ECQF Game 5: Finish them

by Travis Hughes on Apr 22, 2010 2:13 PM EDT in 2010 NHL Playoffs

<a class='sbn-auto-link' href=
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 5
#7 Philadelphia Flyers at #2 New Jersey Devils
Flyers lead series, 3-1
Prudential Center - 7:00 PM ET - Newark, NJ
TV: CSN Philly HD, MSG Plus, TSN, RIS -- no national TV in USA
Radio: 610 WIP (internet stream here), XM 205, SIRIUS 220
Get the New Jersey perspective at In Lou We Trust
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PR ALERT! I'll be on WCWP 88.1 (college radio at Long Island University's C.W. POST campus) tonight at 6:15 ET to discuss Flyers-Devils. Tune in if you're in Port Washington, NY! Or: listen by clicking here.

Ilya Kovalchuk has guaranteed a win for the New Jersey Devils tonight. You don't want this bum to be right, do you, Flyers? No, the Flyers can just about guarantee that tonight will be Kovalchuk's last game as a Devil (barring him signing with the team as a free agent, but whatever), and that's really the highly preferred outcome here. At the very least, we can force number 17 to answer those questions while cleaning out his locker on Friday, and we all want to see that, don't we?

Yes, yes we do. And so do the Flyers. A Game 6 would not be good for several reasons. Yes, Philadelphia has three more chances to close this thing out, and two more should they lose tonight, including one at home where the Devils have been completely inept. But I go by the logic that, if you're playing a Game 6, it's anybody's series: you're a bounce away from a do-or-die seventh game.

The Flyers need to end any of the Devils' hopes early. They need to come out and go ballistic on New Jersey. Silence whatever crowd they may have -- and considering I have a ticket for 55 bucks after service charges tonight, it should be interesting to see this crowd -- right off the bat, and spend all the time you can in the Devils end.

The Flyers will dress Ville Leino tonight, and for a guy who was inserted into the Wings lineup during the playoffs last year due to injury, it's kind of like deja vu. Hopefully he can harness some magic and bring back some of the chemistry he had with Danny Briere earlier in the year. The area of concern would have to be David Laliberte, who you remember had an impressive stint with the Flyers earlier in the year.

We don't need Laliberte to score tonight, but the real concern is making a rookie mistake on such a large stage. Let's just hope for a quiet, mistake free game out of him.

The other concern is still, of course, the penalties. A lot will depend on how the officials call the game tonight, but the Flyers can't continue to gamble with the penalty kill. You can't expect them to stop every Devils power play, right?

We'll have the game thread open tonight at 6 PM, just ahead of the 7 PM puck drop. Let's go Flyers. Put the Devils out of their misery tonight.

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Comments

I don’t see desperation on the Devils part; I see an implosion. You really think this is the Devils getting serious and, therefore, dangerous? I think it’s a fighter against the ropes swinging wildly and aimlessly at thin air. They are trying all these strange things because they don’t know what’s wrong, and they don’t know how to fix it.

We do this, and we do it tonight.

by Snevik on Apr 22, 2010 2:25 PM EDT reply actions

I think they’re imploding too. When Kovalchuk gets determined, it makes him worse. And when Lou is throwing condiments around, you know things are bad.

A Devils win tonight would worry me a bit, though. Just a bit… but nonetheless.

Broad Street Hockey - SBN's Philadelphia Flyers blog. Got goaltending? Searching since 1987.

by Travis Hughes on Apr 22, 2010 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions

and here i was hoping you would pick up on my “Nail in the Coffin” tagline…haha.

Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com

by HockeyOutsiders on Apr 22, 2010 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I had a few “go to Hell” puns in mind, but they were waaaaay too cheesy.

Broad Street Hockey - SBN's Philadelphia Flyers blog. Got goaltending? Searching since 1987.

by Travis Hughes on Apr 22, 2010 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I posted an archived story at HO this morning about the Devils moving to Texas, I should email it to the guy over at ILWT, I’m sure that would get his dander up about attendance at the Rock tonight.

Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com

by HockeyOutsiders on Apr 22, 2010 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Just refer to them as the Kansas City Scouts. Generally riles up the Devils fans that actually know team history, in my experience.

Honor is no substitute for victory.

by The Dark on Apr 22, 2010 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions

my best friend is a devils fan. Generally, it doesn’t take much to get him going, but losing to Philly seems to be a real hot button.

I texted him the other night if he thought the devils would score an even strength goal for the rest of the series. His reply contained multiple F words and general ranting and raving, ending with something about “can’t wait for kovalpuke to leave….” (his words not mine)

Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com

by HockeyOutsiders on Apr 22, 2010 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Hah. Tell him the proper name is Kovalchoke.

Honor is no substitute for victory.

by The Dark on Apr 22, 2010 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

FLYERS WIN

FLAWLESS VICTORY

FATALITY

This station is non-operational.

by jello44 on Apr 22, 2010 2:30 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

The key thing to me is the positioning of the forwards.

For the first half of Game 4, they were far too aggressive on the forecheck which created a giant gap because the DMen were playing where they should be. This allowed the Devils to, too easily, rush into the offensive zone.

