Comeback kids: Flyers fight back to beat Devils

PHILADELPHIA- If the Flyers were going to break their scoring drought, who better to do it against than Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. For the first time since 2005, the Flyers rallied from a 2-0 deficit by scoring three unanswered goals to beat the Devils 3-2 last night from the Wachovia Center.

After a rough first period where the Flyers look s unbalanced and lost, they rebounded and competed with number one team in the Atlantic division and beat them at their own game.

Philadelphia finally found the back of the net, finally found a way to generate quality scoring chances that resulted in goals. They did it against the best of the best, Martin Brodeur.

“As a team, we knew we just needed to get more pucks at the net with second opportunities,” said captain Mike Richards.

“We did that: we kept on going, kept on going. [Brodeur] made some big saves, and then we kind of got that lucky bounce which gave us some confidence. And it’s nice when the scoring’s spread out through a couple lines – it makes it a lot easier.”

Coach Peter Laviolette didn’t necessarily believe they put on a scoring lesson, but they did take giant steps forward.

“Doesn’t seem like the dam broke with three, but we’ll take them,” Laviolette said. “We’ve been generating a lot of chances and putting pucks at the net and trying to get in there for rebounds and tips and second opportunities. Tonight they dropped.”

It looked rough early on. The Devils capitalized on their first power play opportunity at 7:oo when Zach Parise shot a puck that ricochet off Chris Pronger’s skate and passed Michael Leighton to make it 1-0.

The Devils made it 2-0 just over a minute into the second when Annsi Salmela took a quick snapshot just a few feet in front of Leighton over his right shoulder.

Salmela paid the price.

As soon the puck left his stick, Jeff Carter caught Salmela with head down. Salmela took a lethal shoulder to the head and hit the ice face first. The hit was legal, shoulder to head with the biggest impact coming from his face slamming the ice.

Salmela lay motionless until he began moving all extremities when asked by trainers. He was taken off the ice on a stretcher and later deemed OK.

Carter was obviously remorseful after the game.

“He was driving wide, I’m coming back,” Carter said. “I saw the replay, I got him right in the shoulder. Apparently he’s OK, which is a good thing, but im not a dirty player. I’ve never been suspended. I rarely hit, so it’s unfortunate that he got hurt, I’m glad he was all right. That’s just not my game.”

Even though the scoreboard had the Devils up 2-0. It was clear that Leighton kept his team in the game and gave them a chance to try to write this ship.

James van Riemsdyk put the Flyers on the board at 18:24 of the second period when he sped through center ice and snapped a quick wrist shot go that stunned Brodeur to make 2-1.

The raucous crowd at the Wachovia Center didn’t even have time to blink.

Chris Pronger once again showed his brilliant vision at 19:36 when he saw a streaking Scott Hartnell and had Carter coming up along side and a 2-on-1 developed. Hartnell sent a pass over the Carter who beat Brodeur easily to tie things up at 2-2.

“Harts (Hartnell) made a good pass over to Cartsy (Carter), with 25 seconds to go in the second, and to bounce back like that – we haven’t done it very often this year –and it couldn’t come at a better time,” Pronger said.

The Flyers put the nail in the Devils couffin 12:02 in regulation. Kimmo Timonen carried the ouck behind the net and found Richards standing in the slot. Timonen sent a crisp dish to an open Richards finished the job and beat Brodeur.

Of course, not every Flyers game can end as sweet as that.

Timonen took a bad boarding penalty with just under two minutes to play. New Jersey went into desperation mode and sent five forwards to try and tie things and head to overtime.

The Flyers stifled the Devils offense to hold on to the lead and beat the Atlantic division leaders 3-2. Superstar Ilya Kovalchuk was held to zero points on nine shots.

The Flyers will head over to the Prudential Center in Newark where they will play the second half of their home-and-home with the Devils tomorrow night.

Coach Laviolette said it best when he stated that they can’t look ahead of tomorrow night’s game. They have to focus on how their going to beat the Devils at home and then they can concentrate on the Canadiens.

