The Philly Phour is NOT the Philly Four

Dear Readers,

It has come to our attention that another blog with the same name, but different spelling (The Philly Four), has reported a fabricated lie about the ongoings within the Philadelphia Flyers locker room.  We would just like to take this time to state that in NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM ARE WE IN ANY WAY RELATED TO THE BLOG, THE PHILLY FOUR.  As the Flyers writer on this blog, I’ve received countless text messages today telling me that “I shouldn’t have started a rumor.”  This infuriates me because this is clearly not true.  I am as passionate a Flyers fan as anybody, but as far as the team struggles and what not, what goes on behind closed doors is none of my, your, or anyone not directly affiliated with the Flyers’ business.  I hope that this clears up any confusion that the past week or so has caused.   As it says in the “About the Philly Phour” section of this blog:

“These men have grown up loving the Phillies, Sixers, Eagles, and Flyers, and will stop it nothing to cheer for and defend their teams each and every season.”

Let that go to show you that in no way would we make up any lies about these teams.  Anything and everything published on this blog is either our opinion, or stated fact.  There is NO in between.

I’m sorry that we had to put this up today, but we just wanted to clear everything concerning our name and this story.  If you have a problem or question regarding this matter, take it up with The Philly Four ,  not us.

Otherwise, stay right here for all your news and opinion on the Flyers, Eagles, Sixers, and Phils!

Thank you for reading,

Josh, Alex, Stephen, and Zach

FLYERS: Another Game, Another Loss

I’m angry.  You’re angry.  The Flyers?  Their not angry, nor do they play with any anger.  Don’t believe their “We aren’t happy with how we’ve been playing and we’re going to do something about it” garbage, because it is just that.  According to our great friends at Dictionary.com, to “have heart” in playing sports means that you compete with “vigorous and efficient activity, while possessing courage throughout.”  It’s fair to say that the Philadelphia Flyers – losers of 12 of their last 15 contests – lack this so-called “heart.”  In fact, it’s appearing more and more that this group never even  had it in the first place.

Boosh and the Flyers STINK

Like most Flyers fans, I love my team.  I support the guys they throw out on the ice through and through, regardless if it’s John LeClair or Jiri Dopita.  One of the reasons that the Flyers have consistently had the wave of ongoing support from the Philly faithful is because this team, whether first in their division or last in the conference, would never be at a loss when it came to effort and having every player give his all on the ice.  Suddenly, however, that Flyer persona is gone.  As it vanishes, so too do some fans, as well as individuals who once believed the Orange and Black could do no wrong, regardless of the fact that the Flyers certainly have done far more wrong than right over the course of their history.

I write this post to you in the assumed minority.  I am going to stick it out with this team till the (bitter) end, because it’s never crossed my mind once to give up.  In my last statement, by no means do I mean that Flyer fans are going to start giving up on the Orange and Black.  Instead, it’s a matter of gradually losing more and more interest as the season progresses.  I – although it admittedly may be a poor life choice, as well as do severe damage to my ego, psyche, as well as my heart – will not fall into that category.  I have the great disadvantage of spending 3/4 of the year out of the Philadelphia area, as I attend school in Ithaca, New York.  As a result, I can’t go to Flyers games often, but that doesn’t stop me from following the team.  I watch every single game, regardless of day and time, and become very involved in each contest.  Believe me, my roomates’ ears and the dents in my room’s walls can attest to that.  So, imagine my excitement yesterday, as I drove home from school knowing that I’d get to see two teams in the tank of the Eastern Conference battle in South Philadelphia?  No, really, I was excited.  Now, I want you to imagine even more how upset I am at this team as I type these words.  Enough of this – the rant begins now.

Why can’t the Flyers consistently play good hockey?  It seems like it’s an impossible task, and something that shouldn’t be hard to deal with given their group of skaters.  However, for some reason, the feat is near-impossible.  The Flyers have won 3 times in their last fifteen games.  That’s embarrassing.  They were swept during a potential momentum shifting home-and-home series with their cross state rivals.  They were spanked in Pittsburgh in the first game, and got sent home packing courtesy of Sid the Kid in a shootout in the second leg.  The Flyers probably won’t want to see those Penguins any time soon, but it would behoove this squad to watch the Pens play.  Remember that whole “playing with heart” thing?  You better believe the Penguins have it.  Don’t want to believe me?  Trust me, I didn’t want to believe myself.  However, it’s hard to argue with the results: two straight playoff knock-out punches delivered to the Orange and Black (one on home ice), two straight Eastern Conference Championships, and, oh, that Stanley Cup they won last year against the then defending champion Detroit Red Wings.  Believe me I loathe the Penguins, and it’s hard for me to admit it, but their just better than the Flyers right now.  In fact, the Rangers were better than the Flyers this afternoon, and believe it or not, the Bruins were better than the Flyers in the one game the Orange and Black won this week.  For the first time in my life, I’m starting to come to the stark and harsh reality that yes,  the Flyers have good players, but the team as a whole isn’t good.  And as the Penguins show the Broad Street Bullies time and time again, it’s a team effort that wins you hockey games.

