Flyers duel with Blackhawks tonight

After an ugly 8-2 loss to the Penguins on Saturday that everyone surely wants to forget, the Flyers will take to the ice tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks.

After the game Saturday, the Flyers held a post-game meeting to try and figure out what their identity is. It's obvious they have had no identity through these first three weeks of the NHL season. They need to find it fast, or this year will pass them by.

Robert Esche will start in net tonight for the Flyers. Esche came in to the game Saturday after Antero Niittymaki gave up 4 goals.

This game was expected to feature the return of Michal Handzus to Philadelphia, but he is out for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL. Kyle Calder, the man the Flyers got for Handzus, has zero points through the first 10 games.

The top scorer for the Blackhawks is Martin Havlat, whom Chicago acquired this offseason via trade. Havlat has 13 points and is the main weapon for Chicago on their front line. Radim Vrbata also has a strong start to his season, totaling 11 points.

Game Information: 7:00, Versus, 610WIP

The Day After...

The day after a loss is always the toughest. The day after a loss like this is even tougher.

In a game that exploited the Eagles' ineptitude on defense and offense, the Jacksonville Jaguars knocked out the Eagles 13-6 at Lincoln Financial Field yesterday. From the quarterbacking to the linebacking, nothing worked yesterday for Andy Reid's bunch. As a result, the team has been given the week off by Reid to collect their thoughts during the bye week.

On a day where the Jaguars gained just 87 yards through the air, it would be hard to believe that the Eagles, who had a strong run defense through the first 7 games, would have any trouble with Jacksonville. Yet the defense had not yet met a two-headed monster like Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew, who darted, dashed, and scampered all over the Philadelphia defense for 180 yards combined. Taylor got the Jaguars on the board first with his 15 yard run up the gut of the Eagles defense for a touchdown.

After a scoreless second quarter that featured drops, incompletions, and near misses from both sides, the Jags trotted into the locker room with a 7-0 lead. A chorus of boos cascaded down upon the Eagles, and more specifically, Andy Reid. Reid's playcalling left much to be desired, and Donovan McNabb was ineffective as well.

So the Eagles, who had just 3 points in the first half combined in their last 3 games, had seen this story before. There was still plenty of time to turn things around despite posting just 70 yards of offense in the half. Too bad nobody told Reid this.

If this was possible, the Eagles came out in the second half and played worse than they did in the first. Yes, they did put six points on the board, but could not get into the endzone when the game was on the line. Brian Westbrook dropped two passes late, and the Eagles' offense wilted.

Meanwhile, all Jack Del Rio asked David Garrard to do was manage the game and not make any mistakes. It was hard to do this when only 17 balls were put through the air and 46 plays went through the running game. Every single first down play in the second half from Jacksonville was a designed run. That's right, all 13 of them. And guess what? The Eagles defense could do nothing to stop them. Taylor finished with 103 yards on the day, and when he left after being nicked up, the Jags running game didn't miss a beat. Jones-Drew ran for a total of 77 yards and the Jaguars added two Josh Scobee field goals to essentially ice the game.

So after being 4-1, this Eagles squad is 4-4. Hard to believe, Harry. So in this bye week, just hope the Eagles clear their minds from the failures of the past three football weeks, and look ahead. But please, for the sake of us all, just one game at a time. Just one game at a time.

Pens make quick work of Flyers

Well, let's just make this one short. The Flyers fell 8-2 to the Penguins tonight, failing to bring over any momentum from Thursday's win against Atlanta. Despite a solid effort in the first period, the Penguins dominated the Flyers for the next 40 minutes en route to a blowout win.

Mike Knuble got things started for the Flyers in the first, picking up the loose change on a rebound goal to put the Flyers in front just 2:02 into the game. Just 4 minutes later, the Penguins broke in on the Flyers with a 4 on 2, and Sidney Crosby deposited the goal on a one-timer to tie the game at 1-1.

And then, the floodgates opened. Maxime Talbot scored shorthanded at the 10:54 mark to put Pittsburgh in front 2-1. The Penguins scored 2 goals on their first 2 shots on net, and despite strong play from the Flyers, led after the first period.

In the second, Talbot and Crosby scored just 18 seconds apart to put the Pens up 4-1. This was the end of the night for Antero Niitymaki, who was relieved by Robert Esche. At the 8:14 mark, Derian Hatcher fumbled the puck in front, and Crosby backhanded the puck in behind Esche to extend Pittsburgh's lead to 5-1. Evgeni Malkin scored on the power play, giving him a tie for an NHL record. Malkin has scored in his first 5 games of his career, tying him with former Bruins prospect Dmitri Kvartalnov for that mark.

Stefan Ruzicka scored his first NHL goal at the 1:52 mark of the third period, but Mark Recchi scored his first goal of the season and Dominic Moore added another to give Pittsburgh a more than comfortable 8-2 lead. After seeing the Flyers fall to the Sabres 9-1, we thought that we weren't going to have to go through this anymore. Think again.

Notes: Geoff Sanderson played in tonight's game after he was a healthy scratch vs. Atlanta... Mark Recchi's goal-less streak ended after 9 games... The Penguins have outscored the Flyers 12-2 this season in two games.

Young and flashy Penguins visit Philadelphia

Tonight, the Flyers will play host to the youthful, exciting Pittsburgh Penguins at the Wachovia Center. It will be the Flyers' first look at superstar in the making Evgeni Malkin, as he did not play opening night due to his shoulder injury. The Flyers are trying to wipe away the scars from that 4-0 loss back on October 5th. Obviously, a lot has changed in 23 days.

The general manager resigned, the coach was fired, and the starting goaltender that night was Robert Esche. Tonight, Antero Niittymaki will be in goal. John Stevens announced yesterday that Esche will be in net Monday vs. Chicago.

The much hated Sidney Crosby will be making his 5th trip to Philadelphia, and he is sure to hear the boo-birds. Nonetheless, with new blood such as Jordan Staal, Malkin, and Crosby, this is a rivalry that will be very potent for the coming years.

Game Information: 7:00, ComcastSportsNet, 610WIP

Flyers knock off Thrashers in shootout

If the Flyers were looking to kick a new era off in style, they did just so last night with a 3-2 win over a tough Atlanta Thrashers team. John Stevens was behind the bench for his first game as head coach and the Flyers made it 1-0 for Stevens in shootout fashion.

Randy Robitaille got the Flyers on the board just 1:57 into the game on a feed to the front of the net from Mike Knuble. Robitaille beat Johan Hedberg to put the Flyers in front early 1-0. The Thrashers would strike back quickly, as the always dangerous Ilya Kovalchuk scored to tie the game at 1-1 at the 7:06 mark.

