No emotion...no composure…we are heading south”----------- Flyers Center Jeremy Roenick

“The Orange and Pink”
Perhaps that title might be a bit harsh or a knee jerk reaction to the 6-0 debacle the Flyers suffered during Hockey Night in Canada last Saturday night. Seeing as where the Flyers have one of the best records (points wise) in league. Also the lost ended a 5 game unbeaten streak. But it was a modest one seeing as where 4 of the games were kiss your sister ties. Although in Lima Beanz’s case that is not too shabby of a deal.

There are signs of trouble and potential for the team to come apart at the seems…yet again. For one a good deal of the ties, the Flyers failed to put the puck in the net as they did with the greatest of ease at the start of the season. They are lucky to get 2 goals. Simon Gagne has two goals and many players are hitting dry spells already. In addition, the games have been uninspired, and they lack any kind of drive. This results in hockey games about as entertaining as this weeks Sopranos.

“This was the product of bad things etching their way into our game every night, and it bit us in the fanny…Every aspect of our game was not there…Its been creeping up. We didn’t do anything well”
the Flyers leading scorer John Leclair remarked after Saturday nights game.

What bad things you ask? Well for starters they let up two power play goals and their penalty killing has been on a downward spiral. They are 3 for their last 61 for their power play……yes that’s right…3 for their last 61. The last guy that won the Power Play payoff just moved into Dan K’s apartment complex and he retired. Oh yeah and the biggest disgrace of all is that the leafs were stilling hitting with 2 minutes left in a 6-0 tilt, and the Flyers didn’t bother to throw any hits let alone fists. They could have at least acted like they cared. The fans were more embarrassed than the players. Its time to inject this team with some drive before the apathy virus kills another season.

The same thing happened this time last year, and the Flyers picked up Donald Brasher who jump started them for a little bit. Than the team derailed again, but this time supposedly the players will be shipped out of here. If the continues to sputter look for a minor move before the holiday trade freeze, or if they really go south a blockbuster trade in January. Brendle(sucks), McCgillis(coach hates), and Recchi I could see being ousted. No more excuses. No more…the goalie is just hot…the coach sucks…Lindros made us to do it…we are not the ones with cancer…blame the guy who’s wife just died…the team has to get the special teams going again and play with an ounce of heart and perhaps they can stay on top of their division. Weds. they get a chance to stay king of the hill again the penguins who are a close 2nd.

“We are not playing with a passion” Mark Recchi…..

No Shit Sherlock and when you here booooo this season you know its not to support Brian Boucher.

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“Here a Trap There a Trap, Everywhere a Trap, Trap"

Sigh… I fell for it ..that the league would actually crack down on the clutching and grabbing this season. I thought Garry Bettman was serious about policing the refs. However, like every other season the trap, the clutching and grabbing the ruined the game in the 90’s is sneaking right back in.

Little by little teams are getting away more with holding up their opponents in the neurtal zone. The game is slowing down again. Just sit back and look for it. It has not reached the point it was when Super Mario left the game….or gotten to the point it did last season. However its increased Id say 40 percent since the puck dropped on the season in October. Many players are grumbling about it. However if you go over board like penguins forward Marc Bergevin (former Whaler) did…the league will shut your mouth.

“It’s a farce…15 games it lasted….its embarrassing…the same way the NHL has been the last two years…This league’s a joke. I honestly thought it was going to change…unbelievable. Bettman yapping his mouth off…that brings fans back?” said the disgruntled Penguin.

So the NHL fined him. I guess I can understand cause he disrespected the commish, but he had a valid point. I guess he could have done it behind closed doors. However getting it in the papers makes the league look bad, so I think it was worth the fine. Than again its only Bergevin…id like to see Mario or some one with some power public grip…and Mario has before. One of the main reasons of the crack down was to keep Mario skating.

Okay so we had more players going to the penalty box than hours Ryan spends with Regan in a given day, but the players would eventually learn their lessons and not clutch and grab. But if the whistle doesn’t blow,..they would be stupid not to try to get away with it. Simple as that. Worse case we have lots of power plays which would result in more goals.