Finally a Total Effort for 60 Minutes, Flyers Down Bruins 3-1

It was definitely the most complete effort by the Philadelphia Flyers since Peter Laviolette took over the team, and it may just have been the most complete effort of the season thus far.  In a preview of the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day, the Flyers overcame a 1-0 third period deficit to beat the Boston Bruins 3-1 in Boston.

For the first time in the last month, the Flyers played a full 60 minute game.  They doggedly forechecked the Bruin defense with a puck pursuit with a purpose.  They finished their checks, they made sure to tie up any Bruins in front of goaltender Brian Boucher.  And most importantly they scored three goals, all in the third period.

After almost two full periods of tough hitting and tight checking by both teams, the Bruins broke through late in the second.  After Philadelphia forward Jon Kalinski hit the post against Boston netminder Tim Thomas at the one end, Shawn Thornton wheeled and fired the puck in front of the Flyer net.  The puck caromed off of Vladimir Sobotka and Kalinski past Boucher and nestled in the far corner of the net.  The goal at 18:32 gave Boston the 1-0 lead heading into the third period.

It would have been easy for the Flyers to give up and coast through the rest of the game as has been the case as of late.  But something very different happened in this third frame.

Philadelphia was pressuring the puck furiously, and at 2:48 of the final stanza, Flyer rookie James van Riemsdyk tied the game.  Kimmo Timonen started the play and Arron Asham fed the puck in front where JVR snapped it through Thomas.  It was van Riemsdyk’s first goal in 12 games and only his 2nd point in those same 12 contests.

Midway through the third, Timonen took a shot from the blueline that appeared to change direction, possibly off of Bruin Blake Wheeler.  The puck floated by Thomas and into the top left corner to give Philly a 2-1 lead.

Late in the third Scott Hartnell gave the Bruins a power play with a high-sticking penalty, his third minor of the game.  Boston pulled Thomas in favor of the extra attacker to give them, in effect, a 2-man advantage.  The one advantage it gave Philadelphia is that they could clear the puck the length of the ice without any chance of icing being called.  Timonen gathered the puck in the left corner of the Flyers defensive zone, turned, and lifted the puck down the ice and hitting the empty net dead center for his second goal of the game.

The positives: Once again, Boucher was outstanding, holding the Flyers in a scoreless game and giving them a chance to win.  When the offense finally showed up in the third period, Boosh had been huge in keeping the game at 1-0.  Brian ended with 26 saves on the night.

Daniel Carcillo, in his first game back from his 4-game suspension, looked like a man possessed…but in a good way.  He hit every Bruin in sight and played with a controlled aggression.  Cacillo led all players with 8 hits.  He didn’t retaliate on a Zdeno Chara penalty in the first period, and didn’t even look twice at Dennis Wideman when Wideman came over and stuck his stick in “Car Bomb’s” midsection behind the view of the officials.  This is how Carcillo can be effective and the reason that GM Paul Holmgren sent Scottie Upshall to the Phoenix Coyotes to acquire Carcillo at the trade deadline last March.

The Flyer forecheck.  Playing Laviolette’s system to a “T”, Philadelphia showed themselves how hard work and effort can result in a victory.  Hopefully this makes an indelible impression on the team and they remember with effort comes reward.

The Flyer penalty kill.  Seeing the opponents take an “oh-fer” on their power play was big, as it has been a rare occurrence for Philly over the past month.  Boston finished the night 0-3 with the man advantage.

Team cohesion and unity.  Not only outmanning the Bruins on the forecheck to take away the puck in the Boston zone, there was also good coverage and accountability defensively.

The Offense.  Though they didn’t score until the third period, the Flyers accumulated 38 shots on Thomas.

The Negative: Scott Hartnell took three more undisciplined minors, two of which put Philly shorthanded, including while the team with fragile confidence was protecting a one-goal lead with just over a minute left in regulation.  Laviolette has got to do something to engrain in Hartnell that he has to be disciplined, or he will continue to hurt the team by giving the opposition PPs.  Especially if Hartnell is not scoring or drawing opposition penalties of his own.

My 3 Stars

#1 – Kimmo Timonen – 2 goals, an assist and a +3, rock solid on defense.

#2 – Brian Boucher – 26 saves, held Flyers in until they scored.  Gave the team a chance to win and they did.

#3 – Tim Thomas – 35 saves, some spectacular in losing effort.

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