After a scoreless second period, the teams skated into the third trying to break the 1-1 knot. The Flyers wasted little time scoring, as Peter Forsberg knocked a puck off the back of Hedberg and into the net. The goal was followed by a long delay to fix the ice, near the McDonald's sign. Great advertising by the Golden Arch there.

After the delay, it was back to the action. Bobby Holik tipped in a Vitaly Vishnevski shot from the point, tying the game at 2-2. Antero Niittymaki had no chance to stop it, and it whizzed past him for an Atlanta goal. After a frantic regulation and overtime finish, it was on to the shootout.

Before the shootout began, Atlanta coach Bob Hartley pulled Hedberg in favor of Keri Lehtonen, who was benchwarming all night long. Hartley figured that Lehtonen gave them an advantage over Hedberg, so he made the switch. Simon Gagne was the first one to skate in on Lehtonen, and beat him with the backhand to put the Flyers up. Slava Kozlov quickly tied it up with a beautiful one handed move that faked Niittymaki out. Peter Forsberg skated in next, and instead of pulling a fancy Forsberg move, he simply beat Lehtonen gloveside with a laser beam to put the Flyers up 2-1 in the shootout. After failed attempts from Marian Hossa and Mike Richards, the game was on the stick of Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk skated wide, and Antero Niittymaki flopped down and the puck was fired high and wide, giving the Flyers a 3-2 victory that was much needed.

Notes: Triston Grant played his first NHL game for the Flyers... Former Flyer Jon Sim had an assist... It was the first home win of the season for the Flyers... The 5-game homestand for the Flyers continues tomorrow night against Pittsburgh.

New era begins tonight

No more Hitchcock, and no more Clarke. The new era of Philadelphia Flyers hockey begins tonight as the team hosts the Atlanta Thrashers. John Stevens will be behind the bench for his first game as Flyers head coach, and Paul Holmgren will be in the press box for his first game as Flyers GM. If the attitude of this team is to change, it must change tonight against a tough 7-1-2 Thrashers team that looks like a playoff contender.

With the new coach comes some new line pairings. Stefan Ruzicka will get a bump to the top line with Peter Forsberg and Simon Gagne. Mike Knuble will slip down to the second line with Randy Robitaille and Jeff Carter. Mike Richards will be the center on a line consisting of Kyle Calder and Sami Kapanen. Finally, newly called up enforcer Triston Grant will be on the 4th line with R.J. Umberger and Geoff Sanderson.

Meanwhile, on defense there will be a new face on the blue line. Mike Rathje and Joni Pitkanen will continue to be the top pairing as Rathje says he now feels little pain in his back after being examined by doctors and receiving shots. Veteran Derian Hatcher will mentor Alex Picard, and Denis Gauthier will be paired with the new face, Lars Jonsson.

Jonsson has a chance to be the "Hank Baskett" type player for the Flyers. Until he was sidelined by a right ankle injury in training camp, Jonsson was performing very well in drills and preseason action. He is a solid puck moving defenseman, and the Flyers can only hope that Jonsson is able to replace Kim Johnsson, who left for Minnesota in the offseason.

Antero Niittymaki will be in net, and will have to deal with a potent Atlanta offense that features Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa. Hossa is leading the NHL with 10 goals and 15 total points through 10 games. Kovalchuk is a close second with 14 points.

Game Information: 7:00, ComcastSportsNet, 610WIP

Phils pitch extension to Moyer
Moyer finished 11-14 with a 4.30 ERA in 2006

In a move that will keep stability in the Phillies' starting rotation, the team announced yesterday they had extended the contract of pitcher Jamie Moyer for two seasons.

Moyer, 43, was one of the main reasons that the Phillies were in the thick of the Wild Card race until the last weekend of the season. He went 5-2 with a 4.03 ERA after being acquired by the Phillies from Seattle. The strong performances from Moyer in August and September earned him a 2 year contract extension worth $10.5 million. Bonuses could top the deal out at $14 million.

This looks like a strong deal for the Phillies. Pitching is at a premium, and 5 million dollars per year for a #4 starter is cheap nowadays. For an experienced veteran like Moyer, it's a steal. Moyer has also been very durable in his career, and he has proved it by pitching six straight seasons of 200-inning baseball. Last season, in 33 of his starts, he pitched past the sixth inning 27 times. It's that kind of durability that is unavailable elsewhere for this kind of price.

Don't get me wrong, there are certainly flaws in Moyer's game. In 3 starts at Citizens Bank Park last season, he allowed 6 homeruns in 20 innings pitched. If he serves up the gopher ball at that rate next season, Moyer will be ineffective. There are certainly postivites and negatives in the re-signing of Moyer, but Pat Gillick and the Phils can only hope that the pluses outweigh the minuses.

The Day After...

Sometimes in life, you get lucky. For Buccaneers kicker Matt Bryant, it was all about luck as Tampa Bay knocked off the Eagles 23-21 in a stunning game at Raymond James Stadium yesterday.

After the morning Flyers press conference, it appeared the day could only get better. The Eagles would roll on to a 5-2 start, the Flyers would be heading in a new direction, and everything would be grand in Philadelphia. Too bad the Eagles couldn't hold up their end of the deal on a wild Sunday in the city of brotherly love.

Maybe the Eagles knew it just wasn't going to be their day when Jason Avant fumbled after catching a ball inside the Tampa red zone. Maybe they knew it wasn't going to be their day after Donovan McNabb threw an interception to cornerback Juran Bolden. And heck, maybe they knew it wasn't going to be their day after McNabb was picked off twice by Ronde Barber for touchdowns. But the bottom line is, good teams win these games, and the Eagles proved yesterday that they are not among the elite teams in this league due to the amount of mistakes they make.

On the third play of the second quarter, Ronde Barber stepped up in front of Hank Baskett and picked off the pass for a 37 yard touchdown return to put Tampa Bay ahead 7-0. The Eagles did have a chance to get on the board at the end of the half, but a gigantic mistake cost the Eagles this football game.After a completion to L.J. Smith for a gain for 14 yards, the Eagles quickly spiked the ball and stopped the clock with 10 seconds remaining. With no timeouts left, the Eagles had one shot at the endzone, and then would kick a field goal. Only this team could find a way to get zero points out of a sure three and maybe even seven. McNabb threw a pass short of the goal line again to Smith, but with no timeouts and the clock ticking, there was no way to spike the ball again. Time ran out and a stunned Eagles team walked off the field down 7-0.

