Flyers' search for wins heads to Toronto

The Philadelphia Flyers hope to end their latest losing skid tonight when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre.

Philly has fallen to Tampa Bay and Washington at home after showing signs of life by winning two-of-three. On Saturday they dropped a 5-3 tilt to the visiting Capitals, asAlexander Ovechkin and Ben Clymer tallied two goals apiece to lift the victors.

Robert Esche got the start between the pipes for Philadelphia and allowed four goals on eight shots and was replaced by Antero Niittymaki at the start of the second period. Niittymaki finished with 10 saves in relief of Esche.

Simon Gagne, Geoff Sanderson and R.J. Umberger tallied goals for the Flyers, who hold the NHL's worst record with a mere seven points.

Philadelphia was behind the 8-ball from the start on Saturday, as Washington scored four times in the first period.

The Flyers allowed four goals or more for the seventh time on the young season, and they scored three or fewer for the 11th time.

Philadelphia, which is 2-3-0 under new head coach John Stevens, will host the NY Islanders on Thursday.

Toronto, meanwhile, has won four of its last five games. On Saturday, Mats Sundin scored twice and added an assist as the Leafs handed the Buffalo Sabres their first regulation loss of the season in a 4-1 tilt at HSBC Arena.

Darcy Tucker and Jeff O'Neill also scored for the Maple Leafs, while goaltender Andrew Raycroft made 29 saves in the victory.

Toronto's offensive attack has come on, netting 19 goals in the last five games.

Sundin has posted three goals and five assists in his last four outings.

The Maple Leafs will visit Boston on Thursday.

Toronto won three of the four meetings with Philly last season.

Preview: Flyers at Rangers

After a dramatic win at Philadelphia over the weekend, the New York Rangers try to complete a sweep of a home-and-home series with the Flyers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

Oddsmakers have the Rangers as -135 favorites with the total set at 6.

The Rangers, who will be looking to open a season with three straight victories for the first time in 17 years, defeated the Flyers (0-1-1) on Saturday when Marcel Hossa beat Antero Niittymaki in the 13th round of a shootout for a 5-4 victory.

The shootout was the second-longest in NHL history, behind New York`s 15-round win over Washington last season.

``I was just wondering if it was ever going to end,`` said Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who stopped all 13 Philadelphia shooters Saturday.

Lundqvist finished with 35 saves to improve to 2-1-1 with a 3.65 goals-against average against the Flyers. The second-year player, who stopped 25 shots in a 5-2 win over the Capitals at MSG in Thursday`s season opener, went 21-6-4 with a 1.96 GAA at home last season.

New York was 25-10-6 on home ice in 2005-06, but has struggled at MSG against the Flyers of late. It is 1-3-3 against Philadelphia at home since the 2003-04 season.

Center Matt Cullen scored for the Rangers on Saturday to give him a five-game point streak against the Flyers, with five goals and an assist in those games.

Rangers captain Jaromir Jagr had two assists Saturday, and has 10 goals and 10 assists in 12 games against Philadelphia since being traded to New York in 2004.

The Rangers, who ended a seven-season playoff drought in 2005-06, have not opened with three straight wins since 1989-90.

Although New York has won its first two games for the first time since 2000-01, it has been utterly ineffective on the power play. The Rangers were 0-for-6 with a manpower advantage Saturday and are 0-for-9 overall.

The Flyers, meanwhile, have been outstanding in short-handed situations, killing off all 10 power plays against this season.

Philadelphia`s Simon Gagne, who scored a team-high 47 goals last season, got his first two of this season Saturday.

``I thought we played very well tonight,`` Gagne said. ``We had a lot of shots again and found a way to score goals, and I think it was a fun game to play in.

``We`re going on the right track and want to build on (this).``

New captain Peter Forsberg had a goal and an assist, and has a point in 12 of his last 13 games against the Rangers, with four goals and 16 assists over that span.

