on the road againwild.nhl.com/v2/ext/pdfs/minnesota wild daily clips 11-20-14.pdf · on the road...

Minnesota Wild Wild.com 11/19/14 Publication Date

On The Road Again By Ryan Stanzel - Wild Digital Content Manager / View From the Lighthouse The Wild was back on the ice today after a day off, skating at Xcel Energy Center before flying to Philadelphia to start a three-game road trip. The start time is officially 6 p.m. central Thursday, but puck drop will be just after 6:50 due to some pre-game festivities. FSN pre-game starts at 6, KFAN pre-game is on at 6:30.

The big news at practice was actually “leaked’ by Head Coach Mike Yeo to Paul Allen on KFAN this morning. Charlie Coyle is being moved back to the center position. He’ll start Thursday’s game centering Thomas Vanek and Jason Zucker (full lines below).

"Looking back at last year we lost Mikko, at a critical point, we got Charlie going in the middle,” Yeo told reporters after practice. “His speed and skill and size was a real factor in keeping our head above water in a tough time."

"We look at the identity of the third line, if you want to call it that...I think when you have Thomas there, and the opportunity to put Zuck there, we’re not asking those guys to go out and be a checking line, or defensive shutdown specialists,” Yeo added. "They have to be strong defensively but we want them to go out and create offense. We want three lines to go out there and create offense."

Erik Haula, who missed practice Monday with a charley horse, skated today and proclaimed him ready to go for tomorrow.

Parise-Koivu-Pominville

Niederreiter-Granlund-Fontaine

Vanek-Coyle-Zucker

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Road Trip!

The Wild will fly to Tampa after the game Thursday, officially beginning the Wild’s “Father’s Trip” that will include not only fathers, but mentors, brothers, etc. As a veteran of a couple of those trips, the access the hockey operations department gives the guests is fantastic. They attend meetings, eat pre-game meals, the whole shabang. There will also be a team dinner with Wild owner Craig Leipold.

Wild.com and WildTV are on this entire trip and will bring you great videos and images of the Father’s Trip.

“It’s an opportunity to say thanks to some of the people who have supported us,” Yeo said. “Anyone in the State of Hockey knows it’s a big commitment when you have a kid, a sibling…We’ve all spent a lot of time in a hockey rink because of someone else. It’s a chance to see how we live on the road and bring a little extra motivation."

Yeo did mention there can be some challenges to having extra bodies on the road. A great father-son story comes from a few years back. Todd White’s father woke up to find his son, on a game day, sleeping in the bathtub, because the elder White was snoring so loud.

Fan Trip

The Wild “Fan Trip” is also to Tampa, with most fans leaving either Thursday (and watching the Flyers game in Tampa), or Friday morning (6:20 a.m. flight for yours truly). For the first time, we will also be embedded on the Fan Trip, so make sure you follow us (@mnwild) and also check back to Wild.com for all sorts of information.

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Minnesota Wild Wild.com 11/18/14 Publication Date

Growing The State Of Hockey By Jimmy Gilligan - Special To Wild.com On an unusually warm fall day in Duluth, the temperature inside the Northland’s flagship youth hockey venue, Duluth’s Heritage Arena, was reminiscent of the coming winter—and the coming hockey season.

And while the Minnesota Wild prepared for the upcoming NHL season, dozens of Duluth-Superior area kids skated in their final session of the Little Wild program, preparing themselves for a special hockey season: their first.

Teaming up with Minnesota Hockey, Total Hockey and CCM, the Minnesota Wild put on the Little Wild program in eight cities throughout the state, including Duluth. The program’s purpose is to give children who have not played organized hockey before the opportunity to do so; providing them with equipment and a chance to hone their skills during four skating sessions— all while keeping the startup cost low.

New skaters came from all over the area to participate in the program, and though the Wild players may have a bit more experience on the ice, the participants were able to look like their heroes in Saint Paul, with Wild logos on all of their new gear.

For a registration fee of $100, participants ages five to eight not only received ice time but also a full CCM gear setup, which in addition to all protective gear, included a stick and skates. Topping it off, participants wore jerseys with the classic Wild circle logo, inspiring a future generation of hockey players—and Wild fans.

“Ashton was really excited; anything affiliated with the Wild is exciting [for him]. He was so proud of all of his gear, literally everyone that comes to our house, he wants to show them his gear,” said Carrie Heffernan, of Duluth, whose six-year-old son is enrolled in the program.

Though the main focus of the Little Wild program is to grow youth hockey in Minnesota, a focal point of the program is also to keep the costs down.

By providing ice time, coaching, and the necessary gear for $100, the program succeeds in minimizing the startup cost, an issue that overshadows youth hockey and the future of the sport. In a sport that can cost upwards of a thousand dollars annually, keeping the price to play low is crucial for growing the game.

“I think sometimes the barrier to playing hockey is the equipment is kind of expensive so it’s really nice that they’re offering this program,” said Heffernan.

“If you can get them in their first year without any fees like that, I think the Duluth and Superior programs are getting a lot better; and I think the turnout is pretty good too,” said Kyle Thimm, of Superior.

Thimm’s six-year-old niece, Kenlyn, will play in the Superior youth hockey association this coming season.

The turnout was exceptional not only for Duluth’s location, but for each of the eight locations. In all, 480 players participated in the program.

The aspiring hockey players in the Duluth branch of the Little Wild program were treated to a pleasant surprise when several players from the UMD men’s collegiate team took time off from preparing for their own season to help coach each of the four weekly September instructional sessions.

“I think this Little Wild program is awesome; its great for kids that haven’t played before,” said Thimm. “They have UMD Bulldog players helping out and it’s nice to have them doing that for the community. I don’t know of any other programs that do this,”

The Bulldog players, along with Nick Jones, Hermantown’s Bantam A coach, led the young skaters in drills aimed at both developing skills, while also keeping it fun.

“A lot of the drills we went off of the USA Hockey ADM (American Development Model),” said Jones. “It’s a lot of small area games, a lot of puck touches, pretty much everyone getting involved.”

“The tough part is just making sure they’re doing everything right, and they’re holding their stick right,” said Jared Thomas, a freshman forward for UMD. “But as long as they’re getting something out of it, and having fun, that’s all that matters.”

Thomas grew up in nearby Hermantown and reveled in the opportunity to teach the new skaters through the Little Wild program.

“I like this kind of stuff. The kids make us laugh, and make us remember back to that age; it was a good time for all of us,” said Thomas.

The four weekly skating sessions followed the USA Hockey ADM, laying the foundation for the Little Wild participants to be successful in joining the ranks of the 54,507 Minnesota youth hockey players registered in 2013-2014. But if you asked the players, they were more interested in the fun they were having than any models or developing.

“[At] the end right here we played grown ups against kids,” said Keenan Smith, 6, describing his favorite part of the clinic.

When asked if the kids won, Keenan nodded enthusiastically.

At the conclusion of the final skating session, something that the parents, players, and coaches could all agree upon was that all of the skaters improved.

“That first [clinic], she was falling down every so often, and last week even, but it’s getting less and less each week,” said Thimm, as he watched his niece glide around the ice.

“The first day the cones were getting pushed around,” said Jones. “[There was] definitely a lot of improvement in those four weeks, but we saw a lot of smiles and a lot of kids had a lot of fun- and that’s where it starts.”

“I learned how to hockey stop,” Ashton Heffernan stated proudly; he will play for the Glen Avon Hockey Association in Duluth this season.

Walking out to the hot September air, the new hockey players left Heritage Arena with newly acquired skills, and a newfound passion for the game: while their parents hauled their new equipment to the car—some for the first time—but none for the last.

Minnesota Wild NHL.com 11/20/14 Publication Date

NHL All-Star Fan Vote By NHL.com

When the 2015 NHL All-Star Fan VoteTM presented by SiriusXM opens worldwide today at 11 a.m. State of Hockey Time online at NHL.com/vote and via mobile phones, the interactive ballot will feature all 700-plus active players in the NHL. Past All-Stars will compete with this season’s standouts for spots in the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Game® on Sunday, Jan. 25 in Columbus (4 p.m. CST, NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports).

Fans around the world will be able to vote via interactive online ballots at NHL.com/vote in English, French, German, Czech, Finnish, Russian, Slovak and Swedish and via select languages in the official NHL app for mobile phones. Voting concludes Thursday, Jan. 1, with the top six vote-getters by position – three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender – set to take part in the 2015 Honda NHL® All-Star Game. The full roster of players will be determined by the National Hockey League.

This year’s ballot will include enhanced interactive features, all designed to simplify the player search options for fans, including filtering and sorting by real-time statistics, position, team and a player’s trending status. Each player ballot page will include video highlights, player statistics and social media content created by teams and players. Fans will be permitted to select as few as one player for each of the three positions and a maximum of six players per ballot. The maximum number of ballots cast per day for each user is 10.

“The NHL All-Star Game has always been a fan-first event, from the voting process to the fantasy draft to our NHL Fan Fair to the on-ice product,” said Brian Jennings, NHL Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “Opening the pool of players on the ballot will allow our fans to recognize those exceptional players that help make every game enjoyable.”

The ballot page at NHL.com/vote will include a leaderboard of the top vote-getters as well as trending players. Vote totals will be posted to NHL.com every Tuesday, starting Nov. 25.

How to vote:

Broadband and tablets: NHL.com/vote will feature interactive online ballots available in eight languages, accessible anywhere in the world.

Mobile users worldwide will be able to cast their votes via a mobile ballot available in English, French, Russian and Swedish using any mobile phone and wireless carrier. The interactive ballot also will be available via the official NHL app for iPhones and Androids.

Facebook and Twitter users will be able to share their individual player selections online. Upon submitting a ballot via NHL.com/vote, fans can send messages inviting others to cast their votes online. Fans also can join the conversation by using the official hashtag #NHLAllStar.

2015 NHL All-Star Weekend Sweepstakes

Eligible residents of the U.S. and Canada who vote online at NHL.com/vote can enter for a chance to win one grand prize: a trip for two to attend the 2015 NHL All-Star Weekend in Columbus. There is no purchase necessary to enter or win. For sweepstakes rules, visit NHL.com/vote.

http://www.nhl.com/vote/




740434 Minnesota Wild

Coyle moves to center to punch up Wild offense

Article by: RACHEL BLOUNT

November 20, 2014 - 12:37 AM

Mike Yeo doesn’t like to get caught up in labels. The Wild coach didn’t want to brand his newly minted trio of Thomas Vanek, Charlie Coyle and Jason Zucker as the team’s third line, preferring to view it in more general terms.

His intent in moving Coyle from wing to center — and slotting him between two teammates who can score — was to create another line that can punch up the Wild’s offense. The three practiced together Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center before the team traveled to the East Coast, where it begins a three-game road trip Thursday at Philadelphia. Rather than identifying clear-cut first, second and third lines, Yeo said he wanted to assemble three groups with similar scoring potential — a gambit that could give his team sorely needed firepower against the Flyers, Tampa Bay and Florida.

In nine road games, the Wild has scored a paltry 17 goals. That is less than half its average output at home, where it has 32 goals in eight games. In five of those road games, it has scored no more than one goal.

Yeo chose to shift Coyle to center based on his play at the position last season, when he combined with Zucker and Dany Heatley on a productive line after Mikko Koivu was injured in January. He is hoping Coyle and Zucker can work similar magic with Vanek, who still is searching for his lost scoring touch.

“We want three lines we can really count on to go out and bring offense to us, and we think this gives us the opportunity,’’ Yeo said. “When we lost Mikko [last season], it was kind of a critical point of the season, and we got Charlie going in the middle. His speed and skill through the middle of the ice, in addition to his size, was a real factor.

“We wanted an offensive dynamic. Looking back at what [Zucker] and Charlie did for us together on a line with [Heatley] last year at that time, we’re hoping we can get some of that again.’’

Coyle said Wednesday that he, Vanek and Zucker already are developing a rapport, and he is excited to move back to center. While Coyle professes no clear preference for either position, he enjoys the free-skating nature of being in the middle. He sees good potential in his new combination with Vanek, a gifted playmaker, and the speedy Zucker.

It also gives Coyle a chance to rediscover a scoring touch that has gone dormant, with no goals in his past 12 games.

“I went through this last year,’’ said Coyle, who has two goals and seven assists in 17 games. “You can’t really focus on goals. You’ve got to play to your strengths and what you’re good at, and for me, that’s my physical play. I have to get back to playing good defensively and being a physical force out there. Then I think the other stuff will come.’’

Yeo placed some blame for that drought on the fact that Coyle has frequently moved around in the lineup. He said that has happened because of Coyle’s ability to elevate the players around him, not because of any shortcomings. At least in the short term, Yeo wants to make Coyle the center of attention.

“I think it’s time to focus a little bit on Charlie and give him a chance to get settled,’’ Yeo said. “That’s not to say we’ll stay this way, but we want to give him that opportunity.’’

Notes

• Defenseman Jonas Brodin, who is believed to have mumps, still is exhibiting symptoms and will not travel to Philadelphia. Yeo said Brodin could join the road trip later, but only if he is completely recovered. He is the fourth Wild player sidelined by the illness. “If it’s one, two, three games we have to keep him away and make sure nobody else gets this, and make sure we completely get rid of it, that’s what we’ll do,’’ Yeo said. “We can’t wait to get him back. He’s such a huge part of our team. But that said, let’s just make sure we end this [wave of illness] for good.’’

• Center Erik Haula, who suffered a charley horse in Sunday’s victory over Winnipeg, practiced Wednesday and is ready to play.

Star Tribune LOADED: 11.20.2014


Gameday preview: Wild at Philadelphia

November 19, 2014 - 10:41 PM

RACHEL BLOUNT

wild gameday

6 p.m. at Philadelphia • FSN, 100.3-FM

Preview: The Wild is on a three-game win streak as it begins a three-game road trip, and its aim is to improve its scoring, assertiveness and tenacity away from home. The team is 3-6 on the road, with an average of 1.88 goals per game. The Flyers lost 2-0 to the Rangers in New York on Wednesday night.

Players to watch: Wild LW Zach Parise has 18 goals in 41 games against the Flyers, the most goals he has scored against any opponent. … Flyers RW Jakub Voracek has 26 points (seven goals, 19 assists) and entered Wednesday tied for the NHL scoring lead with Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby.

Numbers: The Wild power play is 0-for-30 in road games. Its penalty kill is ranked second in the NHL, with six goals allowed in 56 chances (89.3 percent). … The Flyers’ power play is third in the NHL (24.6 percent) and has 11 goals on 32 chances at home.

Injuries: Wild D Jonas Brodin (illness) and LW Matt Cooke (lower body) are out. Flyers D Kimmo Timonen (blood clots) and C Ryan White (pectoralis muscle) are out; D Luke Schenn (shoulder), D Andrew MacDonald (knee) and LW Michael Raffl (lower body) are day-to-day.

Star Tribune LOADED: 11.20.2014


Wild hope line changes produce better road results

By Andy Greder

Posted: 11/20/2014 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated: 11/20/2014 12:34:06 AM CST

If a fortune teller had told Mike Yeo the Wild were going to give up the first goal Saturday at Dallas and score only two goals themselves, the coach likely would have thought the game was doomed to be another defeat.