Flyers must head into Olympic break winners

The Philadelphia haven’t had an easy past week. Besides the dismantling of the Calgary Flames a week ago today, they’ve hit yet another wall.

The wall that currently restricts them is the act of scoring goals. The Flyers were shutout by the putrid Edmonton Oilers 1-0 last Wednesday, then scored one meaningless goal in a 2-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. A scoring drought is something the Flyers do not need at this time.

The Flyers have two home-and-homes coming this week before they hit the Olympic break. The New Jersey Devils will be first up for the Flyers tonight from the Wachovia Center, then on Wednesday in New Jersey. It’s clear the Devils are going to present a bigger problem than usual this time around with the addition of superstar sniper, Ilya Kovalchuk.

Next up for will the Montreal Canadiens on a back-to-back situation Friday and Sat. Ray Emery’s status is unknown at this point so the weight once again will be bestowed upon Michael Leighton. Over the past two games Leighton has kept his team in contention to win the game; however, the Flyers with many scoring chances couldn’t find the back of the net.

A problem that coach Peter Laviolette thinks is something that has to work itself out.

“It hasn’t bounced for us, and it seems like it’s been bouncing the wrong way. The only thing you can do is keep the process right and hope that they start to drop,” said Laviolette. “We’re generating offense, and we have to take advantage of it. The opportunities are there, and we have to cash in on them.”

The Flyers should have collected all six possible points during the three game West coast trip last week. Without a doubt. The stars have to start stepping up and that begins by showing up with the desperation attitude that both the coach and the players preach daily.

Captain Mike Richards has just three goals in his last 13 games whereas Jeff Carter has six in the same stretch. They have to be better than that. When they are, the Flyers win games. The story of the 2009-10 Flyers have been streaks, two games that look great followed by two or three not so pretty games where they look like a Stanley Cup contender.

The Flyers have to at least go 3-1 in their next four games for their confidence to be high heading into the Olympic break after Sat. game in Montreal. Anything below that, things are going to be looking scary for this team.

Philadelphia are currently sitting in the eighth spot in the everyday crowded Eastern conference with 59 points. The importance of this week shows when you see the separation between the Flyers and the sixth seeded Habs. The Canadiens have 62 points and will face the Flyers twice this week. The Flyers also have an advantage by having four games at hand at this point than Montreal.

The fact remains, the solution to the Flyers problems right now is to score goals. Recent history has shown that Leighton can hold a lead, the only issue is the Flyers have to score to get their netminder that lead. They’ll have their chances with the Devils and Canadiens this week.

Finally over: Kovalchuk traded to Devils

After all the speculation, around the clock coverage, and constant destination changes, Ilya Kovalchuk has finally been dealt.

The New Jersey Devils have acquired the Atlanta sniper. 

The Devils have reportedly sent Johnny Oduya, Niclas Bergfors, a first-round draft pick, and Mattias Tedenby to Atlanta to nab the Russian scoring machine.  

There was lots of speculation all week that the Philadelphia Flyers were heavily involved in talks with Thrasher GM Don Waddell about grabbing Kovalchuk.

Never really came close.

According to CSNPhilly.com’s Flyers beat writer Tim Panaccio and yours truly, GM Paul Holmgren stated a few times that he didn’t want to mortgage the future for Kovalchuk.

Completely understood. The Flyers were not going to financially come up with the cap room to sign Kovalchuk long-term.  It was wonderful wishful thinking by tons of Flyers fans, however, the deal would’ve affected the club’s future for a few year’s.

The Devils just made their team a viable Stanley Cup threat, if they weren’t already. The Devils have scored just 146 goals this season. Now they add a perrenial 50-goal scorer for about 40 games or so.

Remember, Kovalchuk to the Devils is just a rental. The Devils are believed to be pretty close to their cap max.

The sweepstakes are finally over, now hockey and Flyers can get things back to a relatively normal pace. Wait…..the Olympics are about two weeks away. Scratch that….