That forward up front HAS to stay back within a couple strides of the blue line, and the other two can’t go chasing into the O-zone unless they know they will take possession.

by MarioD on Apr 22, 2010 2:34 PM EDT reply actions

I’m a giant fan of the trap for the rest of the playoffs. I think it may be our only hope…that and maybe Obi-Wan.

Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com

by HockeyOutsiders on Apr 22, 2010 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

thats “Lavy-Wan” to you

"Sugah n' rainbows"

"We will steal the show, jolly Rogers go, we are wolves of the sea."

by JpH89 on Apr 22, 2010 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

What was the last trap team to succeed in the playoffs?

I hate listening to people's dreams. It is like flipping through a stack of photographs. If I'm not in any of them and nobody is having sex, I just don't care.

by Rob Parker on Apr 22, 2010 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Lavy was overheard saying this, “So, you guys like to tell jokes, huh? Gigglin’ and laughin’ like a bunch of young broads sittin’ in a schoolyard. Well, let me tell a joke. Twenty-two guys, sittin’ in at a gold course, in San Quentin. All wondering how the fuck they got there. What should we have done, what didn’t we do, who’s fault is it, is it my fault, your fault, his fault, all that bullshit. Then one of them says, hey. Wait a minute. When we were planning this caper, all we did was sit around tellin’ fuckin’ jokes! Get the message? Boys, I don’t mean to holler at ya. When this caper’s over – and I’m sure it’ll be a successful one – we’ll be parading down Broad Street, hell, I’ll roll and laugh with all of ya. You’ll find me a different character down there. Right now, it’s a matter of business.”
700 level as inspiration

by phish'n on Apr 22, 2010 3:01 PM EDT reply actions

Are people going down to the Wachovia to watch the game tonight?

by ohnickels on Apr 22, 2010 3:44 PM EDT reply actions

I am.

by qbist on Apr 22, 2010 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Caps fan here-

I’d love nothing more than a rematch against you guys in the next round. Also please continue to make Kovalchuk look like a buffoon. I think it’s in everyones best intrest that he doesn’t resign with NJ.

by CAPFan4Life on Apr 22, 2010 4:00 PM EDT reply actions

If I were you I’d be praying for a rematch…but that’s after the fact that you found out two of our top forwards are on the shelf for the entire next round…but I will still say that will be one hell of a series.

"Chris Pronger sneaked in the back door...banged it home."

Flyers Television Play-by-Play Man: Jim Jackson

by Psy09 on Apr 22, 2010 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Carbomb would Clarke some Russian ankles.

by Snevik on Apr 22, 2010 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Losing Carter and Gagne sure does make the match up more appealing. I didn’t really want to run into you guys after you finally found your game and were playing some of your best hockey of the season. Now I’m not really concerned. Your D is the only advantage you have over us and with the way John Carlson is playing that advantage isn’t nearly as big anymore. That said, I wouldn’t mind NJD taking you guys a couple games longer. No need for this to be quick and easy for you.

I hate listening to people's dreams. It is like flipping through a stack of photographs. If I'm not in any of them and nobody is having sex, I just don't care.

by Rob Parker on Apr 22, 2010 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Did Philiy find there game or did NJ lose there’s?

by CAPFan4Life on Apr 22, 2010 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I think PHI found their game. I was never sold on NJD and Brodeur is a shell of his former self. He can’t rely on his reflexes like he used to so he’s just not making the same saves.

I hate listening to people's dreams. It is like flipping through a stack of photographs. If I'm not in any of them and nobody is having sex, I just don't care.

by Rob Parker on Apr 22, 2010 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn’t put TOO much of it on Brodeur, he showed in game 3 that he still has it. If it wasn’t for him Philly would have had 5 or 6 goals. It’s more that the NJD are playing Philly hockey, which is what we wanted.

"Chris Pronger sneaked in the back door...banged it home."

Flyers Television Play-by-Play Man: Jim Jackson

by Psy09 on Apr 22, 2010 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Also, the only reason if I were a Caps fan that I wouldn’t want to play Philly is if we get under Ovechkin’s skin like we have with Kovi, it could make a huge difference. But you do have other players, Semin, Backstrom, that can make up for Ovi being thrown around…if Pronger can catch him.

"Chris Pronger sneaked in the back door...banged it home."

Flyers Television Play-by-Play Man: Jim Jackson

by Psy09 on Apr 22, 2010 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions

First off, nobody throws AO around. He has physically dominated Chara. I’m not worried about him being physically handled.

Second, he plays some of his best games when he’s agitated and pissed off so I think PHI might be more worried about it than the Caps are. Ultimately, the Caps aren’t going to be worried about AO, he’ll get his points; and the Caps have too much depth for these Flyers to handle in a 7 game series.

I hate listening to people's dreams. It is like flipping through a stack of photographs. If I'm not in any of them and nobody is having sex, I just don't care.

by Rob Parker on Apr 22, 2010 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I just wish Theo would have lasted until the second round, because then the Flyers could chase him. But I still think Varly can be beaten up high.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Apr 22, 2010 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Caps fans being arrogant and overly confident? Never thought I’d see the day.