After a 30 yard field goal from Bryant to put the Bucs up 10-0 in the third, it was deja vu all over again for McNabb as he once more found the hands of Ronde Barber. Barber scampered 66 yards for his second interception return for a touchdown of the day, putting the Bucs ahead 17-0. Good teams don't get down 17-0. Great teams come back and win games down 17-0.After an 8 play, 79 yard drive that included an MVP-caliber play from McNabb to escape pressure in the pocket, the Eagles cut the lead to 17-7. Thomas Tapeh scored from 12 yards out on play in which McNabb was desperate to find a receiver after getting away from the pass rush. Strangely enough, the best pressure the Bucs had all day on McNabb came on a touchdown pass. Go figure. With 20 minutes left to play, the Eagles were definitely back in the thick of things.

Brian Westbrook was the main man on the Eagles' first drive of the fourth quarter. Westbrook had gains of 23, 11, and 12 respectively to help the team march right back down the field. McNabb found Reggie Brown in the back of the endzone for his 5th touchdown of the season, and the Eagles were suddenly down just three points.In last week's game vs. New Orleans, the Saints held the ball for the final 8:28 of the game. As the Bucs got the ball with 8:40 left, the thought had to at least cross the mind of some of the players. Tampa Bay did a very good job of killing as much time as possible, running a 5:58 drive down to the bone. Bryant hit from 44 yards to put Tampa Bay back up by six points, setting the stage for McNabb and the Eagles to get one more crack at it.On a 3rd and 6 from the Philadelphia 48, McNabb dropped back and looked for an open receiver. Westbrook became available in the flats, and a perfect pass was delivered and Westbrook did the rest. He broke 5 tackles on his way to the endzone, and a very loud crowd was quieted by the Eagles. David Akers added the extra point, and the Eagles went ahead 21-20 with just 46 seconds to play.

Bruce Gradkowski led the Bucs on a game-winning drive that will be remembered for the ages. In fact, he did about 10% of the work, just ask Bryant. Gradkowski threw an 11 yard pass to get the Bucs up to the 47 yard line, and then he scrambled for 9 yards down to the Eagles 44 yard line. With 10 seconds left, the Bucs had one last play to try and pick up some yards and kick a long field goal. The pass attempt was incomplete to Michael Clayton, bringing Bryant out for a 62-yard field goal try. All right, at this point what is going through the mind of a Philadelphia fan? "This can't really happen, can it?" Maybe you muttered that under your breath. "Whew, tight game but what a comeback." Something to that effect could have been called out. "5-2, first place for another week." Yeah, that all sounds good. Until... game over. 62 yard field goal. Did that really happen? You bet it did.

THE HAMMER FALLS
Hitchcock, Clarke both gone as Snider cleans house

Well, you can't say you didn't see it coming. This morning, Flyers chairman Ed Snider announced the resignation of general manager Bobby Clarke and the firing of coach Ken Hitchcock. In a morning press conference, Snider addressed the media and introduced the replacements.

John Stevens will take over as the new head coach. Personally, as I stated here last night, Stevens is the right guy for the job. He has a connection to all of the youth on this squad, whether it be Carter, Richards, Ruzicka, Niittymaki, or Picard. You name them, and he's dealt with them. Stevens has the chance to be the head coach of this team for a very long time. There is certainly a long list of fired Flyers coaches in the past few years, be it Hitchcock, Neilson, or Barber. The difference-maker for Stevens may be the fact that this is his first chance to coach in the NHL, and Snider and the Flyers should be patient with him. This is a guy who won a Calder Cup in 2005 with the AHL affiliate Phantoms and brought them to the playoffs four times in his six seasons of coaching. Now certainly, in the minor leagues of any sport the goal is to develop talent, but this is a guy who knows how to win no matter which way you slice it.

Paul Holmgren, who was assistant general manager under Bob Clarke, takes over the GM duties. One thing has been made clear by Snider though in this shuffling of faces in the front office. Holmgren has been given the title of "interim" by Snider, while Stevens was not. It appears as if Holmgren will get a chance to be the general manager for a very short period of time, and Snider will try to find someone to replace him. It's anybody's guess as to when that could happen, as were today's shocking announcements.

Note: Tomorrow we'll have part two of the "What's wrong in Flyerland" articles, as clearly part one was carried out by Ed Snider today. So, I guess "what's wrong on the ice" can wait until tomorrow, being that Snider hasn't figured that out yet either. Also tomorrow, look out for The Day After and the recap of the crushing Eagles loss to Tampa today.

This is a two-part look at the Philadelphia Flyers, their early season struggles, and how to fix them. Look for part two tomorrow on how to fix the team on the ice.

Everything is wrong in Flyerland: Part 1

These days, it's no easy task to sit in front of the television for two and half hours watching this hockey team. Nope, not these boys. These days, nothing is fun in Flyerland. The defensemen are slow, the coach is under pressure, and the general manager is feeling the heat. How to fix all this? Well, I don't consider myself a genius here, but it doesn't take one to know what is wrong with this team. So I suppose I will try to outline what needs to be done in my "what's wrong with the Flyers?" entry today.

1. Fire Ken Hitchcock
Sure, it's a very radical move, but the bottom line is this team is not responding to anything right now. Ben Eager, Alexandre Picard, and Stefan Ruzicka showed up Petr Nedved, Niko Dimitrakos, and Nolan Baumgartner in just two games. What does that say about the coach? Is he getting the team motivated enough? Is he really lighting the fire underneath the team? There are certainly a lot of questions pertaining to Hitchcock right now, and he is giving his usual twisted answers to the media. When asked last night about what he was brought here to do, he claimed that he "was brought here to coach, not to win." One must wonder what Ed Snider thinks about these comments, and if they really get to him. There is a three-headed monster that is rearing all three of its ugly heads right now, and it's hard to understand where exactly the mindset of the front office and the coach is. Are Snider and Clarke on the same page? Is Hitchcock on the hot seat? Is it the players or the coach? These questions must certainly be answered within the next couple of days. Personally, I believe that Hitchcock's time has run out here in Philadelphia. He is a defensive-minded coach, and in the new NHL still refuses to open up the game. He is quite stubborn and if it is not Hitch's way, it's the highway. I think this is a decision that needs to come by necessity, not by choice. So who should replace him?

2. Hire John Stevens
Sure, this would be a meteoric rise through the organization for Stevens, who was just coaching the AHL affiliate Phantoms one year ago. Yet one thing that at least can be read into is very clear. The dumpings of Nedved, Baumgartner, and Dimitrakos really mean that the Flyers are going in a youthful direction. The additions of Ruzicka, Picard and Eager show that Snider (and maybe not Clarke) made the decision to move on. So therefore, if Stevens was the first guy to have his hands on these players, (Richards and Carter included) then why shouldn't he be able to take over the reins? Someday, Stevens will be a very successful coach. So why not speed up the progress and allow Stevens to take over? Sure, Snider could pull an "ol' reliable" move and hire a Mike Keenan or a Pat Quinn, but what is that accomplishing? It's replacing the old, defensive minded coach with the same old, defensive minded coach. The reason Pat Quinn brought Hitchcock onto his Canadian Olympic staff is because they both have very similar philosophies. Hiring Keenan or Quinn would get this team nowhere, and Snider should prove that they really are moving in a new direction.

