cap hit in the offseason to bolster the defense. Now, Andrej's +25 leads the NHL, and he has chipped in 15 points from the blue line. The Flyers have been burned in recent years with very poor defense from their third pairing (ie Jaroslav Modry, Randy Jones, and Jim Vandermeer, to name a few). But with six solid defenseman on the ice when Chris Pronger returns, the Flyers have one of the strongest defensive corps in the league, which is important when facing Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin a total of 10 times per season. Meszaros has not shown any signs of slowing down, and the Flyers need him to be a force to win the cup.

5. The Flyers will win the Atlantic Division. The Flyers have an astounding 11-1-0 record against divisional opponents. While the Pittsburgh Penguins simply will likely keep pace with the Flyers, its hard to beat a team that continually beats up on their own division. Needless to say, the road to winning the division will not be easy - the Pens and Sidney Crosby are only a point behind the Flyers, and the Rangers have quietly put up 53 points thus far.

Honorable Mention Flyers Predictions: Jody Shelley will continue to steal ice time from Nikolay Zherdev, Brian Boucher will let up one goal from the red line, Danny Briere will score another 40 goals and take more mindless offensive zone slashing penalties, and Jeff Carter will miss high and wide on every breakaway.

Your thoughts Flyers fans? 

Top Dog in the NHL: Your Philadelphia Flyers

Merry Christmas, Peter Laviolette (thanks to @sunnyschmuck for the picture)

After beating the Canadiens tonight, the Flyers stay atop the NHL.  We break down the good and the bad thus far.

THE BAD

1. Goalie situation: The Flyers goaltending has been outstanding. Sergei Bobrovsky has been a pleasent surprise as a rookie, and Brian Boucher is 5-0-1 in his last six starts as backup goalie. So what's the problem? The Flyers activated Michael Leighton from the LTIR yesterday, leaving three goalies on the Flyers active roster. When will Leighton just go away? The fact of the matter is that the Flyers have no need for Leighton. It is likely that the Flyers play Leighton in a game or two to prove he is healthy, and move him to any willing suitor. Boucher has superceeded expectations as back-up, and Bob is the goalie of the future. Leighton is the odd man out. While Boucher said that "I'm sure there will be plenty of work for all of us," I'm sure he was thinking, "Get Leighton the hell out of here."

2. Powerplay Troubles: For whatever reason, the Flyers just have not clicked on the powerplay thus far. Despite scoring the eventual game winner with the man advantage last night, the Flyers have only connected at a rate of 16.2% (good for 17th in the NHL). However, the #2 team in the NHL, Pittsburgh, is only a percentage point better. Its ironic how two of the top offensive teams in the NHL struggle to score when the opposition is a man down.

Leighton Shipped to Adirondack on Conditioning Stint

This afternoon, the Flyers sent goalie Michael Leighton to the Adirondack Phantoms on a conditioning assignment as he prepares to return from back surgery on a herniated disc. Under the current CBA, the assignment can last no longer than six days or three games.

The more pressing issue is how the Flyers will handle the goaltending situation following Leighton's assignment. With the emergence of Bob and steady backup goaltending by Boosh, it seems as though Leighton is the odd man out.  If Leights continues to progress, he could be of interest for teams looking to bolster their goaltending. For example, he would be an upgrade over Patrick Lalime in Buffalo as a backup to Ryan Miller. Another possibility involves moving Ian Lapperriere to the LTIR (long-term injured reserved), which would free up enough cap space to call up Leighton. However, carrying three goaltenders, one of which (Leighton) has the lateral quickness of a bear, is a less than an ideal situation.

The fact of the matter is that Leighton, who was competing for a Stanley Cup this past June, likely becomes trade bait and is moved this month. Your thoughts Flyers fans?

Flyers Ink Giroux to Three-Year Extension

Claude Giroux, the Flyers' 2006 first round draft pick who had his name forgotten by Bob Clarke at the podium on draft day, has established himself as a franchise player with his uncanny vision on the ice and impressive play since last season's deep playoff run. Paul Holmgren decided not to wait until Giroux became a restricted free agent in June and signed him to a three-year contract worth $11.25 million this evening.