That's the way it has been on the road for Minnesota this season.

The Wild (10-7) have averaged fewer than two goals per road game and are 3-6 away from St. Paul.

Yet they pulled out a 2-1 win last weekend over the former Minnesota North Stars franchise and now want to build on that during a three-game road trip out east.

"We had lost a lot of games previous to that one on the road where we gave up the first goal and then we're quickly giving up another one because we're not strong enough to stay with the game and give ourselves a chance to get back in it," Yeo said.

Erik Haula's first-period equalizer helped stave off defeat. And the Wild have tinkered with the forward lines in hopes of galvanizing the offense.

That scoring dearth on the road is especially glaring on the power play, where the Wild have yet to net one this season.

When asked about that Wednesday, Yeo commented on how the expectation is that changing up lines will result in more even-strength goals.

Captain Mikko Koivu has centered and rejoined Zach Parise on the first line, a partnership that was exclusive in Parise's first season in Minnesota.

"Yeah, we know it's something that we can always jump to, that's for sure," Yeo said of the peace of mind held in the pair.

And a new "third" line -- which Yeo doesn't like to label -- will not be a typical checking line but one expected to generate offense. Charlie Coyle will center Thomas Vanek and Jason Zucker.

"We're not asking those guys to be shutdown defensive specialists," Yeo said. "They have to be good checkers. They have to be strong defensively, but obviously we want that line to go out there and create offense for us."

The Wild are 7-1 at home and have outscored the opposition 32-16. In nine road games, however, they have scored 17 goals and allowed 23.

"Bottom line, everyone gets frustrated when you don't get goals, so that comes into play," Haula said. "All around, we have to make sure we're doing the right thing and everyone knows their job."

During Wednesday's practice, Yeo stressed there being no "in between" -- either players commit to making a play or stay back.

"If we're supposed to go, we're going, and if we're not supposed to go, we aren't going," Haula explained.

The bench has to be a "positive environment," he said.

"I think we made some progress, for sure, in that Dallas game," Haula said. "I've said before that we have a great bench, and I feel like we've started to dwell on (the fact) that we don't have the home crowd behind us."

Some road woes are normal in the NHL, Coyle pointed out.

"You have to have a good start on the road; I think that's the main thing," he said. "To hold your ground and not back down and just push right back, that plays a huge part."

Pioneer Press LOADED: 11.20.2014


Wild's Charlie Coyle to center third line

By Andy Greder

Posted: 11/19/2014 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated: 11/19/2014 04:18:04 PM CST

After playing mostly wing in the Minnesota Wild's first 17 games, Charlie Coyle will slide into the middle and center the third line during Thursday's game in Philadelphia.

After flipping between wing and center last season, Coyle will go in between Jason Zucker and Thomas Vanek as the Wild start a three-game eastern road trip.

"I'm looking forward to it. It will be a good change," said Coyle, who has two goals and nine points this season.

Coach Mike Yeo credited Coyle for stepping into the center position last season when Mikko Koivu fractured his right ankle.

"His speed and skill in the middle of the ice, in addition to his size, was a real factor and really helped us to keep our head above water in a real tough time," Yeo said.

Coyle has transition from wing to center and vice versa throughout his playing days. He said he has to flip a mental switch in knowing his responsibilities.

"I like playing both," Coyle said. "I like to be on the wall for wing. But at center I like to be more free."

Coyle said he will need to be more active down low defensively and offensively in the faceoff circle.

Yeo said Coyle's transient way is a credit to his versatility in moving across positions and lines.

"I think it's time for us to focus on Charlie a little bit and give him a chance to get settled," Yeo said.

But then Yeo immediately hedged it.

"That's not to say that we'll stay this way. Whether it's a period or whether it's five games, I don't know," Yeo said.

"We want to give him the opportunity."

Briefly

Erik Haula (bruised right leg) returned to practice Wednesday and is set to play Thursday. He missed Monday's practice after getting hurt in Sunday's 4-3 victory over Winnipeg.



Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin won't make trip to Philadelphia

By Andy Greder

Posted: 11/19/2014 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated: 11/19/2014 02:42:52 PM CST

Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin, still dealing with mumps-like symptoms, won't travel to Philadelphia for Thursday's game against the Flyers.

"He still has a few symptoms there, so in the best interest of the entire group, we won't bring him to Philadelphia," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "Once he's symptom-free, we'll get him back with the group."

Precaution also could keep Brodin away from the team for Saturday's game at Tampa Bay and Monday's game at Florida.

"We can't wait to get him back," Yeo said. 'He's such a huge part of our team. That said, let's just make sure that we end this for good."

Brodin, one Minnesota's top blue-liners, has missed three games.

Teammates Keith Ballard, Christian Folin and Marco Scandella previously missed games with the mumps or its symptoms. The symptoms of the viral infection include of flu-like feelings, swollen jaw and lethargy.

Briefly

Goalie Darcy Kuemper is expected to start in net Thursday in Philadelphia.


740476 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers 21st in NHL Power Rankings

Nick Carroll, for philly.com

Posted: Thursday, November 20, 2014, 3:02 AM

Here's philly.com's current NHL power rankings:

1. Pittsburgh Penguins (13-3-1, 27 points) – Sidney Crosby is tied for the league lead in points and the Penguins are second in scoring. That’s expected. Marc-Andre Fleury has been a surprise with four shutouts in his last nine starts. Pittsburgh has allowed a league-low 35 goals and has the league’s best goal differential (plus-29).

2. Nashville Predators (12-4-2, 26 points) – Remember when Nashville traded Martin Erat to Washington for Filip Forsberg? Erat had 27 points in 62 games before Washington traded him to Arizona. The 20-year-old Forsberg already has 22 points this season to lead the upstart Predators as a rookie.

3. St. Louis Blues (12-5-1, 25 points) – Vladimir Tarasenko has anchored the STL line (Jaden Schwartz, Tarasenko, and Jori Lehtera) with 21 points and the Blues have won 10 of their last 12. T.J. Oshie and Paul Stastny also both returned over the last two weeks.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning (13-5-2, 28 points) – The Lightning lead the league in goals and Norris-caliber defenseman Victor Hedman is almost ready to return after a month-long absence due to a broken finger.

5. Anaheim Ducks (11-4-5, 27 points) – The Ducks are winless in five of six, but erased a two-goal deficit to beat rival Los Angeles last week. Corey Perry also returned Sunday after coming down with the mumps.

6. New York Islanders (12-6-0, 24 points) – The Islanders made plenty of moves in the offseason, but the biggest upgrade was expected in net. After a rough start, Jaroslav Halak has a .941 save percentage in November and the Isles have won six of seven.

7. Chicago Blackhawks (10-7-1, 21 points) – The Blackhawks don’t have a great record, but they own the best goal differential in the West (plus-15), strong possession stats (56.73 Fenwick percentage), and a history that suggests they’ll get it going.

8. Montreal Canadiens (14-5-1, 29 points) – The Habs have the most points in the NHL with 29 but have an underwhelming plus-four goal differential. Montreal lost its six-game winning streak with a 4-0 loss against the Penguins Wednesday, opening up reason for doubt.

9. Boston (12-8-0, 24 points) – Here comes Boston. Zdeno Chara is sidelined with a PCL tear, but the Bruins have won seven of nine and beat St. Louis Wednesday. They did, however, lose another defense with Adam McQuaid expected to miss 6-8 weeks with a broken right thumb.

10. Vancouver Canucks (13-6-0, 26 points) – Daniel and Henrik Sedin have led Vancouver’s resurgence. Each have 19 points playing alongside Radim Vrbata, who has perfectly filled a spot on the twin’ wing after signing a two-year deal in the offseason. Vrbata has eight goals in 17 games.

11. Los Angeles Kings (10-5-4, 24 points) – The Kings haven’t dominated regular seasons on their way to two Stanley Cups, but they usually own the possession stats. So far this season, something seems off with Los Angeles (49.38 Fenwick percentage). The Kings have won their last two, though.

12. Calgary Flames (12-6-2, 26 points) – The Flames have two elite defensemen in Mark Giordano and T.J. Brodie and lead the West in goals. They were expected to be among the league’s worst teams, but it’s getting harder to discount the Flames’ start.

13. Minnesota Wild (10-7-0, 20 points) – Minnesota is second in the league in shots per game (33.1) and has given up the fewest shots per game (23.7). Zach Parise returned from a concussion Sunday and the Wild should get it going.

14. Detroit Red Wings (9-4-5, 23 points) – Jimmy Howard is fourth amongst goalies with a 1.97 goals-against average (10 game minimum) and he owns a .924 save percentage, helping the Red Wings stay in the mix in the East.

15. New York Rangers (8-7-4, 20 points) – Dan Boyle and Derek Stepan recently returned for the Rangers, but New York is still without Ryan

McDonagh. New York has treaded water while waiting to assemble its full lineup.

16. Winnipeg Jets (10-7-3, 23 points) – Since Paul Maurice took over last January, the Jets have 64 points in 55 games (95 points pace over 82 games).

17. Washington Capitals (8-7-3, 19 points) – Alexander Ovechkin has only registered a point in five of his last 14 games. In that span, the Caps have won six times and sit in the middle of the conference.

18. San Jose Sharks (10-9-2, 22 points) – On Wednesday, the Sharks lost to the Sabres for the second time this season. Not good for a team that will be fighting for a playoff spot.

19. Arizona Coyotes (8-9-2, 18 points) – Mike Smith sat in back-to-back games over the weekend and the $34 million goaltender only has an .890 save percentage this year. Meanwhile, backup Devan Dubnyk has won five of six starts and has a .925 save percentage.

20. Ottawa Senators (8-5-4, 20 points) – Ottawa has four losses in its last five games, but Bobby Ryan snapped a six-game goalless drought Saturday.

21. Philadelphia Flyers (7-8-2, 16 points) – If real hockey was like video game hockey and the Flyers didn’t have to use line changes, they’d be much higher on this list. Fortunately for them, Claude Giroux didn’t miss any time with his mysterious ankle injury and will continue to lift the Flyers into mediocrity.

22. Carolina Hurricanes (6-9-3, 15 points) – Carolina didn’t win a game in October. Since Eric Staal returned from an upper-body injury on October 28, the team has six wins in 11 games and Staal has nine points in that span. Maybe they’re not a Cup contender, but the Hurricanes aren’t a bottom feeder, either.

23. Florida Panthers (6-5-5, 17 points) – In case you haven’t noticed, and judging by the attendance you haven’t, Robert Luongo has managed to have a really solid season. He has a .921 save percentage and the Panthers are tied for second in the East with 42 goals against.

24. Toronto Maple Leafs (9-8-2, 20 points) – What’s worse, losing 9-2 against Nashville or losing against Buffalo by any score? Either way, it’s hard times in Toronto right now.

25. New Jersey Devils (8-9-2, 18 points) – Many of last season’s shortcomings could have been chalked up to Martin Brodeur’s struggles, but Cory Schneider hasn’t been much of an upgrade in his first season with the starting job. He’s been pulled four times in 19 starts and has a .910 save percentage.

26. Colorado Avalanche (6-8-5, 17 points) – Matt Duchene scored in his last two games and the Avs have picked up back-to-back, come-from-behind wins. Still, both have a long way to go to live up to the expectations that came out of last season’s success.

27. Dallas Stars (6-9-4, 16 points) – Can the Stars get a sponsor’s exemption into the playoffs? They’re fourth in the West in goals scored and have given up the second most. Unfortunately, fun hockey doesn’t always mean winning hockey and Dallas has been one of the league’s biggest letdowns.

28. Columbus Blue Jackets (6-11-1, 13 points) – After losing nine straight, Columbus has two wins in its last three games and Sergei Bobrovsky is back.

29. Edmonton Oilers (6-11-2) – After a hope-inspiring four-game win streak, the Oilers reverted to lose eight out of 10. On the bright side, Taylor Hall returned Sunday from a right knee injury.

30. Buffalo Sabres (5-13-2, 12 points) – Seems like a good time to mention Connor McDavid, the consensus top prospect in the 2015 draft who has 51 points in 18 games in the OHL this year, will miss 5-6 weeks after breaking a bone in his right hand in a junior hockey fight. Either way, the one-handed 17-year-old would still probably be Buffalo’s best player at the moment.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.19.2014


Talbot and Rangers shut out Flyers

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer


NEW YORK - While a handful of Flyers players were being interviewed after their listless, 2-0 loss to the New York Rangers Wednesday night, general manager Ron Hextall's X-rated screams could be heard in an adjacent room.

Hextall apparently was reading the team the riot act after its third straight defeat.

The Flyers were dominated, even though they should have gotten an emotional lift because Claude Giroux was able to fight through an ankle injury and play. In addition, the Rangers rested star goalie Henrik Lundqvist and didn't have their top defenseman, Ryan McDonagh, because of a separated shoulder.

"We didn't skate, didn't compete," coach Craig Berube said. "You've got to play hard in this league, and we didn't do that."

"It bothered me a lot. We didn't come out hungry enough," Hextall said. "We have to do better than that. I'm very disappointed. Very disappointed."

Backup goalie Cam Talbot (31 saves) collected his fourth career shutout as New York recorded its ninth straight regular-season win against the Flyers at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers (8-7-4), who ousted the Flyers in seven games during the first round of last year's playoffs, controlled the game, and only Steve Mason's brilliant goaltending kept the Flyers (7-8-2) reasonably close.

Just as they did for a good portion of last year's playoff matchup, the Rangers had too much speed and tenacity for the Flyers, who suffered their third consecutive defeat.

"Our first line competed, in my opinion. They played hard and played well," Berube said, referring to Giroux, Jake Voracek, and Brayden Schenn. "I didn't see much after that except our goalie. He played a hell of a game. . . .

"What really upsets me more than anything is being soft in your own end. That's where it starts. We're not being physical, not closing in on people fast. . . . You can't play like that."

With 12 minutes, 17 seconds left in the second period, New York took a 2-0 lead when Rick Nash scored a power-play goal from a sharp angle from the left side, finishing off a slick, tic-tac-toe passing play as he got position on defenseman Braydon Coburn.

At that point, the Flyers' opponents were 7 for 9 on the power play in the last three games. Coburn was on the ice for all seven goals.

The Rangers dominated the first period, and the Flyers faced just a 1-0 deficit only because Mason made at least five point-blank saves, including stops on Dominic Moore (wraparound), Martin St. Louis (alone in front), and Nash (shorthanded breakaway).

After a poor pass by Sean Couturier in the offensive end led to a three-on-one Rangers break, New York scored on Kevin Klein's one-timer from the slot with 14:50 left in the first.

Giroux was supposed to miss Wednesday's game and Thursday's against the Minnesota Wild, Hextall said on Tuesday. He suffered what is believed to be an ankle injury at Monday's practice.

Giroux skated at the team's practice facility in Voorhees on Wednesday morning and, after seeing a specialist, was cleared to play.