Richards, Emery help shutout new look Flames

It was a complete effort for the first time in a long time. What do I mean? The Philadelphia Flyers shutout the Calgary Flames last night 3-0 with a full 60 minute effort. Captain Mike Richards finally came out of his goal drought with two goals, including his 100th career tally while Ray Emery stopped all 18 Flames shots.

“That’s a sign of a goalie getting confidence coming back from his injury,” Richards said. “The rebound control is sometimes not always there. Tonight, I thought he played the rebounds well. He cleared them to the corner when he had to and made the really big saves when we needed them.”

From start to finish the Flyers stifled the Flames, handling them in every facet of the hockey game. Emery was sharp, ‘razor’ sharp. Starting his eighth straight game, he controlled everything that came his way. Granted he only faced 18 shots, some of those were big saves.

“He did an excellent job controlling,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “There wasn’t a lot [of shots], but there were some really big ones. Sometimes that’s hard when you are not getting a lot of work and then there’s a point-blank chance.”

It was the best Emery has looked since returning from his injury. He allowed no rebounds to flutter for second or third chances. He was simply, efficient.

“It wasn’t easy but the boys made it as easy as it can get,” Emery said. “I thought we played our best defensive game of the year.

“We did a good job of working in their end and kinda putting to rest their burst of forechecking. I thought we matched it, if not beat their work ethic.”

While Emery picked up his third shutout of the season, captain Richards picked up a milestone in his young career. Midway through the second period, Richards broke the scoreless game with an opportunistic goal after a beauty of a dish from Simon Gagne from the high slot that beat Miikka Kiprusoff. That was Richards’ 100th career tally.

“The goal was just a little bit of a scramble,” Richards said. “I got lucky and the puck popped to me.  I actually missed my shot and it went in.”

It was good to see the monkey get off the captain’s back. He had previously scored one goal in his last 10 games. It got so bad, that he went from beard-to mustache-to clean-shaven within a week.

His second goal of the night came late in the third on the power-play, his 22nd of the season. Claude Giroux gave the Flyers and their goaltender some breathing room when he slipped a pretty breakaway backhand past Kiprusoff, thew shot seemed to stun ‘Kipper’ a bit. That gave the Flyers a 2-0 lead.

All in all, the defense of the Flyers won the game, hands down. 18 shots was all that was given up by the defense, the energy and effectiveness of every shift showed. Jarome Iginla, and new Ranger center Olli Jokinen were shutdown offensively.

“That was probably our best 60-minute effort of the year,” Chris Pronger said. “We were moving our feet for 60 minutes. We played solid in our own end. [Emery] came up with a couple good stops when we needed them, too. For the most part, we played a pretty tight defensive game.”

The Flyers have scored the first goal in 17 of their last 19 games, which benefits the defense.

“Obviously it is important,” Richards said. “It is much easier playing with the lead then coming back. We have had great starts to games but have had a little bit of trouble in between.”

There was no trouble in between last night. The Flyers finally looked to have played a 60 minutes game where they looked as goods as they have all year. It was a perfect night in all intensive purposes.

The Flyers will hit the second leg of their three-game west coast trip tomorrow when they play the troubled Edmonton Oilers. Yet another 9:30 start.

Holmgren still looking to upgrade Flyers, trade talk

By now everyone knows the trades that shocked the NHL world yesterday afternoon. Dion Phaneuf is now a Toronto Maple Leaf. Goaltender JS Giguere has been reunited with Brian Burke, who was his boss during the Stanley Cup winning season for the Anaheim Ducks.

At one point during yesterday’s firesale, Atlanta’s Thrashers superstar Ilya Kovalchuk was rumored to be headed to Calgary. Obviously that didn’t become reality for Flames fans’.

Yesterday’s excitement caught the NHL by surprise, it really did. That is why those moves had so much coverage everywhere, it was an utter shock. Phaneuf had been a subject of trade rumors since November, however, those reports were put to rest after Flames GM Darryl Sutter said the big defensemen was off the market.

It looks like most of the dealing will be held off until after the Olympic break. Flyers GM Paul Holmgren said Monday that their ‘not done’ trying to upgrade their clubhouse.

