Sabres Beat Flyers 3-2, Win Streak Ends at Five

by Geoff Detweiler on Nov 15, 2009 12:59 PM EST in 09-10 Game Recaps

[Recap] - [Boxscore] - [Complete Coverage] - [BUF Reaction]

If that game could be described in one word, frustrating would be my choice. The Flyers had plenty of chances, but just couldn't bury them. Ryan Miller made 29 saves on 31 shots and the Sabres scored two power play goals, enough to pull out the win.

As mentioned in the game thread, the Sabres second goal was purely Ray Emery's fault. He lost track of the puck behind the net, got caught on the opposite post, and was unable to recover in time. After that goal made it 2-0, the Flyers dominated play until Danny Briere got called for a four-minute high-stick, where Paul Gaustad had a beautiful deflection to put the Sabres up 3-1.

Even with Jeff Carter's short-handed goal with nine and a half minutes remaining, the Flyers were unable to come back and tie the game.

It's the day after and I tried to forget the game immediately, so here are just a few random thoughts:

It's not that the Flyers didn't play hard, or didn't show up tonight - they did - but Richards, Carter, Carle, and Timonen's shift that led to Carter's shortie was inspiring. It makes you wonder how good this team would be if they played like that for 60 minutes.
Last game, I singled out Richards for having a bad night. Tonight, I single out Carter. He got the shortie, but it was after a couple of whacks in front of the net. It also went off a Sabre's leg, who had his back to the play. I don't want to say he's snakebitten, but he had the same problems Richards did - pucks bouncing over his stick and passes being intercepted.
Just like Richards last game, Blair Betts won 67% of his faceoffs, but one he lost directly led to Gaustad's goal.
The Flyers dominated the face-off circle tonight, winning 63% (36 of 57) of the draws.
Riley Cote played 4:19 tonight. That's a season-high. I know there are two doors on the bench, but I didn't know we needed two doormen. David Laliberte anyone?
Speaking of low ice-time, Arron Asham only played 6:46. His game log shows some interesting ice times...
Oskars Bartulis only played 13:58, finished a -1 (on Emery's mistake), but impressed me once again. When OKT returns, I wouldn't be surprised if Danny Syvret takes a drive up north.
The officiating tonight was certainly strange. Powe's hook call was avoidable but borderline, Carcillo's cross-check was weak, and both Parent and Carter's slashing calls were questionable. At least Pronger and Richards picked up on the mood of the officials, both having their sticks "slashed" out of their hands. At least they were consistent.

After the jump, Highlights, Questions with Answers, and the Comment of the Night

Questions To Answer

How much ice time does Riley Cote get if, in fact, JVR doesn't play? 4:19. A season high!
Can the Flyers beat Ryan Miller for the second time in just over a week? No. Buffalo played a solid defensive game, and while Miller didn't stand on his head, he did play well.
How does Mika Pyorala play up on a top line, and can he finally pot his first goal? He played well, but still couldn't put one in. I'm beginning to think he's a strong defensive forward with very little scoring touch. Also, his passes just couldn't find their way to the target.
Does the Carcillo-Betts-Laperriere line dominate the game as they did last Friday in Buffalo? Another good game, but they just couldn't get into a rhythm.

Comment of the Night

I feel like I have been blue-balled all night. Teasing me with all these chances but I just can’t get my nut!

flyrsfrk05

Game Highlights

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Comments

Bartulis has been solid. On the play when Parent took the slashing penalty in the first, though, Bartulis did the same thing Syvret does. He came out from behind the net and slowly carried the puck right into trouble instead of executing a breakout. Two Sabres were trapping him while he skated at Parent which meant he was trapped and didn’t have his Dmate to bail him out. He wound up throwing it up the boards, not clearing the zone, and Parent took the penalty just a few seconds later.

Bartulis seems a bit more dependable and less of a liability than Syvret, but he certainly isn’t the answer back there.

That game was everything that’s wrong with the new NHL. 11 power plays, the Flyers just never got in rhythm till half way through the second because there was no natural rhythm to the game.

Also, props to Kimmo. He got double shifted in the third on a PK, and helped set up Carter’s goal at the end of 1:40 on ice.

by MarioD on Nov 15, 2009 3:56 PM EST reply actions

I would give Oscars some more time the 6th defensemen is going to nag us all year but if that is our only weakness I guess that is not too bad considering little ice time the 3rd pairing gets and how good the top pairs are or can be.