I could get more angry here, and believe me I planned on it.  But I’m not.  To be honest, the Flyers haven’t played with enough will and power on the ice to warrant any time wasted on their behalf.  The bottom line is this: win.  This week the Flyers have the Panthers, Lightning, and Hurricanes.  For their sake, they better win all three.  Lose?  Then the anger comes full force.

FLYERS: Follow the game tonight against Pittsburgh

Can’t get the Flyers game in your area?  We’ve got you covered.  Check into our Twitter as I’ll be doing up to the minute updates for the HUGE game tonight against Sid the Kid and the Penguins.  LET’S GO FLYERS!

click here to keep an eye on the Flyers (and follow us if you will):   www.twitter.com/thephillyphour

Like the New Look?

We do too.  Thanks to a good friend of Josh’s we got a newly designed header that is b-e-a-utiful.  All the credit goes to Mr. Adam Rotter, and although this is anti-christ, you can feel free to check out his blog that exclusively covers the NY Rangers at SNY RANGERS BLOG.

Thanks, Adam!

Quarter Mark Eastern Conference Power Rankings

I realize that it’s a little past the quarter point of the season, but nonetheless I have Quarter Mark Power Rankings for the Eastern Conference.  Here goes…

1.  Pittsburgh Penguins

• The defending Champs are well on their way to giving themselves an opportunity to defend their title.  They’ve had some early season injuries to players like Sergei Gonchar, Sidney Crosby, and Maxime Talbot, but this team is once again tops in the East.  It really pays to have back-to-back-to-back-to-back last place finishes. (Fleury, Malkin, Crosby, Staal)

2. Washington Capitals

• The Caps’ offense is scary-good.  Ovechkin has dealt with some adversity this season but it hasn’t translated to a drop in the team’s play, as many expected.  Washington is a confident group and will be trouble for whoever they match up with down the line.

3.  New Jersey Devils

• New year, same story.  The New Jersey Devils never cease to amaze me.  They have no true superstar offensively, but they have a legend in between the pipes in Marty Brodeur.  Brodeur is undoubtedly the greatest Devil ever and the only reason they are having so much success at the present.

4.  Buffalo Sabres

• I expected the Sabres to make the playoffs, but I did not expect them to contend for the division.  This is a relatively young group, but they are talented and they are finding their niche in this league.  If the Sabres keep up the intensity, and Ryan Miller is anywhere near his Vezina-like self the first quarter of this season, watch out for Buffalo.

5.  Atlanta Thrashers

• The surprise team of the 09-10 season in the East, without a doubt.  Kovalchuk and Co. have benefitted from the deepest Thrashers line-up in recent memory and strong goaltending.  Look for Atlanta to be a playoff team (and yes, I know that is a far cry from my pre-season prediction.  Give me a break!)

6.  Boston Bruins

• The Bruins started off the season horribly, but have rebounded impressively since.  It’s safe to say this group will be a playoff team, it’s just a matter of their seeding.  They should stay in contention to defend their Northeast Division crown.

7.  Ottawa Senators

• Another surprise.  The Sens have had a rejuvenation of Mike Fisher take place this season, and in turn have reaped the benefits.  I don’t think the Senators are a playoff team when it’s all said and done, but they will be a solid squad this year.  (Jonathan Cheechoo, where have you gone!?)

8.  Tampa Bay Lightning

• As the trade rumors begin to once again swirl about Lecavalier, it’s obvious that the people in Tampa aren’t expecting playoffs.  Hey, neither am I, but it’s been a good showing so far.  Go, Niitty, go!

9.  New York Rangers

• Team Marian Gaborik is just one small tweak to the glass-like Slovak to have all their hopes and dreams dashed.  It wouldn’t behoove them to see what kind of players are on the trading block.  They are a playoff team, but they need a couple more pieces to be a contender.

