The Flyers are back in action today for Game 7 folks, Game 7 as they take on the New York Islanders at 7:30 pm on NBC Sports, and other major outlets. The Flyers are hoping to have another magical game to keep this dream alive. Moreover, the Flyers are 9-7 All-Time in Game 7’s, and are 22-0-2 when Kevin Hayes tallies a goal. Letttt’s go Flyersss.
Clean Zone Entries And Power Play
The Flyers Power Play has been horrid, as they have failed to convert on 12 Power Plays this series. This has left the Flyers with an atrocious 8.0% success rate for the playoffs (4-50 with the man advantage).
They have been inconsistent with the Power Play, as the Flyers have struggled with zone entries throughout the majority of this series. The Islanders suffocate the Flyers, forcing players into making uncharacteristic turnovers, and standing players up at the blue line. This forces the Flyers to play dump and chase, to which the orange and black lose many battles with the lack of forechecking. Unfortunately, this is happening 5-on-5 and with the man advantage, and it is heavily favoring the Islanders.
The Oskar Lindblom Effect And Shots
Oskar Lindblom played in his first game in 271 days on Wednesday evening. Boy did he ever pump up his club with garnering 17:30 of ice times, and laid out two hits, “He has so much courage,” Claude Giroux said following the game, ” You have to see it to believe it.” There is little doubt that this motivated Carter Hart, and the rest of the team for an all important victory in Game 6.
This pesky Isles team are just so good defensively. They blocked 29 shots alone in Game 6, 29 blocked shots. The Flyers have to have the same mentality, just shoot from anywhere, and not try to make cute plays because of such. They should blast the puck from anywhere in hopes of finding a rebound, or create a dirty goal off an Islanders player sacrificing his body to block a shot.
Shutdown Jean-Gabriel Pageau And Mathew Barzal
Pageau has torched the Flyers, and Barzal has too. These two combined have torched the Flyers for five goals, and four assists. Pageau has turned out to be a heck of an addition for the Islanders, and has really formulated one of the best third lines in the playoffs at the moment with Derick Brassard. Barzal and Pageau have been fast, smart, and have been so tough to move off the puck. How many times throughout this series have people seen Barzal run a clinic with the puck for about 50 seconds or so. Simply put, the Flyers have to shut down these two key Centermen to fight to see another day in these playoffs.
Attack, Attack, Attack
The Flyers cannot lose focus. They have to take this one game at a time. The Flyers have to win the puck possession battle against the Isles tonight to move onto play Tampa Bay. In Game 6, the Flyers were heavily outplayed asides from the first period and in the second overtime.
This young Flyers team has to stay Gritty, and forecheck well. Match the Islanders physicality along the boards, win the loose puck battles, and get to the front of the net to score dirty goals. Lindblom definitely helps with winning those board battles, as he is one of the best on the team in this area. Hopefully, if the Flyers get a lead they continue to attack, as opposed to sitting back and playing a defensive style type of hockey. This worked against the Montreal Canadiens, but the Islanders are a much better team across the board, so the focus should be attack, attack, attack, or pay the price. The Flyers will not win every game in overtime, their magic is bound to wear off at some point.
Carter Hart will start for the Flyers, and he could move into a tie for 8th All-Time tonight in Flyers history for most wins by a Goaltender in the playoffs, with a win of course:
Any word on Coots?!