“We might want to still do something on defense and forward, but not in goal,” Holmgren said.

Flyers-Kovalchuk?

Holmgren saying he has interest in acquiring another forward, Kovalchuk has to immediately come to mind. Although the issue here is the same one the Flyers deal with every season, cap space. The Flyers have none. Kovalchuk becomes a dead issue……unless the Flyers plan on moving Jeff Carter.

That’s the only plausible scenario to see Kovalchuk in Philadelphia. Carter would absolutely have to be involved in the deal to even make the Thrashers blink. The problem being Holmgren has already said Carter will not be traded. Things can change from now until after the Olympic break.

The Flyers have already declared they aren’t taking any trade offers that include Carter. He is one of the few forwards on the roster who doesn’t have a no-trade clause.

If Atlanta comes to the Flyers and offers Kovalchuk for Carter and a player to be named later, don’t take it. Don’t kill me just yet, let me explain.

In order for Kovalchuk to be moved, he has already stated that he wants to go to a team that can win and will sign him to a long-term deal i.e. Marian Hossa in Chicago.

The Flyers will eventually have to sign Carter to a long-term deal and probably include a no-trade clause. Don’t risk the future that Carter represents for a second-half rental in Kovalchuk. The Flyers can’t afford Kovalchuk long-term, so why deal the future for him now? Exactly, just take your finger off the trigger.

Despite inept officials, Flyers beat Isles to end home stand

PHILADELPHIA- It wasn’t a pretty way to end their six-game homestand, but it was a win. The Flyers overcame adversity because of nonsensical officiating to beat the New York Islanders 2-1 from the Wachovia Center this afternoon.

Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell each scored to help push the Flyers past the slumping Islanders. Netminder Ray Emery, who was between the pipes for every game during the homestand, stopped 31 shots. Both Philadelphia goals came in the first period, so both defenses controlled the game for the next 40 minutes.

After practice yesterday, coach Peter Laviolette decided to change his lines around to create a new spark. With Scott Hartnell being paired with captain Mike Richards and Simon Gagne, the slumping winger netted his first goal in six games, only his second in 26.

“We’ve had success in the past, Scotty and I,” Richards said. “It’s nice to have a big, rugged winger who’s going to finish his checks. His hands are underrated a lot and he makes good plays. He showed it tonight. He had success.”

Briere begun the scoring 8:22 into the first with a pretty wraparound that beat Dwayne Roloson through his left-side pad. That was the 16th time in the past 18 games that the Flyers struck first.

Coach Laviolette said the other day to not take any team that isn’t the Penguins or Devils lightly. Because teams like the Islanders are ones who play aggressive and work hard every shift. What did Laviolette thing about today’s game?

“We played a team that was aggressive,” he said. “They were down, and anytime we’re going to play teams that are around us and you’ve got a lead you better put your hard hat on and get ready, because they’re going to be coming, and after the second was over and the swing, the change, and the momentum, the third period, we picked it back up, still not to the way we did in the first, but I think they changed their game.”

The Flyers went up 2-0 when Hartnell redirected a Richards slapshot past a blind Roloson at 17:12 on the power-play. Hartnell played his best in a while, he was all over the ice, winning battles in front of the net, and working hard along the boards. It was fitting yet rewarding for Hartnell to finally put one in the net.

“He was good today, it seems like he has that edge when he’s most effective,” Richards said of Hartnell. “You don’t like to see him sitting in the penalty box, but it’s nice to see that fire and determination and hitting bodies and being physical in the game. When he’s like that, he’s at his best.

“It’s fun to score goals, that’s what hockey’s all about: helping your team win,” Hartnell said. “I was pretty jacked up, and it seemed like everyone was emotionally involved tonight – it was kind of a chippy game, a lot of stuff after the whistles. But we got two points. It’s a great feeling to get a victory here after a disappointing loss last game.”

Controversy quickly struck the momentum filled Flyers just over seven minutes into the second period. Kimmo Timonen took a slapshot from the point and beat Roloson to put the Flyers up 3-0.

