Game 12, Preview and Open Thread: World Series Pre-Game, Tampa Bay Lightning at Philadelphia Flyers
by Travis Hughes on Nov 2, 2009 4:45 PM EST
in 09-10 Game Threads
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PrintTampa Bay Lightning at Philadelphia Flyers, Nov 2, 2009 5:00 PM EST
In what's probably the weirdest start time in Wachovia Center history, the Flyers will host the Lightning at 5 PM on a Monday night, thanks to a slightly important baseball game across the street. Yes, most of the Philly sports world will have their minds on the Phillies, who will attempt to stave off elimination against the Yankees at Citizens Bank Park a few hours from now. But before that happens, we turn our eyes to hockey, in a game that shapes up to be a battle for playoff positioning.
Yes, of course, it's very, very early in the season, but the fact that Tampa can take away the Flyers grip on eighth place in the East with a win tonight should show you just how much work the orange and black has to do to get where they want to be. Tampa is coming off of a 2-1 win over the Devils on Saturday night, and with Martin St. Louis riding an 11-game point streak and Steven Stamkos tallying 10 goals in his last nine games, the Bolts have a formidable top line the Flyers will have to deal with.
Whenever these two teams get together in recent times, we are pressed to think about the connections each roster has with the other. Matt Carle, a former Bolt, plays for the Flyers. The Bolts are led by their head coach Rick Tocchet, of course a former Flyer. Steve Downie and Todd Fedoruk (linemates, by the way) are also members of the Lightning. Antero Niittymaki plays in Tampa, too, but he'll be riding the pine this evening. Vinny Prospal has moved on to the Rangers.
It's a rivalry that most don't put much thought into, but these two cities certainly don't like each other. Whether it's the Flyers losing in seven to the Lightning in the 2004 playoffs, the Eagles fighting with the Bucs in several NFC title games, or the Phils winning the 2008 World Series against the Rays, there never seems to be a dull moment when teams from these two cities get together.
Don't expect many changes from John Stevens. You should expect to see the same personnel as you did in Saturday's 6-1 drubbing of the Hurricanes -- yes, that means Danny Briere and Simon Gagne are still out. David Laliberte is still in the lineup and Ryan Parent is out for about another week. Thanks to Parent's absence, Braydon Coburn and Kimmo Timonen are back together.
After the jump, a few questions to answer tonight.
Questions To Answer
- The defensive pairings are back to normal. How do Coburn/Timonen loo together again for an entire game? Same goes for Tollefsen/Syvret?
- How long does it take Steve Downie to drop the gloves with one of the Flyers' tough guys?
- Are there any ill-effects to the early start?
- How sparse is the crowd, thanks to the start time and the World Series?
- Can the Flyers show their superiority over the Lightning? Are the Flyers a superior team to the Lightning?
Here's to hoping the Flyers can bring a great start to what could be a great sports Monday in Philadelphia. CSN on TV locally and on the air at 610 WIP. As always, join us here for the conversation (those of us that can actually watch this one live, ugh) and LET'S GO FLYERS (and Phils)!
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I know this kind of start time does not suit people who are just getting out of work, but as a student its kinda nice. Plus, it gives me something to do in night class tonight!
So Gagne’s gone 6-8 weeks to have surgery on his two hernias as well as tears of both sides of his rectus abdominis muscle. Pretty much expected that, eh?
Honestly, it could’ve been worse.
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by Travis Hughes on Nov 2, 2009 5:07 PM EST up reply actions
If anyone is interested . . .
For all of you that are outside of the Philadelphia/Comcast market, Yahoo is televising the game . . .
Enjoy the game, guys. I’m heading to class.
I’m going to attempt to avoid the score until the 1:30 AM replay. Wish me luck.
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This DirecTV feed that claims to be HD is nothing close to HD.
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They’re totally controlling everything out there. As they should.
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Giroux has looked real good this game.
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Outshooting ’em 12-5. Win a lot of games doing that.
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Definitely a dive. I wish they would negate the initial call when there’s a dive just to discourage it more.
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Negate the hook and keep the dive.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Nov 2, 2009 6:04 PM EST up reply actions
This is kind of a weak team we’re playing.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Nov 2, 2009 6:06 PM EST up reply actions
I was just wondering what Asham had been up to…
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Uh oh.
I smell another freeze frame of Syvret coming on.
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I was wondering if they were going to call it. Don’t know if penalty shot calls are delayed.
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by Ben Rothenberg on Nov 2, 2009 6:15 PM EST up reply actions
Nice round of applause for Niitty.
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I wonder how different this game wouldve been if they’d started Niittymaki…
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Uh-oh, I just get out of the worst exam of my life (and it was a take-home, open book no-less) and I missed Syvret screwing up? Oh geez.
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Just got back from class, good to see we picked up where we left off from last game!
by orangeandblack20 on Nov 2, 2009 6:58 PM EST reply actions
Where is MarioD? He was right, Reemer still stinks!
by orangeandblack20 on Nov 2, 2009 6:59 PM EST up reply actions
“Thats because he sucks and isn’t an NHL caliber player”- MarioD
by orangeandblack20 on Nov 2, 2009 7:17 PM EST up reply actions
No problem. He only leads all rookies in assists and points.
by orangeandblack20 on Nov 2, 2009 7:18 PM EST up reply actions
Recap is up, so take your comments over thataway.
http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2009/11/2/1112050/flyers-pack-in-six-again-beat
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