Just like last season, the B’s have a quick two-game lead in the series, but their stranglehold seems to be even tighter this season, as they stole the first two games of the series on the road.
Still, the Flyers can’t be counted out until the Bruins actually win four games, something they learned the hard way last season. And despite taking their second loss in as many games, the Flyers can take a few positives out of Monday night’s loss.
The Flyers dominated play at times. They peppered Tim Thomas with 54 shots. However, Thomas turned away 52 of those, and that, more than anything, ended up making the difference.
Mike Santa Barbara of Get Flyer’d Up gives NESN.com his take on what happened in Game 2 and what he expects as the series now shifts up to Boston for Game 3 on Wednesday.
NESN.com: The Bruins came out flying in Game 1. In Game 2, it was the Flyers. That said, are you satisfied with the effort the Flyers gave in the second game?
Mike Santa Barbara: Yes, the Flyers played about as well as a team can in a home playoff game, they just couldn’t solve Tim Thomas. They did a lot of good things, unfortunately they couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities. They kind of fell back into some bad habits at times during the game, but for the most part, they played a strong game at both ends of the ice.
NESN.com: Once again, the Flyers needed to make a goaltending change, albeit for an injury. If Brian Boucher is healthy, should he be the Flyers’ goalie for Game 3?
MSB: Brian Boucher should be and will be the goaltender for Game 3. It’s always easy to blame the goaltending when things don’t go right, but Boucher wasn’t responsible for the loss in Game 2. He played well enough to give the Flyers a chance to win, which is all you can ask for at this point. A lot of the rumblings by Flyers fans seem to point the finger at Boucher, but it wasn’t Boucher who lost the game, it was Tim Thomas who won it.
NESN.com: What, if anything, can Peter Laviolette do to change things up and get the Flyers back on track?
MSB: I’m not sure if anything needs to change. Getting 52 shots on net is pretty impressive. The Flyers were able to control the game for the majority of the third period and overtime. Pucks just have to start finding the back of the net. If I had to pick one thing, though, it’d be the power play. For one reason or another, the Flyers seem to change the way they play on the power play. During Game 2, the dump and chase was working well, but on the power play, they seemed to want to carry the puck in and make the perfect pass. That tactic threw everything out of rhythm. Instead of trying to keep things simple, they opted to overcomplicate things.
NESN.com: What makes James van Riemsdyk such a difficult player to play against when the playoffs roll around?
MSB: James van Riemsdyk is really budding before our eyes. He has the combination of size, speed and, most importantly, skill. His confidence is building, and he’s starting to realize the kinds of things he’s capable of on the ice. He’s really matured since last season, where he was routinely a healthy scratch during the playoffs. Even though he was the second overall pick in the 2007 draft behind Patrick Kane, he’s taken the long way to the NHL. He spent two seasons playing college hockey, and struggled a bit when he finally debuted with the Flyers. He really thrives in Peter Laviolette‘s system, and philosophy. Laviolette’s main philosophy is to be in better physical condition than the opposing team, something that van Riemsdyk clearly worked on in the offseason. He came into camp a bit bigger and took his bumps to earn his spot on the team. Now that everything is clicking for him, he’s quickly becoming one of the more dominate players on the Flyers roster.
NESN.com: David Krejci has easily been the Bruins’ best skater through two games. He was a factor last year, too, before leaving with an injury. Why is he such a problem for the Flyers, and what do they need to do differently to slow him down?
MSB: David Krejci is one of the most dangerous offensive threats on the Bruins. He’s the type of guy that will capitalize on his chances, like he did in overtime on Monday. Not sure the Flyers can focus on trying to shut him down, but they need to minimize the damage. A bad turnover in their own end led to a very high percentage chance for Krejci.
Guys like Krejci are going to get their chances, and I think the Flyers just have to continue to be physical with him. With a talent like Krejci, you aren’t going to eliminate him completely. I suggested in our last round of questions that the Flyers spread their defensemen more toward the boards, allowing for the center to play more of a defensive role. They seemed to do that in Game 2, and for the most part, it worked. It made entry into the offensive zone a lot more difficult for the Bruins than it was in Game 1. Krejci and the other talented forwards on the Bruins roster do a great job of finding open space, and the Flyers just need to be more aware of where they are. The Flyers’ defensive positioning was pretty good all night long, but on the last two Boston goals, they weren’t able to find their men quickly enough. Unfortunately, a bad turnover led to some bad luck for the Flyers. In big games, pucks seem to find the skilled players, especially in close games. That was the case on Monday night, and Krejci, to his credit, was able to score the game-winner.
