GDT: Autoloss Part The Next: Pop Gun | Philadelphia Flyers @ Carolina Hurricanes | 7:30 PM

[tarheelhockey]

That almost makes me wonder if Dobby's injury wasn't caused by him hitting a bad patch on the ice. Not trying to go conspiracy theorist or anything but if our craptastic ice led to his injury...not good from a lot of corners. The way I understand it, the new ice guy, Jared, trained under Donny Mac. You'd think he'd be able to put a sheet down comparable to that. Is there some equipment issue that needs to be addressed?

Well... he was at the top of the circle near that same side of the same blue line when it happened. So maybe.

I've skated on some pretty crappy ice but rarely seen people just fall over like they do on our rink.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

There was one specific spot at the blue line by the Flyers' bench where at least two players and a ref fell flat in different periods. That's just not acceptable ice in the NHL.

Was there a rut or something like that?

 

[Joe McGrath]

Well... he was at the top of the circle near that same side of the same blue line when it happened. So maybe.

I've skated on some pretty crappy ice but rarely seen people just fall over like they do on our rink.

I wouldn't be stunned if it was a mechanical issue. Doesn't Canes management run the operations of the rink? Had to cut corners somewhere to afford all those one way contracts.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

The way I understand it, the new ice guy, Jared, trained under Donny Mac. You'd think he'd be able to put a sheet down comparable to that. Is there some equipment issue that needs to be addressed?

I guess I never knew Jared was the new ice guy. I used to play hockey with and against him up in Hillsborough and knew he was part of the crew, but never knew he was in charge of the ice now. I still see him from time to time so will ask him about it if I run into him again.

Speaking of bad ice, before they made the upgrades a few years back, anybody remember the big dip at the end of the rink (where the Zamboni goes in) at the Cary Ice house? Any time you went behind the net, it was an adventure.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

I guess I never knew Jared was the new ice guy. I used to play hockey with and against him up in Hillsborough and knew he was part of the crew, but never knew he was in charge of the ice now. I still see him from time to time so will ask him about it if I run into him again.

Speaking of bad ice, before they made the upgrades a few years back, anybody remember the big dip at the end of the rink (where the Zamboni goes in) at the Cary Ice house? Any time you went behind the net, it was an adventure.

Yep per the Club Directory he's listed as the ice tech. Dave Wescott's name is nowhere to be found there. It has to be a change that was made in the off-season as Wescott was still in charge last year.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Was there a rut or something like that?

I would think it was more than a rut, maybe some slush or something. It's kind of hard to tell from a distance with all the lights, but it looked like there was a sheen on the ice in that area. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be a mechanical issue either.

Speaking of bad ice, before they made the upgrades a few years back, anybody remember the big dip at the end of the rink (where the Zamboni goes in) at the Cary Ice house? Any time you went behind the net, it was an adventure.

It's getting to be that way again. Kind of ridiculous to have to think about protecting yourself from that kind of hazard, while also doing everything else involved in playing behind the net.

 

[LadyCane]

Anyone happen to notice who NHL.com thinks scored the goal to tie it up last night?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=690069

 

[the halleJOKEL]

i just played at the cary ice house last night, and the ice is still just as horrible as always. you are better off not even going for the puck when it gets near the boards. no idea why they think that **** is acceptable to play hockey on, let alone have public skates.

the garner ice house is marginally better.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Anyone happen to notice who NHL.com thinks scored the goal to tie it up last night?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=690069

Easy mistake to make. I've made it multiple times myself.

--hank

 

[caniac315]

Glad we got the two points last night, but another perk today has been reading the Flyers boards. Hahahahaha

 

[Ole Gil]

The worst part for flyers fans is all the media blowing smoke up their arses heading into the season. A bad team gets worse, and the talking heads are all picking them to make the playoffs anyways. Hard not to believe positive hype going into a season, which makes their awfulness harder to take, I imagine.

 

[What the Faulk]

Thought Ruutu had a strong game as well. He was hitting everything, but he did it smartly. He never took himself out of the play just to lay someone out. Also thought the top line, but Tlusty especially, looked pretty good. Most importantly, I love how Muller rolled all four lines fairly evenly. Jordan's, statistically, had a weaker game, but I think they've got potential.

 

[Unsustainable]

They are playing playoff type hockey. Which will be boring.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I agree on Tlusty. The things that made him successful last year seem to be coming back. First in on the forecheck, getting to the right spots, skating hard, etc..

I disagree on Staal and Semin though. Semin's play last night (at least in the first half of the game) in the Canes zone was nonchalant at best, lazy at worst. Early in the first, he ices it because he doesn't skate two more strides before dumping it in the zone. Two or three times, the puck comes to him on the wing and he does a simple flick of his stick (or skate) to deflect it to the other team. No attempt to control it or get it out of the zone or, god forbid get an organized attack going the other way. Takes a lazy hooking penalty, etc... And at times when he does get the puck in the Canes zone, he goes off and skates circles and the other guys have no clue what he's doing.