"Our doctor said he can play if he can handle the pain. . . . I give Claude credit; he's a tough kid," Hextall said.

Earlier in the week, Brayden Schenn said the Flyers planned to rally around defenseman Michael Del Zotto in his return to New York - just like Columbus did when Scott Hartnell returned to the Wells Fargo Center last Friday and the Blue Jackets won, 4-3.

But for most of the game, the Flyers showed little passion and were beaten to loose pucks.

As for Del Zotto, making his first appearance against his former team, he was booed whenever he touched the puck. Del Zotto was injured in a collision with Dan Girardi early in the third period and went to the locker room.

Del Zotto suffered a lower-body injury and is questionable for Thursday's game against Minnesota, Hextall said.



Giroux plays for Flyers, after all

FRANK SERAVALLI, Daily News Staff Writer [email protected]


NEW YORK - It was 5 o'clock and like most commuters inside a crowded Penn Station, Claude Giroux was getting antsy.

He was wearing a walking boot on his left foot, a game-day suit and tie, and a beanie on his head to remain as covert as possible.

Giroux was panicking a little, under the impression that his pregame routine was in flames with a 7 o'clock puck drop. He could thank the executives at NBCSN for the extra hour because of the "Wednesday Night Rivalry" national telecast.

In a span of about 36 hours, Giroux went from being examined by doctors, to "fine," to declared out for two games, to a last-minute train ride to Manhattan.

"He's a good healer," coach Craig Berube quipped.

Miraculously, Giroux was back in the lineup last night, keeping his streak of 198 games healthy intact. Flyers general manager Ron Hextall smiled and said he was "as surprised as you guys" the team needed to do an about-face on their injury report.

"Claude saw a specialist [yesterday] morning and we got good information," Hextall explained. "He came over to Skate Zone and skated by himself briefly and he felt like he wanted to take a shot at playing. Our doctors said he could play if he could handle the pain."

Hextall said the Flyers had no interest in playing their $10 million center if "there was risk of reinjuring himself."

"There's always risks with the injury," Hextall said. "But our medical staff said he was fine to play if he could handle the pain. I give Claude credit. He's a tough kid. I didn't think [Tuesday] night - and he didn't think - he had a chance of playing."

Hextall was significantly more calm in his availability with reporters yesterday, saying he was flustered on Tuesday in Toronto when announcing Giroux's injury because he is "not trying to give [the media] any details, so when I explain things, it might not always make sense."

No one questioned the fact that Giroux was indeed injured. The situation was shrouded in mystery for the way it was presented, the Flyers' terse responses, and the fact that Giroux appeared to be unscathed in practice on Monday, when Hextall said the injury occurred.

"We're not going to give [specific] information out," Hextall said. "We want to protect our players. What does it matter? I'll be as forthright as I can. We're not going to expose our players. I'll do my best to give a timeline, but there's points where I feel like I shouldn't give a timeline because then it looks like I was being not forthright or whatever.

"Am I always going to be right? Are our doctors always going to be right? No. There's always going to be issues that arise and get better and issues that arise and get worse."

Laughton in

Ron Hextall's directive to coach Craig Berube was to "put the best team on the ice" last night at Madison Square Garden. Even with Claude Giroux available, that apparently included first-round pick Scott Laughton, who was called up Tuesday because of Giroux's uncertainty.

Laughton, 20, replaced Jason Akeson in the lineup for his first NHL appearance since Jan. 21, 2013.

"Every time you think a player is going to be out of your lineup, you take a look," Hextall said pregame. "Who's playing the best recently? Who's going to play with certain players? I'm not going to not put the best team on the ice. Right now, he's the player that's the best fit."

Hextall said earlier in the month if he was going to call on Laughton to play, he wanted his top offensive prospect to play a significant role and "more than 10 minutes a night." Exactly the opposite happened, with Laughton - the Phantoms' leading scorer - centering the fourth line of Zac Rinaldo and Chris VandeVelde.

Laughton saw just 7 minutes of ice time.

"I thought I played a couple good games [to start the season with the Phantoms]," Laughton said. "I've felt pretty good for the most part. I'm really, really honored to be called up. I'm not worrying about myself, I'm trying to help this team win. We'll see where it goes."



LeClair recalled for cannon shot



ASK ERIC LINDROS what he remembers about his first practice with John LeClair after that franchise-altering, midseason trade with Montreal and he doesn't hesitate.

"I didn't know a whole lot about John," Lindros said. "Things seemed to click within the first practice. We had a great deal of fun, we worked hard, but we really wanted to score in practice as much as we could.

"[We were] really focusing on making sure that the bottom line was not only that we got a shot, but it went in."

The man tasked with stopping most of those shots from 1995-99 was Ron Hextall.

Given LeClair's rocket from one side of the ice and Lindros' bull rushes to the net, seeing the two of them cross the blue line each with a puck on their stick had to be a sinking feeling.

"To be honest with you, yeah, they loved to score," Hextall said, smiling. "As a goalie, how could you not relish wanting to stop both of them?"

No one, especially Hextall, could forget LeClair's rocket from the top of the circle - a blast from a bygone era of hockey.

LeClair will be inducted into the Flyers' Hall of Fame tonight on the back of his 333 goals in 649 games with the Flyers. At least a third of those goals - the ones that didn't bounce off his rear end or he didn't tip with his stick - were fired from the wing on the left side with that strange, heel-curved stick.

"It was an absolute cannon," Hextall said. "We were talking the other day how the game's change - you don't see that a lot anymore, guys coming down the wing and winding up for the big shot. There's no time. There's too much pressure defensively, from defensemen closing gaps to forwards back-pressuring.

"He had a howitzer. It was fun."

The last Flyer to score a goal in that windup fashion was probably Jody Shelley, who beat Ondrej Pavelec with a high-rising rip on Jan. 14, 2011. That the game was against the Atlanta Thrashers tells you how long it's really been.

Yet, Hextall believes the unique styles of both Lindros and LeClair could mesh with today's game, one that has gotten faster even within the last 3 years - never mind since when they retired in 2006-07.

It's easy to take for granted LeClair's dominance, particularly as a goal scorer, in light of Lindros' accomplishments. LeClair scored 40 or more goals in five straight seasons, including three consecutive 50-goal campaigns.

There is a reason the Flyers made LeClair the game's highest-paid player at one point, with a 5-year, $45 million deal.

"Oh yeah, John's game would translate," Hextall said. "Getting the puck to the net, absolutely. He wasn't pretty, but he was faster than everybody thought. He's still that big brute that could stand in front of the net and bang in rebounds.

"They'd both be good in today's game. We could use them both. Man, only if they were about 25."

LeClair, 45, hasn't strayed far from Philadelphia. The son of St. Albans, Vt., he lives in Haverford, where his kids "grew up and got a real good chance to make friends in the community."

He has dabbled in scouting consulting for his longtime agent, Lewis Gross, watching college, junior and high school games in search of talent.

"I enjoy watching hockey," LeClair said. "It also gives me quite a bit of freedom that I can follow my child and be a big part of their lives. It's been really nice these last few years to be there whenever I need to be and not to have to answer to [a more rigid job]."

After all those slap shots and bruises under his equipment, Hextall wondered aloud, who was better than Lindros and LeClair together?

"Think about being a defense pairing and going against Lindros and LeClair. That was a challenge," Hextall said. "They were huge. They were both great players. If you look at the power duos, they're probably the greatest of all time in terms of power forwards. Eric and John are both a big part of the history of this franchise. I think everybody's looking forward to this night."



Flyers' Eric Lindros did things his way



AND NOW, the end is near.

And so, Eric Lindros will face the final curtain - the one covering a bust of his head, of all body parts - tonight at center ice as he is inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame with linemate John LeClair.

Before he laughs, shakes hands and offers a few brief words for an adoring and forgiving 19,537 faithful, it would only be fitting if Lindros stepped onto the ice with Frank Sinatra's recording of "My Way" pouring out of the Wells Fargo Center sound system.

Regrets, Lindros had a few. But then again, too few to mention.

He arrived in Philadelphia as a brash 19-year-old in 1992, having just angered an entire nation by refusing to play for Quebec and embroiling the Flyers and Rangers in a trade dispute that required a neutral arbitrator to unravel. Lindros never apologized.

"I'm going to make it my way, and it's not always going to please people," Lindros told the Daily News' Les Bowen in an introductory luncheon in 1992. "That's unfortunate, but the guy who has to live the life is me."

Lindros departed in 2001 via trade to the Rangers, ending a 15-month holdout in which he turned down a 1-year, $8.5 million qualifying offer from the Flyers that 14 years later would still make him the 14th highest-paid player in today's NHL.

All of the controvers-Es along the way - the concussions, coaches, contract disputes, accusations, a collapsed lung, a rumored car accident, the Joey Merlino ticket mixup, even the alleged spitting of beer at KooKoo Bananas bar in Oshawa - did more than muddy his on-ice brilliance. They made a night like tonight seem like a pipe dream.

The words written about Lindros' legacy after the saga ended were damning, the "unredeemed promise of a superstar who never seemed to want the responsibility that came with that title," as Bowen wrote in the Aug. 21, 2001, edition of the Daily News.

There was the question of his initial haul to Quebec: Peter Forsberg, Ron Hextall, Kerry Huffman, Steve Duchesne, Mike Ricci, Chris Simon, two first-round picks (Jocelyn Thibault and Nolan Baumgartner) and $15 million. Was Lindros worth all the headaches?

The answer, in 2001, was a resounding no. The Flyers got close but never won that Stanley Cup. Lindros won a Hart Trophy but never had a 50-goal season and only once hit 100 points. He was lustily booed every time he stepped on the ice as a Ranger on Jan. 12, 2002, in his first game back in Philadelphia.

Yes, there were times, I'm sure he knew, that he bit off more than he could chew. But through it all, when there was doubt, he ate it up - and spit it out.

Somewhere over the last decade-and-a-half - even before the 2012 Winter Classic when he was serenaded at Citizens Bank Park with a standing ovation - the Flyers and Philadelphia mellowed on Lindros.

"So much of what occurred was so long ago," Lindros said this week. "We're looking at 14 almost 15 years now. It was what it was, and it is what it is. I've been going to the alumni game for a while now and the golf outing in the summers. It's a great group to be around.

"The fans in Philadelphia are extremely passionate, very few like them in the world. They get it, they want their teams to do well, and I'm sure that [tonight] will be an example of that. I'm just proud to be back in that rink."

Time heals all wounds, yes. But a few other things were in play.

Even as the rest of the NHL grew in size, many recognized years later that there has not been a power forward who could fly through center ice and bull-rush the blue line quite like Lindros. Yes, he missed 140 games of a possible 626, but he owned the ice with 659 points in 486 games when he was healthy.

"Those of us that were in the business knew all along what he was doing, how much he changed the game," former Flyers GM Bob Clarke told the Daily News yesterday. "When he was with the Flyers, he was a dominant player in the NHL. He dominated the game. This is certainly deserved."

Clarke feuded with Lindros and his parents/agents, Carl and Bonnie, for years. Flyers president Paul Holmgren, the man credited with mending the Lindros fence before the Winter Classic, often had to be the go-between for meetings between the Flyers and the Lindros family.

Carl and Bonnie Lindros declined comment for this story, saying that they wanted tonight's attention to be on the inductees. They should be proud that both Eric and younger brother Brett helped change the way concussions are viewed in hockey.

You wouldn't hear anyone criticize any professional athlete today as a baby for sitting out with a head injury, though that's what Lindros faced. It's easy to forget that Lindros used to frequent Pennsylvania Hospital to get intravenous fluids to help relieve the migraine-like headaches after a blow to the brain.

"He was a bit of a pioneer in that sense," Clarke said. "So many players had head injuries in the past that weren't documented by doctors. He had multiple concussions diagnosed. Being a superstar, he brought a lot of attention to that, same as when Paul Kariya or Sidney Crosby had the same injuries."

Clarke, 65, will watch tonight's ceremonies from afar at his home in Florida, where he is more or less out of touch with the Flyers, aside from an occasional chat with Hextall. Clarke said there were never "any hard feelings" for Lindros, though he was quoted on the day of the 2001 trade to the Rangers: "I don't care. I really don't. He hurt this organization, I could care less about him."

When did those sour feelings mellow?

"Once Eric made the decision that he wasn't going to sign with the Flyers, he had zero interest in my life," Clarke said yesterday. "There's no animosity there. I just tried to focus on the players that we had, how we could make the

team better. We had other players that caused us some grief, but I tried to treat him like anyone else. If our offer wasn't good enough, then fine. He made his own choice."

It's unfathomable to think that was another lifetime ago for Lindros. Now 41, he lives in Toronto, got married a few years ago and focuses on his businesses, which include an online shopping destination (shop.ca). He skates with friends a couple of times a week.

"Things happen in life and there are different paths that are taken and you roll with it and move on," Lindros said. "Hockey was one chapter of my life. I had a great time playing, I was a part of so much. I got to represent my country for over a decade at all the big international events. Hockey is fantastic.

"You can look at [my career] any way you want. I try to look at it as half full. I look at the good times, and there were many."

Lindros loved, he laughed and cried. He had his fill, his share of losing. And now, as tears subside, he must find it all so amusing.

"When we made the deal, the idea was that he would become another Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux," former Flyers GM Russ Farwell, the man who made that blockbuster deal with Quebec, told the Daily News in 1996. "If he does, it was a good trade. If he doesn't, it wasn't."

The banner raised to the rafters tonight will not be inscribed with either "Lemieux" or "Gretzky," but "Eric Lindros." For a chunk of years, that was enough. The record shows he took the blows, and did it his way.



Hextall goes off on lifeless Flyers



NEW YORK - The door slammed, opened, and slammed again.

Inside the changing room, a sanctuary for players that is usually kept at an arms-length from team management, Flyers general manager Ron Hextall was peeling the paint off the walls with words that would make a stevedore blush.

"Are you [bleeping] kidding me?" Hextall screamed, loud enough for the media waiting next door in the locker room to hear. "That's [bleeping] embarrassing! Jesus [bleeping] Christ!"

The door slammed, one final time, but not until it sounded as if a wastebasket bounced off the wall deep inside the bowels of Madison Square Garden - where the Flyers have now lost nine consecutive regular-season games.

To say the Flyers' lifeless, 2-0 loss to the Rangers Wednesday night got to Hextall would be an understatement.

"That bothered me a lot," Hextall said. "We didn't come out hungry enough. We didn't play very well. We've got to be a lot better than that. I just said I was very disappointed. Very disappointed."

Hextall's message, the first fireball he's breathed in 6 months at the helm, was a wakeup call for a team that has lost three straight. Their opponent, the Rangers, had won only four games in regulation all season. Alain Vigneault even went with backup Cam Talbot - the first time since Jan. 16, 2011, that the Flyers faced someone other than Henrik Lundqvist at the Garden - to shake things up.

"We've got to realize," Wayne Simmonds said, "for that [rant] to happen, you've got to be playing pretty bad. You don't see a GM come down [to the locker room] too often. We haven't played too well the last three games. We didn't play a tough brand of hockey. We just didn't show up tonight. It's not a physical thing, it's got to be a mental thing."

