Post-Game Talk: #65 | FLYERS 6 at Sabres 3| Tuesday, March 7, 2017 | 7:30 pm ET

[Curufinwe]

Why are post victory PGTs so empty? And why are many usual suspects missing? One could say "AWOL"?

If a one night absence turned into another six month vacation I wouldn't complain.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

They made a change a couple weeks ago that saw centers getting more involved in front of the net than they had been in a while. Instead of focusing on fetching pucks along the boards and filling in for W and D all the damned time.

Change looked to be made from the Calgary game into Edmonton the next night. Centers behaved noticeably differently, and they weren't really on the same page with their wingers for a bit; that game featured several collisions and fowards trying to play the same spot, and there was some of the same confusion in the following game too.

Which was welcome because that Calgary game was terrible.

You've got posters acting like last night's offensive explosion was due to a change in the team's system -- particularly an alleged change in how the centers play & a decreased emphasis on offense through point shots.

I broke down all 6 goals.

3 came directly off point shots.

2 others involved the center (Couturier) getting an assist from a pass made from above the circles.

The last was just a 1 on 1 rush along the wall & a soft goal from a wide angle.

This systems change is imaginary. The "system" gets blamed for bad games & miraculously gets changed when the players have good games & make good plays. Giroux isn't lying when he said they aren't doing anything different, just playing better.

 

[Hiesenberg]

They got some puck luck last night, that was obvious.

 

[Curufinwe]

Couturier said in his post game interview that they were doing something different, specifically, trying to get the puck down low and take shots closer to the net instead of just from the points and the outsides.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Couturier said in his post game interview that they were doing something different, specifically, trying to get the puck down low and take shots closer to the net instead of just from the points and the outsides.

It was clear they were taking way too many low percentage plays and if we noticed it, they noticed it.

 

[hatcher]

It was clear they were taking way too many low percentage plays and if we noticed it, they noticed it.

Thats just as a line not the system.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Giroux had a good game throughout the entirety. His first period was likely his best period, he could have easily had more points.

Eh, I agree with flyersjim.

G did not have a good game throughout.

He had multiple unforced turnovers. He was easily shoved to the perimeter.
PP1 was awful in their first 3 attempts against the worst PK in the league, & G was a major part of that suck,
Keith Jones, who usually says nothing, was compelled in the 2nd to say "Couturier's line has been the team's best tonight, & the big names need to step up."

G got a nice garbage goal later he was in good position for, but again Weal was the more dangerous player on that line.

 

[Striiker]

Sorry i fell asleep once the game ended,forgive me lol

Dude same.

I was so tired when the game started that by the end I was a zombie.

I usually do that anyway though, especially after losses. The last thing I want to see before falling asleep is a rage filled PGT so I leave it until the next day when I have the energy to read dumb ****.

 

[Johnk0728]

You've got posters acting like last night's offensive explosion was due to a change in the team's system -- particularly an alleged change in how the centers play & a decreased emphasis on offense through point shots.

I broke down all 6 goals.

3 came directly off point shots.

2 others involved the center (Couturier) getting an assist from a pass made from above the circles.

The last was just a 1 on 1 rush along the wall & a soft goal from a wide angle.

This systems change is imaginary. The "system" gets blamed for bad games & miraculously gets changed when the players have good games & make good plays. Giroux isn't lying when he said they aren't doing anything different, just playing better.

Exactly...its amazing when you have forward depth and competition creating urgency amongst the forwards how better they play. Replacing Raffl & Weise with Weal and Konecny along with Filpulla making the Flyers have 3 legit NHL centers means more talent and speed. Plus Weal, Cousins and Konecny are playing for NHL spots which wakes up the regulars like Couturier etc. Heck, Voracek and Simmonds were not good last night for the most part and they scored 6 goals with a PP that wasn't great early. It also takes pressure off a undermanned D corps. This has nothing to do with system. Its young players with more skill taking over for guys w/ less skill and taking advantage of the opportunity. And even more impressive is how Couturier reacted to the Filpulla trade. And that's the first game Matt Read has skated well and battled in a while. Young talent competition can make complacency go away real quick especially with a hayseed coach like this who will scratch anyone.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

Maybe Luby is the problem rather than the victim

 

[Striiker]

Eh, I agree with flyersjim.

G did not have a good game throughout.

He had multiple unforced turnovers. He was easily shoved to the perimeter.
PP1 was awful in their first 3 attempts against the worst PK in the league, & G was a major part of that suck,
Keith Jones, who usually says nothing, was compelled in the 2nd to say "Couturier's line has been the team's best tonight, & the big names need to step up."

