ECSF Game 4, OMGAGNE: Simon returns to win it in OT, send series back to Boston
by Travis Hughes on May 7, 2010 11:00 PM EDT
in 2010 Playoffs
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Marc Savard returned for the Boston Bruins in Game 1 and scored an overtime game winner. The Bruins went on to win three straight. Simon Gagne returned for the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 and scored an overtime game winner. The Flyers went on to....
We don't know the outcome of this semifinal series with the Bruins will be, but we do know that if you ever needed any kind of momentum, that's one of the ways you would write it up. It's almost creepy how similar Gagne's OT winner tonight was to his OT winner back in 2004 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
It was in the exact same spot on the Wachovia Center ice, he celebrated in the exact same spot behind the net, and both of them kept the Flyers' season alive.
From top-to-bottom, everybody played well. That includes the guys you'd expect -- Mike Richards, Chris Pronger, Danny Briere, Matt Carle, etc. -- but it also includes the guys you wouldn't necessarily expect. Scott Hartnell had a fantastic game tonight, as did Andreas Nodl. Peter Laviolette and the Flyers need these guys to keep that up.
The Flyers have played just about even with the Boston Bruins all series long. Boston has picked up every lucky bounce, including more than their fair share this evening. The Flyers controlled most of this game, as they have for most of the series, but they couldn't pick up a win prior to tonight. The result obviously changed despite those unlucky bounces, and picking up this kind of win can be what a team needs to ultimately get those bounces in the future.
It's the kind of win that can shift a series. One game at a time. Next up: Monday night in Boston.
After the jump, questions with answers and the comment of the night.
Questions with Answers
- How does Gagne look? Does this need to be answered?! Seriously, Gags looked determined. Very determined.
- Whats the emotion like off of the start? It was strong. It was there all game for the Flyers.
- The Flyers were strong in the offensive end for most of Game 3, but couldn't beat Rask or the B's defense. How do they make adjustments? It seemed to me like they tried to generate a little more from behind the net. Giroux's goal, for example, came from behind the net and Hartnell pushing in the crease.
- Can Miroslav Satan not score tonight, please? NO SIR!
- Is this the Flyers' last game of the season? See you on Monday.
Comment of the Night
I know, I’m scared too.
>> jello44, responding to Hartnell's fine play
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I love the comparisons, except the first comparison (‘10 Game 1) makes me optimistic for the rest of the series and the second comparison (’04 Game 6) makes me pessimistic for Monday.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 7, 2010 11:12 PM EDT reply actions
I’m trying to remind myself that the second comparison might mean we can force a Game 7, even if it does so indirectly by just keeping us alive.
by DragonGirl0583 on May 7, 2010 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
ahhhh. That’s some optimism right there
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 7, 2010 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions
One game at a time, for sure. But if I’ve got to infer something, I’m going to go with that :)
by DragonGirl0583 on May 7, 2010 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Good win by Philly.
Sad on my end, but almost fitting as Gagne comes back to play.
See you Monday in Boston.
carcillo
not to dampen the celebration, but i thought he was the worst flyer on the ice.
curious – did laviolette bench him for the 3rd and overtime (i noticed that carcillo was on the bench, not in the locker room)? apologies if this has already been discussed and i missed it
The beat writers said via Twitter he banged up his knee in the first but was on the bench. Then Lavvy dodged the question in the post game interview, so I’m wondering how much media-spin we’ll be hearing from Homer tomorrow morning.
by DragonGirl0583 on May 7, 2010 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Halfway through the overtime I put on every piece of Flyer gear I own (three t-shirts and a bandana). I guess I know what my attire for Monday will be.
Hmm. I wore my Flyers boxers for the first time in the series…I don’t know that they’ll be clean by Monday. :(
by SteelBirdFlyer on May 8, 2010 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions
Clean? Clean!? This is the playoffs! We don’t care about clean!
Mancrushin' on Geoff since April 20
"Good night. Good hockey."
by KreiderDesigns on May 8, 2010 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Speaking of underwear… I wore orange panties and black bra last nigh…Hahaha. Not purposely though.
I love the Lightning AND the Flyers... go ahead, preach me!
this post is worthless without pictures
Managing Editor - HockeyOutsiders.com
by HockeyOutsiders on May 10, 2010 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions
So, I decided no posting in game thread tonight, as I thought maybe I was the jinx. Slept in the lucky Flyers WC shirt and no game thread. Winnah!
You will see me in no more game threads the remainder of this (hopefully, very long) season.
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luuko
That makes me sad :(
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 8, 2010 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions
It wont when we win the series.
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by Travis Hughes on May 8, 2010 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions
It’s for the greater good. Plus, I’m at a sales conference all next week, so I won’t be able to, anyway.