The Flyers never even made it tough on Talbot, who earned his fourth career shutout, until late in the third period. At the other end, Steve Mason was the

only reason the Flyers even had a prayer in the final frame, turning in one of his best performances of the season.

It was a comedy of errors in the defensive zone, culminating in a collision between Braydon Coburn and Mason behind the net that summed it all up and nearly knocked Mason out of the game in the second period.

Jake Voracek, who saw his career-best 10-game point streak snapped, estimated the Flyers lost "about 80 percent of the battles." It was only the second time all season Voracek had been held without a point; the other was the only other night the Flyers were shut out, in Chicago on Oct. 21.

"You've got to play hard in this league and we didn't do that," coach Craig Berube said. "It's just soft plays. What upsets me more than anything is being soft in your own end. That's where it starts. Not being physical, not closing in on people fast, and coming out and making soft plays out of our zone. [Hextall] is probably not very happy after that performance. And I don't blame him."

Slap shots

Michael Del Zotto left the game in the third period and did not return with a "lower-body" injury. Ron Hextall said Del Zotto may or may not play tonight against Minnesota . . . Claude Giroux, who logged a season high in ice time, said he felt fine . . . Tonight's Flyers Hall of Fame ceremonies will begin promptly at 7 o'clock and are expected to last 30 minutes, delaying the actual start of the game . . . The Flyers (7-1-1) have picked up at least one point in eight of nine all-time games against Minnesota at Wells Fargo Center.



Inside the Flyers: Lindros, LeClair to finally reunite

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer


Growing up, Zac Rinaldo used to have Eric Lindros posters hanging all over his bedroom walls. As a youngster, Brayden Schenn always felt his hockey-card collection was special if it included cards of Lindros and John LeClair, and R.J. Umberger used to study the way LeClair controlled the front of the net and had "unbelievable hands" for a big guy.

In other words, it won't just be an adoring sellout crowd that will understand the emotion that unravels when Lindros and LeClair, the ultimate power forwards, go into the Flyers' Hall of Fame before Thursday's game against Minnesota.

The current Flyers will be just as appreciative.

Count the Flyers' Luke Schenn among the admirers. Even though he is a defenseman, Schenn paid special attention to Lindros, a 6-foot-4, 240-pound center/freight train, during a career that spanned from 1992-93 to 2006-07.

"He was one of my favorite players growing up," said Schenn, who was 17 when Lindros retired. "He was a big, powerful forward, and you don't see many guys like that. He could dominate, as far as shooting the puck, skating. Guys were intimidated playing against him; he was a big, strong, physical guy, and I know if I was a defenseman playing against a forward like that, you definitely have to be aware of where he was on the ice. He was a special player. One of a kind."

LeClair was special, too. The 6-foot-3, 226-pound left winger scored 51, 50, and 51 goals in each of his first three full seasons with the Flyers after he was acquired from Montreal in 1995.

"Always loved watching the Legion of Doom," said Wayne Simmonds, who plays the game with an edge. "Those two and Mikael Renberg played the power game to perfection, and I always looked up to them. I even have an autographed John LeClair poster in my basement right now."

Honored to get the call

A few months ago, Flyers president Paul Holmgren phoned Lindros and LeClair and put Thursday's ceremony in motion.

"We were both deeply honored to get the call. Then we started talking more about it and decided to do it together, which we thought was appropriate," Lindros, whose feud with the organization ended when he agreed to play in the Winter Classic alumni game at Citizens Bank Park in 2012, said in a joint conference call that included LeClair and reporters earlier this week.

Lindros, LeClair, and speedy right winger Renberg formed the famed Legion of Doom line. Renberg, now a hockey announcer in Sweden, will attend Thursday's 7 p.m. ceremonies at the Wells Fargo Center.

Renberg, according to Lindros and LeClair, was just as important as either of them.

"It took all three of us to do something," Lindros said.

LeClair agreed.

"I think one thing that both E and I appreciate - more than a lot of people do - is because Renny did so many little things that made everything so much easier for us," LeClair said. "There wasn't a guy that forechecked [better] than Renny that I have ever played with in my life."

LeClair finished with 406 career goals, including 333 in 10 years with the Flyers, placing him fifth in franchise history.

Lindros, whose career was cut short by concussions, ranks fifth on the Flyers' all-time scoring list with 659 points in 456 games, spread over eight seasons.

"John, Mikael, and I . . . set up one another, and we certainly enjoyed playing with one another and being together on and off the ice," Lindros said. "It really was a special group to be involved with."

After the final whistle

Lindros and LeClair have made smooth transitions since their playing days ended.

Lindros, 41, lives in Toronto and skates a few times a week with a small group of friends. In 2012, he got married and also helped start an online store (shop.ca), which sells more than 15 million items - from clothing to electronics. "I work in the sports-marketing area a little bit and do some business development," Lindros said.

LeClair, 45, resides in Haverford and does consulting work for a sports-management company run by Lewis Gross, his agent during his playing days.

"It's a lot of fun. I get to watch a lot of college junior games, some high school games," LeClair said. "It also gives me quite a bit of freedom that I can follow my children and be a big part of their lives."

Of the two, Lindros seems to have the best chance to one day be inducted into hockey's Hall of Fame.

"That's up to the voting group, and there's not really much I control in that environment," Lindros said.

During the big center's most dominating decade, only Mario Lemieux (1.99) and Jaromir Jagr (1.42) averaged more points per game than Lindros (1.31), according to TSN

If concussions didn't alter his career, Lindros would be a Hall of Fame shoo-in.

"You can look at it any way you want," Lindros said. "I try to look at it as [glass] half-full. I look at the good times, and there were many. Things happen in life, and there are different paths that are taken, and you roll with it and move on. Hockey was one chapter of my life, and a great new chapter with my family lies ahead."

Inside the Flyers: Career Statistics

ERIC LINDROS

Flyers career:

290 goals and 659 points in 486 career games over eight seasons.

NHL career:

372 goals, 493 assists, 865 points in 760 games over 13 seasons.

JOHN LeCLAIR

Flyers career:

333 goals and 643 points in 649 career games over 10 seasons.

NHL career:

406 goals, 413 assists, 819 points in 967 games over 17 seasons.

SOURCE: hockey-reference.com



Flyers' Giroux playing tonight

Sam Carchidi

Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 5:28 PM

NEW YORK _ Claude Giroux's new nickname should be Lazarus.

The Flyers' captain will face the Rangers at Madison Square Garden at 8.

"He's a good healer," coach Craig Berube said.

GM Ron Hextall said he was "as surprised as you guys, and maybe more so" by Giroux's quick recovery.

Hextall said Giroux skated at the team's practice facility in Voorhees on Tuesday morning and, after seeing a specialist, was cleared to play. "Our doctor said he can play if he can handle the pain...I give Claude credit; he's a tough kid."

On Tuesday, Hextall said Giroux would not play Wednesday and he probably would also miss Thursday's game against Minnesota because of a lower-body injury.

At 4:50 p.m. Wednesday, Giroux walked into Madison Square Garden with a boot on his left foot. Yet, the Flyers say he will take part in the pre-game skate.

Giroux, who tested his injured ankle in pre-game warmups, will center Brayden Schenn and Jake Voracek.

The Flyers are seemingly taking a major risk if they play Giroux ($8.25 million cap hit) and his injury becomes worse.

"We wouldn't put him out there if there was a risk of him re-injuring himself," Hextall said.

Told that the Giroux episode _ which started when he missed a meet-and-greet with season-ticket holders Monday because he was being examined by a doctor _ was shrouded in mystery, Berube smiled.

"That's what we do," he said.

Breakaways. Scott Laughton will center the fourth line, with Zac Rinaldo and Chris VandeVelde.



Flyers' Laughton deserves more time

Sam Carchidi

Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 2:02 PM

NEW YORK _ Like Flyers GM Ron Hextall (see story), coach Craig Berube was fuming after the team's listless 2-0 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.

Berube said there were only five Flyers who showed any life: Steve Mason, Claude Giroux, Brayden Schenn, Jake Voracek, and Scott Laughton.

Laughton played just seven minutes in his first NHL game in two years, but didn't look out of place.He centered the fourth line, with Chris VandeVelde and Zac Rinaldo as his wingers.

The 20-year-old Laughton could be sent back to the Phantoms, but it says here the Flyers should move him to the third line and give him a look-see for at least a few weeks, alongside Vinny Lecavalier and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.

In that scenario, struggling R.J. Umberger would drop down to the fourth line.

At Wednesday’s morning skate, the speedy Laughton had a long conversation with Lecavalier, owner of 405 career goals. At the time, it appeared as if Laughton would center Lecavalier and Bellemare.

“I just said, ‘Just talk to me tonight. Let’s talk to each other,’ ” Laughton said. “…We have three centermen who can all play the position and take draws, so we can all fill in for each other, so I think it’s going to be good.”

That was before the Flyers learned that Giroux was going to be able to play, causing the lines to be altered and dropping Laughton to the fourth line.

Laughton says he feels more relaxed than in his first stint with the Flyers two seasons ago.

“I’m definitely a little more confident now,” he said after Wednesday’s morning skate. “Two years ago, I started during the lockout year. I was 18 years old out of junior and didn’t really know what to expect."

Playing 13 AHL games this year was "good for me," he said.

Laughton made a smooth transition from juniors to the AHL; he had six goals and 11 points in 13 games with the Phantoms this season.

“You’re playing against men instead of 16 year olds; you’re playing against pretty big guys and it’s a way tougher game _ and you don’t have time with the puck,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate and given lots of opportunities and ice time, and I think I’ve thrived on that.”

Laughton, the team’s No. 1 draft pick in 2012, is critical of himself.

“I think there’s definitely bad habits that are still in my game that I still need to work out,” he said. “Playing in junior, where you’re playing a lot of minutes, you tend to circle and not stop on the play. I’ve still been doing lots of video with (Phantoms assistant) Riley Cote and trying to get those quirks out of my game, and trying to get better, which I think I’ve done so far.”

Laughton said he was “surprised and excited at the same time” to get the call-up.

“I’m just trying to earn my minutes every night and trying to play my game, and if I do that, I think I’ll earn those minutes,” he said.

Asked if he felt he was auditioning to remain with the big-league team, Laughton said, “I definitely want to stay. That’s the goal, but I’m going to take it day by day. I’m not looking ahead to any games. I’m looking forward to tonight and what I can do to help this team win.”

Breakaways. Injured D-men Luke Schenn and Andrew MacDonald remained out of the lineup. With Michael Del Zotto suffering an injury Wednesday, one of them may play Thursday against the Wild.



Flyers' Craig Berube settles Michael Del Zotto before return to New York

Frank Seravalli

Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 10:04 AM

NEW YORK — As the Flyers’ practice wound down on Tuesday, amid the confusion about Claude Giroux, coach Craig Berube turned his attention to defenseman Michael Del Zotto.

Tonight is Del Zotto’s first game back at Madison Square Garden, after spending the last four and a half seasons in a Rangers uniform.

It is more than just a standard reunion, though, given the circumstances of his departure.

To say the Rangers gave up on Del Zotto might not sum the entire saga up with justice.

Three years earlier, he broke into the NHL as a talented 19-year-old blue liner with swagger. He left last January, shipped to Nashville in exchange for an older and less flashy Kevin Klein, the beginning of a spiral that bottomed out when he lingered as a free agent for more than a month this summer.

Del Zotto, now 24, seemingly has turned the corner. Putting the Flyers’ first 16 games into perspective, he has probably been their most consistent defenseman this season - an assessment Berube would agree with.

Berube didn’t try to pretend in his conversation with Del Zotto that tonight would be just another one of 82 games. That isn’t possible, even with all of the cliches Del Zotto might attach. Berube knows - he’s been there.

“He’s got something to prove to them, I’m sure,” Berube said. “I think he’s going to burr up to show that they gave up on him, or however it worked. But the thing is: don’t try to do too much. Just play.

“It’d be best if he didn’t (get emotional). I like him to focus on it just being another game, but that’s probably not going to happen. He spent some good years there, he played really well for those guys at time.

“We just need him to play and be the player that he has been.”

Del Zotto, for the most part, tried to play off his return. Whatever Del Zotto said, his teammates tried to pick up for him, multiple players saying they knew how much it meant for him to get a win.

“When I get there, it will hit me a little bit and bring back some memories,” Del Zotto said. “Like I said, it’s just another game. It’s a big game, those are two points that we need. We need to get back to playing some consistent hockey.”

In his short career defined by inconsistency, Del Zotto has so far been consistent. Berube has stressed defense-first for a defenseman who has defined himself to date on offense - and Del Zotto has bought in. So far.

“He doesn’t have to do more,” Berube said. “He doesn’t have to get involved in all the hype and all. He just needs to go and play. A lot of times, with these guys, less is more in a big game like that.”

Berube closed his conversation with Del Zotto by saying: “Go play and keep doing the things you’re doing. You’re doing a good job.”

QUICK HITS

> Scott Laughton is expected to play in his first NHL game since Jan. 26, 2013 - two seasons ago. A prominent role in the lineup is expected, just based on Ron Hextall’s previous comments about not wanting Laughton to play 10 minutes a night.

> Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh (separated shoulder) skated on Tuesday but will not play tonight.

> The Rangers (7-7-4) have won just four games in regulation this season.

> New York has won eight consecutive regular season home games against the Flyers, dating back to March 6, 2011. The Flyers finally broke that skid at the Garden with a Game 2 win in their first round playoff series.

> It’s a late start (8:00) and it might go late, considering 7 of the Rangers’ first 17 games so far have gone beyond regulation.

> Henrik Lundqvist is 27-13-3 with a 2.49 GAA and .917 save percentage against the Flyers. Martin St. Louis has 58 points in 46 career games. Defenseman Dan Boyle is nearly a point-per-game player against the Flyers (31 in 35) and has more goals (9) against them than any other team.

PROJECTED LINEUP

With Laughton’s promotion, this is pure projection/guess since the Flyers haven’t yet taken the ice at the Garden for their morning skate:

B. Schenn - Laughton - Voracek

Read - Couturier - Simmonds

Umberger - Bellemare - Lecavalier

Rinaldo - VandeVelde - Akeson

Grossmann - Streit

Del Zotto - Schultz

Coburn - Colaiacovo

Scratched: Andrew MacDonald (right knee), Luke Schenn (left shoulder), Michael Raffl (left foot/ankle).

QUOTABLE

Berube looking back on the Flyers’ 2-1 Game 7 loss to the Rangers in the first round last May, which propelled New York on a run to the Stanley Cup final:

“I DON’T THINK ABOUT IT ANYMORE. ONCE IT WAS OVER, IT WAS REALLY OVER WITH ME. I THINK THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS WE PLAYED GOOD HOCKEY AT TIMES, BUT WE DIDN’T PLAY VERY GOOD HOCKEY A LOT OF THE TIME. IT COST US. IF WE WOULD’VE PLAYED MORE CONSISTENTLY, WE COULD HAVE BEAT THEM. THEY’RE A GOOD TEAM - A VERY GOOD TEAM. I’M NOT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM THEM. WE GAVE THEM A GOOD BATTLE, BUT IN MY MIND, WE COULD’VE PLAYED BETTER.”



