Four of the biggest names in Philly sports — or at least four of the biggest wallets — gathered Wednesday morning to speak on a panel discussing “The Impact of Sports.” The panel included Eagles GM Howie Roseman, Flyers president Peter Luukko, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and Sixers CEO Adam Aron.

They talked on a variety of topics, most notably how sick of losing they are, and they seemed to answer questions as if they cared about the fans. Aron joked that they have the most enjoyable jobs on the planet “when our teams are winning.”

Luukko drew criticism from 94 WIP’s Angelo Cataldi when he admitted that giving out detailed, up-to-date medical updates to the public isn’t a top priority. Remember, the NHL is the only league that doesn’t require teams to disclose the exact locations of injuries on a player’s body.

“I know it frustrates the media,” Luukko said, “but we really don’t care.”

The sports executives were joined on stage by various media personalities, team physicians and Gov. Tom Corbett.

The post Flyers ‘don’t care’ about hiding player injuries appeared first on Metro.us.

Ilya Bryzgalov can’t help himself.

Whether it’s praising the “humongous big” universe, or insulting the Philadelphia media, or napping during team meetings … the Flyers goalie remains of the most intriguing and enigmatic personalities in sports.

In an interview with a Russian media outlet called Championat, Bryzgalov weighed in on everything from Joseph Stalin to the welfare system. If his comments were translated correctly — and that’s not certain — then he isn’t the biggest fan of Philadelphia, either.

Here’s what he said, per Deadspin.

Question: When a person first appears in Philadelphia, where the advise to go? Your favorite place in town?

Bryzgalov: I live in New Jersey and come to Philadelphia only to play and exercise. No reason to not try to go ride. I have lived in Philadelphia and a half months before we bought the house. I do not really like that sort of town. Me and New York do not like. A big, bustling city with a grim gateways. Philadelphia is the same. But Boston, Vancouver and Dallas – are quite different. These newer, cleaner – there I like.
Question: On the ghetto in Philly?

Bryzgalov: There are enough of them. This is not a small part of the city. Too many do not work, live on welfare and get food stamps for. They just do not want to work. Their principle is: “Why should I work when I can live, let them raise taxes on the rich, which are injected. I’ll sit on the dole, the year I will get it here, then move to another state – start getting there.

When asked about famed Russian tyrant Joseph Stalin, Bryz said “he knew what he was doing” and “I see logic in his action.”

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The fans of Philadelphia have launched a quiet rebellion against our pro sports teams, and they are doing it with the biggest weapon in their arsenal — their wallets.

In fact, if the teams joined together for an ad campaign, the most accurate slogan they could roll out right now is: Good seats still available. Very simply, fans have finally grown weary of mounting losses and broken promises. They are disgusted with a playoff shutout by our winter teams, a horrific 4-12 season by the Eagles and now a sub-.500 start by the Phillies.

The biggest story in Philadelphia sports is not the Roy Halladay saga or Chip Kelly’s first public practices. It is what happened at the box office last Thursday, when the Eagles put single-game tickets on sale, and — for the first time in more than a decade — had them available the next day, and the day after that, and even now. That’s right. You can buy tickets to an Eagles game right now.

For a team that had a waiting list for season tickets of 50,000 just a few years ago, this sudden turn of events came as a surprise to everyone, including the Eagles. Their decision to raise ticket prices after a 4-12 season reflected an arrogant belief that the fans would answer the call, regardless of the quality of the product. Welcome to the real world, Jeff Lurie.

Equally clear now is the fact that this Eagles ticket issue is not an isolated case in Philadelphia. Remember, Sixers tickets were selling for as low as four cents on the secondary market during the Andrew Bynum fiasco, and even Flyers tickets — always the least vulnerable to fan dissatisfaction — were available for a small fraction of their face value in the final month of a terrible season.

Then there are the Phillies. Somehow, in a single year, the Phils went from selling 44,021 tickets a game to 37,321. Last year at this time, you could not buy a Phillies ticket on the primary market. Today, you can sit behind home plate.

Why are the fans rebelling? Well, the obvious answer is that the teams are all pretty awful right now. They aren’t worth the money. But it goes beyond that. Fans are tired of watching players like Jimmy Rollins not run hard, they are fed up with ticket hikes by billionaires like Lurie and they have been insulted one time too many by bums like Bynum.

The fans have had enough. They aren’t buying tickets the way they have been, and they won’t reach back into their wallets until the teams fix what they broke. And what the teams broke is the trust of their fans.

Sixers finally get something right 

The Sixers finally took a positive step last week when they reportedly hired Sam Hinkie — that move will become official Tuesday at a 4:15 p.m. press conference — to become the face of their lost sports franchise. I know almost nothing about the former Houston Rockets executive, but I can say with great confidence that he will be a major upgrade as GM. The truth is, a sea otter would be a major upgrade.

Hinkie subscribes to what owner Joshua Harris calls “analytics,” which sounds a lot like an NBA version of Moneyball. Through the study of sophisticated statistical models, Hinkie plans to rebuild a team that hasn’t interested Philadelphia since 2002. The good news here is that Sam Hinkie actually has a plan. At this point, any plan would do.

And the better news is that Tony DiLeo has left an organization that he put to sleep for most of the past decade: as an assistant GM, a coach and GM. After DiLeo’s snoozefest, Hinkie can win huge public acclaim immediately by announcing that Andrew Bynum will never play for the Sixers.

As for the rest of the roster, Hinkie should set aside Jrue Holiday and Thaddeus Young, then fumigate these hopeless underachievers. With a player option at $3 million next season, Kwame Brown’s permanent spot on the bench should be declared a toxic-waste site.

As for Spencer Hawes, soft center tweeted after Hinkie was hired “Hate, Hate, Hate” and then made an idiotic remark about statistics that was aimed right at the new GM. Well, at least a Sixer has actually exceeded our expectations. Hawes is even dumber than we thought. Good riddance to you, Spencer — and to most of your loser teammates, too.

More apologies, please

Roy Halladay issued an apology last week to Phillies fans for his horrible pitching this season. Good for him. After lying for months about the condition of his aging, sore pitching shoulder, he owed us some expression of accountability.

Now, while they’re at it, how about some more acts of contrition? At the top of the list is GM Ruben Amaro, Jr., who actually said — it’s on tape — that he was OK with Halladay hiding his sore shoulder for two weeks while the Phils absorbed two straight 14-2 losses with the former ace on the mound.

Next in line is Rich Dubee, the dour pitching coach, who has refused to discuss Halladay’s pitching (or arm condition) because he didn’t like the tone of questions being asked when Halladay was getting crushed early in the season. Dubee is a bad pitching coach with a worse attitude. He needs to apologize for being such a black cloud over the organization.

Of course, no expression of regret over this Halladay mess will be complete without a few well-chosen words from manager Charlie Manuel, who gets paid $4 million a year to  let his players manage themselves. The skipper allowed Halladay to pitch with a sore arm at the end of last season — ever wonder what kind of damage that caused? — and was still ready to send him back out there until Halladay fessed up.

That noise you heard when Halladay’s arm problem became official last week was the slamming shut of an era of prosperity unrivaled in Phillies history. They are not going to find their way back from this nightmare of a season. Deep down, we all know that now. What they can do is show some dignity in these difficult times. At least Halladay started that process with his apology last week.

Idle thoughts from Cataldi

• In nine years of strategic bumbling, Charlie Manuel just finished his worst week ever. He blew three straight one-run games with illogical moves, the most glaring when he replaced Antonio Bastardo with Mike Adams to face Miguel Montero in Arizona. Asked why he didn’t exploit the lefty-lefty matchup, Manuel said: “Adams is my eighth-inning guy.” Oh.
• Jimmy Rollins was lollygagging on the basepaths so badly last week that broadcaster Chris Wheeler called him out on it by shouting, “Run, Jimmy, run.” The shocking part of this is not that Rollins failed to hustle again. No, it was that Wheeler — the ultimate homer— actually told the truth for once.
• Tom Heckert got yet another personnel job last week after dreadful runs with the Eagles and Browns. Denver hired him, raising the question: Does anyone ever scout the scouts in the NFL?
• Ilya Bryzgalov had a busy week, even if the Flyers didn’t. The goalie ducked under a puck in the hockey world championships, got caught playing Angry Birds after being benched, and then ripped the Philadelphia media again for being unprofessional. Hmmm. Is Bryz trying to get the Flyers to dump him?
• Eddie Jordan, a fraud during his brief tenure as Sixers coach, apparently is a fraud off the court, too. He never graduated from Rutgers, which recently signed him to a five-year deal, even though he has always claimed he did. Soon, we’ll find out his Princeton offense comes from a community college.

The post Cataldi: Wallets now optional for jaded Philly fans appeared first on Metro.us.

The Ottawa Senators were pounding the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 Sunday in Game 3 of a first-round playoff matchup when every player on the ice — yes, two entire lines — decided they hated each other.

What ensued was a scene straight out of the movie “Slap Shot.” Nine game misconducts were doled out, including a total of 236 penalty minutes (Ottawa, 107; Montreal, 129). Ottawa won the game 6-1 and holds a 2-1 series lead over Montreal.

Here you go …

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Yet there is no denying the talent and excitement he brought to the Flyers, none bigger than in 1998, when he appeared on the debut cover of ESPN the Magazine alongside Kobe Bryant and Alex Rodriguez as the “NEXT” generation of superstars.

ESPN the Magazine recently went back and talked to Lindros about his career, mostly focusing on his never-ending battle with concussions and the way head injuries are making people re-think professional sports.

The feature, titled “Not So Crazy Now, Am I?” by writer David Fleming, is a great read. Flyers fans — and all sports fans, really — should take some time out and give it a perusal.

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But as enigmatic goalie Ilya Bryzgalov said when asked what that would mean, that’s not what they set out to do.