Two years ago, when the Flyers went to the ECF, they were in round two vs. Montreal when I had my sales conference. I remember running from the golf course to the bar, asking people to check their Crackberries for the score and then changing into my Flyers sweater to wear to our evening celebration. Our guest speaker that year? Mike Eruzione.
"Tortorella’s got it all wrong ... Gaborik shouldn’t be messing with our skilled player." -Peter Luuko
I am the same way. I don’t read the previews, game threads, or any comments therein until the game is over. I am worse luck than you, believe.
Travis/Geoff, when I went tonight I wore exactly the same clothes I wore to the Rangers game. (They’ve been washed since then). I think the only thing different was my boxer shorts. Everything else was exactly the same.
Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
I have had such bad luck in the last few years my friends call me “black hole”. I also get requests from many people not to watch the Eagles.I don’t watch much football so it’s not a biggie but every Eagles game I’ve watched since 2003 they have lost except for the one tie against the Bengals.
The Bengals were terrible that year, count that as a loss too
by Crosby sucks on May 8, 2010 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions
The Greater Good:
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 8, 2010 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Lieutenant Angle!
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 8, 2010 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Terrible game. Great ending, though. Also, unless there were ~1500 people sitting at the AT&T Pavilion, there’s no way in hell there were 19,702 people at that game. It was a shame, really. I don’t know what the side of the ice the cameras faced looked like (since I was sitting in the upper bowl on that side), but the side the cameras were on was maybe 75% full in the lower bowl and 80% full in the upper bowl. There was one particular section in the upper bowl behind one of the goals that had rows and rows and rows completely empty. I understand there was a Phillies home game, and the Flyers were down in the series 3-0, but that’s no excuse for a second round playoff game being emptier than the average regular season game.
I was there too. The Flyers had some more sustained pressure at moments during this game, but for the most part it was like the other games in the series. Some sloppy play by both teams to be sure.
What the hell was up with Boston’s second goal? Flukeasaurus Rex. Those are the kind of bounces they’ve been getting all series long.
And I was disappointed by the crowd too. There was this pall of expectancy during a good chunk of the game, like we were all waiting for the Flyers to blow it.
I did snap a couple of pictures of a guy in a Nödl jersey from somewhere overseas… I’ll post tomorrow.
Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
i know this is probably going to sound stupid, but i’ve never seen a team as lucky this series as the bruins. it’s like every loose puck bounces right to their stick, the same bounce in their end skirters into the corner. Seriously, that second goal is as lucky as they come.
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by HockeyOutsiders on May 8, 2010 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree. When I said that the season was over after game three, that was really why. A 3-0 deficit is daunting enough, but the Bruins were getting literally every bounce. And the puck seemed to hop over our sticks with regularity while their sticks had magickal puck magnets which kept everything smooth.
Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
I should clarify: It did not occur to me that the Flyers were going to get any lucky breaks at all. I was even thinking at the game tonight: The Flyers have actually gotten a couple of bounces this game and they still can’t do anything with them.
Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
the first goal tonight was a perfect example of that. Bergeron get’s a half assed shot away and Boosh kind of semi pushes it with his stick, boom, right to Recchi. I mean, Boosh could have just let it hit him and it would have layed in front of him to be cleared by the D-man coming back, but no, he decides to push it with his stick…split second later it’s in the net.
By contrast, i think in the 2nd period, flyers are swarming. Don’t remember which players but guy is behind the net, passes it to the middle of 4 bruins, with a flyer in the middle, all it has to do is hit the flyers stick and it’s an open net goal, but somehow it goes through all 5 guys standing in the goal mouth. unbelievable!
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by HockeyOutsiders on May 8, 2010 12:49 AM EDT up reply actions
Was it a St. Cloud State jersey? Either way, I’d love to see the picture.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 8, 2010 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
No, it had sponsorship patches and IIHF on the bottom right. I’ll put it up soon.
Plus, as you’ll see, the “o” in “Nödl” had the proper umlaut, and the jersey was Nödl’s proper number of 14.
Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
Ah, ok. Then that’s pretty effin sweet.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 8, 2010 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Was he kind of lanky, blond and have kind of a big nose? If so my uncle and I call him “The Sweedish Guy” he always wears awesome jerseys of Flyers players from the Elite Leagues or national jerseys. He had an awesome Sodderstrom jersey back in the day, if I remember correctly.
Mancrushin' on Geoff since April 20
"Good night. Good hockey."
by KreiderDesigns on May 8, 2010 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions
I know it’s probably been said like 100 x’s already, but that decision to play gagne at 70% vs. Jared Ross was so stupid…..