3. Allow Clarke to finish the year
Right now it appears that the Flyers are being watched as closely as Kim Jong-Il is. We're just waiting for that atomic bomb that is Ed Snider to be set off. The firings of Hitchcock or Clarke could come at any moment, any day now. They could come in a few weeks. To me, it's looking like it will be a matter of when, not if they will be gone. Hitchcock though would appear to be on the shorter leash because of Snider's allegiance to the man who single-handedly brought him a pair of Stanley Cups 30 years ago. But therein lies the exact problem. 30 years ago was the last time the Flyers won the Stanley Cup. It's time to stop reliving the past and time to move on to greener pastures. Clarke should be given the opportunity to finish the season, and then part ways. It would be one thing to see a coach get fired midseason, as it would tell the players that they are the true ones at fault. It would be another thing to fire a general manager midseason, especially Bobby Clarke. Hitchcock, granted, will never rip into his players in the media. Firing Clarke midseason would give him the chance to spout off about the team and his true feelings, and that would really be the last thing these players need. It almost makes you cringe seeing Dean Lombardi, former pro scout, and Ron Hextall, former goalie and scout, in Los Angeles. Either one of those men could have been the next general manager of this team. And hey, it still could happen... because in Flyerland, everything is out of the ordinary.

Flyers set to take on different look tonight

With the offense floundering and the defense looking slower than molasses in winter, general manager Bob Clarke made some mass changes before tonight's game in Tampa.

Yesterday, Clarke placed Petr Nedved, Nolan Baumgartner, and Niko Dimitrakos all on waivers. Baumgartner though is expected to join the team tonight in Tampa and could actually play in the game despite being on waivers. If a team claims them, the Flyers get the salary off the books of that plyaer and they depart. If they are not claimed, then they are reassigned to the AHL. Due to the fact that all of these players had one-way contracts, they are not required to report to the AHL and will still collect their money from the Flyers. It appears though that both Nedved and Dimitrakos will be in uniform for the Phantoms this weekend. The only catch is that the money will not count against the salary cap. Got that? I don't either, but that's the way this new NHL is.

Meanwhile, Stefan Ruzicka, Alexandre Picard, and Ben Eager were all called up to the big club. It really is unknown as to what the lineup will look like tonight, but if I were a betting man, I would say that Eager will replace Boyd Kane and Ruzicka will take Nedved's spot. What the lines will look like is anybody's guess as well. Hell, with Ken Hitchock as the coach, the players probably don't even know what the line combinations will be.

The reasons for these moves are obvious. Nedved, a 15-year veteran, had a minus 7 rating and zero points. He was doing an average job on the penalty kill, but expect hustling centerman Mike Richards to see more time on the kill.

Baumgartner was released due to the fact that the Flyers will see Mike Rathje and Lars Jonsson both return to the lineup. Jonsson could return to the Flyers by next week, and Rathje could be back as early as tonight or tomorrow against Florida.

Game Information: 7:30, ComcastSportsNet, 610WIP

Sabres run over Flyers

Sometimes, there are those games where you are embarassed to go into work the next day. Embarassed to talk to that annoying friend who is the only fan of that other team. Embarassed to even be a fan of that team you've been a fan for so long of it. This, my friends, was one of those games.

In a game that seriously exposed the Flyers weaknesses, (and proved that they have no strengths) Buffalo darted up and down the ice en route to a huge 9-1 victory.

It was obvious that by watching this game tonight, the Flyers really did do nothing in the offseason to strengthen the team defensively. The first period was the most even period of the game, and despite what the numbers state, Buffalo clearly outplayed Philadelphia. It would only be a matter of time before one goal opened the floodgates.

Tomas Vanek scored the first goal of the game just 37 seconds into the second period, putting the Sabres in front 1-0. Ten minutes later, the onslaught began. Jaroslav Spacek, Chris Drury, Derek Roy, Henrik Tallinder, and Maxim Afinogenov all scored within 7:16 of each other. 5 goals in 7 minutes... one must wonder if it gets any worse than that. For Robert Esche, it was another troubling performance. Esche allowed 9 goals on 37 shots in taking the loss. I bet he can't wait to talk to coach Ken Hitchcock after this disturbing game.

The lone Flyer highlight of the night was Jeff Carter getting off the schneid with his 1st goal of the season at the 1:22 mark of the third period.

On the other side, Ryan Miller fended off 38 Flyers shots. So for the second time this season, the Flyers outshot their opponent, and simply were blown out of the water. The irony of it all? Robert Esche has been the recipient of both of these blowout losses. Goalie controversy in Philadelphia? Doesn't look like the problem this year...

Phils add experience to coaching staff

That sizzle you hear may be the seat of Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. After yesterday's hirings of Art Howe, Davey Lopes, and Jimy Williams, general manager Pat Gillick sent the memo to the Phils' skipper. Now, he must deliver. This delivery may not even include Manuel getting a chance to take the team to the playoffs. This delivery may just include Manuel getting the Phillies out of April with a winning record. The fact that the coaching staff has been stocked with three former managers may mean a few things, of course. With Pat Gillick, we may never know. To the media it is one translation, and in his own mind, it is another. Remember, this is the same guy who said the Phillies would struggle to be contenders in 2007 and then proceeded to acquire Jeff Conine and Jamie Moyer to strengthen the team for the stretch run.

Nonetheless, the message given to us is this much: the coaching staff that was under Manuel for the past two seasons was insufficient and incompetent. With the new hirings came new and specific job titles. Davey Lopes will handle the 1st base coaching duties, baserunning, and outfield. Art Howe will handle the 3rd base coaching duties and the infield. Williams will be Manuel's main advisor on the bench and control spring training. It will be vital that Williams gets the team off to a good start in spring training. Last April, the Phillies were fundamentally incoherent and made mistakes by the bushels.

Meanwhile, Lopes will be an asset especially to centerfielder Shane Victorino. Victorino, despite having top-flight speed around the bases, is a poor basestealer. Lopes will work with him to try and get that better first step towards the base, so he can become a better asset atop the order. Last season it appeared that at many times Victorino was simply frozen at first base and that a weakness had been discovered in his game. Once the ball was hit in play though, Victorino went 1st to 3rd and 2nd to home better than anybody in the game. Nonetheless, Lopes will be a major help to Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, and the other speedburners in the lineup.