Please make sure you take out the Pens this year, OK? Jesus, you guys really let me down last year.

"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luuko

by doubleh on Apr 22, 2010 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Eh, PIT was a legitimately better team last year. We were kinda lucky to be in it as long as we were (but with a little more luck we could have won, easily). I think the Caps are the best team in the east, it’s just a matter of whether they play like it. I don’t see how it’s arrogant or overly confident to think the Caps could take the Flyers in a series right now with Carter and Gagne out. Seems like that’s what should happen. Of course, as a Caps fan I’m used to epic playoff meltdowns, so I won’t really be happy or confident until it’s done.

I hate listening to people's dreams. It is like flipping through a stack of photographs. If I'm not in any of them and nobody is having sex, I just don't care.

by Rob Parker on Apr 22, 2010 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Every time I’ve gone to a Caps/Flyers game here in DC the last 2 years, Theo (“The Hole,” as I like to call him) seems to dominate the Flyers. (weird how he can’t do that against other teams) Whereas the only game I can recall against Varlamov was the 6-5 OT Flyers win early in the year this year. So I’m kind of glad The Hole is riding the pine already.

by SteelBirdFlyer on Apr 22, 2010 7:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Theo does own the Flyers. It’s weird. He’s had some of his best games as a Cap against you. That’s why I wouldn’t be too excited to see him, Geoff. The Caps don’t have a true number 1. If Varly keeps playing like he has this series and last year, he won’t sit. But I think BB has confidence in Theo, especially against PHI.

I hate listening to people's dreams. It is like flipping through a stack of photographs. If I'm not in any of them and nobody is having sex, I just don't care.

by Rob Parker on Apr 22, 2010 8:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, that’s a good point. But you just knew Theo would implode at some point this postseason (it’s what he does) so I’d rather it have been against us (thus giving away a game or two) rather than earlier. I haven’t seen Varly play much – maybe not since that game in October – but he didn’t impress me. All you have to do is go high on him since he’s so small and drops into the butterfly so quickly.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Apr 22, 2010 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions

He’s actually not that small. He’s like 6’1" so he’s significantly bigger than Theo. He does go down a little early but it’s not as easy as you make it out to be. He started the year slowly, including the game against you guys, but got real hot before he was injured. Now it looks like he’s back to form. If he’s healthy I think he’ll play well.

And seriously, how are you guys going to talk about our goaltending when you’re still hoping you can ride Brian Boucher?

I hate listening to people's dreams. It is like flipping through a stack of photographs. If I'm not in any of them and nobody is having sex, I just don't care.

by Rob Parker on Apr 23, 2010 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Because Brian Boucher is AWESOME.

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Apr 23, 2010 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Haha. Exactly. It’s all about the sweater.

I hate listening to people's dreams. It is like flipping through a stack of photographs. If I'm not in any of them and nobody is having sex, I just don't care.

by Rob Parker on Apr 23, 2010 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, to be fair, I’ve been a huge Boucher fan since he was a rookie. Through his treks in Chicago, Phoenix, Calgary, and San Jose. People were calling for him to be cut and have Johan Backlund play in goal, but I hung firm.

Nobody will call me a homer about Brian Boucher. I’m not that shallow. haha

Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.

by Geoff Detweiler on Apr 23, 2010 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions

All Good points and agree completely. The caps still have some bad blood againts the flyers from 2 years ago, so you know OV and company is gonna bring there A game.

by CAPFan4Life on Apr 22, 2010 4:22 PM EDT reply actions

really? flyers don’t have any ill fellings about that series. turned out fine. hmm.

i kid, i kid.

actually, my fiancee (caps fan) is really pulling for us too using the above rationale(s). path of least resistance thing.

f it, as long as one of us beats the pens.

Eat what the monkey eats, then eat the monkey. -U.S. Navy survival guidance

by psudrozz on Apr 22, 2010 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s as long as the Pens beat the Bruins (never thought I’d be saying that)

"Chris Pronger sneaked in the back door...banged it home."

Flyers Television Play-by-Play Man: Jim Jackson

by Psy09 on Apr 22, 2010 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions

and as long as lucic knocks crosby out like they did to savard.

by CAPFan4Life on Apr 22, 2010 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

am sure the b’s can sneak evander kane into one of their uniforms and nobody will notice.

Eat what the monkey eats, then eat the monkey. -U.S. Navy survival guidance

by psudrozz on Apr 22, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Wait…why? What do you have against the Bruins?

by Snevik on Apr 22, 2010 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I just never expected the Bruins offense to figure out Miller and get him off his game like they have. Along with some lucky bounces that is. But the Bruins offense has actually looked pretty damn good, I just don’t think the Bruins or the Sabres have the all around team that Philly, Pitt, Wash, all have.

"Chris Pronger sneaked in the back door...banged it home."

Flyers Television Play-by-Play Man: Jim Jackson

by Psy09 on Apr 22, 2010 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions