Goal Line Report
Entries with the tag: Philadelphia+Flyers
Atlantic Division Report
by Patrick Hoffman on 11/07/09 at 08:38 PM ET
Comments (1)
Last season, the Atlantic Division was one of the best divisions in all of hockey. Four out of the five teams finished with over 90 points – the Penguins, the New Jersey Devils, the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers.
Early into the 2009-2010 season, it appears that history is looking to repeat itself as all four of those teams have winning records just over a month into the season. Even the New York Islanders are trying to get into the act as they are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games.
Let’s take a look at how the division is shaping up as we head towards the middle of November.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Atlantic+Division, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Rivalry starting early between the Flyers and Bruins?
by Patrick Hoffman on 09/08/09 at 10:17 PM ET
Comments (0)
From John McGourty at NHL.com:
More than 200 people crammed the store to hear Thomas, the 2009 Vezina Trophy winner, and Pronger, the 2000 Norris Trophy winner and 2007 Stanley Cup winner, talk about the upcoming season, which will see the pair oppose one another on Jan. 1, 2010 in the Bridgestone Winter Classic at Boston’s Fenway Park.
After an interview session hosted by ESPN The Magazine Senior Writer E.J. Hradek, the floor was thrown open to questions and Thomas a shot in the pads from Gabriel Hall of West Philadelphia.
“After we beat you this season, what else are looking forward to this year?” Hall said to Thomas.
Thomas is perpetually mild, courteous, thoughtful and decent, but Hall hit him where he lives.
“I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself, fella,” Thomas retorted.
Click here for more.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Boston+Bruins, Philadelphia+Flyers,
Now What Will They Do?
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/10/09 at 09:50 AM ET
Comments (2)
Last night, the New York Rangers clinched a playoff spot after beating the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 at Madison Square Garden. It was a playoff atmosphere that the Blueshirts took advantage of in the first period and rode it all the way to the final buzzer.
Fans can now rest easily knowing that their favorite team has made the playoffs and that a few more games will be played. However, the main question now is how far will they go?
It’s tough to answer that question. On paper, this looks like a team that should score a bunch of goals. In reality, however, the team is second to last in goals scored despite having players such as Scott Gomez, Chris Drury, Markus Naslund, Nikolai Zherdev, Nik Antropov, and Sean Avery.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Drury, Markus+Naslund, New+York+Rangers, Nik+Antropov, Nikolai+Zherdev, Philadelphia+Flyers, Scott+Gomez, Sean+Avery,
Win and In
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/09/09 at 09:30 AM ET
Comments (0)
It’s that simple for the New York Rangers tonight as they take on the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden.
It’ll be a playoff atmosphere on the Rangers’ turf as they look to wrap up their regular season on home ice by clinching a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. It certainly will not be an easy task as the team will have to battle with the likes of Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne, Mike Richards, Danny Briere, Scott Hartnell and Mike Knuble, guys who have consistently put points up on the board.
The Blueshirts will have to find a way to match the Flyers’ offense, which means that guys like Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, Markus Naslund, Nik Antropov and Nikolai Zherdev will have to step up to the plate and find a way to lead this team. Drury was able to do so on Tuesday night against the Montreal Canadiens and as such, needs to repeat performance tonight in a much bigger hockey game.
It’s still tough to think how the Rangers got off to such a hot start, only to find themselves in this kind of situation. However, a win tonight over the Broadstreet Bullies will make it all worth it.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Drury, Danny+Briere, Eastern+Conference, Jeff+Carter, Markus+Naslund, Mike+Knuble, Mike+Richards, New+York+Rangers, Nik+Antropov, Nikolai+Zherdev, Philadelphia+Flyers, Scott+Gomez, Scott+Hartnell, Simon+Gagne,
It Means A Lot
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/07/09 at 01:50 PM ET
Comments (0)
As I pointed out in yesterday’s blog, tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens is absolutely critical for the New York Rangers. The Rangers are currently tied with the Florida Panthers (take on the Philadelphia Flyers tonight) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 89 points.
A win tonight over the Habs and a loss for the Panthers would help the blueshirts because one, it gives them two points and two, it gives them another victory in case the remaining seed comes down to a tie-breaker. Basically put, the team needs to win tonight to help clinch a playoff spot within the next five days.
