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Ducks vs. Flyers: Game 5

Posted 4:36 PM ET | Comments 0
What started out as a great game ended in a frustrating shootout loss that left a stale taste. It doesnt help that the Flyers have to wait almost a full week before their next game. Here are my game notes:

First Period
Good overall period by the Orange and Black as they lead 1-0 off another power play goal by Mike Richards. It is his 6th of this young season and he currently leads the NHL. Giroux looks great on the power play as he has excellent vision and did well keeping pucks alive. Flyers looked to have control of the puck the majority of the period and the defense did well clearing out loose pucks and rebounds. Emery was solid in net, but I would like to see more pucks "stick" to him. Carter showed good speed on a breakaway at the end of the period. Even had a blast from the past as Asham's hair was flying out there like in the 70's.

Second Period
Early in the period and Emery coming up big. He had a huge save on Perry after an extended first shift and more on the penalty kill after an interference call on OKT (his second penalty of the game so far). Emery was by far the best penalty killer making two big saves on Koivu and another on Selanee. Our old friend Lupul also had two great chances and appeared to be looking up into the rafters thinking how great it wouldve been to score. Refs taking over the game as there is a parade to the penalty box. On two separate occasions they give unsportsmanlike calls to Cote and Perry for their on-ice banter!!!! Pronger scores another Flyer pp goal, his first of the season, against his old team, and on his 35th birthday. Ducks outplay the Flyers for the first 12 minutes of the period, then the Flyers take over for the remainign eight minutes.

Third Period
Period starts out with another big saves by Emery on Perry and Hiller on Carter. The Carcillo-Powe-Asham line has a great shift and keeps control of the puck in the Anaheim end almost the entire 45 seconds. Powe sets up another scoring chance as he steals the puck from Hiller behind the net but is unable to connect with a centering pass. Carter has another great opportunity on the PP and Gagne hits the goal post. Flyers look in control of the game but become a little too loose as Selanee gets a goal off a quick transition and catches Coburn flat footed at the blue line. Ducks come up big with a good penalty kill and pull their goalie with less than a minute in regulation. Getzlaf makes a couple of splendid plays giving the Ducks an opportunity to tie the game. He first stops Richards bid for an empty net goal and than makes a leaping glove save at the blue line to hold in a clear. This leads directly to the tieing goal as he moves the puck to Niedermayer who finds a wide open Selanee at the side of the net. How the most prolific active goal scoring is that wide open is beyond me, but thats what good goal scorers do: they put themselves in a position to score.

OT
Flyers have good chances to put away the game off a Richards shot from the slot, Briere off a faceoff win, and a 2-1 with Carter and Briere that is broken up by Luca Sbisa who took away the passing lane. Giveaways by Carle and Richards lead to Bobby Ryan getting three great chances at the end of the 5-minute session.

Shootout
Briere, Richards, and Gagne all go scoreless and none other than Teemu Selanee wins it for the Ducks. Hard to see the Flyers give up a 2-0 lead with 6 minutes to play and ultimately to lose that valuable point. It looked like all the Flyer shooters had Hiller beat but couldnt lift the puck over Hiller's pads. UGH

Best Flyer of the Game
With respects to Mike Richards, this goes to birthday-boy Chris Pronger. He is steady as a rock on D and gets rewarded with a power play goal. He has a great shot from the point and is able to get it on net (perhaps Randy Jones can learn how to do this). Good to see him get his first as a Flyer

Worst Flyer of the Game
OKT. Two interference penalties meant he spent more time in the box than on the ice (only 3:28 total ice time). This may be a sore spot on the Flyer defense as they need a reliable #6

Best Opponent of the Game
Teemu Selanee. The only player to beat Emery. For a guy who is almost 40 years old, he still has his amazingly soft hands. Easy to see how he has 500+ career goals
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