Niittymaki had 26 saves in his first game since deciding to have a cortisone shot instead of surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip. He is competing for the No. 1 goaltender job with Robert Esche, who struggled and made only 17 saves in a 4-0 loss to Pittsburgh in the season opener.

Niittymaki is 2-0-1 with a 3.00 GAA in four games against the Rangers, while Esche is 4-4-2 with a 2.88 GAA.

The Flyers have not gone winless in their first three games since 1999-2000.

To enforce or not to enforce?

So here's the question: Which did you like better, the 5-4 opening game in the Stanley Cup Final or the 2-1 affairs we saw in Games 3 and 4?
It's not just a throwaway question. The debate is on in the NHL about what if any rules will be changed by the competition committee this off-season. There's a school of thinkers that loved that 5-4 game. Sure it was a bit sloppy, but it featured a lot of skating, a lot of scoring and a lot of penalty minutes that led to a lot of power plays including a number of five-on-three situations. It wasn't overly physical but then it's hard to hit what you can't catch. There were goals aplenty and the action was fast and furious right down to the final seconds of play.
Then there were Games 4 and 4 in which the refs let the physical side of the game shine. The scoring was down, but the hitting was ferocious and the tension regards which team would win (or even score the next goal) was very real. In many ways they were what the NHL playoff purists believe the game should be.
In that regard, there appears to be a split in the NHL. Commissioner Gary Bettman has been on the stump saying that things shouldn't change and while the Competition Committee would look at things, tinkering could be dangerous as the changes are all part of a package and if you fool with one part you will impact other parts.
Yet his Director of Hockey Operations, Colin Campbell has acknowledged that there was a concern about the lack of physical play at times during the season and it needs to be addressed. If you look closely in these playoffs it seems both styles have been on display, in part because of how the game is called.
This debate will get underway shortly. It should be noted that Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, who was in on a lot of the meetings about the changes that came into play this season, sounded a warning bell after his team was ousted by Carolina in the Eastern Conference final. Ruff said, "People have said (there should be) more physical play down low. When I hear that I get scared that we're going to start the clutching and grabbing and hooking. From my front, I've said the players have had a lot of fun playing. The games were great, the fans loved them. We shouldn't be afraid of change, but the change should be on the exciting front and let's not step back and go in the other direction."
Yet it's safe to argue that teams like the Philadelphia Flyers would rather see their investment in burly defencemen pay off with more freedom for them to obstruct players driving to the net.
It seems as if this Final is a visualization of that debate.
Ottawa general manager John Muckler once told me that the NHL has a long history of taking the game down to the lower levels. He was the associate coach and later, the head coach when the Oilers were a dynasty and many times he would see the rules changed to defuse Edmonton's power. You could claim that the same thing happened to the dynasty teams of Montreal. Muckler's argument was that changes should be made so that game rises to the level of its best teams rather than the other way around.

After 18 years, Flyers president Ryan decides to retire

After spending 18 years with the Philadelphia Flyers, team president Ron Ryan announced his retirement on Thursday.
Ryan held the positions of executive vice president and chief operating officer before becoming president on June 13, 2003.
"It's one of the hardest decisions that I've had to make," Ryan said. "It has been a privilege and an honor to work for [owner] Ed Snider and the Flyers for the past 18 years.
"My only regret is we weren't able to get a Stanley Cup back to Philadelphia to share with the greatest hockey fans in the National Hockey League," he said.

And a Child Shall Lead Them

By Mike Brody
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Rookie goaltenders have had success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs before – most notably with Ken Dryden in 1971 and Patrick Roy in 1986, both leading the Montreal Canadiens to the Cup – but never before has a crop of rookie goalies dominated the playoffs like they have this season.

Of the five remaining teams in this year’s playoffs, three are led by rookie goalies and another by a first-year starter. Carolina’s Cam Ward, Buffalo’s Ryan Miller, Anaheim’s Ilya Bryzgalov, and San Jose’s Vesa Toskala have all enjoyed incredible playoff success thus far.