Kimmo and Coburn have their +/- at -2/-3 not too bad considering two weeks ago it was -9 or something dreadful like that.

by chrislanci on Nov 16, 2009 10:09 AM EST up reply actions

Forgive me for being off topic, but I want to give some props to MarioD for starting to mix more positive comments in with the negative and still managing to be constructive and make great points. Much has been made about the negatives, but I thought the positives here needed a highlight after all the hubbub.

by DragonGirl0583 on Nov 16, 2009 4:00 PM EST up reply actions

I did notice that the Flyers played well in back-to-back games in the 3rd, a period in which they normally struggle. Even though its a loss, they showed up in the clutch, and feel as though if it wasn’t a stone wall Defensive team, we could have pulled this one out. I did, however, listen to it on the radio for the Buffalo game, so correct me if Im wrong but that was the impression i got.

by JpH89 on Nov 15, 2009 9:47 PM EST reply actions

The NHL officiating drives me crazy they went back to calling all the little tiny stick infractions and hooks which didn’t even cause a player to lose stride. 9 minors against in this game is ridiculous half them should not have been called and had nothing to do with the play. The blown whistle when our net came off while we had the puck on the rush also drove me nuts a game earlier it seemed like they let that go forever against us and when they did blow the play did the faceoff came back to our zone.They also the missed a trip on Richards in the slot no less that took away a good scoring opportunity. I wish the refs would just stay out of it and let the players play. As MarioD state all the calls killed the flow no one could get anything going.

Positives
I did like the effort at the end of the game we showed some confidence I think the team really thought they could get it tied that never say die attitude is good thing to have especially this early in the season. Defense played great only allowing 25 shots a tiny amount considering the number of PPs against. Once the calls slowed down we were able to take control of the game really pile on the pressure despite the loss I still felt like we were the better team all night.

Negatives
Richards lines has been dead the last couple of games and once again couldn’t get much going. They had opportunities with a lot of pretty cross ice passes but couldn’t finish or the shot was blocked. I don’t like Giroux and RIchards together that line needs a shooter. Powe is not a top 6 forward and will never be let’s not try that again. Emery let up a bad goal one of only a handful this year.

by chrislanci on Nov 16, 2009 10:06 AM EST reply actions

Something that really pissed me off and I failed to mention it: At the end of the second period, the Flyers had the puck in the Sabres zone. With 12 seconds left in the period, Richards’ line peeled off for a line change, allowing Buffalo to get possession. I know Mario hates staying on the ice too long (and I haven’t checked that specific shift length), but 12 seconds? They literally just said, we’re done playing for this period. See you in the third. Maybe I was just pissed because they were losing 2-0, but I was agitated.

Broad Street Hockey -
Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Nov 16, 2009 10:26 AM EST reply actions

According to the TOI report from NHL.com, this was that shift:

Per Start of Shift End of Shift Duration

2 18:22 / 1:38 19:53 / 0:07 01:31 (Richards)
2 19:53 / 0:07 20:00 / 0:00 00:07 (Carter)

2 18:22 / 1:38 19:53 / 0:07 01:31 (Giroux)
2 19:53 / 0:07 20:00 / 0:00 00:07 (Briere)

2 18:22 / 1:38 19:09 / 0:51 00:47 (Hartnell)
2 19:09 / 0:51 20:00 / 0:00 00:51 (Pyorala)

2 19:09 / 0:51 20:00 / 0:00 00:51 (Pronger)
2 19:09 / 0:51 20:00 / 0:00 00:51 (Carle)

You can see Hartnell was off the ice in normal time (same time Pronger and Carle both came on), while Richards and Giroux had both double-shifted. Seems like there was probably a stoppage at the 19:09 mark.

But Richards and Giroux were both gassed at the point you are talking about, while the other three skaters are at the end of a shift.

I don’t know where the puck was and all the other circumstances, but it certainly seems like the fundamentally correct play to make.

by MarioD on Nov 16, 2009 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

My point – and anger- is that once you’re on the ice for 1:31, what’s the difference between taking a 1:38 shift?

In trying to remember, I know the puck was in the corner when Richards peeled off, so if he calculated that he couldn’t get it and create another chance, I’m okay with him going to the bench. In all likelihood, I was just pissed that the Flyers were losing and a good shift came to an end without a goal, so close to the end of a period.

Broad Street Hockey -
Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Nov 16, 2009 2:17 PM EST up reply actions