Giroux makes fast recovery, decides to play

Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 8:11 pm | Updated: 12:20 am, Thu Nov 20, 2014.

Wayne Fish Staff writer

NEW YORK -- Now he’s not playing.

Now he is.

Such is the state of affairs with the mystery of the Claude Giroux injury.

Just over 24 hours after stating that the Flyers captain would miss at least two games with a lower body injury (believed to involve his ankle), the team announced late Wednesday afternoon that he would play against the Rangers after all.

People who follow the team had some suspicion this might happen when coach Craig Berube, in response to a question as to why Giroux’s equipment bag was in Madison Square Garden on Wednesday morning, responded: “In case he feels like he can play.’’

And what do you know? He did, racking up a season-high 25-plus minutes of action.

"The trainers did a good job of getting me ready for the game,'' Giroux said after the Flyers lost to the Rangers 2-0.

"It was a long day. I didn't know if I was playing. But it felt pretty good. I know I can play better but I'm not going to take that as an excuse.

"We (Giroux and the training staff) did a good job of communicating.''

General manager Ron Hextall told reporters before the game against the Rangers that he was “as surprised as you guys or maybe more so.’’

Reports filtered in that Giroux, who apparently injured himself at Monday’s practice, hustled up to New York during the afternoon hours after he was a no-show at the morning skate.

Giroux has gone through a battery of tests and the team appears satisfied that he can play without doing further damage.

“Our medical staff determined he’s fine to play, assuming he can handle the pain,’’ Hextall said. “I give Claude credit. He’s a tough kid.’’

Hextall is monitoring the situation very closely.

“Listen, there’s always risks no matter what the injury,’’ Hextall said. “We wouldn’t put him out there if there was a risk of him reinjuring himself.’’

Like Hextall, Berube wasn’t going to try to stop Giroux from playing. Wednesday night’s game ran Giroux’s consecutive game streak to 147.

"He's a good healer," Berube said. "He sat home today and he felt better. He wants to play, you know?

"What, you're going to tell him, 'No, you stay home and don't play?' Tell him to come up and try it out; see how it feels in warmup. If it feels good, if you feel like you're ready and you can help the hockey team and play, then for sure you're in the lineup."

And Berube also had to be reassured that Giroux couldn’t make the injury worse in any way.

"If there were a chance of that, then he wouldn't play," Berube said. "But there's always a chance of anything, right?"

Right move for Lecavalier

After a test run in Montreal, Lecavalier started Wednesday night’s game at right wing, just to see if that might get him going a bit.

“I know he likes the right side, he’s a shooter,’’ Berube said. “It’s easier for him to open up and shoot pucks from that side.’’

Burlington County Times LOADED: 11.19.2014


Giroux makes a quick recovery

Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 7:30 pm


NEW YORK – Now he’s not playing.

Now he is.

Such is the state of affairs with the mystery of the Claude Giroux injury.

Just over 24 hours after stating that the Flyers captain would miss at least two games with a lower body injury, the team announced late Wednesday afternoon that they anticipate he will play against the Rangers after all.

People who follow the team had some suspicion this might happen when coach Craig Berube, in response to a question as to why Giroux’s equipment bag was in Madison Square Garden, responded: “In case he feels like he can play.’’

And what do you know? It looks like he will.

General manager Ron Hextall told reporters before the game against the Rangers that he was “as surprised as you guys or maybe more so.’’

Reports filtered in that Giroux, who apparently injured himself at Monday’s practice, hopped a limousine during the afternoon hours after he was a no-show at the morning skate.

Giroux has gone through a battery of tests and the team appears satisfied that he can play without doing further damage.

“Our medical staff determined he’s fine to play, assuming he can handle the pain,’’ Hextall said. “I give Claude credit. He’s a tough kid.’’

Hextall is monitoring the situation very closely.

“Listen, there’s always risks no matter what the injury,’’ Hextall said. “We wouldn’t put him out there if there was a risk of him re-injuring himself.’’

Berube’s thoughts on the miracle recovery: “He’s a quick healer.’’

/n

Right move for Lecavalier: After a test run in Montreal, Lecavalier started Wednesday night’s game at right wing, just to see if that might get him going a bit.

“I know he likes the right side, he’s a shooter,’’ Berube said. “It’s easier for him to open up and shoot pucks from that side.’’

/n

Flyers Thursday

What: Minnesota Wild at Flyers.

When: 7:05.

Where: Wells Fargo Center.

TV/Radio: CSN/97.5-FM.

Season series: First meeting.

What to watch: The Flyers had a five-game home winning streak snapped in last Friday night’s 4-3 loss to Columbus. . .Flyers have a 7-1-1 alltime mark vs. Wild in Philadelphia, the only regulation-time loss coming during the 2002-3 season. . .Coach Craig Berube said on Wednesday he’s not ruling out the possibility of either Andrew MacDonald or Luke Schenn making their return from injury in this game.



Laughton hopes to pass this audition for keeps

Posted: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 4:26 pm


NEW YORK – The training camp trials are over for Scott Laughton and the training wheels are coming off.

An injury to captain Claude Giroux created an opportunity for Laughton, the Flyers’ first-round draft pick in 2012, to play in Wednesday night’s big game against the Rangers.

For the past three exhibition seasons, Laughton has come ever so close to earning a steady job in Philadelphia.

There was the 2012-13 rookie season, when he stuck around for five games before returning to his junior team.

And last year he made the opening night roster, only to be scratched and sent packing again.

Just a few months ago, Laughton again made it all the way to the final cut, but once again was handed a ticket back to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

What’s been the hold-up? Why hasn’t he been able to stick?

It might have something to do with how he’s been playing the game.

“There are bad habits that are still in my game that I need to work out,’’ Laughton said after Wednesday morning’s skate. “Playing in junior, where you’re playing a lot of minutes, you tend to circle and not stop on the play.

“I’ve been doing a lot of video with (Phantoms assistant coach) Riley Cote and trying to get those quirks out of my game, trying to get better, which I think I’ve done so far.’’

Laughton wants to be more assertive in this trial.

“I need more confidence,’’ he said. “Two years ago, I started after the lockout year. I was an 18-year-old out of junior and really didn’t know what to expect.

“I’ve played some exhibition games, playing against bigger guys has been good for me.’’

Is this a temporary thing or does he have bigger aspirations?

“I definitely want to stay,’’ he said. “That’s the goal. But I’m going to take it game by game, I’m not looking ahead to tomorrow (vs. Minnesota).’’

This call-up caught him a little off-guard.

“I was definitely a little bit surprised,’’ Laughton said. “I was taking a nap, got a call from (coach) Terry Murray with the Phantoms. It’s definitely an exciting time for me and my family. Looking forward to coming in here and try to make an impact.’’

As a first-rounder, he’s had to deal with high expectations. For now, he wants to put those aside.

“I just want to play the game,’’ he said. “Not put too much pressure on myself. Relax, go out there and be confident.’’

Coach Craig Berube doesn’t want to bury Laughton on the fourth line where he’s not going to play more than 10 minutes. He’s giving the kid a real chance, playing him on a top-three line with Vinny Lecavalier and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.

“It made sense,’’ Berube said. “He’s got good speed. He’s good in the middle of the ice, moving the puck. He’s got the offensive abilities to produce.’’

Blair Jones was sent to Lehigh Valley and Berube was asked why not keep him as opposed to playing Laughton.

“Blair hadn’t played in a while,’’ Berube explained. “Laughton has been playing down there. I think Blair needs to go down there and play some games just to get some action.

“I like Laughton’s speed. The Rangers are a fast team.’’

/n

Right move for Lecavalier: After a test run in Montreal, Lecavalier started Wednesday night’s game at right wing, just to see if that might get him going a bit.

“I know he likes the right side, he’s a shooter,’’ Berube said. “It’s easier for him to open up and shoot pucks from that side.

/n

Giroux’s mystery bag: Giroux is expected to miss at least two games with a lower body injury but on Wednesday morning his equipment bag was spotted going up an elevator at Madison Square Garden.

What gives? Why was it there?

Berube said: “In case he felt better and thought he could play.’’

/n

Flyers Thursday

What: Minnesota Wild at Flyers.

When: 7:05.

Where: Wells Fargo Center.

TV/Radio: CSN/97.5-FM.

Season series: First meeting.

What to watch: The Flyers had a five-game home winning streak snapped in last Friday night’s 4-3 loss to Columbus. . .Flyers have a 7-1-1 alltime mark vs. Wild in Philadelphia, the only regulation-time loss coming during the 2002-3 season. . .Coach Craig Berube said on Wednesday he’s not ruling out the possibility of either Andrew MacDonald or Luke Schenn making their return from injury in this game.



Hextall has something to say about this loss

By Rob Parent, Delaware County Daily Times

Posted: 11/20/14, 12:02 AM EST |

NEW YORK >> In case they didn’t realize what a special game they had just played at Madison Square Garden Wednesday night, the Flyers were lucky enough to receive an immediate response to it in the locker room from general manager Ron Hextall.

Beneath the whispery executive persona still beats the mouth of the former fiery goaltender, and luckily Hextall didn’t have a goalie paddle in his hands when he delivered his quick and loud critique right after his team had scampered off the ice with a 2-0 loss to the Rangers.

With their third straight loss in the books, and their ninth consecutive loss in regular-season games at the Garden in the books then, Hextall figured it was time to deliver a succinct sermon.

Amen.

“Obviously, we’re not playing well,” Wayne Simmonds said. “For that to happen, you have to be pretty bad. Not too often do you see a GM come down and have that happen.”

That said, Simmonds pointed out, he’d played in Los Angeles for three seasons while Hextall was an assistant GM out there. He knows what bubbles beneath the surface.

Simmonds also knows boiling bad hockey when he sees it. Even in himself.

“We haven’t played too well the last three games and I think even before that,” Simmonds said. “We’re professionals. We know what we did wrong. We have another go tomorrow night (against Minnesota at home).

“We didn’t show up,” he added. “The first line was pretty good, but the only other person that showed up was (Steve) Mason. We didn’t support him.”

Simmonds, bounced around from line to line of late, counted himself among the guilty.

“It doesn’t matter where they put me,” he said. “It’s my responsibility to be ready to come out and play. I wasn’t good tonight. I haven’t been good the last couple of games.”

Before they laid an egg, the news of the day was whether Claude Giroux was going to lay down for a couple of games like he was expected to with his ankle injury. Instead, he came on and played well, and at 25:44 turned in a season high in playing time.

But that couldn’t cheer him up much.

“I know I can play better,” Giroux said, “but I won’t use that as an excuse. We have to find a way to get our game going here.”

It started when uncovered defenseman Kevin Klein scored 5:10 into the game and speedster Rick Nash scored on a power play in the second period for the Rangers. In between, Mason did what he could by himself.

Again.

“The cause for concern is that there wasn’t much of a pushback,” Mason said. “This should be an easy game for that — you come into MSG against a pretty big rival. And you throw a pretty poor game.”

Perhaps this wouldn’t have been so bad if the Rangers (8-7-4) hadn’t been playing so badly of late. The defending Eastern Conference champions, some seven months removed from eliminating the Flyers (7-8-2) from the playoffs, had won just twice in their previous nine games.

Against the Flyers, however, it looked like early spring all over again.

Along the way, Jake Voracek’s 10-game points streak, during which he had racked up five goals and 14 assists, was sadly snapped. Worse yet, the Flyers’ ugly run of ugly penalty killing continued. They looked like pylons in their defensive zone as Derek Stepan and Marty St. Louis commenced to pinpoint passes through the zone, with an all-alone Nash left to finish for the power-play goal at 7:43 of the second for a 2-0 lead.

It was the seventh time the Flyers were scored upon in their prior nine shorthanded situations. The accusatory spotlight in that facet of failure shined brightly on Braydon Coburn, who was on the ice for all seven of those goals.

That goal was no uglier than what had happened in the previous period, however, as the Flyers allowed the Rangers to first penatrate the zone, then stood and watched them pass the puck around until Klein was presented with a point-blank free shot and it easily beat Mason.

Down a pair and getting outshot 27-18 through two periods, the Flyers finally mustered an offensive flutter or two early in the third. That went away amid a couple of concurrent Flyers penalties. Largely due to Mason, they were able to stay within a couple of goals through it all, but despite finally mustering more offensive flurries late in the period — including playing the final 40 seconds with a two-man advantage — they couldn’t get a puck past secondary Rangers goalie Cam Talbot (31 saves).

That despite a frustrated Craig Berube pulling Mason for an extra skater with 3:33 to play in regulation.

One thing that may have hurt the Flyers in that third period was the absence of ex-Ranger Michael Del Zotto. It was this return to New York which had him excited before the game.

“Last year didn’t go as well as I would have liked,” Del Zotto said. “It was a tough offseason for me. But I wanted to come in with a chip on my shoulder. There’s a lot of people out there who were doubting my ability to play the game and I wanted to prove everyone wrong.”

For Del Zotto, this would have been the perfect place for that. But this game wouldn’t end well for him, as he left early in the third period after colliding with big Dan Girardi.

Delaware County Times LOADED: 11.19.2014


Giroux heals quickly, skates against Rangers


Posted: 11/19/14, 9:20 PM EST |

NEW YORK >> It was with a certain sense of perverse pleasure that the Flyers announced Wednesday evening that Claude Giroux was suddenly available to play against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Or did it only seem that way to all the tweeps told two days ago on Twitter that doctors were checking out Giroux after he didn’t show up at a season ticket-holders function?

That triggered a terse statement from general manager Ron Hextall that Giroux was “fine,” then he announced the next day Giroux would be out for two days with a lower-body injury ...

Only to read all about how Giroux walked into Madison Square Garden late Wednesday afternoon in a walking boot, but with his game face on.

Don’t these guys know this is all hot-button issue social media stuff?!?!?!!?!

“That’s what we do,” coach Craig Berube said with a false smile.

No great shock there.

“I’m as surprised as you guys, maybe moreso,” said Hextall ... without the grin. “Claude saw a specialist. This is hard for me, because I don’t want to give you guys any details ... To explain some things that might not make any sense.”

Yeah, well, competitive medical science rarely does.

“He’s a good healer,” Berube said, the smile still intact. “He sat home today and he felt better. He wants to play, you know?

“What, you’re going to tell him, ‘No, you stay home and don’t play?’ Tell him to come up and try it out; see how it feels in warmup. If it feels good, if you feel

like you’re ready and you can help the hockey team and play, then for sure you’re in the lineup.”

Berube assured that were there any chance Giroux could reinjure the lower-body ankle, then he wouldn’t have been allowed to green-light himself for the game.

“If there were a chance of that, then he wouldn’t play,” Berube said. “But there’s always a chance of anything, right?”

Really, the only thing that mattered about Giroux’s Miracle in the Madisonlands is that he was going to play after all, in a game that the Flyers needed to win.