Not so fast.

After Timonen’s shot went in the net, Hartnell ran into Roloson before the puck crossed the line, according to the officials. The goal was taken away from Timonen and Hartnell was sent to box for interference.

Just over seven minutes later, Josh Bailey put a wrist shot by Emery to limit the lead to just one, 2-1. It was obvious to myself that the puck clearly crossed the line before Hartnell collided with the goalie. Also, none of the refs signaled no goal. Nobody.

That, my friends, is just Flyers luck.

“I disagree with the call,” Laviolette said. “I don’t want to comment on the refereeing. Next question. I’m frustrated.”

Overall, the game didn’t have a lot of excitement; however, the intensity was there for both clubs. With the lack of scoring depth, the Islanders had a tough time collecting quality scoring chances. Emery did help his own cause by preventing a lot of second and third rebound opportunities. The Flyers played a hungry game in front of their goaltender, but only came away with two goals.

“He was eating pucks up a little better tonight, not allowing rebounds and things of that nature,” Chris Pronger said. “And that’s important for a goalie, especially on a power play for the other team – when the goaltender’s eating it up, it’s very frustrating to the other team looking for loose rebounds and second and third opportunities.”

Consistency is still coming at a slow pace for the Flyers, but their surely getting there.

“I think, honestly, probably every team struggles with [consistency],” Laviolette said. “If you go ask their coach right now and ask him if you thought the consistency was perfect tonight, and they’d say no. Then you go and ask anyone else playing tonight and, you know, 60 minutes, night after night, that’s what everybody strives for, and all you can do is keep working toward it.”

The Flyers will now head north where they’ll faceoff against the Calgary Flames who have lost nine straight games. That game will take place Monday from the Saddledome.

Flyers look to thrash Atlanta at home

Philadelphia Flyers- (26-22-3) vs. Atlanta Thrashers- (23-21-8)

The Story: The Flyers are coming into this game looking to continue their hot streak as of late and wondering if this is the last time they’ll see superstar Ilya Kovalchuk in an Atlanta uniform. Atlanta are most likely pondering the same thing. When will Kovalchuk be dealt and to who?

The Flyers have been linked to having interest in the sharp-shooting forward, but so have dozens of other teams around the NHL. It’s become a tough situation for Atlanta because its obvious that nobody would want to deal away their top player. In reality, Kovalchuk can’t stay there. He has to move to a bigger market and with a team that can challenge for the playoffs year after year.

In 46 games this year, Kovalchuk has 30 goals and 26 assists for 56 points. Head coach Peter Laviolette talked about the star power of Kovalchuk.

“He and [Alex] Ovechkin are up there as the most dangerous wingers in the league because of their speed their skill, and when they play the game they bring that skill,” said Laviolette. “That makes it difficult to defend off the rush. They both have a really big shot, and you know it’s obviously a challenge to play [against] top players like that.”

Only Alexander Ovechkin has scored more goals since the lockout than Kovalchuk. Furthermore, the question always relies on who’s going to matchup against the Russian gun-slinger?

Laviolette said that he is going to try and have Kimmo Timonen and Chris Pronger out there against him as much as humanly possible. Staying on Pronger, the veteran defensemen has 13 points (3G, 10A) in his last 11 games and is proving to be worth every cent he was given by this organization.

“Since the last fifteen games or so, he’s been rock solid for us back there,” said Laviolette. “I mean, that’s why Chris Pronger is here. He was brought here for his offense. He was brought here for his defense, and to play against the other team’s best players, which he does every night.”

“I’ve got a decent point total, but it’s a byproduct of the last 10-12 games of us scoring a lot of goals and playing well defensively,” added Pronger. “[That] allows us to get ahead in games and get power play goals, empty-net goals, 2-on-1’s, [and] quality 3-on-2’s, when teams are forced to kind of press and take chances.”