10.  Philadelphia Flyers

• Dis-a-point-ing.  There’s no other way to describe the first quarter of the season for the Orange and Black.  Here’s hoping Peter Laviolette can orchestrate a turnaround that everyone knows this team is capable of making.  FLYERS, I BELIEVE! DON’T LET ME DOWN! Their a playoff team when it’s all said and done.

11.  Montreal Canadiens

• The Canadiens have some great scorers (Gionta, Gomez, Cammalleri), but aren’t big enough as a unit to compete against the rigors of an NHL season.  Remember when this team was the #1 seed in the East 2 short years ago?  Seems like a century ago.

12.  New York Islanders

• The John Tavares honeymoon has ended.  The Islanders are somehow staying in the playoff hunt, but aren’t quite ready for the NHL’s second season yet.  Hovering around .500 should be considered an extreme accomplishment and an unbelievable turnaround from last season.

13.  Florida Panthers

• I will never support the Florida Panthers after they failed to make me look like a genius in picking them as a playoff team last season.  They won’t make the playoffs this year either, but hey, I don’t care.  I didn’t pick ‘em anyway.

14.  Toronto Maple Leafs

• “Losers since 1967.”

15.  Carolina Hurricanes

• Oh my god help this team.  U-G-L-Y.  When’s the draft lottery?

FLYERS: Don’t Worry, Laviolette’s The Guy

The Philadelphia Flyers brought in the Peter Laviolette era with a bang last night.  Problem is, it wasn’t exactly the bang they were looking for.  In front of a sold-out Wachovia Center crowd, the Flyers dropped an 8-2 decision to the Ovechkin-less Washington Capitals last night.  Before everybody starts yelling for Laviolette’s head after the debacle 24 hours ago in South Philadelphia, realize that there’s absolutely no reason to worry.  Yes, the Flyers are 12th in the Eastern Conference, and yes, there are way more questions than answers concerning this team at the present time, but positive things are on the horizon.  

Laviolette is the 17th coach in Flyers history

 

Today marked the first full-team practice under Laviolette, and players were already commenting on the new coach’s tactics this afternoon, per Flyers On the Fly …

Mike Richards: “It is just a different approach to the offensive part of the game.  There is a lot of cycling, a lot of movement that’s what we’ve been working on. It is going to take a little bit of time to get our systems down. But, the pressure on the ice is going to be a lot better for us.” 

Ian Laperriere:  ”He is a lot more vocal. He gets into the drills. He does the drills with the boys. He was out of breath, so there you can tell he hasn’t coached for a while. It is good. He is in the mix and that is what we need right now. We need a boost. We need a spark, and if it can come from him, it would be great.“

Coach Laviolette is a no non-sense guy, something that will change the Flyers' mindset drastically

 

….It’s no secret that I wasn’t John Stevens’ biggest fan.  Now, maybe he wasn’t completely to blame with all the struggles that the Flyers were experiencing as a team, but he certainly was the focal point.  Laviollette is a no nonsense guy who is incredibly focused on a team’s main task in the National Hockey League: TO WIN.  He’s already switched up the lines to his liking, and has said that it will become a battle for the position of starting goaltender in Philadelphia.  Although Ray Emery will likely be the starter when it’s all said and done, expect Laviolette to make sure he earns his due in between the pipes in competition with Brian Boucher.  Offensively, Laviolette is all about a fire-power scheme.  He doesn’t plan an attack that goes around teams, he plans an attack that goes through teams.  With the potential explosiveness that the Flyers possess offensively, it’s reasonable to expect that the squad will thrive under Laviolette.  Also, let’s not forget perhaps the most important thing about the hiring of Laviolette: he’s won a Stanley Cup.  Having a coach come aboard with a ring is never a bad thing.  

Give this team time.  Give them time to understand Laviolette’s system, and give them time to move forward under his command.  He’s going to get the best out of these players, and he’s going to get them to play the full sixty minutes.  As a Flyers fan, I haven’t been so excited about a new headman since Ken Hitchcock was hired way back in 2002.  In fact, my excitement over Laviolette eclipses that of Hitchcock.  I cannot emphasize enough how important a strong coach is, and – finally – the Flyers have just that.  I firmly believe that the Flyers are poised to turn a corner and move forward in their push for June hockey, and Laviolette is going to be the focal point for that turnaround.  
Believe it, ladies and gentlemen.  The push for the Cup was put on hold, but it restarts, and it restarts now.  Flyers hockey is about to be restored and I think the thought’s universal in that it’s about time.  LET’S GO FLYERS.  The turnaround begins tomorrow night in Montreal.

