The Flyers Just Killed The Super Bowl Energy In This City With An All Time Pathetic Performance

“Insert-Here anything good you can think of about the Flyers tonight.”

Anything? Ok. Thats it for the recap of Game 4. Flyers blown out 5-0 at home to the Penguins. Penguins now lead the series 3-1. Game 5 Friday night in Pittsburgh @ 7:00pm.

Now that the recap is out of the way, lets talk about that piss-poor, pathetic effort in-front of a furious Wells Fargo Center crowd.

First, The Forwards.

Other than Nolan Patrick and Scott Laughton, did any other forward want to show some effort? Nolan Patrick was playing like a man possessed and Scott Laughton was throwing his body around like a wrecking ball. No, not the Miley Cyrus song. A wrecking ball like the big orange one that brought down the Spectrum.

The Penguins forwards were playing with poise and passion. While, the Flyers forwards were playing with despair and dismay. No fight. No pushback. And I hate to say it. But, no honor.

Second, The Defensemen.

Where do I start. No tie-ups, no stick checks, no nothing. The Flyers gave up 5 goals tonight. All 5 goals had a Flyers defensemen making a mistake.

Brandon Manning failing to stop a Crosby cross-ice on his knees. Why are you on your knees? Stand-up and play defense.

Travis Sanheim jumping into the zone with no defensive help behind him. Then loses a foot-race to Phil Kessel. Yes, slow-man Kessel.

Andrew MacDonald fails miserably attempting to block a shot with his stick and deflects the puck into his own net.

Shayne Gostisbehere has Sidney Crosby tied up behind the net. But, lets him go for no reason and he scores easily.

Radko Gudas and Brandon Manning just watch a puck float in the air and let Travis Konecny try to bat it down. A Penguin skates by both of them and scores after Konecny whiffed.

If that is what those guys call defense, then this team doesn’t deserve to be where they are and all of them should make a tee-time to play golf tomorrow. None of them should show up Friday if they are going to play like that.

Third, Good Old Coach Dave Hakstol.

Well, well, well. What was the excuse tonight Mr. Hakstol? Should have called a timeout after the 3rd goal? No. Undisciplined penalties? No. Well, what is it going to be?

“Honestly, we didn’t have enough “A” opportunities tonight. Especially at a critical time. I thought tonight was a night where we didn’t get enough into the critical area.”

Really!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m glad we were watching the same game because I finally agree with you on something. But, isn’t it your job to put the best lineup to generate those “A” opportunities? Why, yes, Yes it is. So, why didn’t you?

Oh wait, yeah thats right, you couldn’t because your #1 center and best all-around player was injured because of a drill that you wanted to run. A drill, that was an accident waiting to happen.

#BREAKING Our @6abc video of @NHLFlyers star Sean Couturier going DOWN at practice today after colliding with Radko Gudas. He limps off with the trainer. Claude Giroux told me "it didn't look good." So far no update from the #Flyers #NHLPlayoffs2018 #EarnTomorrow pic.twitter.com/SlfplFKjUd

— Jamie Apody (@JamieApody) April 17, 2018

Yeah, lets run two drills at the same time. Too make it more fun, lets make one going North-South and the other East-West so they have to criss-cross and possibly injure a player. Oh wait, what happened? Someone got injured? How am I not surprised.

Before that, lets sit a young promising winger, who has done nothing but bring energy and scoring chances when you actually let him play and not bench him for no good reason.

Then, you talk about physicality and putting a body into people. But, yet you keep sitting the guy that was 2nd in the NHL in hits because he got hurt and you don’t like the pairing he would be with when he is in the line-up. Here’s an idea, change the pairings. You tried to do it up-front with the forwards tonight. Remind me how that went again?

But, as a reporter, who has been covering the team all season, I cannot nit-pick at his line-up choices because they haven’t been consistent all season.

However, after all that this team has put the media and fans through all season, I am not surprised it is ending like this.  The Flyers are falling back into their ways that led them to lose 10-straight earlier in the season.




Its a shame because every player that put on the orange and black before this group never gave up. Never put out efforts like this, The orange and black that came before this group should be disappointed with what they just saw because this is not Flyers Hockey. To put an effort like that, not just tonight, but both home games, is just an embarrassment to this proud organization. I know it would have one man rolling over in his grave if he saw it. If the late Ed Snider was still with us, I know he would not be putting up with this.

With no better effort in site, the Wells Fargo Center operations department and the contractors they hired, should just start stage one of the Wells Fargo Center renovation now.