The Thrashers haven’t been too dismal as of late, going 5-3-2 in their last ten and sit at 11th in the East with 54 points. While the Flyers have been noticeably hot going 7-3 in their last 10 games and are in sixth place with 55 points. Five places are separated by one point.

Who’s red hot?

Goalie Ray Emery is 3-2 with a 2.40 goals-against average and .916 save percentage since returning from December abdominal surgery. He has surrendered three goals in his past four games. Thrashers center Rich Peverley has five points in six games. Expect Emery to get the start tonight. Jeff Carter has six goals in the last five games.

These two will faceoff tonight at 7pm from the Wachovia Center.

Laviolette preparing Flyers for stretch run

Coach Peter Laviolette has been a key catalyst in bringing his Philadelphia Flyers team out of the Eastern Conference basement. Laviolette came to Philadelphia to a team in disarray. A team that all of a sudden had no continuity and convinced some fans that this season was all but lost.

The Flyers are 13-11-2 since ‘Lavvy’ took over the helm after John Stevens was relieved of his duties. That record, those 11 losses, are quite deceiving giving how this team has played over the past month and a half. Laviolette has instilled to this team a system that has made this Flyers team seem like a team that was picked to win the Stanley Cup by numerous hockey outlets.

The Flyers have been scoring goals just as efficient as they are preventing them. The defensive corps under this ’system’ is sound and effective. The offense has found their identity and it works. For the first time in a matter of years this Flyers team has four lines that get the job done. They can score and shutdown their opposition.

With all these positives there has to be a surrounding negative.

The Olympics.

It’s no secret that the upcoming Olympic break will affect every NHL team, especially if those teams top players will represent their respective countries.

For a team like the Flyers, this break couldn’t come at more hazardous time. It glaring that the Flyers have picked up their game substantially. Enough so, that there is talk about climbing as high as the fourth or fifth seed in the East. Olympic break could really hurt a team like the Flyers because of the buzz kill it brings.

With the roll the Flyers have been on, the three-week break that the Olympics brings can harm this team. Especially since their top stars will be headed to Vancouver to participate. Chris Pronger, Mike Richards, and Kimmo Timonen most notably will be competing for their countries. If there is anyone in that locker room that need those three weeks or so to rest their motors, its them three.

Overall, coach Laviolette has a lot left on his plate before playoffs even start to be a topic of conversation. Does his team have a legitimate shot at being a force in the playoffs? Absolutely. Do they have work that needs to be done to become again considered a Stanley Cup contender? Without a doubt. Health is a big issue, same can be said with any team on the league except it means more to Philadelphia.

The Flyers were struggling to say the least when both Darroll Powe and Blair Betts were out of the lineup. They flourish more often than not when their doing their jobs on the ice. Betts, is one of the best penalty killers in the NHL while Powe brings tenacity and speed to any line he gets put on. It’s the little things that guys like them do that help a team win that doesn’t necessarily show up on a score sheet.

Furthermore, with a tough and inconvenient break coming up fast, many feel that Laviolette has enough of a grasp on his players that they’ll come out of this break just as impressive as they were going in.

Philly Knockout: Flyers beat up Rangers, 2-0

PHILADELPHIA- You could almost hear boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer sound off his famous tagline of “Let’s get ready to rumble,” when watching last night’s Flyers shutout victory over the New York Rangers.

For the second straight time, the Flyers made a statement against their division rivals. First it was a 6-0 drubbing in Madison Square Garden, this time it was 2-0 in a sold-out Wachovia Center.

Philadelphia controlled and dominated all aspects of the game. One-on-one battles, forechecking, and how can we forget the fights. All this; however, came in second because more importantly the Flyers pulled within two points of the sixth-seeded Rangers.

“I don’t know if you can say it’s a statement game, but we played well against a team that is playing well and didn’t give them a whole lot of chances,” said captain Mike Richards.

Besides the Carcillo beating of Ranger superstar Marian Gaborik in the second period, Gaborik was held silent the entire night, just as the rest of his New York teammates.

“Good offensive players like [Marian] Gaborik didn’t get a whole lot. It was a good game for us to build confidence and keep the home stand going.”