For more Rangers news and notes, please check out the following links:
- Rangers Report
- Blue Notes
- Ranger Rants
- SNY Rangers Blog
- Blueshirt Banter
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Blue+Notes, Blueshirt+Banter, Eastern+Conference, Florida+Panthers, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ranger+Rants, Rangers+Report, SNY+Rangers+Blog,
Puck Daddy: Rangers Have a 50/50 Chance of Clinching Playoff Spot
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/06/09 at 03:10 PM ET
Comments (1)
In his terrific Puck Daddy Blog, Greg Wyshynski puts a death watch on the New York Rangers’ playoff chances.
However, PDaddy does give blueshirt fans some hope with this little tidbit:
“Of course, the Rangers have one significant advantage in this duel to the finish: Both teams have 89 points in 79 games, but the Rangers have 40 wins to the Panthers’ 39. The road isn’t easy at all for New York - a game against the Montreal Canadiens, and then two games against the Philadelphia Flyers to end the season—but technically the Rangers control their own fate.”
What do you folks think of the Rangers’ playoff chances this season?
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Florida+Panthers, Greg+Wyshynski, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Puck+Daddy+Blog,
Biggest Game of The Year
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/06/09 at 10:25 AM ET
Comments (0)
Tomorrow night will mark the New York Rangers’ biggest game of the season to date. After the Florida Panthers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, the blueshirts find themselves tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 89 points.
With three games to go in the regular season, their uphill battle will continue tomorrow night when they take on the Montreal Canadiens, a team that is seventh in the conference with 92 points and is catching fire at the right time (5-3-2 in their last 10 games). The Rangers can beat the Canadiens but again, with the tension mounting and the games becoming more and more important by the day, it is not going to be an easy task.
The team has games with the Habs and Philadelphia Flyers (two) to determine whether or not this year’s Rangers will clinch a playoff spot for the fourth consecutive season. The Panthers, on the other hand, have games against the Flyers, Atlanta Thrashers, and Washington Capitals. Both teams have competitive schedules but now, it will come down to just three games to determine who gets the last playoff spot in the conference.
The team has no one to blame but themselves for being in this situation. Problems with consistency, the power play, line juggling, personnel changes, etc. have all contributed to the team’s issues this season. Now, however, is the time to put those off to the side and go out there and get the job done because the last thing the team wants to do is miss the playoffs and disappoint the thousands of Ranger fans that will be at the Garden both tomorrow night against the Habs and Thursday night against the Flyers.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Eastern+Conference, Florida+Panthers, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
This Week’s Questions
by Patrick Hoffman on 04/03/09 at 12:40 PM ET
Comments (1)
Much like I did last Friday, I am going to list a few questions related to what’s going on in the hockey world.
Please feel free to post your thoughts on the following questions in the comment section of the blog:
- Will the St. Louis Blues make the playoffs? Why or why not?
- What is happening to the New Jersey Devils? Why are they struggling so much?
- Is this the last hurrah in Minnesota for Wild head coach Jacques Lemaire? If so, where do you think he will end up coaching next? Why?
- Have the Montreal Canadiens finally righted the ship after a dismal February and early March? What have they done differently?
- Does anyone really believe that Philadelphia Flyers’ netminder Martin Biron can lead his club to the Stanley Cup?
- Are the Chicago Blackhawks good enough to make a deep run in the playoffs?
- Do the Detroit Red Wings have good enough goaltending to get them back to the Stanley Cup Finals?
Let’s hear your thoughts!
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Chicago+Blackhawks, Detroit+Red+Wings, Jacques+Lemaire, Martin+Biron, Minnesota+Wild, Montreal+Canadiens, New+Jersey+Devils, Philadelphia+Flyers, St.+Louis+Blues,
Where Are They Going?
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/29/09 at 12:30 PM ET
Comments (0)
The New York Rangers dropped their second straight game yesterday afternoon in a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The loss keeps the Blueshirts in seventh place with 87 points. However, the Montreal Canadiens are in the eighth spot just one point (86 points) behind them and the Florida Panthers are in the ninth spot just two points behind (85 points).