FLYERS: Will the Real Philadelphia Flyers Please Stand Up?

Let me preface this post with a quick point:  I COMPLETELY agree with the National Hockey League’s decision to suspend Flyers forward Danny Briere for two games after his blatant blow to the head of Avalanche defenseman Scott Hannan last night.  OK, we’re all clarified on that now, right?  Let’s move on.

Briere is suspended for two games after his cheapshot on Avs D-Man Scott Hannan

Coming into their current five game road swing, the Philadelphia Flyers were on a tear.  Winners of 5 of their last 6, they extended the achievement to 6 of their last 7 by winning the first game of the road trip in Los Angeles last Wednesday night.  However, three losses, a few injuries, and a suspension later, the Flyers are once again searching for an identity.  As the road trip comes to a close tonight in Long Island, the Flyers will boast a line up that features a full line of players who began their seasons in Glens Falls, a goaltender in Ray Emery coming off one of his worst performances as a Flyer, and oh yeah, Danny Briere riding the pine pony as a result of a two game suspension handed to him Tuesday.  The Flyers will be facing an Islanders team that – at least in the 21st century – has been almost a guaranteed two points each and every time the two sides have matched up.  This year, however, the Islanders, who are led by a scary-good young group of talent, are TIED with the Flyers and New York Rangers for third place in the Atlantic Division with 25 points.  Granted, the Flyers do have three games in hand on the Isles, but if New York was to win this evening, all the standings would show is the Flyers as the last place team in the Atlantic Division.  Yes, this Flyers team, that has arguably the best defensive unit – personnel wise, at least – in the Eastern Conference, and has at times looked like a juggernaut offensively, would suddenly be a last place team in the National Hockey League.

So, what changes have to be made in order for the Flyers to right the ship?  Well, obviously the injury situation has loomed all season and is finally taking its toll on this squad.  The Flyers’ injury report that flashes up on the screen before games looks more like a roster itself than a list of the walking wounded.  In short, the Flyers need to get healthy.  With key role players like Blair Betts and Darroll Powe battling set-back injuries, and the concussion issues that have affected Simon Gagne, the Flyers have been playing without important players for most of the season.

Mike Richards and the Flyers need to find their identity. Quick.

However, beyond injuries, or even certain players needing to pick up the slack (CLAUDE GIROUX I’M LOOKING AT YOU), there is one glaring need in this club that has been with the team since the ‘06-’07 season – the year Ken Hitchcock was sent packing as Flyers Head Coach and John Stevens assumed the role.  For about three years now the Flyers have struggled to do what is perhaps the most self-explanatory element that goes on in the course of a game: play a full 60 minutes.  Each NHL game, barring no overtime periods, consists of 3 periods that are 20 minutes each.  In order to be successful as a hockey club, a supreme effort is needed for those full 60 minutes.  Seems elementary, right?  That’s because it is.  However, the Flyers haven’t been able to do it for some time.  Now, I can understand the mental lapses that come from time to time both throughout the course of a game and a season.  These lapses last 3, maybe 4 minutes.  What I can’t understand is how these lapses by the Flyers sometimes last 19, maybe 20 minutes – an entire period.  Take the last game against Colorado, for example.  The Flyers didn’t show up in the first ten minutes of the first period, the last ten minutes of the second, but, hey, they were there for the whole third period!  All in all, that amounts to two periods of hockey against a very good – albeit surprising – Colordao Avalanche team.  The Flyers need to somehow overcome the extended mental breakdowns that occur far too often and focus on playing the full 60 minutes of the game.  To be honest, even with the injuries and the additions of players like Jared Ross, Andreas Nodl and David Laliberte, when this team plays a full 60 minutes with the talent they have, they will have a chance to be victorious night in and night out.  The hardest part’s going to be getting them to believe in that philosophy.

Looking ahead for the Flyers, they finish out November with three winnable games – including the Islanders tonight – that should help to get the club back on track as they head into December.  Along with the Islanders, the Flyers close out the month with a struggle – but winnable contest – against the Buffalo Sabres, and then end November with a matchup against the Atlanta Thrashers.

