Wat Up Homes!?!

A Broad Street Beatdown followed by a Canadian Crush, a Canadian Orange Crush that is. I must say whether the devil game or the Canadian game this team is HOT coming from behind or pounding from ahead and staying ahead.

Tonight was no exception to the heat and certainly did not let anyone down before the big olympic break and if Danny Briere isn't on any ones olympic roster I think now might be a good time to add him to your country's roster. Yikes is all i can say for the goalies, those poor souls that face him. The Good news for goalies around the NHL is that he has 20 days to cool off his hot hands. It was definitely his show tonight showing the Canadian crowd that the montra "You can hate me now" should certainly be in effect. For Danny it was two assists that did in the Canadians and the Devils at home and then in front of the booing Canadian crowd tonight it was a Hat Trick that literally shut them up and sent them home early.

The first period literally started off with a punch, when 4 seconds in Laperriere and O'Byrne decided to drop them and give a go. After that, about 4:37 in Danny Briere strikes once on a backhand shot beating Halak for his first. Then about 5 minutes later on a powerplay Mike Richards beats Halak from the circle. The hard hitting, hard playing grinding Flyers seem to be back from the dead. They grinded out the first period, beat the Habs to the pucks and it payed off. With about 5 minutes left in the first period Jeff Carter, who's WHITE hot put in his goal for the 4th straight game, making it 5 goals in 4 games. the only question i have is what kind of thriller, dawn of the dead, zombie curse has awaken these Flyers from their crypts? With their 3-0 lead they completely wore out the Habs in the first period and decimated Halaks confidence with close calls and goals.

As if the first period was any indication, the second period should hold more goals for the Flyers and less confidence for the Habs. As the first, it was much of the same, 3 goals scored in the second as well, but not all by the Flyers. About 7 Minutes in Brian Gionta scored his 17Th of the season on the powerplay opened the scoring. Then 3 minutes later the Flyers got on the board, while shorthanded, Blair Betts puts the team on the board, unassisted. With about a minute left Jaroslav Spacek takes a tripping penalty and the Flyers cease the opportunity to capitalize on it. A big blast from the point is tipped in by the hot handed Danny Briere, for his second of the day and the Flyers 5-1 big lead. The Flyers outplayed,out willed and outworked the Habs in all facets of the game.

The third period is less exciting but still quite the beatdown from the Flyers. They kept motoring and motoring and putting their nose to the grind. The difference between these past 4 games and the games they've been playing up til now is that they played a full 60 minutes. They put that phrase to the test and seemed to have worked it all the way through. It seems like the talent on the ice is now matching the work ethic they should be putting forth. When the Habs took the ice in the 3rd period they did so with Carey Price in net instead of degrading Halak anymore. About 5 minutes into the period Darrell Powe takes a penalty and Scott Gomez makes the Flyers pay. At the 10:53 mark a very confusing play, because Briere gets hauled down but Carter puts it in. Now its ruled a penalty shot and ultimately resulting in one for, yes dare i say, Danny Briere. Well in the first two periods he beat Halak twice and on the penalty shot he out waited and outwitted Carey Price for the Hat trick. Go on Habs fans throw your hats, oh wait, Flyers are taking their beatdowns on the road and beating up on clubs in their own building too. Well I will ask you this Flyers Fans, will it last even through the olympic break, or will the red hot Flyers burn out? Only time will tell if this orange will live to crush another team.

Flame Out!

Well the new look Flames with 4 new players and minus a big D man, that D man, Dion Phaneuf, one of the best open ice hitters in the game. They took on the Flyers who've been up and down as of late. The Flyers early on took notice of the missing D-man and put the pressure on early as they spent their first few shifts for the lines in the Flames end. The Flyers came out with a ton of energy and jump to punish the Flames in their end. Even though the Flyers punished the Flames even on the powerplay, the one constant in Calgary is the Kipper. Mikka Kiprusoff is the unknown genius in net here on the east coast, more like a west coast Canadian secret, just making one unbelievable save after another against the Flyers in the first period. At the other end, as well as a powerplay against him, Ray Emery came up big with some dribbling luck as a puck dribbled past him, but wide. Although both offenses had plenty of chances, including a powerplay each, all they could muster is 7 shots each and no goals on the board.

Just as well the second period started much like the first, a lot of up and down and chances by the Flyers but nothing to show for it. They sure did press the play in the Flames with good cycling and good chances but Kiprusoff answered the bell on them. It would take just a small miracle it would seem to beat Kipper and they got just that from Mike Richards at 10:16, midway through the second frame on a spectacular play from Gagne. The Flyers play in the period was quite offensive as hits from the forecheck caused disruption in the breakout of the Flames and caused many chances for the Flyers. Although they walked away from the period up 1-0, they could of had plenty more had it not been for the excellent goaltending from Kiprusoff. Not to be outdone Emery turned aside, yet again not a lot of shot, 10 shots from the Flames offense.

Well the third period it was the Flyers that came out on fire, snuffing out the Flames and putting on their own fire. About a 1:49 into the third, Jay Bouwmeester was last man back to defend on a two on one with Claude Giroux left all alone in the middle, on a breakaway he just backhanded it to the roof behind Kiprusoff. Giroux continues to dazzle the NHL with his great goals and this was no different against an excellent goaltender, he shined for the west coast to see. Late in the third period the Flyers put the icing on the cake when on a powerplay Carter won an offensive draw and Richards capitalized, scoring his second of the night at 17:44. As well that shined tonight the Flyers hunger shined, they were the first to the puck, the first to check a Flame off a puck and they wanted to get dirty and score. They also kept all the shots from the Flames outside the slot and the dots, the scoring areas. They really snuffed out the Flames, were all over them and just didn't let them breathe. The only question surrounding this game, Why can't they play like this every game? Hmmm guess we will have to wait and see.

The Flyers get another shot at a Canadian team victory on Wed at 9:30 visiting the Edmonton Oilers.

Winning at the Wach!

Well for the second straight game for the Flyers they had a substantial record of winning over them. The New york Islanders came into town down 0 for 13 in their last 13 meetings. As well as for the second straight game the flyers were disciplined in the first period. As well again the Flyers took too many penalties late against a team who I think you can handily beat as shown by the last 13 meetings.The Flyers Danny Briere posts the Flyers on the board in the 8 minute mark of the first. As well as their powerplay got them on the board in the late first period after a Bergenheim high sticking penalty, with a Scott Hartnell tip-in. The Flyers had plenty of quality opportunities from screened shots and shots from the slot but to no avail.

The second period saw a bit of a more chippy game between these two teams. As well as a goal taken away from the Flyers on an apparent Kimmo Timonen shot that found its way through. Dwayne Roloson immediatly got up and charged the ref and apparently sold it to ref Martel because Frasier who was a few feet away signaled a goal. I can not for certainty tell you who called it off but the signal on the ice was a goal. After the play there was determined Hartnell to have interfered with the goaltender, was given two penalties, goaltender interference and roughing as he roughed it up after with Andy Sutton. As the penalty to hartnell was coming to an end the Islanders capitalized on a missing Flyer coming from the box, Josh Bailey put the Isles on the board with a wrist shot from just outside the crease.

The third period was more a chess match, but the Flyers could of put more pressure on the Isles and they had plenty of chances to push the play but just layed back didnt press. That laid back attitude almost cost them a goal in the second and then again late in the third period the Isles almost put the tying goal on the board. Although it almost cost the Flyers the win they pulled away with a 14th straight win against the Isles and 4-2 on the homestand gathering 8 points up.

Thier next game is Monday at 9:30 against the Flames who have lost 9 of thier last 10.