He was ok in the neutral zone/offensive zone and he did backcheck hard, but his work in the own zone wasn't particularly good IMO. He also holds onto the puck WAY too long on the PP before trying an ill advised pass. Not putting this all on him as the rest of the guys on the unit are basically not moving their feet so other than passing it back to the guy who just passed it to him, there aren't many options.

And E. Staal we've discussed enough. He just looks slow and weak. Until late in the game, rarely won a board battle and rarely skated with any speed.

I know I'm being overly critical of these two, but when they are the only real threats the team has (especially with Skinner out), the team needs more from them.

 

[TheBigKahuna]

i just played at the cary ice house last night, and the ice is still just as horrible as always. you are better off not even going for the puck when it gets near the boards. no idea why they think that **** is acceptable to play hockey on, let alone have public skates.

the garner ice house is marginally better.

It's still bad? That ice was bad any years ago too. I remember playing there in the 90s, and the puck would fall into the rut around the boards and get lost or stuck! There was a channel, that reached about 8-10" out from the boards, that was easily 1-3" deep most of the time. No telling how many ankles were broken in that ditch!

 

[What the Faulk]

I thought all three were exceptional in the offensive zone in winning board battles, but I can buy some non-chalance in the defensive zone. While I'm not excusing it, I also don't recall the Flyers having too many quality chances as a result of the Canes' inability to break out. Most of their chances came in transition or on the rush. Still one of the better games I've seen from that line, even if they didn't really score.

Also thought it was interesting that they basically only ran one PP unit last night.

Murphy, Eric, Gerbe and Semin all got over 4:00 while Tlusty and Lindholm split the other forward position at around 2:30 each.

Jordan, Ruutu, Sekara and Faulk only got around 1:00, but they were hovering around :15 seconds until the end of that 5-on-3 in the 3rd.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

It's still bad? That ice was bad any years ago too. I remember playing there in the 90s, and the puck would fall into the rut around the boards and get lost or stuck! There was a channel, that reached about 8-10" out from the boards, that was easily 1-3" deep most of the time. No telling how many ankles were broken in that ditch!

it isn't quite as bad as it was before the big renovation they did ~2009ish... they still had that giant channel before that

now the main issue is really terrible rut-filled ice by the zamboni entrance and a 2-3 inch dip all the way around the boards, especially behind the nets. i have no idea what they are doing to make their sheet so horrible, but it is by far the worst of all the area rinks

 

[CaniacSZN]

I thought all three were exceptional in the offensive zone in winning board battles, but I can buy some non-chalance in the defensive zone. While I'm not excusing it, I also don't recall the Flyers having too many quality chances as a result of the Canes' inability to break out. Most of their chances came in transition or on the rush. Still one of the better games I've seen from that line, even if they didn't really score.

Also thought it was interesting that they basically only ran one PP unit last night.

Murphy, Eric, Gerbe and Semin all got over 4:00 while Tlusty and Lindholm split the other forward position at around 2:30 each.

Jordan, Ruutu, Sekara and Faulk only got around 1:00, but they were hovering around :15 seconds until the end of that 5-on-3 in the 3rd.

Yeah and it would of been all Lindholm if he didn't go to the locker room from the Hartnell hit.

 

[tarheelhockey]

it isn't quite as bad as it was before the big renovation they did ~2009ish... they still had that giant channel before that

now the main issue is really terrible rut-filled ice by the zamboni entrance and a 2-3 inch dip all the way around the boards, especially behind the nets. i have no idea what they are doing to make their sheet so horrible, but it is by far the worst of all the area rinks

I think the problem is basically with their ice making equipment. That building has gone through several life cycles and was converted into an ice rink. I see the zambonis break down on such a regular basis there, that I can only imagine what kind of equipment they have under the ice. They re-did the ice and improved the situation in the corners about a year ago, but it's already getting back to the way it was. Seems like it's probably just inadequate equipment all around, moreso than the way they're taking care of it.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

this is the first time i havent played at the ice plex

did not realize how good i had it

 

[nobuddy]

I ****ing love the iceplex compared to other rinks in the area.

 

[vwg*]

Ice making equipment is ridiculously expensive, and so is any labor to fix any ice making equipment (incredibly specialized skill - at least if you want someone who knows what they're doing). Wouldn't be surprised if the ice making equipment or ice resurfacers aren't in optimal condition after spending over budget for the roster the last couple of seasons. I mean I hope that's not why the ice sucks, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I've noticed ice quality seems to be a league wide problem though. Even teams in places where you think they'd have no problem producing quality ice have had problems with their ice.