The Rangers showed some character by battling back from a two-goal and one-goal defecit while also killing off nine Penguins’ power plays. However, Sid “the Kid” Crosby’s great effort put the Penguins ahead midway through the third period, giving the Penguins a 12-1-2 record in their last 15 games.
As we’ve said on this blog before, the club’s remaining schedule will not make things any easier for the Blueshirts. Tomorrow night, they take on the Atlantic Division leading New Jersey Devils followed by games against the red hot Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, and a home-and-home series against the Philadelphia Flyers to close out the regular season.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Atlanta+Thrashers, Boston+Bruins, Carolina+Hurricanes, Florida+Panthers, Ilya+Kovalchuk, Montreal+Canadiens, Montreal+Canadiens, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Sidney+Crosby,
Big Two Points Up For Grabs in Atlanta
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/26/09 at 09:15 AM ET
Comments (0)
On paper, a tilt with the Atlanta Thrashers looks like an easy two points but for the New York Rangers, every game is like a playoff game and as such, should be treated like one.
The team is coming off a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild in a game where they played down to the Wild’s level. They were able to generate an array of scoring chances but once again had some difficulty finding the back of the net and were forced to play a tight defensive game, something fans are all too familiar with thanks to former head coach Tom Renney.
With that being said, good defense at this time of year certainly isn’t a bad thing but to win games, this team still needs to score more goals. Sure, they’ve scored more goals under new head coach John Tortorella but they need to do it on a consistent basis, something they have struggled with all season long.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Adam+Graves, Atlanta+Thrashers, Boston+Bruins, Carolina+Hurricanes, John+Tortorella, Minnesota+Wild, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tom+Renney,
Avery Gets It Done
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/15/09 at 08:30 PM ET
Comments (0)
NBC promoted this afternoon’s game as “Sean Avery’s New York Rangers” against the Philadelphia Flyers. It was only fitting that Avery and the Blueshirts went out beat the Flyers by a score of 4-1, with Avery scoring two goals, getting into a couple of scrums and causing the Flyers to focus on him rather than on playing the game.
What’s more is that the Rangers actually scored three power play goals and once again peppered the Flyers net with 39 shots on goal and this time, were rewarded for it.
The win puts the Blueshirts in a tie for sixth place in the Eastern Conference with the Montreal Canadiens, a team they will take on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre, a place that has been a nightmare of sorts for the team the past couple of visits.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Buffalo+Sabres, Montreal+Canadiens, NBC, New+York+Rangers, Ottawa+Senators, Philadelphia+Flyers, Sean+Avery,
Tough Loss in Philly
by Patrick Hoffman on 03/14/09 at 04:05 PM ET
Comments (0)
The New York Rangers fired everything but the kitchen sink at the Philadelphia Flyers this afternoon and came away with a 4-2 loss, putting them at risk of dropping out of the top eight in the Eastern Conference.
The team was certainly not afraid to shoot the puck as they fired 41 on Flyers’ netminder Marty Biron, who made 39 saves and was the major reason why the Broadstreet Bullies picked up two points. Aaron Asham also played well for the Flyers, scoring his sixth and seventh goals of the season.
This was a game that the Blueshirts could have won. They had lots of shots on goal, they moved the puck around well but as always, they had trouble burying their chances.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Aaron+Asham, Henrik+Lundqvist, John+Tortorella, Marc+Staal+Scott+Hartnell, Marty+Biron, Mike+Richards, Nashville+Predators, New+York+Rangers, Nikolai+Zherdev, Philadelphia+Flyers, Sean+Avery,
Rock Bottom
by Patrick Hoffman on 02/17/09 at 09:45 AM ET
Comments (4)
With the way the New York Rangers are playing, it’s hard to believe that they still hold a playoff spot. Currently, the team is tied for the fifth place with the Montreal Canadiens in the tight Eastern Conference.
The truth is that they really don’t deserve to be where they are right now. The team had the benefit of an easy schedule in the regular season, which allowed them to pick up a ton of points and build a solid cushion. Most fans and pundits alike figured that this cushion would be enough to help the team to solidify a playoff spot.