Howe replaces Bill Dancy as the 3rd base coach and infield instructor. Last season, to many's surprise, it was reported that Charlie Manuel did not conduct infield practice unless it got to an emergency stage. Infield practice may have occured 5-10 times throughout the entire season, if that. Howe has managed the Astros, Athletics, and most recently the Mets before taking a leave from the game and working as a part-time analyst and correspondent for MLB.com.

Combined, there are over 4300 games of managerial experience on this staff. For Charlie Manuel, that can either be a dream come true or a worst nightmare. Let's just hope that the Phillies don't experience another one of those April nightmares.

Flyers set to face Sabrespeed

Revenge is the name of the game as the Flyers return to HSBC Arena in Buffalo tonight for the first time since their playoff series back in May. Not much has changed since then. The Sabres still look faster than ever despite the loss of J.P Dumont and the Flyers still look stuck in mud defensively and offensively. Due to the fact that the offense has been failing to finish, Ken Hitchcock will be changing up the lines in tonight's game.

Kyle Calder will be joining Peter Forsberg and Simon Gagne on the team's first line. This is a huge boost for Calder, who has gone scoreless so far this season. The reason the Flyers traded Michal Handzus for Calder was to be able to pick up some scoring punch. They expected 25 or 30 goals from Calder, so this is his opportunity to prove that he was worth it in the deal.

On the other side of the puck, the Sabres have been smooth sailing so far this season. They are currently 5-0 and have won ten straight regular season games dating back to last year. In their last game on Saturday at home, Daniel Briere had a hat trick and led Buffalo to a 7-4 victory.

Robert Esche will get the call in net tonight, a move that was acknowledged by Hitchcock yesterday. Esche has not played since his opening night fiasco in Pittsburgh, and may never suit up again in a Flyers uniform if he doesn't play well tonight.

Game Information: 7:00, 610WIP, Versus

Oh, and one more note: it's retro jersey night for the Sabres, so you don't have to look at those ugly new threads.

The Day After...

It is so true that in the NFL... every Monday is different. Emotions are different, wins and losses are different, and the Monday morning quarterbacks are different. This week surely didn't stray far from that script as the Eagles fell to the Saints 27-24 in the raucous environment of the Louisiana SuperDome. Considering the way things started for the Birds, it probably could have been a whole lot worse. Then again, it could have been a whole lot better.

After an early Jon Carney field goal, the Saints marched (pun intended) right back down the field. Joe Horn, who had not caught a touchdown pass yet on the season, was on the receiving end of a 14 yard touchdown to put New Orleans in front 10-0. The SuperDome was on fire, and Donovan McNabb and the Eagles offense, to this point, was not. It looked like it was going to be a very long day after one quarter of play, but things did take a turn for the better in the second stanza.

David Akers drilled a 47 yard field goal to cut the Saints lead to 10-3, but New Orleans was poised for more. After a big defensive stop by Philadelphia, it was a punt for the Saints. Dexter Wynn went back to receive the kick from punter Steven Weatherford. As the ball came down, Ryan Moats ran into Wynn, causing the ball to hit Wynn's upper leg. Terrence Copper recovered it for the Saints down at the 19 yard line. This play was actually quite controversial, as it appeared that Moats was pushed into Wynn from behind by Copper on the play. Nonetheless, it was Saints ball at the Eagles 19 yard line, and they were knocking on the doorstep once again.

It didn't take long for them to convert. On third down, Drew Bress audibled the play at the line and threw a quick slant pass to Marques Colston as he cut across the middle. The rookie from Hofstra flew his way into the endzone to put the Saints back ahead by two scores. It was beginning to look like that "letdown game" for Andy Reid, who was 5-5 in his tenure after playing the Cowboys going into this game.

This was a game that author Charles Dickens would have loved. Only this time around, it was a tale of two halves. Donovan McNabb looked like a changed man coming out of the locker room, as his passes had some extra zip on them. On the third play from scrimmage in the 2nd half, McNabb completed a laser pass to receiver Reggie Brown. Brown scampered the rest of the way, breaking tackles to the paydirt, cutting the Saints lead to 17-10.

After a 3-and-out from the Saints, the Eagles took over at their own 24. L.J. Smith made a great grab near the turf and scrambled 29 yards, setting the Eagles up at the Saints' 47 yard line. It was actually a broken down pass play in which the Saints brought pressure on the offensive line. As McNabb went to just throw the ball in the general direction of the ground, Smith scooped it up and turned nothing into something. The Eagles continued driving down the field, and appeared to have a sure pass interference call neglected by the referees. It appeared that safety Mike McKenzie had torn down the left shoulder pad of Hank Baskett and brought him to the ground. One can only wonder what was said in those pre-season meetings by Roger Goodell to the referees. Nonetheless, that's another story for another day. After the correct call was made on a Josh Bullocks pass interference penalty, McNabb found Smith once more for a 4 yard touchdown to tie the game at 17-17. To say the least, the SuperDome crowd was stunned.

New Orleans took over once again, but it would not be for long. After a disputed intentional grounding penalty on Drew Brees, the Saints quarterback threw a costly interception that was tipped by Juqua Thomas and into the waiting arms of defensive end Darwin Walker. On the first play of the fourth quarter, it was the McNabb to Brown connection again as the Eagles wrapped up their scoring for the day with 21 straight points on the Saints. It was really a Murphy's Law second half for the Saints, who saw a 14-point lead evaporate quickly.

And before going any further, how could I not mention the names Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister in this article? My mistake, truly. Although the scoring was done by Horn and Colston, the game was really paced by Bush and McAllister. Despite leaving with what was an apparent hamstring injury, McAllister returned in the third quarter and still put up respectable numbers. Meanwhile, the Heisman trophy winner was as good as advertised for the Saints. It looks as if Bush could have a Brian Westbrook type of career, catching passes out of the backfield and getting involved in the running game. Even when he simply touched the ball on punt returns, it was exciting. Kid's got some talent.

Nonetheless, the Saints went back to work trailing 24-17 and feeling the heat from the coaches and fans. They got a bit of a gift as Michael Lewis slipped on his pass coverage, allowing Joe Horn to get past him and into the endzone. For Horn, it was his second touchdown catch of the game, this time a 48 yard grab.

As the Eagles punted the ball away at the 8:40 mark of the fourth, they had to believe they would be getting another chance. That notion was quickly put to rest by the dynamic New Orleans offense and the ridiculously ignorant penalty by the Eagles defense. On 3rd down and long, Trent Cole sacked Brees back at the 42 yard line. Ah, but please bring out the telestrator and let's count 'em up. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12... men on the field. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson appeared to be lashing out most of his frustration on rookie linebacker Omar Gaither, who may have been in the wrong place in the wrong time.