“We are not going to make the playoffs,” said Bryzgalov, who started 35 of the first 37 games. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re two games below or two games above .500.”

There are plenty of reasons the Flyers are on vacation despite finishing third in the league on the power play. The most obvious ones are the myriad of injuries.

Before the season expectations ran high, largely based on the way the Flyers had taken out the Penguins in the playoffs. Playing a shortened season, with a young and talented roster, was supposed to help them.

“I thought we had a team that was going to be in the playoffs, a team that was going to do some damage,” said Danny Briere.

The Flyers could decide to use the amnesty tag on Bryzgalov and get his $51 million contract off the salary cap.

Fixing the Flyers

How do the Flyers pick up the pieces from a season they may wish never was and make their way back among the NHL’s elite? Will it take just a tweak here or there?

Or do they need a major overhaul, starting at the top with the coach and GM, and then sifting through the rubble of underachievers and players eating up cap space?

That may not bode well for goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, winger Danny Briere and injury-prone defenseman Andrej Meszaros. By the time they reconvene in Voorhees for training camp next September they’ll surely have a different look.

Keeping Paul Holmgren in charge to put it together, while Peter Laviolette gets to play mad scientist with the new pieces, still seems likely considering the oddities of the shortened season. It’s never a certainty when you have an impatient boss like Ed Snider.

The Flyers most dire need remains a defenseman who can handle the puck and get it out of the zone against a persistent forecheck. It probably won’t come through the draft, thanks to a 4-0 finish that bumped them over three clubs.

And with a soft free agent market, they’ll likely have to go the trade route. Don’t be surprised if No. 1 target is still Nashville’s Shea Weber. The club may be willing to part with him after missing the playoffs.

They’ll probably go after a veteran forward, too, like the Devils’ David Clarkson. Of course, that could depend on if Briere returns.

But one area where the Flyers suddenly look strong is in goal — even if they send Bryzgalov packing. Former Rookie of the Year Steve Mason was a revelation the last two weeks, while flashing the kind of form that can steal victories.

For the Flyers to prove this lockout-induced season was a fluke and they truly belong with the top clubs, they’ll need more consistent play across the board.

What went wrong?

Expectations were extremely high for the Flyers coming into the 2012-13 season. What went wrong? We attempt to figure that out.

The kids didn’t grow up: Coming off strong rookie seasons, forwards Sean Couturier, Matt Read and Brayden Schenn were supposed to pick up where they left off. Especially since Couturier and Schenn were permitted to play for the AHL Phantoms during the lockout, while Read was over in Europe. It didn’t happen.

Road kill: The last two seasons the Flyers won 25 games on the road and fared better in enemy rinks than at home. This year was a different story. While the Flyers certainly weren’t world beaters at home, the reason their season is over is mainly due to a 8-15-1mark on the road.

Third-period blahs: Whether it was lack of conditioning or simply lack of talent, compounded by a string of injuries, the third period was the Flyers’ Achilles heel. Not only did opponents outscore them 52-36 in third periods, but Peter Laviolette’s club went just 4-8 when tied after two periods.

Blame the inconsistent scoring. Blame the makeshift defense. Blame Ilya Brzgalov, who wore down from 22 consecutive starts. It all added up to disappointment.

The post Flyers head into offseason once again with no Stanley Cup appeared first on Metro.us.

It’s been a big week for everyone’s favorite female basketball star, Skylar Diggins.

Diggins, who was recently selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, signed on with Jay-Z’s new sports agency, RocNationSports. She was immediately captured throwing up the “dynasty” sign. Diggins joins the Yankees’ Robinson Cano and the Giants’ Victor Cruz on Jay-Z’s client list.

Earlier in the week, Diggins and injured Lakers star Kobe Bryant enjoyed some light-hearted banter on the Twittersphere.

Bryant initiated the conversation while remarking on Diggins’ appearance at a Nike camp, writing, “Heard @SkyDigg4 is visiting my Nike fam campus! It would be great to have her be the 1^st official #ladymamba rep #mambamen …”

To which Diggins re-tweeted and replied, “Lady Mamba lol”

No word yet from Vanessa Bryant …

Feeling a draft

The NFL Draft is mere hours away as we sit here typing. While the experts — and yes, even Metro did a mock draft — break down the best of the best, we want to use this space to introduce you to the first WAG we’ve come across.

Matt Barkley is a quarterback for USC. He may go in the first round, if a team desperately seeking a quarterback wants to reach. More likely, he’ll go in the second or third round, and maybe his suitor will secure the steal of the 2013 draft.

More likely, we’ll all just be cheering for him to go early, so we can get up close and personal with his girlfriend, Brittany Langdon, much like we did a year ago with Ryan Tannehill and his smokeshow disguised as arm candy.

In the meantime, enjoy Brittany, courtesy of BustedCoverage.com.

Happy drafting everyone!

The post Playing the Field: Skylar Diggins signs with Jay-Z, flirts with Kobe Bryant appeared first on Metro.us.

Doug Collins did something unprecedented in his final few months as coach of the Sixers. He rendered his status as a Philadelphia sports hero obsolete. Never again will he be the gritty overachiever who cared so much about winning. Now and forever, he will be the man whose raging ego ruined his legacy.

After a week of shameless public lies about his intentions, Collins finally stepped down last week in one final flurry of self-serving bravado. He prefaced his tribute to himself by saying he had been plotting with his bosses a dignified goodbye, making his nauseating exit yet another spectacular failure in this disgraceful season.

In fact, it is impossible to imagine a less dignified send-off than the one he gave himself. If there were any remaining doubts about his total disconnection from the fans (remember, last month he advised them to pray for Andrew Bynum) they disappeared during his final news conference.

At one point, Collins actually had the audacity to blubber about his loving relationship with the fans, after stonewalling all of their questions for months. Now we have learned — from him, no less —that he had decided to leave last Christmas.

His final words to the city included a detailed recitation of his resume, conveniently omitting the fact that he was a loser here with a 110-120 record. He also emphasized his amazing kinship with his players, none of whom he thought highly enough to confide in his plans to leave. And he actually said he was “always a winner, never a champion.”

Always a winner? Was he a winner when he publicly attacked his players for “not breaking a sweat” after one awful loss? Was he a winner when he berated reporter after reporter for asking valid questions about the Bynum disaster? Is he a winner now, with his team 14 games under .500 this season and in far worse shape than when he got here?

Doug Collins thinks he can bamboozle the fans with bluster about his playing days here, about his commitment to the job and his love for Philadelphia. If he did love our city, he wouldn’t have spent the final months of his tenure here insulting the fans with his public tantrums and his bold lies.

It is almost impossible for a sports hero in Philadelphia to lose that designation. Allen Iverson is a national embarrassment now, but he still receives standing ovations every time he returns. Lenny Dykstra is in prison, and fans still speak fondly of his playing days here.
Collins managed to soil his legacy in a way even those two pathetic cases didn’t. In the end, he didn’t respect the fans. Ultimately, he cared only about himself. He left with no class, and with no dignity.

Blame Manuel for this debacle

As the Phillies continue to flounder below .500, a fascinating debate is emerging about whom to blame more for their failures, GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. or manager Charlie Manuel. The correct answer is Manuel — by a wide margin.

Now, I understand that Manuel won the World Series here in 2008, while Amaro was just a front-office assistant, so the folksy skipper still holds the support of a majority of the fans. Philadelphia never stops loving a champion. Just ask the 1973-75 Flyers.

But Manuel is the bigger problem here, as he proved again with some abominable strategy last week. On successive nights late in tie games, Manuel placed the team’s fate in the hands of relievers Jeremy Horst and Phillippe Aumont. In both cases, the far better choices — Mike Adams and Jonathan Papelbon, among others — sat in the bullpen until it was too late.

Manuel’s explanations for these obvious mistakes were totally illogical. He said he was “getting concerned” about how much Adams was being used, although the set-up specialist had pitched exactly six innings in the previous two weeks. Papelbon is used only in save situations, then he entered a game two nights later with the Phillies one run behind and holding a four-run lead on Sunday.

Amaro did his job. He provided Manuel with two of the best late-inning relievers in baseball, but Adams and Papelbon can fill their roles only if the manager uses them.

Charlie Manuel should have been fired a year ago, after his 102-win team lost in the first round of the playoffs because of strategic blunders. If you really want to blame Amaro, rip him because he hasn’t had the courage to get rid of his beloved — and overrated — manager.

NFL thinks 2013 Eagles stink

There was no press release or news conference, but the NFL made a bold statement last week about the 2013 Eagles: They stink.

This appraisal was hidden in the new schedule, which has jarred the Birds back to their Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time days before Andy Reid. In the first season under Chip Kelly, the Eagles are slated to play only two night games, and those are in the first 11 days of the season. Barring a late flex-schedule change, the Birds will not appear in the marquee Sunday night game.

What the NFL is saying here is obvious. The debut of Kelly and his newfangled brand of football is worthy of attention; hence, the Monday night opener in Washington. And Reid’s homecoming in week three deserves a Thursday-night stage. After that, forget it.

Unintentionally, the NFL appears to have done Kelly and his new team a huge favor. Facing the Redskins and a still-gimpy Robert Griffin III in the opener is a gift, followed by winnable games against the Chargers and Chiefs. Is it ridiculous to think the Birds could be 3-0 on Sept. 22? And even if they’re 2-1, can you imagine how much that start will help Kelly’s players to believe in the new system?

Even before the draft, it is becoming obvious that the Eagles will be better than the pundits believe. Kelly’s refreshing new approach — fast-paced practices, shuffled locker assignments, custom-made smoothies — is already providing some genuine hope after the drudgery of Reid’s final years.

Here’s my first prediction of the Chip Kelly era: Despite the new schedule, the Eagles will not stink in 2013.