Seven-year veteran Dwayne Roloson of the Edmonton Oilers, who was acquired in a mid-season trade with the Minnesota Wild, is the only experienced goaltender left. I don’t think anyone would have predicted that, especially with the presence of such big-name goalies as Martin Brodeur and Miikka Kiprusoff, and other veteran backstops or NHL powerhouses like Detroit’s Manny Legace, Dallas’s Marty Turco, and Colorado’s Jose Theodore, among the contenders.

The New Favorite

Thanks to a surprisingly easy 4 games to 1 victory over the New Jersey Devils, and a dominating performance winning four straight games over Montreal after losing the first two in Round 1, the Carolina Hurricanes have emerged as the new favorite to win Lord Stanley’s Cup. Despite finishing the regular season with 112 points, just 1 behind Eastern Conference leader Ottawa, the Hurricanes’ odds of winning the Cup entering the playoffs were posted at 10-1. That was before the oddsmakers had seen Ward turn away almost every shot he’s faced.

In 10 playoff games, the 22-year-old rookie has allowed just 17 goals while posting a 1.77 goals against average (GAA). Ward let in just five goals in Carolina’s four victories over New Jersey as he outplayed his boyhood idol Brodeur. With his stellar play, and the Hurricanes’ opportunistic offense, led by 100-point scorer Eric Staal, Carolina will be tough to beat.

The Upstart Challenger

The Sabres’ Miller is the only U.S.-born goalie among the Fab Four. He hopes to duplicate the feat of another rookie American goalie, Ron Hextall, who led the Philadelphia Flyers to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1987. After a shaky start in Game 1 against Ottawa, Buffalo’s defense and Miller shut down the Senators the rest of the way, allowing two or fewer goals in each of the last four games. The Michigan native has a 2.25 GAA and a .921 save percentage in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Buffalo’s defense has been stellar in front of Miller. Defensemen Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder lead all playoff performers in plus/minus at plus-13. The Sabres’ offense has been scoring in bunches. Buffalo has a team-leading 43 goals scored in 11 games and is riding high after winger Jason Pominville’s shorthanded, overtime goal clinched the series against Ottawa.

Mr. Perfect – Almost

Anaheim’s Bryzgalov has been the most surprising and impressive of all the rookies. Bryzgalov didn’t even enter the playoffs as the Ducks’ No. 1 goalie. That honor went to Jean-Sebastian Giguere, who led Anaheim to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2003, his second year in the league, and was named the Conn Smythe winner as the MVP of the playoffs that season.

After splitting their first four games against Calgary in Round 1, the Ducks made the switch to Bryzgalov and they haven’t regretted it. The 24-year-old Russian has practically stood on his head as he is sporting a ridiculous 0.87 GAA and .967 save percentage. He recorded three straight shutouts, including Game 7 at Calgary to clinch that series. In doing so, Bryzgalov set a rookie playoff record, holding opponents scoreless for 249 minutes, 15 seconds. Only Montreal’s George Hainsworth, 270:08 in 1930, has had a longer playoff scoreless streak.

The Final Four

San Jose’s Toskala is hoping to join his fellow first-year netminders in the conference finals. After an excellent series against Nashville in Round 1, including a shutout in Game 2, and two 2-1 victories to open the Edmonton series, Toskala and the Sharks find themselves on the ropes as the Oilers have stormed back to take a 3-2 series lead. Edmonton will try to close it out at home on Wednesday night.

San Jose’s offense is led by Patrick Marleau, who leads all playoff goal scorers with nine. The Sharks will need to get an early lead and help Toskala protect it to force a Game 7 at home on Friday.

The Finals

The matchup between Ward and Miller should be as entertaining as it gets. Both are capable of stealing a game or two for their respective teams. Carolina is the favorite, but Buffalo has a lot of momentum and Miller has shown he can win the close games with four one-goal victories against Ottawa. Look for the Sabres to get to the Finals.