Also, due to the fact that the Eagles had trouble getting the plays in on time to McNabb and had to burn two timeouts early in the 2nd half, they had just one timeout remaining. They used that at the 2:22 mark. The Saints picked up another first down, and simply ran the clock down. It was a slow, painful death for the Eagles as they could do nothing but watch Jon Carney kick a game-winning 31 field goal as time expired. Hey, in the NFL, there's always next week...

Devils thwart listless Flyers

For one night at Continental Airlines Arena, it was "Flashback: Old NHL" as the Devils knocked off the Flyers 3-2. Once New Jersey scored in the 3rd period to take the 3-2 lead, they cut off the air supply to the Flyers offense for the final 16 minutes of the game.

Zach Parise got the party started for the Devils with a power play goal at the 9:08 mark of the first period. The shot actually deflected off the stick of Flyer defenseman Joni Pitkanen, and over the shoulder of netminder Antero Niittymaki. In fact, all three Devils goals in tonight's game came off deflections.

Philadelphia wasted no time coming right back on New Jersey. After a 4-minute minor was called on Devils captain Patrik Elias for high-sticking, Mike Knuble scored on a pretty pass from Peter Forsberg. Forsberg appeared to be wrapping around the net, but instead dished it back to Knuble, catching goaltender Martin Brodeur off guard to tie the game at one a piece.

In the second period, it was Knuble again knocking on Brodeur's doorstep. He cut to the net and received a crisp pass from Geoff Sanderson, banking it home to put the Flyers ahead 2-1. They had a chance to head into the third period with a 2-1 lead, but Jamie Langenbrunner would have none of it.

On a point shot from Brian Rafalski, Langenbrunner deflected the puck past Niittymaki and into the net to tie the game at 2-2 heading into the 3rd. The momentum certainly carried over for the Devils, who quickly took a 3-2 lead on Brian Gionta's fourth goal of this young season. Looks like missing training camp and the preseason didn't hurt Gionta, who now has 4 goals and 3 assists on the year.

The Flyers fought to try and tie the game up, but were outshot 9-0 before they got the puck on the net in the third period. That first shot took over 11 minutes to develop, and by that point, the team appeared as if they had run out of steam. They had some late chances, but even with the goaltender pulled, failed to make anything out of the opportunities.

Antero Niittymaki played fantastic again in goal for the Flyers, but he has been getting the short end of the stick for sure. He stopped 29 of 32 shots tonight in the losing effort, while Martin Brodeur countered with 23 stops on 25 shots, making all the key saves in the game to lift the Devils to victory.

The power play struggled once again, as the Flyers went 1 for 8 on the man advantage in the game. Knuble scored that only goal for the Flyers in the 2nd period. After the 10:11 mark of the 2nd period, the Devils were free of penalty for the rest of the evening. Playing 30 minutes without drawing a penalty in today's NHL can kill a team, and it did just that to the Flyers tonight. The Flyers fall to 1-3-1 with the loss, as the Devils improve to 3-1 on their season.

Flyers game in question; water main break at the Meadowlands

So how many times do you see a hockey game cancelled due to a water main break at an arena? The answer to that question is "not very often, unless you're at the dump that is the Meadowlands."

So here we sit on a Saturday afternoon, anticipating tonight's 7:30 start between the Devils and the Flyers, and there's most likely water all over the arena. Sources do now say that the game will be played, but it must be an ugly scene at Continental Airlines Arena right now.

As for the game itself, Antero Niittymaki will get his fourth straight start for the Flyers, leaving many wondering when the ticking time bomb that is Robert Esche will blow up into the faces of Bob Clarke and Ken Hitchcock. Not surprisingly, Esche has been confident since the start of training camp that he is the #1 goaltender, but in his only start on opening night in Pittsburgh, Esche proved to be merely backup material. Esche is reportedly already unhappy that he is not getting the same amount of playing time to try and upend Niittymaki. Yet what Esche fails to realize is that he will not be getting the same amount of playing time as Niittymaki when he allows 4 goals to a Pittsburgh offense that is supposedly filled with youngsters who are inexperienced. Hitchcock said that Esche will get into a game on the road trip, possibly against the Buffalo Sabres. If he plays anything like he did in that memorable Game 1, where he stopped 53 of 55 shots, Esche will receive more playing time. Play like he did in Pittsburgh opening night, and he'll be seeing more of the bench.

Game Information: 7:30, CSN, WIP (if there isn't sewage all over the place)

Habs knock off Flyers 3-1

On a night where the Flyers were returning home from a successful trip to New York, many expected the team to keep the ball (or in this case, the puck) rolling. After a strong showing in the shootout loss Saturday and a winning effort in New York on Tuesday, it was not to be at the Wachovia Center last night.

For the third time in four games, the Flyers gave up the first goal. Also, for the second time in three games, the Flyers allowed that goal in the first minute of the game. Antero Niittymaki though has refused to let his guard down after those early deficits, and has played fantastic so far. He ended up stopping 20 of 22 shots last night, including a superb sliding save to rob Mathieu Dandenault of a goal in the 2nd period.

Michael Ryder got things started for the Habs with 2nd goal of the season at the 38 second mark of the first period. The seats weren't even warm yet, but Montreal had taken the early advantage.

Alexei Kovalev got the second goal of the game for Montreal on a blazing wrist shot from the left circle at the 6:18 mark of the 2nd period, putting the Canadiens up 2-0. David Aebischer continued to baffle the Flyers, stopping 14 shots through two periods of play.

The Flyers finally got to Aebischer early on in the third, as R.J. Umberger rammed home the rebound on a point blank Jeff Carter slapshot, cutting the Montreal lead in half. The Flyers had over 18 minutes of play to tie the game, but struggled to do just so.

Dandenault picked up a penalty for the Canadiens with 1:53 to play in the game, and the Flyers, after pulling Niittymaki, had a 6 on 4 advantage. Yet this late 2-man advantage on the Canadiens summed up what the entire game was full of for Philadelphia: frustration. Close is only good in horseshoes and hand grenades. And for Ken Hitchcock and the Flyers, they found this out the hard way.

Flyers lose to Habs 3-1

Wake Up Call

Ken Hitchcock set the alarms, and his team answered.

After a disappointing 13-round shootout loss to the Rangers on Saturday night, a trip to Madison Square Garden was in store for the Flyers. With some lines cohesive and some not so much, the head coach changed things up before the game. He placed Jeff Carter at the center position, with Niko Dimitrakos getting his first action of the season. R.J. Umberger also played the wing on the line as well. Carter showed some more potential this evening being on this line, but sometimes hard luck is on one's side. All three members of this line finished with a -1 for the game, but sometimes the +/- scale must be disregarded.