Idle thoughts from Cataldi
» It’s a new season and a new coach, but the same old Mike Vick. The quarterback declared last week that the Eagles are “still my team.” Unfortunately, “his team” was 4-12 last year because he couldn’t stop throwing interceptions or getting hurt. The worst thing that could happen this season is for it to be “his team” again.

» Marcus Vick, Mike’s hilariously clueless brother, resurfaced on Twitter last week with some homophobic remarks directed at the Arizona Cardinals. Am I the only one who will miss Marcus more than Mike when they both finally leave?

» The Flyers will end one of the worst seasons in their history this weekend. So who goes first? If it were up to me, it would be GM Paul Holmgren, followed by goalie Ilya Bryzgalov and then coach Peter Laviolette. If all three are back next season, the Flyers can expect to miss the playoffs again in 2014.

» Jonathan Papelbon used the Boston Marathon tragedy to spout his views on gun control. Hey, I happen to like the Phillies closer. I’m just more comfortable when he’s throwing a 95-mile-per hour fastball than when he’s using the pitching mound as a pulpit for his political views. That’s all I’m saying.

» Confronted by reporters at the Doug Collins’ goodbye news conference, perennial NBA bust Kwame Brown — the lazy Sixer center who made $3 million for doing nothing this season — literally sprinted for the exits to elude their questions. Who said the big lug never hustles?

The post Cataldi: Doug Collins tarnished his legacy forever appeared first on Metro.us.

The Flyers aren’t the only team with nothing to look forward to but the upcoming NHL draft.

Unlike the Eagles and Sixers, though, they still have games to play before calling it a season. As fans around these parts should know, local teams are good at winning so-called “meaningless” games that can do nothing but weaken your draft position.

Officially eliminated from playoff contention Friday night, the Flyers typically responded with one of their better offensive efforts of the season by beating woeful Carolina, 5-3, Saturday behind Wayne Simmonds’ first career hat trick. That puts them 20-22-3 on the season with 43 points, eighth worst in the NHL.

If Peter Laviolette’s club can get hot enough to win out by beating both the Bruins and Islanders at home, then win in Ottawa Saturday to finish with a winning record, they could conceivably pass as many as four clubs depending on how those teams fare.

The Devils and Sabres (44 apiece) are ahead, with Phoenix (46), Dallas (47) and Detroit (48) all within striking distance.

On the other hand, some combination of Edmonton (41), Calgary (40) and Nashville (40) could climb over them.

Looking ahead to a very stocked draft

The upcoming NHL draft is considered one of the strongest in years.

Defensemen Seth Jones (son of former NBA journeyman Popeye Jones) and Darnell Nurse (Donovan McNabb’s nephew) lead the way. Unfortunately for the Flyers, they probably won’t be there when they pick.

Not that anyone would dare suggest tanking.

“We have to finish the season,” said Laviolette, who will likely continue to rotate goalies Ilya Bryzgalov and Steve Mason. “We need to play every game and make it count, make it matter.”

Even if it seems to matter only to them.

“We didn’t even speak about being eliminated from the playoffs,” said Wayne Simmonds, whose 15 goals trails only Jake Voracek’s career-best 20. “We’re trying to build and we want to keep going. We’ve got a great young core in here and we’ve got to play strong for each other down the stretch.”

Don’t be surprised if the lottery-bound Flyers finish strong or win out.

The post Only meaningless wins left for Flyers in lost season appeared first on Metro.us.

Wayne Simmonds recorded the first hat trick of his NHL career as the Flyers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-3, Saturday night.

Simmonds finished with four points in the game, another NHL first for the winger, and watched as a slew of Flyers fans tossed celebratory caps on the ice. It was a strange scene for a road team out of playoff contention.

“That was good to see,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “It was good for confidence. Guys went out and played hard. Good for Wayne to score some goals.”

Jakub Voracek also set a milestone when he tallied his 20^th goal. Goaltender Steve Mason had 26 saves and furthered speculation that he might be in line to take Ilya Bryzgalov’s starting job next year. Mason made his fourth start for the Flyers since coming over in a trade from Columbus.

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The end is near.

After losing 3-0 to longtime nemesis Martin Brodeur and the even-more-desperate-than they-are Devils here last night, the Flyers are officially down to their last life.

One more regulation loss—or two coming in overtime or the shootout–in the final four games and they’re history.  And if that’s not disheartening enough, consider this: Any victory by either the Rangers or Winnipeg will also assure the Flyers of missing the playoffs for only the second time since 1994.

In fact, by the time they step on the ice in Carolina they could be playoff goners should the Rangers win in Buffalo tonight.  Regardless it’s clear next stop for the orange and black is  the NHL Lottery April 29, as the Flyers—two weeks after seeing both Winnipeg and Ottawa snap five-game losing streaks at their expense–watched the Devils celebrate their first win in 11 games.

“It’s the first time in a long time for Philadelphia, for myself to be eliminated not by your own doing,’’ said Scott Hartnell, as the Flyers finished the season 1-4 vs. the Devils, scoring only six goals with Brodeur recording his 10^th and 11^th of 121 career shutouts against the Flyers .  ”It sucks.

“They’re frustrating to play against,” Hartnell continued. “When you get frustrated, you start to do things that aren’t in the game-plan. They wanted it more.’’

Perhaps it just looked that way, as the Devils typically waited for an opening, then seized it.  It came early in the second period moments after the Flyers’ Matt Read tried to make a pass on a 3-on-1 break rather than shoot from point blank range.  Not much later Stephen Gionta fed Ryan Carter, who didn’t hesitate shooting, beating Ilya Bryzgalov—back in the Flyers’ net after newcomer Steve Mason single-handedly beat the Rangers last time out—to make it 1-0.  It was the Devils’ first goal in the last three games, a span covering 146 minutes.

That proved to be all Brodeur would need, though it appeared the Flyers had briefly tied it later in the second, until Jake Voracek’s goal was properly disallowed for steering the puck into the net with his skate.  Bryzgalov kept the Flyers close after that with a number of clutch saves.

But eventually the Devils sprung Matt D’Agostini on the breakaway to make it 2-0 with 5:50 remaining, before Adam Henrique scored into an open net to ice it with 1:13 left.

“I think the biggest problem is that we don’t know how to play a patient game,’’ said Danny Briere, who had three of the Flyers’ mere 19 shots. “The last two years we’ve struggled against the Devils because they’re patient. It just seems like against us they always wait us out and we become very impatient. The next thing we know, we try to force plays and it ends up in the back of our net.’’

That might explain the lack of success against the Devils, but New Jersey’s not the only reason the Flyers will be done  a week from tomorrow in Ottawa.  Goal-scoring has been an issue all season, the Flyers managing more than two goals only 18 times all season.  Plus, they’ve been outscored 50-31 in third periods.

Add it all together, along with a string of injuries that riddled the defense and also took forwards like Hartnell, Read and Briere out of the lineup for long stretches, and it’s not hard to understand how Peter Laviolette’s club has gotten itself in this predicament.

As a result, the

y know what promises to be a long, uncomfortable summer of reckoning will be starting real soon.

The post Flyers on brink of elimination after another loss to Devils appeared first on Metro.us.

On Team Picture Day, even the most optimistic Flyer would have to admit the playoff picture is not a pretty sight.
But after back-to-back wins over the Canadiens, followed by the Rangers this week (a game in which new goaltender Steve Mason stopped 38 shots), at least they have started to gain ground. The Flyers are within five points of both the Rangers and Winnipeg for the final spot.

Next comes the Devils, who took the first three head-to-head matchups, before the Flyers edged them 2-1 in a shootout last month. At that time the reigning Eastern Conference champs seemed in solid shape leading the Flyers by seven points in the playoff hunt.

Since then Martin Brodeur & Co. has gone 2-12-4. That’s dropped them all the way down to 12th in the East standings, a point behind the Flyers.

Peter Laviolette’s club recently faced two clubs in the middle of five-game losing streaks — the Jets and Senators — and lost to both of them. So tonight they need more of the kind of solid two-way play that marked their performances in Montreal and against the Rangers.

And it wouldn’t hurt if the Rangers came up with a couple of clunkers in their home-and-home with last-place Florida and vs. New Jersey. Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s schedule is tougher with three of their remaining five games at home. But none of this will matter if the Flyers don’t rack up a bunch of points in their final five games.

“We can’t be focusing on that,” said Claude Giroux, who had two assists vs. the Rangers. “We have to be focused on what we have to do every game. Of course we’d love to have help from the other teams, but we just have to win.”

The Flyers head to Carolina Saturday before meeting the Bruins and Islanders here next week, then wrapping up in Ottawa next Saturday. By then a lot will have to go right — much of which is out of their control — for the Flyers to still have something to play for.

On Team Picture Day all the Flyers can do is their part — and simply hope everyone else does theirs to give them a chance.

The Flyers rewarded two of their own

The Orange and Black signed Zac Rinaldo and Jay Rosehill to two-year contract extensions. Rinaldo’s deal is worth a reported $1.50 million; Rosehill’s deal is worth a reported $1.35 million.

Rinaldo played in just 32 games this season and logged 85 penalty minutes. Rosehill was acquired April 1 in a trade with Anaheim. The Flyers host the New Jersey Devils Thursday (7:30 p.m.) at the Wells Fargo Center.

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Steve Mason stopped 38 shots and the Flyers beat the New York Rangers, 4-2, at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night to keep their slim playoff chances alive.

Mason made 16 of his 38 saves in the third period, when the Rangers, also desperate for points in the final days of the NHL’s regular season, carried the play.

The Flyers (19-21-3) took a 3-1 lead into the third period. Brayden Schenn and Erik Gustafsson scored in the first period and Kimmo Timonen in the second to get the Flyers out to the lead.