For their mental health if not for anything else.

“I give Claude a lot of credit,” Hextall would say shortly thereafter. “He’s a tough kid. The two games (he was supposed to miss) was based on a tolerance of the pain. But he didn’t get the information (from doctors) that we feared.”

Hextall deserves credit, too. He got through that sentence without mentioning anything very specific about injuries. Played it straight down the middle on the upper body and lower body issue.

Gary Bettman would be proud.

• • •

Vinny Lecavalier wound up not starting the game with rookie Scott Laughton by his side as originally advertised.

Laughton, the 20-year-old center hopeful and 2012 first-round draft pick, was called up from the Phantoms when Hextall called out an anticipated two-game Giroux absence. As it turned out, since he was here, but so was Giroux, Laughton was told to line up in the middle of the fourth line with Chris VandeVelde and Zac Rinaldo.

Either way, Lecavalier had liked what he experienced that morning, playing next to Laughton.

“He’s a very gifted as a player,” Lecavalier said. “He knows the game. He hasn’t played a lot in the NHL, but you can tell the way he shoots and the way he skates that he’s got it. It’s just a question of confidence.”

For advice, Lecavalier would tell Laughton, “When he has the puck to not be nervous when he plays. If he plays the way he plays any other game, he’ll be fine, because he has a lot of talent.”

Before Giroux’s on-again, off-again, back-on-again status for the game took another late turn, Laughton was ready to play for the first time since he put in a five-game stint in Jan. 2013 as an 18-year-old ready to return to juniors. That likely had much to do with a standout final year of junior last season, with 40 goals and 87 points in 54 games for Oshawa.

This season, he’s gotten off to a good start with the Phantoms, with a team-leading six goals and 11 points in 13 games.

“I’m a little bit more confident now,” Laughton said. “Two years ago when I started during the lockout year, I was an 18-year-old out of junior and I didn’t know what to expect. I think there are some bad habits in my game that I still need to work out.”

Lecavalier stayed on wing, but on the right side, with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare centering and R.J. Umberger on the left side.

Lecavalier didn’t adjust well to a move to the wing from his familiar center’s role last season, but that was on the left side. He said he feels he’ll be better as a right wing, more comfortable taking passes.

“To me, everybody’s different, but I feel more comfortable on the right side,” he said. “I’d rather be midle-right (on wing); I get more options offensively.”

As for playing on the wing, Lecavalier added, “Obviously it’s not my decision. I’m a natural center, but that’s where I am right now. So I’ll do my best there. I feel I can help the line being on the right side as well.”

• • •

NOTES >> Although Hextall indicated he thought defenseman Luke Schenn (shoulder) was getting close to a return, Berube stressed that both Schenn and fellow injured defender Andrew MacDonald need time to practice. Berube says fill-in defenders Carlo Colaiacovo and Nick Schultz were just fine, thank you. That’s exactly how the pairing of Schultz and Michael Del Zotto were playing, too, until Berube broke them up. Del Zotto, in his return to his old New York stomping grounds, played with Braydon Coburn ... Del

Zotto on returning to play in Madison Square Garden, where he played his best hockey but didn’t leave on the best of terms: “If you get caught up in the moment, it can quickly go south on you. It felt pretty familiar. I’ve been out there quite a few times.”



Flyers Watch: Flyers meet again with Rangers ... but with reshuffled lineup


Posted: 11/19/14, 2:03 PM EST |

NEW YORK >> It’s a game that has been marked on the Flyers’ vengeance calendar since last spring, but they have to approach it from several new angles. A rematch with the Rangers, the team that eliminated them from the playoffs, will come with a reshuffled Flyers lineup.

On the ice at Madison Square Garden this morning, they spent much of the time in drills trying to get to know each other.

With Claude Giroux back home tending to his “mysterious ailment” that is likely a relatively minor ankle injury, Brayden Schenn took the Giroux spotlight at top line center, and next to one of the hottest forwards in the league in Jake Voracek.

But moving to left wing there is R.J. Umberger ... who has been the Flyers’ most glaring offensive underachiever this season.

So against a Rangers team that made the Cup finals last spring but so far this season hasn’t been any better than the .500 Flyers, it would figure the visitors have to make some offensive headway on all other lines.

Wayne Simmonds is back at right wing on the second line, with usual checking line figures Sean Couturier and Matt Read. And in a more dramatic change, Vinny Lecavalier is over on the right side, with Scott Laughton playing his first NHL game in two seasons (and sixth overall) in the middle and frequently changed Flyer Pierre-Edouard Bellemare on left wing.

That ought to be interesting.

“It’s tough when you don’t practice together,” Lecavalier said. Then, with a small laugh, he added, “but we were together in practice today. So we had a chance to chat.”

Laughton, 20, the Flyers’ first-round draft pick from 2012, probably didn’t take away too much from being kept on for a couple of weeks at the start of the lockout-shortened campaign in January of 2013.

In the five games he played, he was put primarily in a checking role, not an easy thing for an 18 year old with wide eyes.

But Laughton had a standout final year of junior hockey last season, with 40 goals and 87 assists points in 54 games for Oshawa. This season, he’s gotten off to a good start with the Phantoms, with a team-leading six goals and 11 points in 13 games.

“I’m a little bit more confident now,” Laughton said. “Two years ago when I started during the lockout year, I was an 18 year old out of and didn’t know what to expect. I think there are some bad habits in my game that I still need to work out.”

But Laughton said he’s confident that he can bring a lot to the table playing with two other natural centers on the same line ... especially the guy to his right side that will someday will be recognized in Hall of Fame circles.

Asked what he chatted about during the morning skate with Lecavalier, Laughton said, “I said, Just talk to me tonight,’” Laughton said. “Let’s talk to each other. I know it’s my first game of the year, and we have three centermen who can all play the position and take jobs and things like that. We can all fill in for each other on the ice. So I think it’s going to be good.”

Although Giroux is expected to miss only two games, Laughton said he’s not looking at his recall from the Phantoms as anything long- or short-term.

“I’m looking forward to tonight and how I can help this team win,” Laughton said. “Take it day by day and see what happens.”

l l l

NOTES: Steve Mason will be back in net for the Flyers tonight against the Rangers, who are missing top defender Ryan McDonough. ... Craig Berube said he brought up Laughton and sent down little used veteran forward Blair Jones just because of that - Jones hasn’t played enough. He’ll get playing time with the Phantoms.



Hextall, Berube lay into Flyers after loss to Rangers

Tim Panaccio

November 19, 2014, 11:45 pm

NEW YORK – Ron Hextall was upset. He was yelling at his Flyers in the changing room at Madison Square Garden.

“Are you f------ kidding me!” the general manager shouted.

The coach, Craig Berube, was upset.

“We didn’t skate, we didn’t compete, you got to play hard in this league and we didn’t do that,” Berube said. “Soft plays. What really upsets me more than anything is being soft in your end.”

The goalie, Steve Mason, was upset.

He had 32 saves and outplayed the Rangers’ Cam Talbot, who got a 2-0 shutout without much effort (see Instant Replay).

“The cause for concern is there wasn’t much of a pushback,” Mason said. “You can’t use time off as an excuse. The lack of pushback? This should be an easy game [to be motivated].

“Come in to MSG against a big rival. Then throw a pretty poor game. They came at us, had good zone time and we didn’t have much of an answer.”

That pretty much sums up the Flyers' ninth straight loss to the Rangers on Broadway since Feb. 20, 2011.

The only real energy they got was from their walking wounded, namely, team captain Claude Giroux, who played a season-high 25:45 on a bad left ankle.

He had four shots, but his line failed to produce a goal as Jakub Voracek’s career-high 10-game point streak ended.

“We kinda sat back,” said Giroux, who said he felt good on the ice. “We had our chances in the third period. … I know I can play better. We got to find a way to get our game going here.”

The Flyers have now lost three in a row and face the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center.

Besides lacking energy and offense, the Rangers held the Flyers to the perimeter much of the night despite 31 shots on Talbot.

“The first two periods we weren’t ready to skate,” Voracek said. “We were late on the puck everywhere. We were losing battles. You’re not going to win games like that.”

The Flyers had three full days again between back-to-back games, so they were well rested but not up to game speed conditions.

They were lethargic.

“If you don’t play, you should have more energy,” Voracek said. “That’s what I think. You look at that second period, we lost 80 percent of the battles.”

Not only were they poor 5-on-5, their power play went 0 for 4 and their penalty kill gave up another other goal when Braydon Coburn left a gaping hole in front of the net for Rick Nash in the second period to make it 2-0.

Coburn had a hand in both goals and also clocked his own goalie behind the net on an apparent miscommunication play as Mason went to play the puck. Coburn wheeled by with Tanner Glass and hit him.

Mason hit the ice with 18 ticks left in the period and admitted being dazed.

“I got completely knocked in the head and it knocked me right down,” Mason said. “I never saw him coming.”

Bad puck handoff?

“I honestly have no idea, I couldn’t tell you what happened,” Mason said. “My head hurt a little bit but I felt fine when I got back up.”

Asked if he felt he was hung out to dry during the opening 40 minutes, Mason replied, “Nothing like that was said but we don’t have to be told we didn’t have a good game.”

Been a few of those, lately.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.19.2014


Instant Replay: Rangers 2, Flyers 0

Tim Panaccio

November 19, 2014, 10:45 pm

NEW YORK – On a night when Flyers captain Claude Giroux made an unexpected appearance in the lineup off a left ankle injury, his gutsy go at it did little for his teammates in Madison Square Garden.

Giroux logged more than 25 minutes of ice time during a 2-0 loss to the Rangers, but could not generate any offense.

That’s nine straight regular-season losses on Broadway, dating back to Feb. 20, 2011.

Braydon Coburn, who has not looked good since returning from his foot injury, had a disastrous evening.

He was involved in two goals against and nearly decapitated his own goalie, Steve Mason, at the end of the second period.

Mason went up against Cam Talbot, but the latter played as if he were Henrik Lundqvist, who dominates the Flyers.

Former Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto quietly made his return to MSG, but was injured in the third period.

Meanwhile, the Rangers now own a 14-4-0 record against the Flyers over the last 18 games.

Notable goals

Coburn scrambling to get in position, then failing, on Rick Nash’s power-play goal that made it 2-0 in the second period.

Career-high

Rangers defenseman Kevin Klein tied it with his fourth goal — uncontested — at 5:10 of the first period. The play began as a turnover by Sean Couturier on his attempted pass to Del Zotto, resulting in an odd-man rush that saw Mason make a nice save on Matt Hunwick. The Rangers cycled the rebound and Klein buried an eight-footer for a 1-0 lead.

Season debut

For 20-year-old rookie center Scott Laughton, who played just 3:59 through two periods (seven shifts). Laughton had 7:00 ice time in the game.

Goalie report

Mason had some outstanding saves to start the opening period and finish it, facing 13 shots. He had 32 saves. Talbot had 25 saves.

Power play

The Flyers were 0 for 4, while the Rangers were 1 for 4.

Penalty kill

Poor. Again. The Flyers have given up seven power-play goals in their last 11 penalty kills. Coburn has been on the ice for all seven goals against.

The streak

Jakub Voracek’s record 10-game point streak ended.

Scratches

Defensemen Andrew MacDonald (right knee) and Luke Schenn (left shoulder); Forwards Michael Raffl (right foot) and Jason Akeson (healthy).

Injuries

Del Zotto collided with Dan Girardi in the third period.

Honored

Eric Lindros and John LeClair will be inducted into the Flyers' Hall of Fame on Thursday night before the Flyers-Wild game at the Wells Fargo Center.

Up next

Back-to-back games for the Flyers as they host the Wild.



What's up with Giroux? Hextall gives his take

Tim Panaccio

November 19, 2014, 7:00 pm

NEW YORK – Is Claude Giroux a miracle healer?

“I’m as surprised as you guys or maybe moreso,” said Flyers general manager Ron Hextall in trying to unveil the shroud of mystery around Giroux suddenly appearing at Madison Square Garden and asking to play against the Rangers on Wednesday night (see story).

Giroux will take warm-ups. If he can tolerate the pain in his left ankle, he’ll play. Hextall said there’s no risk of damaging the foot farther.

Update: Giroux started against the Rangers, improving his consecutive games played streak to 147.

How did this happen when he was supposed to be out one or two more days?

Hextall received a call from trainer Jim McCrossin Wednesday morning saying that Giroux saw a foot specialist, was feeling much better, and had been given clearance to play if he could handle pain.

Giroux skated at Skate Zone and then asked to go to New York.

“We wouldn’t put him out there if there was a chance of re-injuring himself,” Hextall said, adding he gave Giroux credit for not taking a few days off the foot.

“He’s a tough kid,” Hextall said. “Our medical staff didn’t think he had a chance to play.”

Giroux is wearing a walking boot on his left foot.

So why all the secrecy about a foot injury when he’s wearing a boot?

“Because it’s consistency,” Hextall said. “We consistently say, lower-body or upper-body to protect our players. Period. That’s that part. What does it matter?”

Because there’s a difference between a sprained ankle, ligament damage and a fracture in the ankle, a reporter responded.

“You’re not ever going to get that out of me,” Hextall said. “You can keep asking. That’s fine. I’ll be as honest and forthright as I can with you guys. And we’re not going to expose our players.

“You know how I deal by now, it’s been long enough. … I’ll do my best to give you a timeline. There’s points when I feel I should not even give a timeline because then it looks like I was not being forthright. I can assure you, I will always be forthright.

“Am I always going to be right? No. Are our doctors always going to be right? No. Is a player always going to be right when he says 'I don’t feel I can play tomorrow?' No. There’s always going to be issues that arise that get better or for that matter get worse.”

Hextall said there was a chance both defensemen Luke Schenn and Andrew MacDonald play Thursday against Minnesota.

Both skated today in New York.



Claude Giroux is at the Garden, but will he play?

Tim Panaccio

November 19, 2014, 5:30 pm

NEW YORK — He’s here.

And his Flyers Winter Classic jersey is hanging at his locker.

Is Claude Giroux going to play tonight against the Rangers? Or is he just going to take a pregame skate?

And what’s he doing here in the first place?

Giroux’s mysterious left ankle injury has turned into “Girouxgate” on the Flyers. He walked into Madison Square Garden shortly before 5 p.m. wearing a boot on his left foot.

Update: Giroux took part in warm-ups and started against the Rangers.

“He’s a good healer,” said coach Craig Berube, adding that Giroux will take warm-ups and then a decision will be made as to whether he plays.

“He wants to play. You going to tell him, no, stay home? Don’t play. Come up. Try it out. See how he feels in warmup. If you feel you’re ready to help the hockey team and can play, you’re in the lineup.”

Berube, responding to questions this morning about Giroux’s gear arriving at The Garden shortly before the team hit the ice, said he didn’t know anything about it.

“They brought his gear up but we didn’t know until today,” Berube said. “He obviously was back home, got re-evaluated and felt better. He’s fine.”

The club initially said they wanted a complete set of Giroux gear on hand for travel purposes and had only half of it.

On Monday, Giroux left practice. On Monday night, he missed a team event because he was being examined by doctors.