The next week or so will give us a clearer idea as to the identity of this squad.  Will they be content with coasting through the dog days of the season, or will this team step it up and prove their serious about playing hockey into June this year?

For the sake of my emotions, let’s hope it’s the last option.

FLYERS: Checking Line Provides Contender Label

For as long as I can remember, the Philadelphia Flyers have been a physical team.  In that sense, they’ve been a severely undisciplined physical team, which has sent them packing many a time in the early days of summer.  However, this year the Flyers have something in their locker room that no team in recent memory has truly effectively possessed before them.  This Flyers team has a checking line, and this Flyers team has a damn good checking line.  The three some of penalty box mainstay Dan Carcillo, witty agitator Ian Laperriere, and face-off and penalty killing guru Blair Betts are three players that likely wouldn’t be many teams first selections if they were to build a Stanley Cup contender.  Perhaps it’s for good reason: the three of them combine for a mere 180 goals over their careers.  None are new-comers to the league, but Lappy and Betts are newcomers to Philadelphia.  And boy, have they ever brought a jolt.

Carcillo and Laperriere have restored the old Flyer mantra of a dominant checking line

 

It’s something that doesn’t really get talked about until the playoffs roll around.  We saw it with Pittsburgh’s Max Talbot and Tyler Kennedy a year ago, the steady checking forwards that a team features on the back-end of their lineup that aren’t by any means the most talented players on the team, but end up commanding so much attention that their opponents at times lose focus of the stars on a lineup’s front-end.  What Talbot and company were to the Penguins last year, the Flyers checking line has been to the Orange and Black this year.  In bringing a guy like Lappy in to the Flyers dressing room, so much more than a player was added.  A leader, a well-respected individual, and a guy that likes to keep his teammates loose brings a whole other dimension to this club, one that I believe they sorely lacked the past few seasons.  In adding Blair Betts, the Flyers made a move that, as Flyers announcer Keith Jones put it, “Is the type of move made by a championship team.”  Jones says this – and I wholeheartedly agree with him – because of the fact that a guy like Betts is a master at face-offs, and an excellent Penalty Killer.  Last year, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter were noticeably worn down physically from all the time they spent out on the PK.  Get my gist?  With Betts in the line-up, he automatically spells Richards and Carter on the Kill, and thereby gives the Flyers another dependable body to assist what was already one of the league’s stronger penalty killing units.

 

Like I said, Betts, Laperriere, and Carcillo aren’t going to light up the scoreboard.  In fact, here are their season stats to this point:

Betts: 10 Games Played, 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 2 Points

Laperriere: 17 Games Played, 1 Goal, 3 Assists, 4 Points

Carcillo: 17 Games Played, 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 3 Points

Betts has been everything the Flyers expected when they signed him as a Free Agent late in the Preseason

 

…Not much to cheer about offensively.  But, as I mentioned, the Flyers rely on these guys in other ways to impact their hockey club.  They provide a spark each and every time the Flyers are on the ice, and are a big reason why they’ve won 6 of their last 7 games as a team.  Laperriere is teaching Carcillo to control his aggression and use it to his advantage, not as a detriment to the team.  Betts has provided the calming 4th line center influence the Flyers have so desperately lacked.  This group nearly ran a regular shift last night against New Jersey, and the Devils had no answer.  If they continue their aggression and in your face style of play, the Flyers checking line will be a big reason why the Flyers should reach unprecedented heights this April, May, and – hopefully – June.

FLYERS: October Recap

The first month of play for the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2009-2010 season ended exactly how it began: with a win over the Carolina Hurricanes.  On Friday, October 2nd, the Flyers came in to the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina and blanked the home-standing Hurricanes, 2-0 behind Ray Emery’s first shutout as a Flyer.  Yesterday, the Flyers rode a fight filled Halloween-day contest to a 6-1 decision over those same Hurricanes, with Ray Emery making 30+ saves in the victory.  However, in a month that began and ended with a win, the games that fell in between cast a cloud over the Flyers’ overall performance during the season’s first 30 days of play.

Ray Emery got his 6th win of the season yesterday

Just to refresh: after 11 games in 2009, the Flyers are a sub-par 6-4-1, good for 13 points.  The Flyers are currently 4th place in the Atlantic Division, with only the New York Islanders behind the Orange and Black.  Overall in the Eastern Conference, the Flyers are holding on to the 8th and final playoff spot, something that at this point means a first round playoff date with the defending Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.  So, what went wrong this month, and what went right?  Who shined? Who struggled?  What should we look forward to in November?  Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

What went right in October?