G got a nice garbage goal later he was in good position for, but again Weal was the more dangerous player on that line.

Your keyboard is going to go on strike if you keep making it type so much incorrect ****.

 

[flyersjim73]

Giroux had a good game throughout the entirety. His first period was likely his best period, he could have easily had more points.

Not sure what to say other than I completely disagree. I'm normally on G's side but it looked to me like he lost just about every battle with the puck, turned the puck over several times and in the process made several really bad passes. Seemed fine after the goal though...

 

[FlyerFaithful17]

Not sure what to say other than I completely disagree. I'm normally on G's side but it looked to me like he lost just about every battle with the puck, turned the puck over several times and in the process made several really bad passes. Seemed fine after the goal though...

I think he was good last night. He's not what he used to be, but unfortunately I think we're going to need to get used to that (unless there's been something wrong with him that we aren't aware of). Dominating 5 on 5 was a very promising sign. You can't usually special teams your way into the postseason.

 

[deadhead]

Weal was a better player than Giroux last night, hands down.

Konency showed the Twins aren't as bad as advertised when they have a wing who can reward them for hard work (keeping the puck in the O-zone). Get the puck to Konency and things happen, get the puck to Weise or Luby . . . I think Hakstol has him there to get him in game shape, but the way it's working he might have Konency double shift (8 minutes on the 4th line, a few more on other lines).

This game showed the problem is talent, not scheme, adding Flippula and Konency, and playing Weal and Cousins, suddenly provided balance and depth through four lines.

The absence of Streit was also a positive, Manning is more physical in the D-zone and skates better. But the real positive is MDZ the last few games starting to look like he realized he's in a contract year.

The D-men were more aggressive, though MacDonald deep in the O-zone was giving me heartburn, it's not like he has the skills to make that work on a steady basis.

 

[Flyerfan4life]

Couturier said in his post game interview that they were doing something different, specifically, trying to get the puck down low and take shots closer to the net instead of just from the points and the outsides.

oh oh, now hes going to get pressbox'd...

he just basicly said "we didnt use Haks system and he scored cuz of it"

 

[deadhead]

Or they played Hakstol's system correctly.

 

[Hiesenberg]

Honestly, the way they were playing was completely different than what Hakstol had going on last year.

That's what never made sense, how they played System X all last year and it worked and the played that system earlier, then all of the sudden they stopped and couldn't score.

Well did the system change or did the guys not play it well or was the talent level too poor?

 

[Beef Invictus]

You've got posters acting like last night's offensive explosion was due to a change in the team's system -- particularly an alleged change in how the centers play & a decreased emphasis on offense through point shots.

I broke down all 6 goals.

3 came directly off point shots.

2 others involved the center (Couturier) getting an assist from a pass made from above the circles.

The last was just a 1 on 1 rush along the wall & a soft goal from a wide angle.

This systems change is imaginary. The "system" gets blamed for bad games & miraculously gets changed when the players have good games & make good plays. Giroux isn't lying when he said they aren't doing anything different, just playing better.

It isn't imagined. They were playing one way. Then from Edmonton onwards they've been trying to play a different way. It's not hard to spot.

 

[hatcher]

Not sure what to say other than I completely disagree. I'm normally on G's side but it looked to me like he lost just about every battle with the puck, turned the puck over several times and in the process made several really bad passes. Seemed fine after the goal though...

Spot on. Big problem moving forward that's forsure.

 

[kudymen]

Sorry i fell asleep once the game ended,forgive me lol

 

[Rebels57]

It isn't imagined. They were playing one way. Then from Edmonton onwards they've been trying to play a different way. It's not hard to spot.

He's the resident contrarian. No point in even indulging him.

 

[Tripod]

It isn't imagined. They were playing one way. Then from Edmonton onwards they've been trying to play a different way. It's not hard to spot.

It's hard to spot when you don't watch the entire games and instead try to dissect it thru the hi-lites.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I mean for sure better execution is most important, but going from a style that minimizes your chances for high quality opportunities to one that can create high quality opportunities is going to make it more likely for you to score to begin with.

 

[Rebels57]

I mean for sure better execution is most important, but going from a style that minimizes your chances for high quality opportunities to one that can create high quality opportunities is going to make it more likely for you to score to begin with.

Came back to this thread to post this. Not surprised you beat me to it. They dont have to score every goal in the slot from the center for it to be evident that a change has taken place and is having a positive effect on the overall results.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Forcing them to cover around the net more is also going to make it harder to contain the team to the perimeter.