What a game right!!!! Game 3 for the Flyers didn’t go as advertised for the Flyers or their proud orange clad faithful. Unbelievable that the New York Islanders took the Flyers defensive game, and shoved it down their throats once again. So what gives, and how do the Flyers win the series to enjoy an extended playoff run? Well, the big guns have to produce, it’s as simple as that.
Claude Giroux just hasn’t been himself. He will really has to get his game together quick with the Flyers facing a back to back tomorrow night. His line with Sean Couturier, and Jakub Voracek just isn’t getting it done, and it’s hurting the team. Hopefully he can light the lamp with a goal or two, as the Flyers are depending on it. Giroux, Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, and James van Riemsdyk, have goose eggs in terms of goals for the playoffs. The Flyers have received depth scoring from the likes of Joel Farabee (Three goals), Jakub Voracek-Big gun (Four goals), Philippe Myers (Two goals), Scott Laughton (Three goals), Ivan Provorov (One Goal), Michael Raffl (Three goals), Nicolas Aube-Kubel (Two goals), Tyler Pitlick (Two goals), Travis Sanheim (One goal), Kevin Hayes (Three goals), shoot Nate Thompson even has a goal.
The Flyers will not always receive goal scoring from their depth, the big guns have to produce. In a game that the Flyers needed their big guns the most, they did not produce, rather Tyler Pitlick scored the lone goal for the orange and black tonight. Hence this is one reason the Flyers lost an all important game 3, 3-1.
Hayes, Voracek, JvR, Giroux, Couturier, and Konecny accounted for close to 60% of the Flyers offensive production in the Regular Season. All together they registered 310 points and 121 out of the 227 goals scored. While the rest of the team accounted for 293 points and 106 goals. Simply put, the big guns have to get it going, as the Flyers playoff lives depend on it. As teams get deeper and deeper into the playoffs, the ice gets tighter and tighter, to where the depth scoring may be limited. The Flyers may have escaped a first round series against the Canadiens with the lack of big guns scoring, however, it will be hard for them to advance farther into the playoffs without it. The Flyers are averaging just 1.80 Goals Per Game for the playoffs (Wow). If the Goaltending isn’t playing well then the Flyers are doomed, something has to give.
All of these players are class acts, and take full responsibility. They know they have to do better. Now it’s time to show it, and back up those words, “We came out strong, and in the second period it wasn’t our best period,” Giroux said following the game. Prove to hockey World the Flyers are indeed the top seed. Prove to the World that the Flyers are legit Cup contenders. Stellar Goaltending and a good team Defense will only get you so far in the playoffs. Now is the time for these big guns to light the lamp, and right the ship.