The truth? Not much.  The scoring has been balanced, but it hasn’t been as high as last season.  Captain Mike Richards leads the way for the Orange and Black, tallying 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in 11 games.  Obviously it’s not horrible, and the Flyers do have four players (Richards, Carter, Carle, JVR) who are in the double digit point total already.  However, the fact is that the Flyers offensive power was supposed to be a lot stronger.  As far as the team as a  whole is concerned, the main word to characterize the Flyers is “Inconsistent”.  The Orange and Black have flip-flopped wins and losses far too often in the early stages of the season and need to improve upon that coming into November.  Perhaps not taking every other game for granted would be a nice start.

What went wrong in October?

Too much.  Most notably: injuries and defensive play.  The Flyers, as has become the all too uncomfortable scenario in early season play, have been hit by the injury bug plenty of time so far this season.  Currently, Simon Gagne has not one, but two hernias and his return is up in the air.  Danny Briere left practice friday with a slight groin pull and missed yesterday’s contest against Carolina.  Those two are the big highlights to what has been an unhealthy month for the Orange and Black.  Defensively, the entire group has been a disappointment.  The Flyers are -2 collectively as a unit, with Chris Pronger and Matt Carle being the only players on the positive side.  With the talent that the Flyers blue-line has, it’s not acceptable to post such number as a unit.

Who shined in October?

Carle's first month was Norris-worthy

Pretty easy answer here.  Matt Carle had a tremendous October, posting 2 goals and 10 assists in 11 games, and he is currently tied with Mike Richards for the title of leading scorer on the Flyers.  He’s reaped the benefits of playing alongside a future Hall of Famer in Pronger and has shined at both ends of the rink.  The Flyers helped his cause tremendously when they opted to send Randy Jones down to the Phantoms (who has since been claimed off waivers by Los Angeles), because it solidified a permanent spot in the Flyers’ line-up.  Carle hasn’t looked back since.  Hopefully the young gun from the University of Denver can keep it going for the rest of the season.  If he has a repeat of October next month, it would be wise to assume a potential All-Star selection may be in his future.

Who struggled in October?

Giroux was atrocious in October

I take personal offense to Claude Giroux’s performance in the first month of the season.  I selected him as the Flyers breakout offensive player in my season preview, and thus far #28 has been anything but.  In 11 games, Giroux – who was counted on to find the back of the net a plethora of times this season – has only scored once.  He only has three assists.  In watching him play, it’s very easy to notice that Giroux is taking himself for granted.  He knows he’s talented, but he’s not playing with anything to prove like he did in the stretch run last season.  If and when Giroux starts to notice that it takes work to be successful at the NHL level and not just one good playoff series, he will find his stride.  Let’s just hope it’s sooner rather than later.

What should we look forward to in November?

Well, the good thing moving forward is that the Flyers have no where to go but up.  After starting the season 2-0, the Flyers became very average the rest of the way.  There’s a chance now for the Flyers to make the move up the standings as it is still very early in the 2009 season.  If the injuries can settle down and the defense can get a grip on themselves, I think we will see the Flyers team we’ve been waiting for since Emery and Pronger came aboard this summer.  Let’s hope this team can right the ship and continue upon their month-ending victory with some more success in the near future.

FLYERS: Extended Break, Same Result

The Flyers have played one game – tonight – since their last contest this past Saturday.  Unfortunately, tonight brought the same result as their last match-up against the Anaheim Ducks.  The Florida Panthers defeated the Flyers in Sunrise, Florida, tonight, 4-2.  I’m on the road for broadcasting, but here are some Quick Hits from tonight’s game:

Ray Emery struggled in net after the long lay-off

• The Flyers twice blew leads in this game of 1-0, and 2-1.
• Claude Giroux tallied his first goal of the season
• The Orange and Black were outshot 28-27
• Ray Emery was average on the evening, making 24 saves on 27 shots.
• Last year, the Flyers gave up 1 shorthanded goal (scored by current Flyer Blair Betts), this year, the Flyers have had 2 shorthanded goals against them, with Radek Dvorak giving the Panthers a 3-2 lead in the third tonight.
• Chris Pronger played 30:21 tonight. Guy’s a horse
• Braydon Coburn played over 27 minutes as well.
• JVR returned to the lineup from injury, and tallied an assist on Arron Asham’s first period goal.