Peter Forsberg started things off early on for the Flyers, scoring at the 3:15 mark of the first period. He won a faceoff, slipped past the defense, and received a feed from Mike Knuble near the blue paint. Forsberg lifted one above Lundqvist, placing the Flyers in front 1-0.

Forsberg's goal was the headline of the period, as it quieted the normally raucous Garden crowd until Thomas Pock lit the lamp for the Rangers at the 16:33 mark to tie the game at 1-1. The Rangers began buzzing around goaltender Antero Niittymaki a bit more after the goal, and certainly had the momentum heading into the 2nd period.

That momentum did not last for long though, as Philadelphia stormed back to score 3 times in just 5:26. Knuble netted the first one on a nifty pass from Simon Gagne. There was a delayed penalty, but Gagne snuck away from the Rangers and delivered a perfect feed down low to Knuble to put the Flyers in front 2-1. Just 59 seconds later, Geoff Sanderson picked off a pass in his own end and stormed up ice. Sanderson was signed in the offseason to bring one main element: speed. He showed off some of that speed by blazing down the left wing and firing one past Lundqvist to give the Flyers a 2-goal advantage. After a Marek Malik hooking penalty, it was the top power play line that found success once again. Sanderson set up Knuble, who dished down low to Gagne, waiting on the doorstep of Lundqvist. Gagne chipped it home on a deflection, putting the Flyers up 4-1.

New York tried to regain some momentum heading into the 3rd period by heading to the power play and sending out their own big guns. It certainly worked. Veteran Brendan Shanahan tallied his 601st career goal to cut the lead to 4-2.

That was as close as the Rangers would get. Despite a late game 6 on 4 power play with 1:09 to play, the Flyers shut the door on the Rangers and silenced the Garden crowd. When all was said and done, Niittymaki stopped 25 of 27 shots to notch the victory. The Flyers head back it again tomorrow night against the Montreal Canadiens.

NHL SuperStats

Leetch to Flyers? Sounds like a plan

Recent reports suggest that the Flyers may be interested in former Ranger and Bruin defenseman Brian Leetch. Let me be the first to say... thank god!

With Mike Rathje down to injury for an unknown amount of time (check back tomorrow for an update on his condition) and Freddy Meyer struggling to find himself, it may be time to look to the 38-year old Leetch for an upgrade.

Being a younger fan of the game of hockey, I was unable to appreciate Leetch's heroic 34 point performance in the 23 playoff games during New York's 1994 Stanley Cup run. What I do know about Leetch is that he would be a great quarterback on the power play, something this Flyers squad sorely needs... and he would also add quality veteran leadership to a younger defense that includes Freddy Meyer, Randy Jones, and Nolan Baumgartner. With Rathje's situation appearing to be quite serious, Leetch would add a totally new element to the Flyers roster.

Tonight's Game: Tonight the Flyers travel to Madison Square Garden to take on Leetch's former club, the Rangers. Ken Hitchcock is expected to be doing a lot of on-the fly changes to the lines, and has already stated that Jeff Carter will be back to the 2nd line tonight as a center, with Niko Dimitrakos and R.J. Umberger as his linemates. For Dimitrakos, it will be his first game action of the season.

Antero Niittymaki will get the start between the pipes, and Robert Esche will most likely get the call tomorrow night vs. Montreal at the Wachovia Center.

Game Information: 7:00, Versus, 610WIP

The Day After...

Well, has everyone finally digested last night's thrilling game between the Cowboys and the Eagles? Personally, it will go down as a game that will be hard to forget about for a long time. (Don't tell that to Andy Reid, he's already looking towards next week's matchup with Reggie Bush and the Saints in Nawlins.)

On a day that saw the much maligned Terrell Owens return to town, the media and press jammed into Lincoln Financial Field, preparing to write stories about how the Philadelphia fans were arrogant and obnoxious to Owens. Surprise, surprise... it didn't happen. For the most part, the fans at the game were under control and did nothing to imprint bad thoughts among the minds of many.

The game started off with a turnover nightmare for the Cowboys, as the Eagles had the ball on the 12 and 14 Dallas yard lines respectively in the first quarter. The Eagles took over on their second possession after a fumble by punter Mat McBriar. Philadelphia started the game with the football, but quickly turned it over as Brian Westbrook released it into the waiting arms of Cowboys safety Roy Williams. After a loud chorus of boos directed towards Terrell Owens began the Cowboy drive, Dallas went 3 and out and prepared to punt. On the snap, McBriar botched it backwards, and struggled to pick it up. He was promptly drilled by special-teamer and starting strong side linebacker Matt McCoy, and the Eagles took over at the 12 yard line. Brian Westbrook picked up his NFL leading 6th touchdown of the season after bouncing to the outside on a 5 yard touchdown run.

After a booming David Akers kickoff, the Cowboys took over at the 24 yard line. It was not to be for very long though, as Darwin Walker rushed Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe, jarring the ball loose. Defensive end Trent Cole, who has done an admirable job replacing the injured Jevon Kearse, scooped up the ball at the Cowboys 14. This led to a 27 yard Akers field goal, putting the Eagles up 10-0.

Knowing that they had their backs agaisnt the wall, Bill Parcells had to change up his usually conservative play-calling and open up the offense. The Cowboys put together a 10 play, 57 yard drive after Tyson Thompson gave Dallas great starting field position at their own 43 yard line. Marion Barber punched home the 2 yard touchdown run on 3rd down, cutting the Philadelphia lead to just three points. It appeared as if the Eagles were expecting a play action from Bledsoe, and instead the run caught them off guard.

After some good back and forth action, the energy was deflated from the Linc after Donovan McNabb had the ball knocked out of his throwing motion and into the air. DeMarcus Ware was the man waiting for it, and he gobbled it up and scooted downfield. Tight end L.J. Smith had an opportunity to bring Ware down at about the 40 yard line, but gave a poor attempt at a tackle and Ware rumbled the distance for the 69 yard touchdown to put Dallas up 14-10. The fans were in shock after the Eagles could have easily put up a 17-7 by this point.

On the next drive, the Eagles wasted no time in heading right back downfield. Donovan McNabb connected with Smith for a 60 yard pitch and catch that led to a first and goal for the Eagles at the 1 yard line. McNabb pulled the quarterback sneak on 3rd down for the score, and the Birds went back in front 17-14.

On the next possession, the Cowboys put together a clock-eating drive in which they converted 3 times on 3rd down. 12 plays and 75 yards later, Drew Bledsoe scrambled to the right side of the field and dove for the endzone. After a short hesitation, referees awarded Bledsoe with the touchdown and Dallas went back in front by four points, 21-17. All of this was coming as T.O. was being shutout by the Philadelphia secondary.