Unfortunately, they were wrong as the Blueshirts are currently up just five points over the ninth place Carolina Hurricanes, a lead that is quickly evaporating as the team continues to drop games left and right, much like they did this weekend with losses to the Florida Panthers, Philadelphia Flyers and the St. Louis Blues.
Uh, Houston, we have a problem.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Carolina+Hurricanes, Eastern+Conference, Florida+Panthers, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Sean+Avery, St.+Louis+Blues, Tom+Renney,
The New Season
by Patrick Hoffman on 01/03/09 at 12:00 PM ET
Comments (4)
The New York Rangers will look to put up their second straight win tonight when they take on the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center.
In the team’s last meeting, the Capitals overcame a four goal deficit to defeat the Rangers 5-4 in overtime thanks to the play of their fearless superstar, Alex Ovechkin. It was a real gut-check moment for the Blueshirts that showed them that they still have a lot of work to do before being considered one of the NHL’s elite teams, despite being tied for third place with the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference, who each have 49 points.
In order for the Blueshirts to get back to playing consistent hockey, a lot of things have to happen.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Alex+Ovechkin, Chris+Drury, Eastern+Conference, Henrik+Lundqvist, New+York+Islanders, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Scott+Gomez, Washington+Capitals,
A Brand New Day
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/26/08 at 04:00 PM ET
Comments (0)
First off, I hope you all had a happy and safe holiday, especially you New York Ranger fans out there who were looking to shake off Tuesday night’s terrible loss to the Washington Capitals.
Tomorrow night’s game against the New Jersey Devils should be looked at as a fresh start for the Rangers. Again, they’re coming off a terrible collapse against the Caps’ and have displayed rather inconsistent hockey over the past month or so.
So what better way to shake off the cob webs and play the best hockey they can play than by beating their Hudson River rivals?
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Andrew+Gross, Blue+Notes, Blueshirt+Bulletin, Chris+Drury, Dubi+Silverstein, Eastern+Conference, Glen+Sather, Henrik+Lundqvist, New+Jersey+Devils, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Ranger+Rants, Rangers+Report, Sam+Weinman, Scott+Gomez, SNY+Rangers+Blog, Steve+Zipay, Washington+Capitals,
Devils are Impressive
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/21/08 at 01:05 PM ET
Comments (1)
I’m getting ready to watch the New Jersey Devils take on the Philadelphia Flyers in a Sunday afternoon matinee at the Prudential Center and figured that this would be a good time to reflect on what the Devils have done this season.
When Martin Broduer went down with an injury in early November, many hockey pundits and fans thought that the Devils were done. They weren’t scoring a lot of goals, they weren’t really winning and lastly, they would have to rely on Kevin Weekes and Scott Clemmensen.
Well, a month and 17 days later, the Devils are 18-9-3, good for third in the Atlantic Division and sicth in the Eastern Conference. They’ve also won 11 of their last 14 games. Not bad, huh?
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Brian+Gionta, Kevin+Weekes, Martin+Brodeur, New+Jersey+Devils, Patrik+Elias, Philadelphia+Flyers, Scott+Clemmensen, Zach+Parise,
Christmas Could Come Early
by Patrick Hoffman on 12/16/08 at 09:15 PM ET
Comments (1)
According to Vancouver Canucks’ General Manager Mike Gillis, Mats Sundin will have his decision by Thursday.
All I can say is, and I think the rest of the hockey world will agree with me, it’s about time. Since last season ended, all anyone could talk about was “What is Mats Sundin going to do?” “Is he going to retire?” “Is he going to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs?” “Is he going to be a Montreal Canadien, Vancouver Canuck, Philadelphia Flyer, New York Ranger, etc.?” “Will he really just be a rent-a-player?”
That question will finally be answered on Thursday and right now, it’s tough to say what he is going to decide.
Filed in: | Goal Line Report | Permalink
Tags: Daniel+Sedin, Fredrik+Sjostrom, Henrik, Henrik+Sedin, Markus+Naslund, Mats+Sundin, Mike+Gillis, Montreal+Canadiens, New+York+Rangers, Philadelphia+Flyers, Toronto+Maple+Leafs, Vancouver+Canucks,