The Rangers (21-17-4) got a goal from Derek Stepan 7:28 into the third period to pull the Rangers to within one goal.

Jakub Voracek’s empty-net goal with less than 15 seconds to play sealed the win for the Flyers, who are eight points behind the Rangers for the eighth playoff seed with just five games to play.

It appeared Mason was going to be relieved by Ilya Bryzgalov in the third period when play was stopped as Mason went to the ground in apparent pain. He later said he was experiencing leg cramps.

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It’s probably too little, too late, but the Flyers found their offensive touch in Montreal on Monday night.

Scott Hartnell recorded his sixth hat trick as a member of the Flyers in the 7-3 rout of the Canadiens. It was his first hat trick since Jan. 22, 2012.

The struggling Flyers had scored a total of three goals in their previous four games — all losses.

They got four goals in the second period of Monday’s game alone, with Hartnell putting home two to help bury the home team. Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek also scored goals for the Flyers in the decisive second period.

The Flyers (18-21-3) are now seven points behind the New York Rangers, who currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the NHL Eastern Conference.

The Flyers jumped out to a 2-0 lead on first-period goals by Wayne Simmonds and Erik Gustafsson. After Montreal (26-11-5) tied the game at 2-2 with goals late in the first and early in the second, the Flyers jumped to a 4-2 lead on goals by Voracek and Hartnell.

Alex Galchenyuk kept it close with a goal less than two minutes after Hartnell’s first of the night. But then Giroux scored to put the Flyers back up by two goals less than a minute and a half later, and Hartnell got his second of the night in the final minute of the second period.

The Flyers host the Rangers tonight at 7:30.

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The countdown has already begun.

By the end of this week, if not sooner, the Flyers will almost certainly be dead men skating, even though the regular season will go on another week. Following four straight losses in which they scored a total of three goals their “tragic” number is down to six.

If the No. 8-seed Rangers get six points — or five in the case of the Islanders and four with the Senators — the Flyers will officially be eliminated from playoff contention.

In other words, the Flyers’ next big moment will be the April 29 NHL draft lottery, where they’re hoping to land one of the top picks in what’s considered a strong draft.

Of course, no one’s going to admit that until it really is over for head coach Peter Laviolette’s underachieving 17-21-3 team which heads to Montreal tonight, before hosting the Rangers tomorrow — a potential four-point swing off the tragic number. They’ll point to injuries (of which they’ve had more than their share, especially on the defense), the NHL’s truncated 48-game season (even though it was the same for everybody) and bad bounces for their decline.

Typical of that mindset was Saturday’s 1-0 loss in Buffalo, where the Sabres scored when a shot caromed off the boards and deflected off goalie Steve Mason’s skate into the net.

In reality, the Flyers’ downfall has been more about their own inadequacies. A number of players — particularly second-year men Sean Couturier (three goals), Brayden Schenn (seven goals) and Matt Read (nine goals) — failed to perform to their rookie standards. Others, like Scott Hartnell (four goals in 25 games), Danny Briere (five goals in 27 games) and even new captain Claude Giroux (12 goals) didn’t measure up nearly as expected even factoring in their injuries.

Couple that with a slow defense which had trouble clearing the puck from their zone even before injuries to Niklas Grossmann, Braydon Coburn and Andrej Meszaros set in, along with an inconsistent goaltender in Ilya Bryzgalov and the recipe for disaster was set.

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What a difference a week makes — even during a shortened season.

This time a week ago the Flyers were in the midst of a four-game winning streak and had pulled within two points of a playoff spot. Today they’re on virtual life support, a distant seven points from qualifying for the postseason with just eight games to play and four teams to climb over in the standings following a 3-1 loss Thursday night to the Ottawa Senators.

And while no one in orange and black is quite ready to wave the white flag, they know their task is too daunting to even think beyond the next game.

“All losses are tough,’’ said coach, Peter Laviolette, whose club has dropped three straight since winning in Toronto, scoring just one goal in each game. “We’re in the business of winning hockey games.

“Not getting that done is frustrating.’’

Especially considering the opportunities they’ve squandered.

Winnipeg had lost five straight before a four-goal, late second period explosion keyed the Jets’ 4-1 win. The Islanders hadn’t beaten the Flyers on home ice since 2010, before rallying for a 4-1 win Tuesday.

And Thursday, the Sens came in dragging their own five-game losing streak, putting their playoff hopes in peril with so many teams charging at them.

But rather than going after these clubs and feeding off their insecurities, the Flyers have been like chicken soup instead. Now the only ones sick are their fans, knowing it will take a total miracle to make up all that ground.

“I think everyone is still going to put in obviously a good effort right to the end,’’ said defenseman Luke Schenn, with road games coming up against the Sabres and Canadiens, before the Rangers and Devils come to town next week. “But obviously everyone’s a little bit frustrated.

“Guys are probably squeezing the stick a little tight. It’s been a real up and down year, for sure. It was a pretty competitive game for the most part tonight. But when it comes down to it, you’re not going to win very many games by scoring one goal.

The Flyers lone goal came when Claude Giroux redirected Simon Gagne’s shot shorthanded to tie the score at 11:44 of the first, after the Sens had dominated the first 10 minutes and taken a 1-0 lead on Zack Smith’s early breakaway. From there it became a tight defensive battle, with Ilya Bryzgalov back in goal after being given an unexpected night off on the Island.

A late third period high sticking call on Giroux that drew blood led to the game-winner on the power play, as Colin Greening inexplicably got behind the defense for another breakaway with just 5:36 left in regulation.

The Flyers pressed desperately for the equalizer but couldn’t connect, before Daniel Alfredsson’s empty net goal sealed it. And likely sealed their fate in the process.

“To get to playoffs you have to win games and right now we’re not winning games,’’ said Giroux. “We had some chances. We had some good chances. But sometimes it’s going to go in. Sometimes it won’t.’’

In large part because of all that’s transpired within the past week, eight games from now that will undoubtedly be their epitaph.

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You couldn’t miss the irony. Here’s a Flyers team in desperate need of a wake-up call, five points out of a playoff spot with four teams to catch and just nine games to do it and the big story at Wednesday’s practice was about a radio report that goalie Ilya Bryzgalov had fallen asleep in a team meeting.

“No, that’s completely incorrect,” coach Peter Laviolette insisted when asked if that was the reason Bryzgalov sat out Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the Islanders in favor of newcomer Steve Mason.

Similar responses reverberated throughout the locker room, where the 17-19-3 Flyers were preparing for Thursday’s game with Ottawa, one of the clubs they’re attempting to catch.

“That’s not true and I’ll tell you that on the record,” echoed Kimmo Timonen, one of the few regulars on an injury-riddled defense which learned it will be without Niklas Grossmann another 2-3 weeks due to a concussion. “That’s not my business to tell you what happened and didn’t happen.

“He wasn’t sleeping. But we’ve got nine games left and (Thursday) is a big game. We still have a chance.’’

The Senators currently stand sixth in the East with 44 points, despite dropping their last five. The Islanders, with one extra game played, also have 44, followed by the Rangers and Jets (42 apiece), Devils (40) and Sabres (38). The Flyers, who’ve won a conference-low five games, next head to Buffalo, then host the Rangers and Devils next week.

But even if they can get some wins, undoubtedly they’ll need outside help to leapfrog all those other teams into one of those coveted top eight positions. Of course that’s out of their control.

“We have to win a game,” said Laviolette, who refused to say whether he’d go back to Bryzgalov or stick with Mason against the Sens. “We’ve been in these situations before, so we’ve got to keep fighting.

“Prepare yourself for a game we have to win. It’s that simple.’’

In other words if they don’t wake up now, it won’t be long before they’re put to bed for the season.

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Did Ilya Bryzgalov fall asleep during a team meeting Monday?

Well, it depends whose reporting you believe.

On the same day the team announced defenseman Nick Grossmann — arguably the team’s best blue-liner during the shortened 2013 season — would miss another two to three weeks with concussion symptoms, the biggest story out of Flyerland was whether Bryzgalov kept his eyes open during a team meeting.

Blog Crossing Broad and 97.5 The Fanatic nearly simultaneously reported around 11 a.m. Wednesday that team sources had told them Bryzgalov was benched in favor of recently acquired backup Steve Mason on Tuesday night on Long Island because the enigmatic Russian goaltender fell asleep during Monday’s meeting.

Several Flyers beat writers reported an hour or so later, and throughout the afternoon, that players, coach Peter Laviolette and general manager Paul Holmgren strongly denied the report.

Later Wednesday afternoon, though, the Daily News reported several players had confirmed the earlier reports of Bryzgalov falling asleep during the  meeting.

Well, sort of.

Several players say Bryzgalov “closed his eyes” during the meeting, the Daily News reports. But the goalie caught his shut-eye after Laviolette had informed the two goalies who would get the start against the Islanders on Tuesday night.

For what it’s worth, Holmgren told several reporters he expects Bryzgalov will be in net tonight when the Flyers take on the Ottawa Senators in a game the Flyers must win to have any shot of making one last playoff push.

Bryzgalov was pulled after two periods in Winnipeg on Saturday after surrendering four goals.

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Simply, it was a playoff game in what was for a time the nexus of the NHL universe.

The Islanders drew closer to clinching the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2007 following a 4-1 win over the Flyers. The Islanders improved to 20-16-4 overall and their 44 points put them seventh in the Eastern Conference.

“We’ve given ourselves an opportunity and I think we just want to take advantage of the opportunity,” John Tavares said.

The Islanders and Ottawa are tied with 44 points each. Despite having lost five in a row, including dropping a 3-2 to decision to Tampa Bay Tuesday night, the Senators are still in sixth due to having two fewer regulation losses. The Islanders have one more win than the Senators.

The Rangers, who were off Tuesday, are in eighth with 42 points. The ninth-seeded Devils are two points behind the Rangers.