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by HockeyOutsiders on May 8, 2010 12:30 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I can’t tell.
The fact that Gagne was unavailable for the last ten minutes of the game and overtime, to me, means it was a mistake to play him.
Gagne scored the game winner in OT, so he wasn’t unavailable in OT. Or did I miss something?
I did not actually get to see the game so I may have.
Can't think of something catchy to say here...I suck.
According to the reports I read, Gagne was having muscle cramps near the end there; he didn’t play the end of the third or at the beginning of overtime, but he asked Laviolette and the trainer to let him get back out there when he felt better.
But halfway through the third, he already had about 16 minutes of TOI. After a layoff, having some muscle cramps after that much effort makes sense to me. But at that point in the game, I’ve been very surprised if Ross had seen another shift in the rest of the game anyway.
by DragonGirl0583 on May 9, 2010 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions
He took only the one OT shift.
He went 23 minutes (with an intermission in the middle) without taking a shift. (Last 8:00 of the 3rd until that shift with 5:00 left in OT).
That is true. Gagne had to ask Laviolette to let him back into the game. He convinced Lavi and the trainer to give him a chance and then he scored on that first shift in OT.
But on Wednesday Jared Ross had 4:16 of total ice time. His very last shift was extremely short and occurred with 12 minutes left to play in the third. That was his only shift in the third period. His second to last shift ended with 8 minutes left to play in the second period.
I do not believe that Laviolette would have used Ross at the end of the third or in OT on Friday even if he was on the bench. The story might be different if Lavi was actually using the bench players who had fresh legs, but that hasn’t been happening.
Playing Gagne on Friday instead allowed him to stabilize the lines a little bit and use combinations that were more familiar. The problem is that Laviolette didn’t have a realistic expectation for how much he could play Gagne on his first day back. Gagne was on pace for 19+ minutes when he left the game in the middle of the third, so the fact that he was getting muscle cramps since he hadn’t skated in two weeks makes perfect sense. But once those cramps had subsided and he was back out there, he probably would have continued to take shifts for the rest of that OT period. Gags made that unnecessary since he scored on his first one.
by DragonGirl0583 on May 9, 2010 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Lavi was already down a forward. Losing Gagne forced him to play with only three lines.
Even with a full complement of forwards in game 1, Ross got a shift just six minutes into overtime.
Being down players from the bench, Ross definitely would’ve gotten ice time.
so you’re then saying hypothetically, that Ross would have had the keen hockey sense to score the OT winner, like gagne?
I’d think it’s pretty obvious, that one shift in OT of gagne, was far greater than the 15 seconds of ice time that Ross might have gotten. Of course, they probably just prolonged the inevitable..
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by HockeyOutsiders on May 10, 2010 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions
They ran the risk of giving up the goal sometime in the 23 minutes of hockey time in which they only had three healthy lines.
And, yes, Ross could’ve scored that goal. It wasn’t exactly a pretty play by Gagne to let the puck hit his stick, stay on the ice, and go back into Rask. It’s not like he sniped a corner from the faceoff circle…
Betting on the chances that Ross would have had the puck sense, ability and even been on the ice for that goal, nevermind been in the position to score it boggles my mind.
I’m surprised that sometimes you keep up the feeble charade that sometimes go with your arguments.
Why don’t you just admit that playing Gagne was the smart decision and then we can all move on, instead of continuing to mock you.
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by HockeyOutsiders on May 10, 2010 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, I mean, it sure does sound bad to have only “three healthy lines” for 23 minutes. Just look at what they did in Game 2 when they had 4 healthy lines: Nodl got 4:05 and Ross 6:39. Man, having “4 lines” is something Laviolette really utilizes.
If only the Flyers had Ross and his 5:37 average TOI in the playoffs on the bench instead of Gagne.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 10, 2010 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Ross got a shift just six minutes into overtime.
Which was the first time he touched the ice in over 20 minutes.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 10, 2010 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes, because a guy who’s healthy and sits for 20 minutes is the same as a guy who’s injured and sits for 23 minutes.
A guy who plays 15:55, then sits for 23 minutes is the same as a guy who plays 5:05 then sits for 20:19.
Maybe, just maybe, if Jared Ross was in the lineup he would have reached 6 minutes of ice time. Which, clearly, would have been better than Gagne’s 16.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 10, 2010 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions
and i’m sure Ross in his 6 minutes of ice time would have been as dominating or more dominating than gagne was everytime he hit the ice.
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by HockeyOutsiders on May 10, 2010 12:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Clearly. Because he was “ready to play a hockey game”. All 4-6 minutes of one.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 10, 2010 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Missed the game, was at the Phillies game. Was able to tailgate with friends who were attending the Phillies game and friends attending the Flyers. Left the Phillies as soon as it ended and was on 95 on the way back to Harrisburg when GO GO GADGET GAGNE scored the game winner.