Later that night, the club announced he was “fine,” but never said what was bothering him.

On Tuesday, he missed practice and players confirmed he was injured. On Tuesday afternoon, general manager Ron Hextall said Giroux had a lower-body injury and would miss the Rangers game and probably Thursday’s game against Minnesota because he was being “shut down” for healing purposes.

And now Giroux is in the building. The entire thing shrouded in Flyers mystery.

“That’s what we do,” Berube smiled.

If Giroux plays, Berube said there was still a chance Scott Laughton, called up yesterday, will still make his season debut but he hadn’t made up his mind yet.

Asked if he would tweet all these pending Flyers moves before the game, Berube said, “I won’t but I’m sure somebody will.”



Skate Update: Laughton returns to Flyers after 2-year hiatus

Tim Panaccio

November 19, 2014, 1:30 pm

NEW YORK -– The last time Scott Laughton suited up for the Flyers was two years ago before he was sent back to his junior team. He spent five games in the NHL.

Tonight at Madison Square Garden, "Chapter 2” of Laughton’s NHL career will unfold against the New York Rangers, after he was called up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Given all the injuries and movement of personnel on the Flyers this season, it was a long time coming before the club needed another center. Claude Giroux’s injury now provides Laughton with a chance to make a case for himself.

Updated: Claude Giroux's unexpected appearance in the lineup resulted in Scott Laughton being moved to the fourth line between Zac Rinaldo and Chris VandeVelde. Jason Akeson was a healthy scratch. Vinny Lecavalier moved back to his line with R.J. Umberger and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.

“I just want to play,” said the 20-year-old forward. "Just want to play the game. You grow up trying to play in the NHL, and that’s what I’m gonna do tonight. Try not to put much pressure on myself and relax and go out there, be confident.”

Laughton was taking a nap on Tuesday when Phantoms coach Terry Murray woke him to deliver the news.

“I’m definitely a little bit surprised,” he said. “He just told me I was coming up. It’s definitely an exciting time for me and my family. I’m definitely looking forward to coming here and trying to make an impact.”

Flyers coach Craig Berube didn’t want to throw Laughton into a situation where he’d have to center a top line against a team like the Rangers after having not played an NHL game in a couple years.

“Well, it made sense I think to put [Laughton] on a [scoring] line,” Berube said. “He’s got good speed and he’s good in the middle of the ice moving the puck, attacking. So he’s got the offensive abilities to produce.”

Veteran swingman Blair Jones was sent down to the Phantoms to make room for Laughton.

“He hadn’t played in a while, and Laughton has been playing down there [in the AHL],” Berube said. “I think Blair needs to go down and play some games personally just to get some action. Laughton’s been down there playing well, and I like his speed. The Rangers are a fast team, so I think it makes sense to get a quicker guy in there who has been playing.”

Laughton has played 13 games with the Phantoms, scoring six goals and 11 points.

Enough to get him ready?

“Definitely,” Laughton said. “You’re playing against men instead of 16-year-olds. They’re pretty big guys and it’s a way tougher game. You don’t have time with the puck, and I’ve been fortunate, given lots of opportunity and lots of ice time. I think I’ve thrived under that and it’s been good.”

Much like when Shayne Gostisbehere was up here in October, there are no guarantees of how long Laughton sticks around, though Berube said their situations differ.

“Laughton’s had more time,” Berube said. “I think playing junior hockey is a little bit different than playing college. It’s more of a pro style. And he’s played some NHL games. He’s been in camp a few times and been involved. So I view it a little bit differently.”

Laughton has his sights set high. Staying here won’t be easy given the Flyers are overstocked at center when healthy.

“Well, I definitely want to stay,” Laughton said. “That’s the goal. I’m gonna take it day-by-day. I’m not looking ahead to any games. I’m not looking ahead to tomorrow (against Minnesota). I’m looking forward to tonight and what I can do to help this team win. That’s what I’m gonna do, take it day-by-day and see where it goes.”

The key to having some line success could depend on getting some instant chemistry with Lecavalier, who has not found such with anyone so far. Lecavalier will play the right side.

“I’m a natural center,” Lecavalier said. “This is where I am at now and I will do my best there. I feel I can help the line being on the right side as well. With Laughts coming in, he has a lot of talent offensively. I think we are going to do well.”

They didn’t have much time to discuss tactics today.

“Yeah, we’ve talked,” Lecavalier said. “Tough we haven’t really practiced together. We were together in line today. We got a chance to chat. Little plays that maybe we can do mostly to support each other. We get on the boards and he has to support me. Little things that can make us adjust quicker.”

Giroux’s gear

Giroux's equipment was delivered to the Flyers' dressing room shortly before the team took the ice for the morning skate.

Why would the Flyers bring his equipment to New York if he wasn’t going to play or at least skate on his own while rehabbing an ankle injury?

“Here? I don’t know,” Berube said. “When is he going to skate?”

That’s not supposed to happen for a few days.

He’s not here right?

“No,” Berube said. “I’m not the bag guy. Maybe later on.”

The Flyers equipment staff wanted a complete set of Giroux’s gear on hand and had just a partial set for their travel squad.

General manager Ron Hextall said on Tuesday that Giroux was being kept off the ice for a few days of recovery.



Flyers-Rangers: 5 things you need to know

Tim Riday

November 19, 2014, 11:00 am

Flyers at Rangers

8 p.m., NBCSN

After a three-day break from game action, the Flyers (7-7-2) will kick off another back-to-back set, starting with a tilt against the New York Rangers (7-7-4) Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

This will be the first game between the two Metropolitan Division rivals since the Rangers’ 2-1 victory over the Flyers in Game 7 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on April 30.

Here are five things you should know before puck drop:

1. GirouxGate

The way the Flyers handled Claude Giroux’s injury was odd to say the least. Let’s recap.

The team tweeted that the Flyers’ captain was going to miss a team-sponsored event at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday night because he needed to be evaluated by the medical staff. Shortly after 9 p.m., general manager Ron Hextall said Giroux was “fine.” OK, but what was he evaluated for? No answer.

Then Tuesday morning rolled around. Giroux was given a maintenance day and did not practice. That doesn’t exactly sound “fine.” Naturally, reporters asked head coach Craig Berube if he was aware of the injury. Here’s what he had to say:

“I honestly don’t know what’s the deal right now. I am in the dark right now, waiting to see.”

Something seems sketchy, does it not?

Later in the day, Hextall announced that Giroux suffered a lower-body injury at practice on Monday and will miss Wednesday’s game against the Rangers. He will probably miss Thursday’s contest against the Minnesota Wild too.

"I can't give you a definitive timeline, but we don't expect it will be a long time," Hextall said.

Boy, that was difficult. Maybe more details will surface, maybe not. In the meantime, Brayden Schenn will center the team’s top line with Jakub Voracek on the right wing and R.J. Umberger on the left side.

2. The King sits

Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault announced Monday that backup Cam Talbot will start Wednesday night. Some may say the Flyers are catching a huge break because they don’t have to face one of the world’s best goaltenders in Henrik Lundqvist. Is it really a break, though?

Here are some of the backup netminders who beat the Flyers last season: Curtis McElhinney, Philipp Grubauer, Justin Peters, Antti Raanta, Dan Ellis, Carter Hutton and Thomas Greiss. Heck, Anders Lindback picked up three victories for Tampa against the Orange and Black in 2013-14.

Did the Rangers do their homework or what? No. 2 goaltenders seem to be the Flyers’ kryptonite. New York is looking to avoid its first four-game losing streak since Dec. 7-12 in 2013. Lundqvist has dropped three consecutive starts and the team is just 1-3-2 in their past six tilts overall.

One thing working in the Rangers’ favor, however, is Madison Square Garden. The Blueshirts have won eight straight regular-season home games against the Flyers with a 31-9 scoring advantage there.

Who knows? Maybe sitting down Lundqvist, who posted a 1.13 goals-against average during that winning streak, could provide a spark for the Rangers.

3. Injuries

As mentioned above, Giroux will likely miss the Flyers’ next two games. He could return Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Defensemen Andrew MacDonald (lower-body) and Luke Schenn (upper-body) remain sidelined. Michael Raffl (lower-body) is also out.

New York is a healthy bunch. The only injury the team has to report is Ryan McDonagh’s separated shoulder. The Rangers’ captain is on injured reserve and has missed the last eight games.

4. Keep an eye on …

Flyers: Yes, Umberger has been a disappointment so far this season. But maybe moving the veteran forward up to the top line isn’t such a bad idea. If there’s any Flyer who can get Umberger going, it’s the red-hot Voracek. The duo spent time together in Columbus, so they should be familiar with each other. And their center for Wednesday’s game, Schenn, has also been playing some spirited hockey of late. Sticking the slumping Umberger with the Flyers’ two hottest forwards could pay dividends. But if the experiment fails, it won’t bode well for Umberger’s confidence.

Rangers: It’s never a bad idea to keep an eye on Martin St. Louis. The speedy forward has torched the Flyers for 15 goals and 58 points in 46 career games. St. Louis is one of the shiftiest skaters in the league thanks to his powerful legs. He’s always on the go and creates plenty of opportunities for his teammates. He enters Wednesday with six goals and two assists in his last eight games but is coming off arguably his worst performance of the

season. He was on the ice for all five of Tampa’s goals in Monday’s 5-1 loss at the Garden.

5. This and that

• The Flyers and Rangers split four regular-season games last season with the home team winning each time.

• The Flyers have gone 7 for 14 on the power play in their last three games but have killed off just one of their seven shorthanded situations over their past two tilts.

• With a goal Monday against his former team, the Lightning, St. Louis has now scored against every NHL team.

• Voracek has five goals and 14 assists during his 10-game point streak. Schenn has three tallies and four helpers during his career-best five-game point streak.

• Rangers sniper Rick Nash has not scored in his last nine games against the Flyers.



Michael Del Zotto returns to MSG for first time

Tim Panaccio

November 19, 2014, 10:00 am

It’s been 10 months since Michael Del Zotto last stepped onto the ice at Madison Square Garden -- last Jan. 21 against the Islanders, when he was still a New York Ranger.

“I don’t remember what my last game was there, to be honest with you,” Del Zotto said. “I really don’t. Four and a half years was what I spent there. Anytime you spend that much time at a certain team or a certain place, obviously you’re gonna have lots of memories there.

“That’s quite a bit of time. It will be special going back. That said, it’s not the main focus. Two points is what I’m focused on.”

Tonight, the 24-year-old defenseman, whom Rangers general manager Glen Sather more or less gave up on last season, returns with a new team and a new defensive partner, Braydon Coburn.

“He doesn’t have to do more or get involved in the hype,” coach Craig Berube said. “He just needs to go play. With these guys, a lot of times, less is more. … It’s just another game. Go play and keep doing the things you are doing. …

“That they gave up on him or however it worked, I wasn’t there. ... He has something to prove to them for sure, but don’t try to do too much. Just play.”

A former first-round pick (2008) of the Rangers, Del Zotto had a successful rookie year under former coach John Tortorella with 37 points then underwent a sophomore slump his next season and was demoted to the AHL.

Some of it reportedly had to do with his lifestyle as a young player living in Manhattan. Even Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said that last summer after signing him as a free agent.

Regardless, Del Zotto was among the Rangers' top four defensemen by 2011-12 and had a decent playoff run when Marc Staal was injured, scoring 10 points in 20 games that spring.

Yet by the time Alain Vigneault hit Broadway, he had fallen out of favor with everyone, even the fans. Sather traded him to Nashville last January and the Flyers signed him out of free agency once Kimmo Timonen was diagnosed with a blood clot disorder.

Despite a shaky start -- the entire defense was the same -- Del Zotto has played consistently better. You have to wonder how much of that had to do

with being paired with veteran Nick Schultz, who likened Del Zotto to a young Kim Johnsson when Schultz was in Minnesota.

Del Zotto could come into this game with a chip on his shoulder. Or he could come out and just be the player he has been for his first 16 games with the Flyers -- steady, consistent, defensively sound and with a couple goals in his last four games.

“This is a big game for us,” he said. “So I don't want to look into it too much. It's just another game. I will bring my best effort, and we need a consistent 60 minutes from everyone if we want to be successful.

“Any competitive person or athlete has to prove something. That's just the competitive nature in you. But that's something that I have done a lot of thinking about.

“I just have to go out and play my game. I'm not worried about what they think of me. I'm here with the Philadelphia Flyers and I am thrilled to be here and I am just worried about getting two points and helping the team win any way I can.”

Scott Hartnell said he was overcome with a rush of memories walking into the Wells Fargo Center last week as a visiting player.

Del Zotto said he may feel the same at The Garden.

“I'm sure once I walk in for a game, it will bring back a lot of memories,” he said. “Like I said it is another game for us. I don't want to look too much into it and get caught up in the moment. It's a big game and we need these two points.”

One thing that bears watching here is his chemistry with Coburn. This will be their second game together.

“It's different,” Del Zotto admitted. “It's not the same playing with each player. This will be my third partner this season. I enjoyed playing with [Luke Schenn]. I enjoyed playing with Schultz. It gave some chemistry.

“As you get some games and some practice reps, it's the same thing with Coby. So whatever position or pairings the coaches put out, we have faith in each other to do the job.”



Mason can't do it all as Flyers shut out by Rangers

Dave Isaac, Courier-Post 12:17 a.m. EST November 20, 2014

NEW YORK – The door to the back room was slightly ajar when goalie Steve Mason's head snapped up. Even further back in the Flyers' dressing room, general manager Ron Hextall was going nuts.

In fact, the only words fit to print in his tirade were "kidding me" with plenty of profanity before and after.

The Flyers had just rolled over in a 2-0 loss to the New York Rangers, marking their third consecutive loss and ninth straight in the regular season at Madison Square Garden.

Right wing Jakib Voracek explains the Flyers' effort against the Rangers.

Plenty of Flyers had seen highlights of Hextall as a goalie with a bad temper, but no one besides Wayne Simmonds, who was with him in Los Angeles for three seasons, had seen the rage as a front-office member.

"Obviously, you know you're not playing well," Simmonds said. "For that to be happening, you have to be playing pretty bad."

Yeah, it was that bad.

The Flyers fired 31 pucks on net, but Henrik Lundqvist's backup stopped them all. Cam Talbot, who had only played in four prior games this season, notched his first shutout of the season.

He wasn't tested much, at least not from a quality perspective, but he did the job. Four power plays got the Flyers only six shots. When Kevin Klein scored first for the Rangers, at 5:10 of the first period, the Flyers didn't do much to push back.

"We know how to play hockey," said right wing Jake Voracek, who broke a 10-game point streak, "it's just…I wouldn't say we weren't ready. We just were slow. I don't know why. I don't have the answer."

No one seemed to. The Flyers found a little bit of life late in the first period, but it never translated into a goal. When the Rangers got their second power play, in the second period, they doubled their lead on Rick Nash's 13th goal of the season.

Mason was tested often, making 32 saves in defeat. He was pretty much the lone bright spot for the Flyers aside from the surprise appearance of Claude Giroux, who went from supposedly being out for two games with a left ankle injury to missing none at all and skating a season-high 25:44.