The Islanders are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.

“We’re playing much better and we’re giving ourselves the best possible chance we can. Just keep going the way we are and I like our chances,” Tavares said. “We’re playing well and we have to keep building off the things we’re doing.”

“We talked about it — just singular focus. No distractions from any of you guys [the media] talking about it,” head coach Jack Capuano said. “They’re playing hard as a group and believe in one another.”

Michael Grabner’s goal with 2:18 left in the second period was the game-winner. Grabner’s innocent-looking wrister beat Steve Mason (28 saves) high and seemed to surprise the right wing.

“I was surprised the puck came back. I was yelling for it. [Colin McDonald], I think he was trying to get it on net,” Grabner said.

His game-winner broke a 1-1 deadlock which spanned 22 minutes between the first and second periods.

“At the last second, he realized I was there and made a good play,” Grabner said.

The game-winner broke a 1-1 deadlock which spanned 22 minutes between the first and second periods.

Jakub Voracek opened the scoring with his 17th of the season just 6:28 into the game. The right wing was sprung for a semi-breakaway by a gorgeous headman pass from Claude Giroux. Voracek snapped a low shot that Evgeni Nabokov swallowed, but the netminder’s momentum and an onrushing Andrew MacDonald carried him into the net.

Voracek’s goal was Nabokov’s lone mistake, as he made 26 saves.

“I don’t talk about the goalies too much,” Capuano said. “He made some good saves when we needed them. He played pretty well tonight.”

Matt Moulson equalized 9:08 later. The Islanders’ top line of Tavares, Brad Boyes and Moulson moved the puck into the Flyers’ end before left wing ripped a snap shot past Mason.

Tavares potted his 24th of the season with 1:37 left in regulation which guaranteed the Islanders would leave the Coliseum with a 9-11-2 home record and caused the announced 13,888 to start a “We want playoffs” chant that lasted for the remainder of the game.

“We have a great opportunity,” Tavares said. “We want to give it to them. That’s what we’re striving for.”

Casey Cizikas added an empty-netter with nine seconds left.

Follow NHL beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Simon Gagne joining Ruslan Fedotenko and Mike Knuble — with good soldier Brian Boucher waiting in the wings — is only the latest in a tradition that may be unlike any other. Rick MacLeish, Bernie Parent, Mark Recchi, Rick Tocchet and Ron Hextall are among those who have previously blazed a trail here in the birthplace of our nation.

You can call them Frequent Flyers.

“Of course we think about it,” admitted team founder-turned Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider. “It’s not an accident. If there are several guys available who can help us that are equal and one is an ex-player, we’ll take that ex-player every time.”

That’s why Philadelphia has become the place they often flock to in their golden hockey years. Old Flyers don’t die — they just fade away as older Flyers.

Once in a while — as in the cases of Parent, Recchi and Hextall — the sequel measures up to the opening act. More often, it doesn’t play out that way.

“I think you do appreciate it more after you’ve been away,” said the 40-year-old Knuble. “If somebody said then, ‘You’ll be back someday,’ I think I would’ve been very excited about that. As a player, you hope to feel connected to your organization.”

Gagne, a Flyers mainstay for 10 years, returned this season after hoisting the Stanley Cup in Los Angeles.

“It’s not an easy place to play,” said Gagne. “It’s demanding, but, at the same time, if you do well it’s a great place to play. It’s like coming back home.”

And hearing fans always urging them on serves as motivation.

“What’s great is you still have those great fans who support you and kind of remember you from 10 years ago,” said Fedotenko, who won two Cups between Flyers tours.

Boucher, a Phantom at the moment, will second that.

“I was drafted by this organization,” said Boucher, in his third Flyers’ tour of duty. “Played in the minors here, won a Calder Cup and grew up here. From a players point of view it’s always easier to come back to a place where you’ve had success. Go to a new place and it takes time to adjust to new teammates, to the area, to everything. I’m just fortunate and grateful to be wanted back.”

The meaning of being a Flyer

So what’s so special about being a Flyer? After all, the organization is going on 38 years between Stanley Cups.

It starts with what Mike Knuble calls the crest.

“The crest and the colors kind of speak for themselves, and it’s kind of an intimidating logo,” said Knuble, back after a three-year hiatus in Washington. “That old logo has a lot of history behind it. When you’re wearing it, you don’t want to embarrass yourselves because of that history. A lot of great players have come through here. So you try to wear that crest proudly.”

“If you’ve grown up here you know what’s expected of you here, and what it means to be a Flyer,” said Brian Boucher, a three-time Flyer. “Sometimes when you put together a team you like to have guys familiar with the setting. Maybe that’s why players come back here so often.”

And always have going back to the day they first dropped the puck here.

Is Ed Snider loyal to a fault?

The Flyers’ founder makes no secret that he delights in filling his organization with his own. Through the decades the franchise has continuously brought back former players usually nearing the end of the line — as if somehow hoping to regain their old form once they put that orange-and-black sweater back on.

Not only that, but when you go through the organization from top to bottom, you’ll find it littered with alumni. That ranges from the front office (Paul Holmgren, Bob Clarke) to assistant coaches (Craig Berube, Kevin McCarthy), to scouts (Simon Nolet, Al Hill, Bill Barber, Ilkka Sinisalo), to goodwill ambassadors (Bernie Parent, Bob Kelly, Gary Dornhoefer) to broadcasters (Bill Clement, Chris Therien).

“We look after our people,” Snider told Metro. “That’s our philosophy. We like to take care of our own if we can. I take a lot of pride in that.”

You might argue Snider & Co. are so caught up in that mindset that they are living in the past. They love celebrating that past, never more evident than the love fest which accompanied last year’s Alumni Game as part of the 2012 Winter Classic.

But it’s going on 38 years and counting since Clarke, Parent, Barber & Co. last hoisted the Stanley Cup — although the statue commemorating that moment was recently unveiled outside XFinity Live! sure makes it seem more recent.

Yes, they have come close since, most recently Peter Laviolette’s 2010 club that went from nearly missing the playoffs to Game 6 of the Cup Finals. But the trophy case remains barren no matter how many former players Snider rewards. Don’t look for him to change.

“We’re not gonna bring back a player if we think we can bring in somebody else better,” said Snider, “but we know our guys. We know their character and what they’re capable of. We know if they get older, they’re not quite as good as they were.”

As much as Snider leans towards bringing old players back in some capacity, the feeling is indeed mutual.

“I’d like to think they really like our organization and want to be a part of it,” he explained. “This is a hockey town and players like to be in a town where hockey’s big. By the same token, they wouldn’t come back to an organization where they were unhappy.”

Seeing the same faces opening doors and nursing injuries adds to it.

“You know they’re always gonna do whatever it takes to win,” said Mike Knuble. “When you’re here as a player the first time it clicks with some guys and not with others. For the guys it clicks with who go on to different places, it’s home.’’

And that’s where the heart is.

“I think we have a history of players being a real part of the fabric in the community,” said Comcast-Spectacor president Peter Luukko, whose son, Nick, was a Flyers’ 2010 draft choice. “I really think it’s a tribute to the Flyers’ family and that tradition. We always say you’re a Flyer forever. I’m sure it happens with other teams, too. But it seems like it happens more here.”

The bottom line is Ed Snider has made sure the Philadelphia Flyers have always been one big happy family. At the same time, all that loyalty and love bestowed upon his former players has never filtered down to the ice and rewarded him with a championship.

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The Flyers seem to be putting their season on the line on the Island Tuesday night, knowing a loss in regulation would knock them seven points behind the Islanders – and at least five behind the Rangers — with just nine to play. And while it seems like every time they step on the ice the stakes are high, common sense says it’s true more now than before.

Currently 12th in the Eastern Conference standings with 37 points after a seven-minute meltdown in Winnipeg turned a 1-0 lead into a 4-1 loss, Peter Laviolette’s 17-18-3 club has a maximum gain of 20 points if it wins out. Reduce that two points for each loss in regulation or one if they fall in overtime or a shootout. And that’s not even factoring in the point or two going to the opposition, more often than not a team the Flyers are trying to run down in the standings.

Rather than focusing on the bleak math, the Flyers are better off going with that proverbial “one game at a time’’ mentality, in this case returning to a building where they embarrassed the Isles, 7-0, back on Feb. 18. The Islanders climbed out of an 0-2 hole to win the rematch, 4-3, here in a shootout.

Anything less than a regulation win Tuesday against the Isles, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2007, will make their ultimate task that much tougher.

“There’s a reason why they’re in the playoff race,’’ said captain Claude Giroux following yesterday’s practice. “They’ve been playing well. Offensively they can score a lot of goals, so we’re going to have to play disciplined defensively.’’

Having to once again go with a makeshift defense due to a flurry of injuries to the likes of Braydon Coburn, Niklas Grossmann and Andrej Meszaros, won’t make containing 23-goal scorer John Tavares & Co. any easier. While they remain out, Kimmo Timonen, who hurt his foot blocking a shot last week, figures to play.

On another front, Ilya Bryzgalov is expected to make his 23rd straight start in goal while new backup Steve Mason, who made his Flyer debut playing the third period in Winnipeg, is definitely going to stick around awhile. The 24-year-old Mason, a restricted free agent, signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract Monday.

One other player who may be on the way back is Danny Briere, who practiced for the first time since suffering a concussion March 23. No word when Briere, who’s missed eight games, will be cleared to play.

The Flyers can only hope that whenever he and the rest do return, it still matters.

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The Flyers won their season-high fourth straight game Thursday night, defeating the Maple Leafs in Toronto, 5-3.

With the victory, the Flyers again reached the .500 mark (17-17-3), and now find themselves just two points out of the NHL Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot with 11 games to play.

The Flyers got out to a quick lead on Simon Gagne’s goal 1:19 into the contest.

