Refocus And Ask Again!
Posted 8:32 PM ET | Comments 0
A lot of people blast the daylights out of the NHL, and I’ve done my share of it myself. One of my problems is the schedule. Too many games in too few nights followed by lengthy idle stretches. Bottom line, it hurts the product on a game in-game out basis. There are also too many games against divisional opponents. Eight is too many, especially when it comes at the expense of seeing the game’s great stars and franchises.
But this stretch we’re into now, with divisional opponents facing each other, for the most part, twice before the season’s impending end, should provide the most intense hockey we’ve seen so far this year.
Which brings me to my Flyers. It’s a crowd of teams looking to fit into the eight seeds available in the East, but the Flyers should make it. They simply look like they’re going to need the points more than their opponents. The question is, “Will they play that way?”
In many ways, they’re where they are at in spite of themselves. An inability to beat teams who play a more disciplined style, which dates back to the first month of the season, was an early warning sign. Horrible defensive zone breakdowns, stupid and/or lazy penalties and brain cramp inspired giveaways allowed them to snatch many defeats from the jaws of victory. Many other nights, the system they were playing could best be described as the Neutral Zone Malaise.
Well, there are seven games left as I write. If the last few games are an indicator, they’ve tightened up in their own end, which was the real key for them. Goals they will score. It’s defense they need to re-commit to. They did it to great effect right after Christmas, but then got lax, won games by simply outscoring opponents and then went on a 10 game losing streak that put them in the tight spot they’re in now. Still, they’ve shown some guts in not falling even further into the abyss. They’ve shown some guts in overcoming injuries.
Hopefully, they’ve learned their lessons. They can score enough goals to win most any game, it’s when they start allowing three, four or even more goals that they’ve effectively beaten themselves. This Flyers team needs to learn that defense wins championships. The individual players know it from years of experience at all levels of hockey. Hell, even I know it. It’s no secret. Will this group of Flyers know it? I predict the answer is . . . . . . . .
http://m8ball.nicksoft.in...o/index.php?answer=258260
Thank God!
But this stretch we’re into now, with divisional opponents facing each other, for the most part, twice before the season’s impending end, should provide the most intense hockey we’ve seen so far this year.
Which brings me to my Flyers. It’s a crowd of teams looking to fit into the eight seeds available in the East, but the Flyers should make it. They simply look like they’re going to need the points more than their opponents. The question is, “Will they play that way?”
In many ways, they’re where they are at in spite of themselves. An inability to beat teams who play a more disciplined style, which dates back to the first month of the season, was an early warning sign. Horrible defensive zone breakdowns, stupid and/or lazy penalties and brain cramp inspired giveaways allowed them to snatch many defeats from the jaws of victory. Many other nights, the system they were playing could best be described as the Neutral Zone Malaise.
Well, there are seven games left as I write. If the last few games are an indicator, they’ve tightened up in their own end, which was the real key for them. Goals they will score. It’s defense they need to re-commit to. They did it to great effect right after Christmas, but then got lax, won games by simply outscoring opponents and then went on a 10 game losing streak that put them in the tight spot they’re in now. Still, they’ve shown some guts in not falling even further into the abyss. They’ve shown some guts in overcoming injuries.
Hopefully, they’ve learned their lessons. They can score enough goals to win most any game, it’s when they start allowing three, four or even more goals that they’ve effectively beaten themselves. This Flyers team needs to learn that defense wins championships. The individual players know it from years of experience at all levels of hockey. Hell, even I know it. It’s no secret. Will this group of Flyers know it? I predict the answer is . . . . . . . .
http://m8ball.nicksoft.in...o/index.php?answer=258260
Thank God!