Winding back to the Carcillo vs. Gaborik beatdown, that fight sparked second period fireworks after a rather sqeeky clean first period. Gaborik dropped his gloves and went after Carcillo during a scrum between both teams. Needless to say, Gaborik didn’t fare well.

For some reason, Rangers head coach John Tortorella thought Carcillo went after his star player on purpose. Obviously, this morning ‘Torts’ is changing his mind.

“I don’t know who was on that line that could help him, but yeah, it was weird. I wasn’t expecting him to drop his gloves and when he did, I was pretty much licking my chops,” Carcillo said.

What was shocking to everybody including the players, none of the other Ranger players went over to help their star scorer. He was left out in the wild with its leader, Carcillo.

“There’s no honor, there’s no honor in that,” Tortorella said of the Gaborik fight. “As I’ve always said, I don’t play the game, I don’t wear the uniform. I don’t want to say too much about it but there’s simply no honor. It’s pretty embarrassing.”

Cheese with that whine, coach?

Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette saw the same thing we saw on the replays.

 “I saw a scrum in front of our net. We’re outnumbered. Danny came in and picked somebody off the pile and Gaborik dropped his gloves first,” said Laviolette. 

“Danny can either get punched or drop his and fight. I think the refs saw it that way, as well because they both got five minutes for fighting. Danny Carcillo doesn’t make a habit of going after the other team’s top skilled players.”

Scott Hartnell and league bad boy Sean Avery fought minutes later. That one ended with Avery on the ground after three right hooks to face from Hartnell.

“He wanted to fight,” said Hartnell on his exchange with Avery. I fought him the last game in New York. I was kind of at the end my shift, but I got a few quick rights in at the beginning and he ended up going down.”

There was scoring in this game. The Flyers scored the game’s first goal 15:10 into the first when rookie James van Riemsdyk knocked in his own rebound after being stopped on a breakaway by Henrik Lundqvist.

Chris Pronger sent a picture perfect pass all the up the ice to a streaking JVR and the rookie finished it on a tough effort. Ray Emery also picked up the assist on the goal.

“The puck just kind of squirted out,” JVR said. “I think Prongs saw me coming off the bench. I just got a shot off and kind of whiffed on it. I got the rebound and luckily it went in.”

The next goal, and the last one, came with just three seconds to go in the second frame when Richards collected his 20th on season when his wrist shot hit Ranger defensemen Mike Staal’s skate and past Lundqvist.

“Last couple nights, the other team didn’t have much,” Emery said. “I thought we did a great job. We played physical, we stayed out of the box, as well. … If they get chances, they can bury them. Gaborik and that top line, the boys really shut them down and made those top players play defense which they don’t like to do.”

Emery, who started his third straight game, collected his second shutout of the season stopping all 24 shots.

Overall, the Wachovia Center felt like a playoff game and the players heard it. It could have been because the Rangers were in town or it might have been the way the Flyers played. Old-time hockey was in full effect last night, and it brought right fists with it.

“We usually have pretty good games against the Rangers; we got a big two points and Ray did a helluva job for us,” said Arron Asham, who also had a fight. “These games are fun. Good atmosphere, a few fights. It’s fun hockey.

“It was playoff-style atmosphere out there,” Pronger said. “We were a desperate team. We needed to beat them. Close the gap with them, obviously, with playoffs at stake. It was a game that had a lot of implications.”

Coach Laviolette thought the Flyers played so well, he couldn’t find something to criticize.

“I liked all of it, I really did,” he said. “It’s hard to pull out one thing or just one point. I thought the guys were committed to the way they played the game from the start to the finish.”

Extra:

The Flyers have won five straight at home. They last did that Dec. 9, 2008 – Jan. 10, 2009 when they won eight straight at the Wach.. Chris Pronger has points in eight of his last nine games (11 points). James van Riemsdyk has at least a point in seven of his last nine games (10 points).