The early lead would be short-lived, as Toronto’s Nikolai Kulemin answered with a goal just more than two minutes later.

The teams exchanged goals to finish out first-period scoring, with John-Michael Liles scoring for Toronto at 16:46 and Jakub Voracek lighting the lamp for the Flyers with 1:25 to go in the period. The goal was Voracek’s 16th of the season.

The Flyer scored the only two goals of the second period–Brayden Schenn at 0:54 and Jay Rosehill his first as a Flyer at 15:53– to carry a two-goal lead into the final period.

Toronto pulled within one in the third period of former Flyer James van Riemsdyk’s 15th goal of the season. Luke Schenn sealed the game for the Flyers with an empty-net tally with 17 seconds to go.

Veteran Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen left Thursday’s game in the third period with an apparent lower-body injury.

Former Flyer Joffrey Lupul left the game with an apparent head injury after being checked almost simultaneously by newly acquired Flyers Rosehill and Adam Hall in the first period. The hit sparked what would become a chippy contest.

The Flyers are back in action Saturday when they face the Jets in Winnipeg at 3 p.m.

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Apparently Ilya Bryzgalov wanted to pay tribute to his just-traded but little-used backup Michael Leighton. You remember Leighton, the journeyman who suddenly came of age in the 2010 playoffs and carried the Flyers to the brink of a Stanley Cup. That quest ultimately fell short when Leighton surrendered one of the weirdest goals imaginable to the Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane, clinching the championship here in overtime.

On Wednesday night Bryzgalov, no stranger to coughing up weird goals himself (see: Game 5 vs. the Devils last year) decided to duck when David Desharnais’ shot, coming just 20 seconds after the Montreal Canadiens had tied it, deflected off Brayden Schenn’s head and came zeroing in aimed straight for his head. Only one problem there: When he ducked, that left enough room for the puck to sneak into the net, giving the Canadiens a late second-period lead. Surely Leighton, on his way to join former Flyer Sergei Bobrovsky in Columbus, would’ve loved it.

Most of this freakish season that odd goal would’ve spelled doom for the Flyers — and deep into the third period it sure looked like things might end that way. But suddenly Wayne Simmonds redirected the tying goal into the net. Just 90 seconds later Erik Gustafsson’s pass intended for Matt Read caromed off a defenseman past Montreal goalie Carey Price to put them ahead.

Add a Jake Voracek open netter in the final 39 seconds and voila: Not only do you have a 5-3 Flyers victory, but in the process their first three-game winning streak of the season.

“I really liked our second period, so it was unfortunate what happened at the end of where they scored a couple goals,’’ said Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, as the Flyers earned points for the third time in the last four games when trailing inside six minutes remaining. “but I think just we had resilience and the guys didn’t stop. Certainly that’s an area we have not been good at up until this point, so it’s nice to see some results in the third period. We’re putting games away, we’re coming back in games and getting the points and wins that we need.’’

Despite that, with 35 points the 16-17-3 Flyers remain four points out of playoff spot. Suddenly, though, both 7th and 8th place appear up for grabs with the Rangers, Devils and Islanders all holding at 39 points. But the Flyers, who’ve climbed to 11th, can’t help but like the way they’re responding to the challenge, as they overcame Bryzgalov’s shaky performance, which the goalie refused to discuss afterwards.

“We are just playing kind of with confidence right now,’’ said Read. “We had a couple bad goals against, but we knew we were going to come back. We just waited for the opportunity and we got two quick ones there at the end that kind of sealed the deal.”

There’s no time to bask in the glow of victory, with a three-game road trip beginning tonight in Toronto.

“We won’t give up,’’ said Sean Couturier, who snapped a 27-game drought when his shot deflected off a defenseman’s stick, caromed off Price, then hit P.K. Subban’s leg and trickled through. “We still have a chance and if we keep winning we’ll be right back in the mix. We can’t focus too much on what’s going on around the league. We got to make our own destiny.’’

The Flyers’ destiny seemed all but lost when Bryzgalov’s meltdown put them in a hole. But now, unlike most of this season, they’re finding a way to dig their way out of danger.

“We don’t control what other teams do,” said captain Claude Giroux. “If we keep winning, that’s the only chance we have of getting in. We’re on a little high now, so we have to keep going.’’

Yes, they have no choice. But at least for the first time all season it appears, finally, that they have a chance.

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1) Chicago Blackhawks (27-5-3, previous No. 2) – The Blackhawks regain the top spot since they’ve won two games in a row and most importantly, they have less injuries to key players than the Penguins. Patrick Sharp could return this week, which will only help Chicago’s NHL-best goal-differential of plus-43.

2) Pittsburgh Penguins (28-9-0, previous No. 2) – Pittsburgh’s 15-game winning streak ended on Tuesday against Buffalo but more importantly, Sidney Crosby (who would be the NHL MVP right now) is out indefinitely after breaking his jaw on Saturday. We’ll have to see how the Penguins play with newcomer Jarome Iginla in the lineup, but no Crosby.

3) Montreal Canadiens (23-7-5, previous No. 4) – The Habs didn’t make any real moves at the trade deadline which signifies confidence in their current group. They’ve won their last three games and they are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Montreal is 2-1 against Boston this season and they have a chance to wrap up the season series on Saturday at the Bell Centre vs. the Bruins.

4) Anaheim Ducks (24-7-5, previous No. 3) – The Ducks haven’t been themselves lately (4-4-2 in their last 10 games), or perhaps they are finally regressing to the mean after an incredible start. The Ducks begin a five-game homestand tonight (tied for their longest of the season) which is bizarre since they played Dallas on Monday then they play them Wednesday and Friday (three games in a row).

5) Boston Bruins (23-8-4, previous No. 5) – Other than Iginla and Marion Gaborik, the B’s made probably the biggest acquisition of the trade deadline by getting Jaromir Jagr. After playing listlessly for a few weeks, they’ve won their last two games thanks to backup goaltender Anton Khudobin, who earned back-to-back starts (allowing two combined goals). Their concern is Patrice Bergeron’s health after the do-everything center left Tuesday’s game with a possible concussion.

6) Minnesota Wild (21-12-2, previous No. 6) – The Wild are in a dogfight for home ice with Vancouver but they made a nice move by trading for Buffalo captain Jason Pominville (10 goals, 15 assists) before the deadline. He should help create more balance between their lines that are very top heavy.

7) Vancouver Canucks (19-11-6, previous No. 7) – The Canucks were another winner from the trade deadline since they got Derek Roy (18 assists) from the Stars for a prospect and second-round draft pick. Vancouver tried to flip Roberto Luongo to Toronto but his albatross of a contract held them back from getting it done.

8) Los Angeles Kings (20-13-3, previous No. 10) – The Kings obtained defenseman Robin Regehr from the Sabres but other than that, the defending Stanley Cup champs are healthy and still loaded with talent. Thanks to Jeff Carter (20 goals, 4th in NHL), the Kings have scored more goals (104) than expected.

9) Toronto Maple Leafs (20-12-4, previous No. 12) – Toronto has won its last three games but it is weird that they didn’t make any moves at the trade deadline since their situation in goal is still muddled at best. It looks like they’ll make the playoffs which is a big deal for them, but advancing is another story.

10) San Jose Sharks (18-11-6, previously No. 14) – The Sharks are the hottest team in the NHL with five straight wins. It has taken them this long, but they have finally started to live up to their abilities – although it is interesting that they traded one of their emotional leaders, Ryane Clowe, to the Rangers for draft picks.

11) Ottawa Senators (18-11-6, previous No. 8) – If the Senators make the playoffs, they have to hope they don’t play the Bruins. Boston has won all four games against Ottawa this season (they meet once more) and making that more painful, they have all been by one goal. Craig Anderson is close to returning which is why they flipped backup goaltender Ben Bishop to Buffalo for rookie winger Cory Conacher.

12) Detroit Red Wings (18-13-5, previous No. 9) – The Red Wings didn’t make a single trade around the deadline which is interesting since this underachieving team hasn’t played nearly well enough to earn that respect. They are the only team currently in the top eight in the West without a positive goal-differential (zero).

13) New York Islanders (18-13-6, previous No. 19) – Nobody could have imagined this, and we’re still four weeks away from the playoffs, but at this moment the Islanders are the best team in the New York area (Islanders, Rangers, Devils and Sabres). Their next three games are against teams outside the top eight in the East: Washington, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia so they need to rack up the points there.

14) St. Louis Blues (18-14-2, previous No. 13) – Now that the Sharks have gained their skating legs, the Blues have to be called the most underachieving team in the West. Still, they are hanging on to the eighth spot so they haven’t been a complete train wreck. Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, who they obtained from Calgary, should help them right away.

15) Edmonton Oilers (15-13-7, previously not ranked) – People have been waiting for years and it looks like the Oilers have finally put together enough good players to get to the playoffs. They have their work cut out for them since the West is better than the East but they’ve won their last four games and are playing well when it counts.

16) New Jersey Devils (15-12-9, previous No. 16) – The Islanders, Devils and Rangers are likely battling for the last two spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Of those, I like the New York teams better since New Jersey is treading water (3-3-4 in last 10 games) and their goal-differential is minus-11.

17) Nashville Predators (15-14-8, previously No. 17) – Pekka Rinne isn’t himself, although it’s not all his fault since the Predators are one of the lowest scoring teams in the West with 92 goals. Getting a goal-scorer seemed obvious at the deadline but apparently the front office felt otherwise.

18) Columbus Blue Jackets (15-14-7, previous No. 20) – The race for the eighth seed in the West is going to be one of the NHL’s best heading into the postseason and the Blue Jackets honestly have a decent chance to make it. The lowest scoring team (87 goals) in the West should receive a huge boost from Marion Gaborik (9 goals, 10 assists) who was having a poor season with the Rangers but he scored 41 goals last season and 40-plus two other times in the NHL.