"The first line played great I thought," Simmonds said. "The only other person besides that was Mase that showed up tonight."

And the goalie got little help from the team in front of him. With 18 seconds left in the second period, Mason's best stanza of the night, teammate Braydon Coburn accidently took him out with a shoulder to the head.

"It knocked me right down," Mason said. "I never even saw him coming."

Mason, who was concussed late last season and missed some of the playoff series against the Rangers, stayed in the game.

The Flyers had three days off before the contest against the reigning Eastern Conference champs, but they say it had no effect.

"I'd say that the cause for concern is that there wasn't much of a pushback," Mason said. "You can't use the time off as an excuse. The most concerning thing is the lack of pushback. This should be an easy game (to get up for). You come into MSG against a pretty big rival and throw up a pretty poor game."

Making matters worse was that defenseman Michael Del Zotto collided with Rangers blueliner Dan Girardi in his first shift of the third period and never returned to the game with a "lower-body injury."

The Flyers pulled Mason with 3:32 left for an extra attacker, but couldn't beat Talbot. He made several stops with Mason on the bench, including a glove save when the Flyers got a power play with 44.9 seconds in the game.

It was an effort that left the Flyers hoping they have more in the tank Thursday against a Minnesota Wild team that's won three in a row. There sure wasn't much Wednesday against the Rangers.

"Yeah, that bothered me a lot," said Hextall, who would neither confirm nor deny his outburst. "We didn't come out hungry enough and we didn't play well. We've got to be a lot better than that."

Courier-Post LOADED: 11.19.2014


'Quick healer' Claude Giroux plays against Rangers after all

Dave Isaac, Courier-Post 9:04 p.m. EST November 19, 2014

NEW YORK – Claude Giroux's ironman streak is still alive and so is the Flyers' reputation of injury oddity.

The Flyers captain, who was deemed out for two games by general manager Ron Hextall Tuesday night, suited up and played against the New York Rangers Wednesday for his 147th consecutive game.

"He's a good healer," coach Craig Berube said.

While the Flyers took their morning skate at Madison Square Garden, Giroux was at the Skate Zone in Voorhees testing his injured left ankle by himself. He had just seen a specialist and got what Hextall called "good information."

That would be a change from the Flyers' last bit of information, which was that Giroux would be out until Saturday. Before that, the Flyers said he was "fine," but that came after being evaluated by team doctors eight hours after a morning practice.

Confused yet?

"I can assure you I'll always be forthright," Hextall said when asked why Giroux's status had changed so much. "Am I always gonna be right? No. Are doctors always gonna be right? No. Is a player always gonna be right when he says, 'I don't feel like I can play tomorrow?' No. There's always gonna be issues that arise and get better and, for that matter, get worse."

This issue was particularly strange, but since the doctors said there was no chance the injury could get worse by playing, the Flyers let him go.

"(He) felt like he wanted to take a shot at playing," Hextall said. "Our doctor said, 'He can play if he can handle the pain.' That's where we're at."

How surprised was Hextall that Giroux was able to do that?

"As surprised as you are, maybe more so," the GM said. "I give Claude credit. He's a tough kid."

The captain entered Madison Square Garden just before 5 p.m. in a protective walking boot and three hours later centered the top line, alleviating Brayden Schenn of moving from his left-wing post and R.J. Umberger of moving to the top line.

For the Flyers' captain to play in a divisional game is a big deal, although not everyone thought so.

"Don't make the Giroux thing bigger than it is, boys," Berube said a couple hours before the game.

"The whole thing is shrouded in the usual Flyers mystery," a reporter reminded him.

But, as Berube retorted, "that's what we do."

•Laughton seeks long stay with Flyers: Scott Laughton, the team's 2011 first-round pick, made the team out of camp in his first two seasons, but this year he was sent directly to the minors.

He was called up Tuesday and was initially going to center a line with Vinny Lecavalier and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare before Giroux took the train up to New York and altered the Flyers' lines. With Giroux in the lineup, Laughton may have a lesser role but wants to stay anyway.

"That's the goal," Laughton said. "I'm gonna take it day-by-day. I'm not looking ahead to any games. I'm not looking ahead to (Thursday against the Minnesota Wild). I'm looking forward to tonight and what I can do to help this team win."

•Empty netters: Jason Akeson, initially in the lineup on the fourth line, was scratched due to Giroux's surprise appearance. … Defensemen Andrew MacDonald and Luke Schenn are nearing a return, but Berube says they need more practice time. … Thursday's ceremony honoring Eric Lindros and John LeClair will begin at 7 p.m. and is expected to last about 45 minutes.



Lindros, LeClair tandem enter Flyers’ Hall as ‘greatest of all time’


There they came flying down the ice again in practice, 88 and 10, Eric Lindros and John LeClair.

Standing in his goal crease, Ron Hextall didn’t quite know where the shot was going to come from. If it came from LeClair, that trademarked slapshot from the left wing, he knew it would be tough to stop.

“There’s not much of that anymore, but he had a howitzer,” Hextall, now the Flyers GM and then one of their goalies, recalled Monday. “As a goalie, how

can’t you relish just wanting to stop them both? Eric had maybe not quite as good a shot as John, but it was a good shot as well. It was fun.

“I think if you look at the power duos, I don’t know, probably maybe the greatest of all time in terms of the tandem, when you think about it.”

Along with Mikael Renberg, Lindros and LeClair formed one of the most dominant lines in franchise history. Thursday night, two-thirds of the Legion of Doom will be inducted into the Flyers’ Hall of Fame.

“Greatly honored,” said Lindros, who had 290 goals and 659 points in 486 games with the Flyers. “I mean Philadelphia is where I played my best hockey as a pro. I really enjoyed it. There were countless moments that I recall and have extremely fond memories of. It was a great environment to play in.”

As legend goes, it was journeyman center Jim Montgomery who coined the name for the trio and broadcaster Gene Hart made sure it stuck. The reference points to a pro wrestling tag team who were known as Legion of Doom before switching to The Road Warriors.

Dealing with LeClair and Lindros — both big forwards — in the ring would have been no easy task.

“You had an hour or 45 minutes a day to practice against what was probably the most dominant line in hockey at the time, it’s only gonna make you a better player,” said Chris Therien, defenseman turned TV broadcaster. “It’s funny, I didn’t look at it like that at the time, but I certainly do appreciate that.”

LeClair played in Philadelphia longer than Lindros, 649 games to Lindros’ 486. He joined the Flyers in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens Feb. 5, 1995. LeClair, Gilbert Dionne and Eric Desjardins (who will go in the Flyers’ Hall of Fame Feb. 19) came to Philly in exchange for seven-time All-Star/three-time Stanley Cup champion Mark Recchi and a third-round draft pick.

“Eric has been such a big part of my career,” said LeClair, who now resides in Havertown, Pennsylvania doing consulting work, “and to have him right there next to me with everything is quite immense. Obviously, with what he’s done to get me to this point, to have him standing next to me is going to be a big thrill.”

To think, he was so close to not being there. Thank Larry Bertuzzi for that.

Bertuzzi is the arbitrator who ruled July 1 that a June 20, 1992 trade between the Flyers and Quebec Nordiques was valid and a deal with the New York Rangers was not.

The Flyers traded Hextall, Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Steve Duchene, Kerry Huffman, a 1993 first-round pick, $15 million and future considerations for Lindros.

Lindros went on to have a borderline Hall of Fame career, mostly with the Flyers.

“That’s not up to me,” Lindros said when asked about the Hockey Hall of Fame. “That’s up to a voting group and there’s not really much that I control in that environment. I just leave it up to the people that make those decisions and it is what it is.”

For now, he’ll take the Flyers’ Hall of Fame, although at one point in time that didn’t look like it would happen either.

Even before the Flyers traded him to the Rangers in 2001, there was bad blood between the team and Lindros’ family for years. It wasn’t until Paul Holmgren, then the Flyers GM and now team president, reached out to Lindros asking him to come to the Winter Classic in 2012 that things were smoothed over in the public eye.

“So much of what occurred was so long ago,” Lindros said. “We’re looking at 14, almost 15 years now. It was a real honor to be invited back to that outdoor game and I had a great time at it. It was a great time to catch up with some of the guys I played with.”

Renberg traveled from Sweden, where he’s a television hockey analyst, to Philadelphia to share in the night even though he’s not being honored.

Ask Lindros and LeClair and he probably should be.

“Mikael was just as big a part of the line as I was or as Johnny was,” Lindros said. “It took all three of us to do something. I certainly don’t forget what Mikael Renberg was all about, that’s for sure.”

Renberg, the Flyers’ second-round pick in 1990, had a phenomenal rookie season with 38 goals and 82 points playing in 83 of 84 games that season. His career was ultimately marred by a sports hernia that cost him his speed.

“There wasn’t a guy that fore-checked higher than Renny, that I have every played with in my life,” LeClair recalled. “His passion for the game and how hard he went every shift and how when we were losing or we needed a goal or something he would really get that game face on. He was as talented as anyone I played with.”

Even though Renberg won’t be among the honorees, the Legion of Doom will be reunited one more time for Lindros and LeClair’s big night.



Scott Laughton wants the world to know he's not a defensive center


NEW YORK – Scott Laughton will play his sixth NHL game Wednesday night and already he feels he's been typecast.

His previous five games, the first five of the 2013 lockout season, he was on the fourth line. It's not that the Flyers and Peter Laviolette, who was the coach at the time, thought he was a defensive guy or anything. It's just that he was a new player that needed to earn his ice time.

By the sixth game, he was sent back to the Ontario Hockey League's Oshawa Generals.

"Even in minor-midget I put up pretty big numbers," said Laughton, who had 95 points in 76 games playing minor-midget in Toronto. "I always thought of myself as an offensive guy. I think my defensive game kind of took over during the draft and stuff like that and people thought I was only defense. I think I bring a little offense to the table. I'm definitely gonna try and show that. It's a 200-foot game and I'm gonna try and show that."

Pay attention to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this year and that's pretty obvious.

Laughton has six goals and five assists in his first 13 American Hockey League games this season and was the first week's Player of the Week. Wednesday night he'll be on a line with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Vinny Lecavalier.

"Well, it made sense I think to put him on a (scoring) line," coach Craig Berube said. "He's got good speed and he's good in the middle of the ice moving the puck, attacking. So he's got the offensive abilities to produce."

The whole reason Laughton is with the Flyers is an ankle injury to Claude Giroux that is expected to keep him out at least two games. While that would be a short call-up, Laughton is hoping he can extend his stay. He feels the games he's played with the Phantoms this year, in addition to the six he played last year after his final season with Oshawa, has helped.

"Definitely. You're playing against men instead of 16 year olds," Laughton said. "They're pretty big guys and it's a way tougher game. You don't have time with the puck and I've been fortunate, given lots of opportunity and lots of ice time. I think I've thrived under that and it's been good."

Laughton's development has been a little different as opposed to defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere. When the latter was recalled, GM Ron Hextall made it crystal clear to everyone that he didn't want the prized prospect, who has since torn his ACL, to be called up for very long. He'd rather have had Gostisbehere getting experience with the Phantoms.

"I think it's a little different," Berube said. "Laughton's had more time. I think playing junior hockey is a little bit different than playing college. It's more of a pro style. And he's played some NHL games. He's been in camp a few times and been involved. So I few it a little bit differently."

As for the offense? Well, the Flyers moved both Bellemare and Lecavalier, two natural centers, to the wings to accommodate Laughton on a line where he'll get minutes and opportunities.

" This is where I am at now and I will do my best there," said Lecavalier, who will play right wing. "I feel I can help the line being on the right side as well. With Laughts coming in, he has a lot of talent offensively. I think we are going to do well."



5 things to watch in Game 17: Flyers at New York Rangers


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Tonight: Flyers at New York Rangers

Site: Madison Square Garden

Time: 8:00 p.m.

TV: NBC SportsNet

Radio: 93.3 WMMR

Records: Flyers (7-7-2), Rangers (7-7-4)

ALSO: Michael Del Zotto eager to prove Rangers wrong

FLYERS PROJECTED LINEUP

Forwards

18-R.J. Umberger, 28-Claude Giroux, 93-Jake Voracek

24-Matt Read, 14-Sean Couturier, 17-Wayne Simmonds (A)

18-R.J. Umberger, 78-Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, 40-Vinny Lecavalier

36-Zac Rinaldo, 49-Scott Laughton, 76-Chris VandeVelde

Defensemen

8-Nick Grossmann & 32-Mark Streit (A)

15-Michael Del Zotto & 5-Braydon Coburn

26-Carlo Colaiacovo & 55-Nick Schultz

Goalie

35-Steve Mason

Injuries

LW-Michael Raffl (right knee injury, out six weeks)

D-Luke Schenn (left shoulder, day-to-day)

D-Andrew MacDonald (right knee injury, day-to-day)

C-Ryan White (pectoralis surgery, injured reserve)

MORE FROM FLYER FILES BLOG

RANGERS PROJECTED LINEUP

Forwards

61-Rick Nash, 16-Derick Brassard, 26-Martin St. Louis

20-Chris Kreider, 21-Derek Stepan, 36-Mats Zuccarello

62-Carl Hagelin, 13-Kevin Hayes, 63-Anthony Duclair

15-Tanner Glass, 28-Dominic Moore, 12-Lee Stempniak

Defensemen

18-Marc Staal & 22-Dan Boyle

17-John Moore & 5-Dan Girardi

44-Matt Hunwick & 8-Kevin Klein

Goalie

33-Cam Talbot

Injuries

D-Ryan McDonagh (separated shoulder, injured reserve)

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

1. Claude Giroux took a surprise train ride up to New York and will play against the Rangers. His left ankle injury wasn't as bad as the Flyers first thought, so he'll center the top line with Brayden Schenn and Jake Voracek.

2. Tonight marks the second of 12 instances this season in which the Flyers will wear their third jersey, which is really just their Winter Classic jersey from three seasons ago when they played the Rangers.The next time they wear that jersey set will also be against the Rangers, at home next week for the annual Black Friday matinee.

3. When the Rangers are bad, boy are they bad. It just never seems to happen against the Flyers. Philly has lost in the last eight regular-season trips to Madison Square Garden and are 4-12 there since 2008. The Rangers have lost three straight though, including a 5-1 shellacking at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning Monday night.

According to the New York Daily News, coach Alain Vigneault called the defeat "a total disaster."

4.Home Sweet Home for Michael Del Zotto? Uh, no. The defenseman will face his former team for the first time since the Rangers traded him to the Nashville Predators last season. Things didn't end so well in the Big Apple and Del Zotto has been the Flyers' best defenseman through 16 games this season. He has something to prove.

5. Steve Mason will go for the Flyers. In seven games played, he has a 4-1-1 record against the Rangers with a 2.49 goals-against average and .928 save percentage. Cam Talbot will be between the pipes for the Rangers. He lost the only regular-season game he ever played against the Flyers, allowing two goals on 27 shots in his NHL debut October 24, 2013.


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