Carter’s big game helps Flyers sting Jackets 5-3

PHILADELPHIA- The are in the midst of the most important stretch of their season. They need to go at least 4-2 in this six-game homestand to even have a chance of making an impact in this playoff race. Because of Jeff Carter’s two goals, one being a drop-of a-puck surprise wrister, beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 at the Wachovia Center. The Flyers took game one of this homestand and did it rather convincingly.

At this very moment, Columbus starting goalie last night Martin Garon still has no explanation on how the Carter shot went through him. Directly off the faceoff at 11:32, took a shot off the right circle when the ref dropped the puck and it sailed past Garon, he had no time to react.

That was Carter’s second goal of the night and the winning one, giving the Flyers a 3-2 lead. Carter had a few chances to net the hat-trick on orange-hat giveaway night; however, it didn’t come to fruition. Moreover, Carter now leads the team in points (42) and game-winning goals (5).

“I don’t do it every game but it’s something to try and catch them off-guard a little bit,” said Carter about his second goal off the faceoff. ”I came close and hit the goalies in the pads but never scored on it.”

“It’s a heads-up play by him, trying different things,” said captain Mike Richards. “He’s a smart player with quick hands on his shot. A nice goal. A big goal.”

Carter’s first period breakaway goal just 58 seconds into the game put the Flyers in the early lead 1-0. The goal was a pretty backhand that he roofed over Garon. Coach Peter Laviolette went into tonight’s game with different lines. One of those lines seen Claude Giroux paired with James van Riemsdyk and Arron Asham.

That line came through for Laviolette’s club. Asham took advantage of a beautiful side-board pass from Giroux to make it 2-0 Flyers. It was a crossing pass that all Asham had to do was bury the shot with a wide-open net.

Just under two minutes following Asham’s goal, former Flyer favorite R.J. Umberger made it 2-1 when he snuck a rebound past Ray Emery.

Umberger tied it up with his second goal at 10:04 when he pounced on a rebound and put it past Emery. It began to look shaky for Philadelphia.

Carter’s quick shot off the faceoff put the Flyers ahead 3-2 and that goal bailed them out of what would’ve been another nail biter.

Chris Pronger added a goal after joining the rush on the power-play when Danny Briere found Pronger sitting alone back-door on the left post for an easy tap-in to go up 4-2.

“We go back-door sometimes,” Pronger said. “Sometimes, we’re off to the side. It depends on what the defense is giving you. I’ve done it a few times, but it was the first time I’ve been able to connect.”

Dan Carcillo finished Columbus off when he added his fifth of the season with a wrist-shot that went top-shelf past Garon. That was it for Garon’s night as he was pulled for disappointing sophomore Steve Mason.

Rick Nash would add a goal to make it 5-3 on a deflection up front that the Philadelphia crowd thought Umberger redirected for his hat-trick. Hundreds of orange-hats filled covered the Wachovia Center ice until PA announcer Lou Nolan provided the important news that Umberger did not in fact score the goal.

“That just goes to show you how the fans of Philadelphia are, they appreciate hard-working players,” said Richards. “RJ (Umberger) was a hard-worker player who brought it everyday and the fans seen that and appreciate it.”

Carter just missed his hat-trick late in the third when he rang a seething wrister off the top-right post.

The Flyers had about a 10 minute coma where things went array. But they quickly regrouped and made it happen. The Flyers will faceoff against the New York Rangers tomorrow at the Wachovia Center.

My view on the ongoing Richards comments phenomenon:

Let the guy play and focus on bringing this team out of the basement and into a decent playoff run. Stop worrying about what he says off the ice in a magazine that nobody reads, and continue to focus on his performance on the ice. That’s all that matters in sports and especially here in Philadelphia, results.

It’s been a tough season so far for not just him, but for the team. He isn’t Pronger, so stop comparing him to him. That’s what I don’t get about all this. Richards is the captain on the ice where Pronger is the captain off the ice. It works both ways. I wish people would focus their views about on-ice results more than off-ice comments that could have been misinterpreted. Who knows, all speculation at this point on whether what Richards said were his words or the hockey news mis-quoting him.