19) New York Rangers (17-15-3, previous No. 15) – I have no idea why the Rangers traded their best goal-scorer when they have scored the fewest goals in the NHL (82) … and if they miss the playoffs, that will be the main reason why. Forwards Derick Brassard (7 goals) and Derek Dorsett (3 goals) along with defenseman John Moore (zero goals) better fit their trapping defensive style, but none of them can put the puck in the net.

20) Winnipeg Jets (18-18-2, previous No. 2) – The Jets are free-falling and they are only two points ahead of the Capitals for first place in the Southeast Division after losing four straight games. They are 3-7-0 with a goal-differential of minus-22 … not the resume of a playoff team in anybody’s eyes.

Follow Metro sports writer Richard Slate on Twitter: @RichSlate

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Speculation is already running rampant that the trade deadline deal Wednesday bringing the Flyers a much-needed backup goalie in 24-year-old former Rookie of the Year, Steve Mason, might eventually lead to the departure of starter Ilya Bryzgalov.

That’s the gut reaction to a move which GM Paul Holmgren concedes could have repercussions beyond this season, whether the Flyers make the playoffs or not.  Hours before Wednesday night’s game with Montreal, Holmgren shipped little-used backup Michael Leighton, along with a 2015 third-round draft pick to Columbus for Mason, the 2009 Calder Trophy winner.

Later, the Flyers claimed 32-year-old veteran forward Adam Hall off waivers from Carolina, who should pick up some of penalty-killing slack left by Max Talbot’s likely season-ending broken leg. Hall and Mason couldn’t make the trip in time for puck drop against Montreal, so Phantom rookie Cal Heeter served as Bryzgalov’s backup.

But the question certain to be on most minds has to be what does the arrival of Mason mean longterm?

“Steve’s still a young goalie with a lot upside,’’ said Holmgren, who ironically sent the man who made Mason expendable, Sergei Bobrovsky, to the Blue Jackets this past summer. “We see him as one of our two goalies the rest of this year and moving forward. I’ll just leave it at that for now.’’

Left unsaid is what happens with Bryzgalov, who is in the second year of a nine-year, $61 million contract. Should the Flyers decide to use the newly-instituted amnesty clause, they would still have to pay him full value. The Flyers would be able to deduct his salary off the cap.

Meanwhile, newcomer Mason, a restricted free agent after this season welcomes the opportunity.

“With a fresh start, you forget all the negative things and go into a positive situation, and try to make the most out of it,’’ Mason told TSN. “Going to Philadelphia, with Bryzgalov, I’m looking forward to working with him and moving forward. I’m really looking forward to a fresh opportunity.’’

Both Mason and Hall are expected to join their new team Thursday in Toronto.

The post Did Flyers add Bryzgalov’s replacement? appeared first on Metro.us.

The Flyers are putting a new twist to the phrase, “Win one, lose one.”

It seems each time they win a game or seem to be making up ground in the East’s crowded playoff picture, they lose a player.

Penalty-killing specialist Max Talbot is the latest to go down, breaking his left leg in a collision along the boards in Sunday’s 3-2 overtime win over the Caps. He’s most likely out for the season, barring an expected, deep playoff run.

Talbot joins a M*A*S*H unit that already included defensemen Niklas Grossman (upper body injury), Braydon Coburn (separated shoulder), Andrej Meszaros (torn rotator cuff) and forward Danny Briere (concussion).

GM Paul Holmgren has been working the phones in anticipation of Wednesday’s trade deadline. He’s already bolstered the lineup by picking up defenseman Kent Huskins from Detroit and trading Harry Zolnierczyk to Anaheim for enforcer Jay Rosehill.

Whether anything else develops — San Jose’s impending free agent winger Ryan Clowe is reportedly highest on their wish list — Peter Laviolette’s club knows it still has work to do.

“We’re feeling good where we are,” said Scott Hartnell. “Our play’s been better the last two games. I think it’s do or die right now. But it’s fun hockey because it’s such a close race.”

The post Flyers: It’s do or die hockey for Orange and Black appeared first on Metro.us.

Another excruciating come-from-ahead loss was almost in the books when the Flyers pulled off their own version of an Easter Sunday miracle. Down two goals with less than eight minutes to play to the Washington Capitals, they rallied for the second time in three games to send it into overtime in the final half minute.

Only this time they did that one better than losing in a shootout, as Ruslan Fedotenko scored the 5-4 game winner 1:34 into the extra session to win it and cap a critical perfect weekend. Coupled with Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Bruins in what might have been their most impressive win of the season—considering they were without three of their top four defensemen—suddenly the Flyers have crawled within two points of the idle Rangers for the East’s final playoff spot.

So much for them being a team one skate out of the grave.

“Every point is crucial,’’ said Fedotenko, who snapped Kimmo Timonen’s pass past Braden Holtby to win it, after Timonen got the equalizer with just 10 seconds left in regulation. “There are a lot of teams fighting for the playoffs. What we did today and yesterday was great, but now it’s over and we have to focus on the next game.’’

Perhaps, but what this weekend showed is that no matter how much adversity they face, the Flyers won’t count themselves out.

“We don’t care what people say,’’ said Zac Rinaldo, who set up Max Talbot to tie it 1-1 in the first, before Talbot became the latest Flyer to go down when he was taken into the boards by Mike Green. “We don’t pay attention. We just do our thing, We proved that yesterday and tonight.’’

Tied 2-2 and with the Caps on a four-minute power play early in the third, an uncharacteristic Claude Giroux giveaway in his own zone led to a Marcus Johansson goal. Just 26 seconds later Alex Ovechkin’s blast made it 4-2 and the Flyers, who were up 2-1 until late in the second, seemed doomed.

But Giroux got one back on the power play at 12:48 and their persistence paid off when Timonen beat the clock—his third of a career-high tying four points on the night. When Fedotenko connected in OT, suddenly the Flyers had leapfrogged Tampa Bay and Buffalo into 12th in the NHL’s Eastern Conference with 33 points. They’re hot on the trail of the Rangers and Islanders (35) as well as Carolina and the Caps (34) and not that far behind the 7th place Devils (39).

“Right now it seems like it’s all about the points,’’ said Peter Laviolette, whose team is off until Wednesday when the 22-7-5 Canadiens come to town. “When you go through a couple games like we did against the Rangers and the Islanders and you’re not getting the points, it makes things difficult. I really like the fact that the last couple of games we just keep marching forward and looking for points. Tonight, under the circumstances of what happened through the course of that game, we were resilient. There were many weird things in that game.’’

But in a bottom line business, the bottom line is the Flyers somehow got it done.

“We have to enjoy this, but then we have to move on,’’ said Timonen, playing on a revamped defense with Phantoms call-up Oliver Lauridsen and just-acquired Kent Huskins. “Yesterday’s was a tough game and today we battled hard. Hopefully we can get some rest tomorrow and then move on Wednesday.’’

If nothing else, they seemed looser for a change.

“It seems like we having fun on the ice and not holding the sticks so tight,’’ said goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, starting for the 33rd time in 35 games. “It’s more look like loose, relaxed and some things start going our way.’’

Of course there’s still much more work to be done. But having been left for all but dead just a few nights ago, suddenly the Flyers seem very much alive.

The trick now is to stay there.

The post Flyers score late, beat Caps in OT appeared first on Metro.us.

Records through March 27

1) Pittsburgh Penguins (26-8-0, previous No. 3) – It’s hard to have a much better week than the Penguins. They are riding a 13-game win streak and they’ve acquired Brendan Morrow, Jarome Iginla and Douglas Murray. The only things to worry about for them is the health of Marc-Andre Fleury (who left Tuesday’s game) and Kris Letang who went back on IR after returning for a game.

2) Chicago Blackhawks (25-4-3, previous No. 1) – No longer on their epic win streak, the focus and pressure has been taken off the Blackhawks. Chicago has an NHL-best goal-differential of plus-37 while they have the best home record (12-2-1) and road record (13-2-2).

3) Anaheim Ducks (22-7-4, previous No. 2) – There is bad news in Disneyland as the Ducks have lost four games in a row, twice to Detroit and twice to San Jose. The surprising part is that the first three were at the Honda Center where the Ducks were 13-1-0. Anaheim scored one goal in each game against the Red Wings and were blanked by the Sharks on Wednesday, shocking for a team that has scored the second most goals in the Western Conference (104).

4) Montreal Canadiens (21-7-5, previous No. 4) – The Canadiens proved their resiliency by rallying twice in the third period  in Boston on Wednesday. This was after pulled Carey Price after the second period plus lost 1-0 in Pittsburgh the night before. Montreal and Boston will have a great battle for first place in the Northeast Division.

5) Boston Bruins (21-7-4, previous No. 5) – The B’s are understandably reeling after a brutal loss to the Canadiens on Wednesday followed by them losing out on the Jarome Iginla sweepstakes when it looked to be a done deal that he’d joined the spoked ‘B.’ Boston gets two days without a game for the first time in over a month which should do wonders for the banged up team that’s currently missing three regulars (Chris Kelly, Adam McQuaid and Johnny Boychuk).

6) Minnesota Wild (20-10-2, previous No. 7) – The Penguins understandably are getting most of the publicity but the Wild are the hottest team in the Western Conference, having won their last seven games in a row. Minnesota is 9-1-0 in their last 10 games and 12-3-1 at the Xcel Energy Center. The crazy part is that a team that is so reliant on its top lines has scored 90 goals.