Giroux already has 14 points in 15 games this season, and is on the verge of a breakout year. The timing of the contract couldn't be better, and the salary is reasonable for both parties. TSN's Bob McKenzie (@tsnbobmckenzie) points out that the Flyers will now focus on locking up Jeff Carter, who will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.  The folks at La Costa couldn't be happier.

Now that the Giroux deal is done look for PHI to tie up Carter on a long term deal.

 

This Flyers team is for real. With the emergence of BOB in net, the Flyers can put themselves in prime position for another deep playoff run.

The Giroux signing is doubly good since Giroux is our week 1 winner for Movember.  See the rest of pics at PhiladelphiaFlyers.com.

That alone is worth $1.7 mil.

Victorino Breaks Up Street Fight

According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Shane Victorino broke up a fight last evening in Rittenhouse Square.

    "A bystander who asked for anonymity said two groups of patrons -- regulars and some folks     unfamiliar to Rouge staff -- were exchanging nasty words inside the restaurant, near a table     occupied by Victorino and a group of his friends. Victorino noticed tempers growing more     frayed as they all stepped outside. He joined the combatants on the sidewalk, telling them to     knock it off."

Maybe it's the MMA-style shirts he wears on the streets (he is a big UFC fan), or maybe picked up some moves along the way- who knows?

Either way, now that Shane is breaking up street fights, he plans to cure cancer after the playoffs. And next time you think of partaking street fight, know that #8 is watching.

Related news: Charlie Manuel quotes Ric Flair.  My God, how can you not love the 2010 Phillies.

Flyers Spoil Christening of Penguins' New Arena

In Soviet Russia, glove catch you!

The Flyers defeated Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins by a final score of 3-2 in the grand opening of the CONSOL Energy Center. Even more importantly, Sergei Bobrovsky (we're going with "Robert" from here on out) recorded his first NHL win against a legitimate offensive threat.

Laviolette was forced to take a timeout midway through the first period because the Flyers were simply being outskated. Although there is no excuse to come out sluggish on opening night, the Penguins clearly had home ice advantage with momentum from the opening ceremonies (aka Mario Lemieux pouring Igloo water onto the new surface).

Bobrovsky saved the game in the first period. Although the Flyers generated a few scoring chances, their defense was porous to say the least. By stopping all 15 shots thrown at him, with the help of a couple posts, Bobs salvaged a scoreless tie following the first period and allowed the Flyers to regroup during the first intermission.

The Orange and Black came out strong in the second. Danny Briere tipped in the first goal in the new arena just 2:51 into the second period to give the Flyers the early lead on the powerplay. Blair Betts added an insurance goal late in the second to pad the Flyers lead. The Pens and Flyers traded goals throughout the third period (including a nifty breakaway goal by Claude Giroux), but maintained the lead all the while and held on for the 3-2 victory.

CHEERS: Sergio Bobrovsky - He had big stops throughout the entire game to keep the team afloat in the first period and ahead the rest of the way.

JEERS: Jody Shelley - In his first game as a Flyer, Shelley took an idiotic goaltender interference penalty just seconds after the Flyers took the early lead. If the Penguins tied the game there, it would have surely been a momentum swing the other way.

Next Game: Saturday at 8 PM in St. Louis. I think Bobrovsky starts again on Saturday for Philly; he earned it.

Bobrovsky to Make NHL Debut Tonight

In a surprising move, Peter Laviolette announced that Sergei Bobrovsky would make his NHL debut tonight and start the season opener versus Pittsburgh. Brian Boucher, who probably wasn't sure what to make of Laviolette's decision, will be Bob's backup.

I like the call by Lavy. Bobrovsky is a 22-year old prospect who needs to play; it will only hurt his development to sit on the bench. Although his shot at the NHL is probably a year too soon in many fans' eyes, Bob had a solid preseason and could very well continue to be successful.

In other moves: Andreas Nodl was recalled and will be the Flyers' 13th forward (and a healthy scratch tonight). Chris Pronger, due to offseason knee surgery, will not be ready to play tonight, so Oscars Bartulis will dress. Pronger is apparently close to being game ready, so expect him to play as early as Saturday. Newly acquired defenseman Matt Walker will also be a healthy scratch. Michael Leighton was officially transferred to the LTIR because of his back injury, so his salary will not count against the cap.