David Weightman
10-12-2010, 10:39 AM
Well, here we are the home opener for the 2010 Eastern Conference champions, the Philadelphia Flyers as they take on the Colorado Avalanche at the Wells Fargo Center, the 4th time the arena has changed since it opened in 1995. Unfortunately, it won't be the last time since you are deal with the bank industry. Anyway, here we go.
Tons of pregame hoopla-----a banner raised-----enough of this. Let's go--it's GAMETIME!!!!
1st period-First 6:30 of period.....good amount of chances for Philly, as they out shot Colorado 8-4. Briere, Giroux and JVR looked sharp early. Halfway through period, and Carter has 2 scoring chances, but great save by Anderson. Wilson of Avs just leveled Zherdev. Hey, Zherdev this isn't the KHL--they actually hit here. Zherdev skated off, but was shaken up. Another bad penalty as Hartnell gets caught for too many men. During the shorty, Richards steals puck from defenseman Liles, and makes a nifty pass to Claude Giroux who goes to the backhand, and roofs it over Anderson, 1-0 Philly.
Then, after a Mike Richards penalty, and just as the Avalanche power-play expires, it is Carter stealing a bad pass from David Jones, and goes in on a breakaway and does a Giroux-like copycat, as he goes backhand and goes top shelf. Flyers 2-0 lead, and that leads to a TO from Avs coach Joe Sacco.
After a great period for Philly, they not only being up by 2, but they outshoot Colorado, 15-8.
2nd period-First 7 minutes of period...Carcillo and Chris Stewart start yapping before the puck drops in the period...a few chances for Philly, but it was rather quiet. Bobrovsky stones Stastny on a deflection, and that leads to the Richard Dreyfuss What About Bob clips...with BOB said over and over. However, soon after the Avs take advantage of a Hartnell and Brandon Yip..(yes that is his last name), and he shoots it stick-side over Bobrovsky, to make the score, 2-1. As for the rest of the period, a lot of back and forth action, the Flyers did get a late period power play, and did have a scoring chance, but couldn't put the puck in the net, as the score remains 2-1, after 2 periods.
Overall, not a good period for the Flyers they had too many giveaways, even though the shots were 10-10. The Flyers need to come out strong in the first 5 minutes of the 3rd period.
3rd period-The Avs strike early just 32 seconds, as Colorado won the face-off, and Milan Hejduk's shot just snuck by Bobrovsky, to tie the game at 2-2. During most of the 3rd period, both teams had opportunities, but then with 2:38 left in the game, Mike Richards stole the puck in the Flyers defensive zone, and he fed James Van Riemsdyk who skated the puck up, and then gave the puck back, but it deflected off Richards to Jeff Carter whose shot hit the inside pad of goalie Craig Anderson, and into the net to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead. Then with the Avalanche pulling the goalie, Darroll Powe put in an empty netter, to give Philly the win, 4-2.
Final stats and thoughts---Flyers outshot Colorado 38-27, and also out hit them 20-13, which is good to see they are taking the body. The only other stat I notice, Mike Richards won 12-of-19 face-offs, while Danny Briere only won 2-of-11.
Flyers next game this Thursday night at home against former Flyer Simon Gagne, and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tons of pregame hoopla-----a banner raised-----enough of this. Let's go--it's GAMETIME!!!!
1st period-First 6:30 of period.....good amount of chances for Philly, as they out shot Colorado 8-4. Briere, Giroux and JVR looked sharp early. Halfway through period, and Carter has 2 scoring chances, but great save by Anderson. Wilson of Avs just leveled Zherdev. Hey, Zherdev this isn't the KHL--they actually hit here. Zherdev skated off, but was shaken up. Another bad penalty as Hartnell gets caught for too many men. During the shorty, Richards steals puck from defenseman Liles, and makes a nifty pass to Claude Giroux who goes to the backhand, and roofs it over Anderson, 1-0 Philly.
Then, after a Mike Richards penalty, and just as the Avalanche power-play expires, it is Carter stealing a bad pass from David Jones, and goes in on a breakaway and does a Giroux-like copycat, as he goes backhand and goes top shelf. Flyers 2-0 lead, and that leads to a TO from Avs coach Joe Sacco.
After a great period for Philly, they not only being up by 2, but they outshoot Colorado, 15-8.
2nd period-First 7 minutes of period...Carcillo and Chris Stewart start yapping before the puck drops in the period...a few chances for Philly, but it was rather quiet. Bobrovsky stones Stastny on a deflection, and that leads to the Richard Dreyfuss What About Bob clips...with BOB said over and over. However, soon after the Avs take advantage of a Hartnell and Brandon Yip..(yes that is his last name), and he shoots it stick-side over Bobrovsky, to make the score, 2-1. As for the rest of the period, a lot of back and forth action, the Flyers did get a late period power play, and did have a scoring chance, but couldn't put the puck in the net, as the score remains 2-1, after 2 periods.
Overall, not a good period for the Flyers they had too many giveaways, even though the shots were 10-10. The Flyers need to come out strong in the first 5 minutes of the 3rd period.
3rd period-The Avs strike early just 32 seconds, as Colorado won the face-off, and Milan Hejduk's shot just snuck by Bobrovsky, to tie the game at 2-2. During most of the 3rd period, both teams had opportunities, but then with 2:38 left in the game, Mike Richards stole the puck in the Flyers defensive zone, and he fed James Van Riemsdyk who skated the puck up, and then gave the puck back, but it deflected off Richards to Jeff Carter whose shot hit the inside pad of goalie Craig Anderson, and into the net to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead. Then with the Avalanche pulling the goalie, Darroll Powe put in an empty netter, to give Philly the win, 4-2.
Final stats and thoughts---Flyers outshot Colorado 38-27, and also out hit them 20-13, which is good to see they are taking the body. The only other stat I notice, Mike Richards won 12-of-19 face-offs, while Danny Briere only won 2-of-11.
Flyers next game this Thursday night at home against former Flyer Simon Gagne, and the Tampa Bay Lightning.