7) Vancouver Canucks (18-9-6, previous No. 12) – Similar to the Wild, the Canucks have really found their game in the last few weeks. They’ve won five straight games to tie Minnesota atop the Northwest Division. Vancouver is 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and 9-4-3 on the road which are both good trends

8) Ottawa Senators (18-9-6, previous No. 8) – Head coach Paul MacLean and his comical moustache is close to wrapping up the NHL coach of the year award with this remarkable run his team has turned in. They might not do anything in the playoffs but with 15 games left in the regular season, they look like a lock to make it (barring a major collapse) which for them is still very impressive.

9) Detroit Red Wings (17-11-5, previous No. 11) – The Red Wings began their four-game road trip with two excellent wins in Anaheim then they won in Phoenix last night. If they can grab two points in San Jose tonight, you’ll know that the Red Wings are truly back after a uncharacteristically slow start to the season. The ironic part was that Detroit was under .500 (5-6-2) on the road before the trip.

10) Los Angeles Kings (18-12-2, previously No. 6) – It was a strange week for the Kings who lost two in a row at home, where they are great (12-4-1) but then won 5-4 at Chicago on Monday. They are 6-8-1 on the road this season but that victory against the NHL’s best team could go a long way to giving them confidence during the stretch run.

11) Winnipeg Jets (18-14-2, previous No. 13) – Up six points now on Carolina and seven ahead of Washington, the surprising Jets are in good shape for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and 10-6-2 on the road this season which are good signs, unlike their goal-differential of -11 which is the worst mark of any team in the top eight of either conference.

12) Toronto Maple Leafs (18-12-4, previous No. 15) – The Leafs are treading water (3-3-4 in their last 10 games) but they are still in good shape to make the playoffs for the first time in nine years which in Canada is magnified tenfold. Toronto has identical 9-6-2 records at Air Canada Centre and on the road but they are 0-4 in shootouts. Good news for them is that if they make the postseason, they won’t face a shootout.

13) St. Louis Blues (17-13-2, previous No. 9) – The Blues have lost their last two games to drop into seventh place in the Western Conference. Anything can happen in the NHL playoffs as we see every spring but St. Louis really doesn’t want to face Chicago or Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs. Their next three games are really tough: vs. Kings, at Wild and at Blackhawks.

14) San Jose Sharks (14-12-2, previous No. 17) – The Sharks are hanging on for dear life to the eighth seed in the Western Conference but they are coming off their best two wins of the season: sweeping a home-and-home series with Anaheim. It’ll be interesting to see what they do at the trade deadline (April 3), they’ve already shipped defenseman Douglas Murray to Pittsburgh.

15) New York Rangers (16-13-3, previous No. 14) – If they make the playoffs, the Rangers are still a team that nobody in the Eastern Conference wants to face since their games always tend to be such physical grinds. New York’s margin for error is so small since they’ve scored a conference-low 78 goals. Up next, they play the three Eastern Conference Canadian teams (Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg) who would all be in the postseason if it started today.

16) New Jersey Devils (15-11-7, previous No. 16) – Ilya Kovalchuk is out with a shoulder injury for 2-4 weeks which means the Devils could drop out of the playoff picture if they’re not careful. This team hasn’t had any luck this season since Kovalchuk’s injury followed quickly in the footsteps of Martin Brodeur’s injury. Getting back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight year seems highly unlikely.

17) Nashville Predators (14-13-6, previously No. 13) – The Predators haven’t been themselves for most of the season but they are turning it on (3 consecutive wins) when it matters most. Nashville needs to a find a way to win more on the road (5-11-2) since they are fine at home (9-2-4), otherwise they could miss the playoffs.

18) New York Islanders (15-15-3, previous No. 19) – One of the sneaky storylines in the NHL is that the Islanders have a decent chance to make the playoffs which would be a huge accomplishment for them. They’ve won their last two games and they are excellent on the road (9-4-1). Now they have to win at dumpy Nassau Coliseum (6-11-2).

19) Dallas Stars (15-14-3, previously not ranked) – You can certainly question Dallas’ desire to make the playoffs this season as they traded winger Brendan Morrow to Pittsburgh but they are only three points out of the eighth seed so like it or not, they will be a factor in who makes it. PS why is that franchise still there?

20) Columbus Blue Jackets (13-13-7, previous No. 20) – The Blue Jackets lost a heartbreaker, 1-0 in a shootout at Vancouver, on Tuesday but one of the worst road teams in the NHL (3-9-2) has a good chance to bounce back. They are in Edmonton on Thursday and Calgary on Friday, two of the worst teams in the Western Conference that aren’t going anywhere this season. If Columbus is serious about make the playoffs, they need more points on this trip.

Follow Metro sports writer Richard Slate on Twitter @RichSlate

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The Flyers’ bid to make the NHL’s version of the Elite Eight in the East took yet another hit here Thursday night. After carrying a two goal lead into the final minute of the second period, they began to unravel, eventually falling, 4-3, to the much-improved Islanders in the dreaded shootout.

While the point they earned on Scott Hartnell’s power-play goal with just 30 seconds remaining and Ilya Bryzgalov pulled for an extra attacker actually pulled them within six of the Rangers — who lost in Ottawa — they also slipped six behind the Isles.

“It sure seems like a loss right now,’’ said Scott Hartnell, who also connected on the power play just 4:14 into play, before Mike Knuble, playing for the first time in nine games, made it 2-0 at 17:25. “We get a 2-0 lead and it seems like we freeze and stop moving. That’s when their skill kicks in. We’re lucky to get a point.’’

From the time John Tavares’ backhander remarkably caromed off the skates off both Luke Schenn and Erik Gustafsson past a helpless Bryzgalov 19:00 into the second period, the Isles completely dominated. They set up camp in the Flyers’ zone virtually the entire third period and had Peter Laviolette’s team — which had to play the second half of the game without Braydon Coburn — on its heels.

It seemed inevitable the dam would eventually burst, as Colin McDonald one-timed the equalizer home with 9:56 left. Less than four minutes later McDonald’s screened shot gave the lead to an Islanders team bearing no resemblance to the one the Flyers embarrassed 7-0 last time they met.

Only Hartnell’s persistence digging a loose puck out of a melee in front and slipping it past Evgeni Nabokov revived the Flyers. They managed to kill off a penalty and survive overtime to get into the shootout. That’s where a familiar fate awaited them after Claude Giroux gave them a brief lead. Ultimately, Josh Bailey — the fourth shooter — got the game winner after Wayne Simmonds missed.

“We need to find a way when we’re up 2-1 going into the third to get those two points,’’ said a frustrated Giroux, who had two assists. “It’s not that we didn’t battle, it’s just bounces that go in. I don’t know if we froze, but they did a good job of coming back and tying it up. Then we did a good job of coming back and tying it at the end.’’

But when you’re 14th in the conference chasing so many teams trying to climb your way up, you need more than one point in a game like this. Now, with the potent Bruins, followed by the Caps and Canadiens, coming to town over the next week, the task just gets that much harder

“When you live it day-to-day and you’re not getting the wins, it’s hard to catch you by surprise,’’ said Laviolette, who won’t know the extent of Coburn’s injury until today. “I know nobody is comfortable right now where we’re at.

“It makes for tough days and tough nights. This team and organization is accustomed to being in a different place that we’re not in right now.’’

Fifteen games left. Six points to make up and six teams to catch.

The Elite Eight never looked so far away.

The post Flyers squander lead in shootout loss to Isles appeared first on Metro.us.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

The Rangers beat the Flyers in a key game Tuesday. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist turned aside 29 shots, while holding the Orange and Black to two goals or less for the 12th time in the last 13 meetings. Afterwards the Flyers insisted they aren’t intimidated by their Atlantic Division rivals and don’t believe the Rangers are in their heads.

At the same time, following last night’s depressing 5-2 loss that dropped them seven points behind the Rangers for the East’s final playoff spot with just 16 games to play, several Flyers admitted they hadn’t come out ready to play. That’s mind-boggling, considering the stakes for a team which should’ve been desperate if it legitimately hopes to make the playoffs.

Instead, the Flyers dug a 3-0 hole for themselves in the first 26 minutes on the first of Rick Nash’s two goals, followed by Brad Richards and Derek Stepan goals 2:34 apart in the second.

“It’s disappointing,’’ said captain Claude Giroux, after the Flyers battled back within 3-2 early in the third on a couple of freakish goals by Wayne Simmonds and Jake Voracek, before defensive breakdowns led to goals by Nash and Chris Kreider to put it away. “It’s a big game. We need to find a way to be ready for those kinds of games.”

Ironically, ever since the day Giroux beat Lundqvist in that infamous shootout that sent the Flyers into the 2010 playoffs – and eventually all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals – while the Rangers went home, Lundqvist & Co. have been making them pay.

“We win tonight, we’re three points behind the Rangers,’’ said goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, who wasn’t as sharp as needed, though he didn’t get much support. “But now we’re seven points behind. To be honest, I don’t have an answer. I can’t say we’re nervous. They always just find a way to beat us. I don’t know why the reason, but they always find a way.’’

Three of four this year, after going 6-0 last season, in fact.

“We’re here to win hockey games and that was horrible,’’ admitted Kimmo Timonen, who was honored before the game for recently playing in his 1,000th NHL game. “We have to find a better effort across the board. It comes down to one-on-one battles and we didn’t win many of them today. It was all Rangers. They were hungrier and a better team tonight.’’

Yet with still 1/3 of the season to play they keep insisting there’s hope.

“There’s nowhere to go except to the rink tomorrow for practice, and to get ready for the next game,’’ said coach Peter Laviolette, with the Islanders, Bruins, Caps and Canadiens all coming here within the next week. “Regardless of how the night went, the season’s not over. We need to win hockey games; the objective remains the same. Tonight we didn’t give ourselves an opportunity to do that.’’

Of course, against the Rangers that seems to always be the case. Unfortunately during this 13-17-2 season, that aspiration seems doomed to everyone but themselves. The Flyers seem to play that way against nearly everyone.

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