The Ducks have had a long time off after unexpectedly sweeping the Avalanche. Anaheim may be a little rusty to start the conference finals, but the Ducks have good veteran leadership in Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne and will ride the stellar play of Bryzgalov past either the Oilers or the Sharks to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Flyers` Forsberg undergoes ankle surgery

Philadelphia Flyers forward Peter Forsberg underwent surgery Monday on his right ankle.
'Actually it went very well,' Philadelphia Strength and Conditioning Coach Jim McCrossin said. 'Dr. (Robert) Anderson [Forsberg`s surgeon]...was very, very pleased with how the entire procedure went.
'Obviously Peter had to have some bones shifted in his foot to get proper alignment and that went very well,' McCrossin said. 'Then, he had the ligaments that he tore strengthened.'
Forsberg also had two bursas removed, one on the inside of the ankle and one on the outside. He is still due for surgery on the other ankle.
The doctors estimate Forsberg`s surgery on his left ankle will take place in six weeks, depending on how the bones heal. His recovery should be complete by early January.
Forsberg appeared in 60 games in the 2005-2006 season. He scored 19 goals with 56 assists for 75 points.

Flyers' Handzus has successful surgery

Philadelphia Flyers center Michal Handzus had successful surgery on his left shoulder on Thursday.
The procedure, which was performed at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia, consisted of the bankart repair and a superior labral repair.
"We expect Michal to be back with full workouts in about 8-10 weeks," said Philadelphia trainer Jim McCrossin. "He will actually start rehabbing with us today at the Sovereign Bank Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, N.J."
In 73 games this season, Handzus had 11 goals and 33 assists, while recording two assists in Philadelphia's six playoff games.
"It is the first day after surgery so it's a little painful," said Handzus. "But I feel good and I am looking forward to getting healthy."

Flyers say they lacked intensity

There aren't film sessions awaiting the Philadelphia Flyers. Coach Ken Hitchcock has no plans to show his team clips of breakout passes or videos of odd-man rushes.
His team doesn't need that. It needs to work harder. And because the Flyers didn't work hard enough Sunday in their 3-0 spread loss to the Buffalo Sabres, they have a lot of sweaty moments ahead.
"This is far from over," Hitchcock said in HSBC Arena after Game Five of his Eastern Conference quarterfinal. "I can tell you right now as a coach there's no X's and O's that we're going to be speaking about in the next 48 hours. Tenacity controlled this game. They did the things to us that we did to them in Philadelphia. That gave them control of the game."
The Sabres are one victory away from eliminating Philadelphia, and the Flyers find themselves in that quandary because they stopped doing the things that got them back into a 2-2 tie in the series. In their victories in Games Three and Four, the Flyers matched or exceeded the Sabres' intensity.
Game Five's intensity scale was as one-sided as the score.
"It's kind of becoming a habit up here," Flyers center Peter Forsberg said. "We're not working hard enough. We're not getting enough chances. There's nothing to say about them winning. They were better."
The Sabres have scored the first goal in all five games, forcing Philly to scramble back. The Sabres refused to allow it Sunday, as the Flyers didn't get their first shot until almost 13 minutes had elapsed. They finished the first period with just three shots.
"The first period we weren't ready, that's for sure," said defenseman Joni Pitkanen.
Added Flyers forward R.J. Umberger: "It's in the back of our minds not to have a bad start that we're watching too much instead of just being relaxed and playing our game like we do in the second period."
The Flyers had the edge in hits, 24-23, but Hitchcock said the Flyers lost battles along the boards, the hits when two players go for the puck and only one comes up with it.
Buffalo has yet to lose to the Flyers at home, winning three times in the arena. In addition to not showing video, Hitchcock isn't going to spend time searching for positives from his road games.
"The positives will come by the way we play in Game Six because we're going to play really well in Game Six," Hitchcock said of Tuesday's matchup in Philadelphia. "That's going to be the positives. We know how we got beat today. Every player in that locker room knows how we got beat. We'll be a lot better in Game Six, and we'll be loaded and ready to go."