Friday Morning Fly By: Hopes, dwindling.

*Probably the most "must win" game of the season and your chucklefuck of a coach starts his under-performing backup and saddles one of his most dynamic forwards with two plodding human anchors for half of the game. Your '16-'17 Philadelphia Flyers, folks! RECAP!

*So about starting Michal Neuvirth last night. That was a uh...curious choice. [BSH]

*And an entirely different goalie prospect is up for the Richter Award. The Flyers have a lot of good goalie prospects guys!! [ProHockeyTalk]

*So in case you forgot that the Pittsburgh Penguins are a bad and horrible team... [SB Nation]

*Old Silky Mitts has been suspended for that, to the surprise of no one. [ProHockeyTalk]

*Because the NHL absolutely despises fun and also probably its fanbase, they are keeping the expansion protection lists secret. But maybe we shouldn't blame them entirely for this idiocy. [Puck Daddy]

*But blame whoever you want, the league is handling what should be a fun and exciting thing in the worst possible way. Because NHL. [Sportsnet]

*And finally, on the timeless beauty of the Gordie Howe hat trick. [The Hockey News]