Congrats Flyers, now let’s bring it back to Philly with a win on Sunday!!
Can't think of something catchy to say here...I suck.
I want to know where the hell Hartnell pulled that performance from? Was that buried in that rats nest on top of his head? He hasn’t played that well in any game this season, at all. It was nice to not have to scream at him on the TV for a game. That performance has been about 90 games coming (or more). Hopefully he keeps it up b/c we need him with Carter and Lappy down.
I’m mildly disturbed by this.
Game 1: Playing in his first game since his injury, Savard scores a GWG in OT to win the game 5-4.
Game 4: Playing in his first game since his injury, Gagne scores a GWG in OT to win the gmae 5-4.
I’m not foreshadowing anything by this, but I cannot help but take note of the rather odd coincidence.
Proudly supporting a Flyers team with "no honor."
If it hasn’t already then I’d like to add this to the Twilight Zone coincidences list:
Other than Matt Carle, according to CSN.PHILLY.COM “the last Flyer to notch four assists in a playoff game was Recchi exactly 10 years ago to the day, on May 7, 2000”
I will tell you this. I didn’t watch the game. Didn’t even refresh my crackberry. I didn’t wear any of my four jerseys. No T shirt. No Flyers regalia at all.
I went out, and drank myself stupid with a hot girl from Boston that I work with. Literally stupid.
I left her house at 530 am. She was wearing an abused Bruins Jersey and a smile.
I assure you, I will continue this pattern until well after we win the series.
I take full credit, in advance.
by Dinky on May 8, 2010 6:08 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs
I got Timmy’s call of Gagne’s goal, in case anyone is interested.
I’d like to give this comment from SCOC some light.
johnny boychuk is a shot blocking machine. didnt he have 7-8 the other night too. glad to see the youngster gets playoff hockey… me and my dad have been saying this for awhile, anyone else see a little bit of a young ray bourque in him??
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After Hartnell made that nice play to get that Puck to Giroux for the third goal, I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen. A few minutes later, Boston gets that freaky goal that bounced of f the boards I had a sick feeling in my stomach and I thought, “Ah hell, we’re gonna lose now”. Thankfully, they actually did win and will live to play another day.
This station is non-operational.
No surprise MarioD has no comment. I think not playing sunday is not really a good thing for the Flyers. We get momentum and now a 2 day break not the 1 just fucks it up I think.
I wasn't even a year old but I stayed up to be outside the Vet with my Dad and Mom when the Phillies won the World Series 1980.
At SCoC, they are making a pretty big deal out of Powe’s boarding penalty on Savard, calling it dirty and something that should have received a steeper penalty.
I have not been able to find any video of it last night to examine it further, but at the time of the call, I hardly thought that was a penalty, and here Bruins fans are all but claiming Powe as the Devil. Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn’t Savard right against the boards and a bit off balance at the time? I fear that Bruins fans are being way too-overprotective of Savard at this point. Just because he is returning from a concussion, does not mean everytime someone touches him or makes a physical hockey play on him, they are evil. He is on the ice playing in the game, therefore, he is fair game.
Proudly supporting a Flyers team with "no honor."
I didn’t like the penalty at first, but I’m okay with them calling it a 2 minute minor. Savard turned, Powe tried to hold up, couldn’t, so he got two minutes.
Boston fans are whining, but I’d say the officials got it right.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 8, 2010 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Same. I was on the fence about it at the time and I’m on the fence about it now. I think two minutes is the right call when all is said and done.
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by Travis Hughes on May 8, 2010 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah. I understand those saying it shouldn’t be called, and I understand those saying Powe should have gotten worse (they’re protective of Savard). But I’d be pissed if it was more and I’d consider the Flyers lucky if there wasn’t a call at all.
Just like in politics, if both sides are angry, it was probably the right decision.
Man-crushin' on Boucher since 1999
Broad Street Hockey - Makin' it look mean since 1967.
by Geoff Detweiler on May 8, 2010 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Well here, I’m calling it a bullshit penalty that should never have been called in an OT game. Needless to say, I bet they weren’t commenting on the dirty as shit cross check in the back levelled on Briere that should have been called but wasn’t, but instead they want to cry about a legal check that occurred on the boards, that was called?
QQ some more. My god I can’t wait for game 5 now. It has been far too long since a team came back from 3-0 down ;)
Gagne didn’t play the last 8 minutes of the third, and took only the one OT shift.
Parent didn’t play the second half of the game.
Carcillo didn’t play the second half of the game.
When do we get updates on these injuries?
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