Thursday night the Flyers face off against a white hot Nashville Predators team. Smashville, as they’ve become affectionately known, is kicking some serious NHL keister. Winners of 5 straight and 13 of their last 15 contests, the Music City Marauders will be looking to continue their roll against a notoriously bad post-break team. The boys in orange will need a strong 60 minutes to put a notch in the win column.
It’s no secret that Tuesday’s contest against the Atlantipeg Thrashets (or whatever my colleague called them) wasn’t the Flyers best effort.
Not by a long shot.
The Flyers failed to register a shot on Ondrej Pavelec until the 14 minute mark of the first period. They ended the contest with 28 total, a far cry from the 35+ they have been averaging this season. This isn’t good enough to beat a subpar Winnipeg team, and it certainly isn’t good enough to beat a streaking Nashville squad.
So where do they start?
Well, they need to take a page out of AHHHNOLDDDDD’s book --
I found it funny that he said “Knock, Knock”. Who is he? Mac Miller?
Anyway….
The bullies, well, they need to act like it. They need to kick in the door, shoot first, and ask questions later.
::Paging worker #17. Come in #17::
The Predators pride themselves on solid defense. They currently sit 10th in the league with a GA/G (goals against per game) of 2.55. If getting past the defense wasn’t tough enough, you have world class net minder Pekka Rinne, and his 2.40 GAA and a .924 SV %, backing them up. Think about this. That’s like trying to beat Olmec’s temple with no pendants of life. Just. Plain. Sucks.
Aaaand…
If you are looking to shut down the Predator’s superstars on offense that is going to be tough , seeing as they don’t have any. And I mean that in the nicest way possible.
Follow me here for a second....
The Flyers have the most balanced scoring in the league, having 9 players with 10 or more goals, right?
Not so fast, speedy Gonzalez.
The boys in orange have some company. The Predators are the only team to have as many 10 goal scorers gracing their lineup as the Flyers. So focusing your entire defense on one line, or one “superstar” won’t get the oyster shucked. It’s going to take a full team effort, for 60 minutes, to knock off the Predators. That is something that the Flyers haven’t been able to muster of late. I am still confident that the boys will pull themselves up by the boot straps and be ready for this game.
Oh, and that guy in goal, old what’s his name?
Hey Ilya, string a couple of performances together like Tuesday’s and you might just start winning back the hearts of this fan base.
Until next time….
LET'S GO FLYERS!!!
Just an afterthought, I think we need to start running a pool that takes bets on which opposing player -- who hasn't scored a single goal in a millenia -- is going to pot the puck on our Flyers. Good thing we're not facing Montreal tonight, because I'd drop my family's life savings on Scott Gomez.
But which Pred player? Brian McGrattan? Francis Boullion? Jerred Smithson? Who is it gonna be? I hope it’s nobody, but, it’s become a ritual. #FirstTimeInPhilly
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