The second half began with some stalling from both offenses. The Cowboys and Eagles both went out on 5 plays to start the half, and as Dallas got the football back they struggled to move it; forcing yet another McBriar punt. This time, he boomed it down to the Eagles 13 yard line. Owens finally made his first catch of the game, a 9 yard sideline pattern, at the 14:21 mark of the 3rd quarter. This drew (not surprisingly) many catcalls from the Eagles fans, but they would be redeemed later.

As the Eagles started at their own 13 yard line, it appeared that the Cowboys had them right where they wanted them. That is, until Donovan McNabb found rookie and training camp standout Hank Baskett streaking down the left side line. McNabb delivered the perfect pass to Baskett, who was just one step ahead of the flailing Pat Watkins. Baskett made the catch, and Watkins reached back as a last ditch effort to try and tackle Baskett. Baskett, though, pulled away from Watkins, and went 87 yards for the touchdown to re-energize the crowd and put the Eagles back in front 24-21.

After a pair of punts from McBriar and Dirk Johnson, the Cowboys took over at their own 28. After an incomplete pass to Terry Glenn, the ballgame certainly seemed to twist and take a turn of events. On 2nd down, Bledsoe dropped back and located Terrell Owens. Owens, who may have seen Michael Lewis in his rearview mirror, dropped the pass. The crowd erupted and began to cheer as they saw their once-lauded superstar player fail with the most hated team in the city for the first time of what they hope is many.

The Cowboys though, were not deterred. Mike Vanderjagt potted a 39 yard field goal after an 11-play drive to tie the game at 24 a piece. Suddenly, it was quiet again. That is of course until Andy Reid pulled one out of his bag of tricks once again.

On 1st and 10 from the Cowboys 40 yard line, McNabb handed the ball off to Correll Buckhalter. For the second time this season, it was the old flea flicker play. It worked in San Fran, so Reid figured he would give it another go. McNabb received the ball back from Buckhalter, and tossed a perfect spiral to a waiting Reggie Brown, who split his defenders to score the touchdown. The Eagles jumped back in front, 31-24.

With the game on the line and just 47 seconds to play, Bledsoe fired from his own 37 yard line on 4th and 18. Terry Glenn had great position on safety Michael Lewis, and Lewis tore down Glenn's shoulder, and a pass interference penalty was called. It was like someone stuck the proverbial needle in the balloon, and the crowd was silenced as the men in blue trotted downfield. The game had gone from life support to alive and kicking for Dallas. Yet it did not take long for that to change once more. On 2nd and 6, Bledsoe searched out Jason Witten in the endzone. The ball did not have enough mustard on it, and Bledsoe threw it right to Lito Sheppard for his 2nd interception of the game (3rd of the game) and dashed 102 yards to seal the deal and put the Eagles ahead 37-24. Akers tacked on the extra point as T.O. could only watch as his former teammates handled the Cowboys by a final score of 38-24.

Flyers lose after 13-round shootout

Well, that was entertaining. After 60 minutes of regulation, 5 minutes of overtime, and 26 shooters in a shootout, the Rangers defeated the Flyers 5-4 Saturday night at the Wachovia Center in a game that had a playoff atmosphere.

It was quite the back and and forth contest, and for the most part, the Flyers contained Jaromir Jagr and outplayed the Broadway Blueshirts. But in the end, Marcel Hossa (Marian's younger brother) beat Antero Niittymaki in the 13th round of the shootout. For those wondering, the record was set last season when the Rangers beat the Capitals in a 15-round shootout at the Garden. Marek Malik won that one for New York with his unbelievable between the legs, flip the puck in the net move.

Simon Gagne had 2 goals tonight for the Flyers, and Peter Forsberg also cleaned up some garbage for his 1st goal of the season as well. Petr Nedved and Geoff Sanderson both continued their solid play over the first two games, and Sanderson scored his 1st goal as a Flyer to tie the game at 3-3 in the 2nd period.

In the 3rd, the Rangers tied the game at 4-4 when Adam Hall got the credit for a puck that bounced off the glove of Flyers winger Randy Robitaille. The game went to overtime, and there were few chances for either side in the OT. So on it was to the shootout.

And it went on, and on, and on, and on... until Hossa ended it by beating Niittymaki five-hole for the victory. Henrik Lundqvist was the star of the game for the Rangers, stopping 35 of 39 Flyers shots in regulation, plus the 13 he faced in the shootout.

Up next for both squads is a rematch on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. No word yet on whether or not Niittymaki will go again for the Flyers or if Robert Esche will get another chance in net. Game time is 7:00, and the Garden will be energized for another fierce early-season divisional battle.

Hossa beats Flyers in shootout

Rathje out indefinitely

Bad news for Flyers fans this afternoon, as it was announced defenseman Mike Rathje is out indefinitely with a herniated disc. This comes at an especially bad time because Lars Jonsson is yet to return from his high ankle sprain on his right leg. Rathje signed a large $17.5 million contract before the start of the 2005-2006 season. Rathje played in 79 games last season for the Flyers, most of them through pain. He had 3 goals and 21 assists last year along with a 22 +/- rating.

Denis Gauthier will return to the lineup tonight as reported earlier. The line combinations on defense may look a little something like this:

Derian Hatcher/Joni Pitkanen
Freddy Meyer/Denis Gauthier
Nolan Baumgartner/Randy Jones

Nonetheless, this is very bad news for a team that was going to count on Rathje. Paging Eric Desjardins...

Hitchcock will change it up tonight vs. Rangers

Only one game is in the books, but Flyers head coach Ken Hitchcock is already making changes to the lineup. After a disappointing 4-0 opening night loss to the Penguins, Hitchcock claimed that there would be a different look to the Flyers lineup come Saturday against the Rangers. Although it is only the second game of the season, Hitchcock said “we will get to see exactly where we’re at and we’ll get a real good evaluation of our own team.” It's just October, but the competition is already heating up on the frozen pond.

The Jagr Factor: Last season, the Flyers zoned in on Jaromir Jagr in the key games late in the year with Denis Gauthier and Chris Therien. This year will be slightly different. With Petr Nedved adjusting to his role as a 4th line center, he will be seeing some time on the ice with Jagr.

Switching it up: Kyle Calder will see some time defensively tonight with Nedved and winger Sami Kapanen. Meanwhile, multi-purpose forward R.J. Umberger could see time with youngsters Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. Denis Gauthier is expected to return to the Flyers lineup tonight after bumping into Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin in preseason action. Either Randy Jones or Nolan Baumgartner will be scratched before the contest.

In Goal: Antero Niittymaki will be in goal for the first time this season, replacing Robert Esche, who struggled in Thursday's opener at Pittsburgh. Esche allowed 4 goals on 21 shots, while Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 40 shots thrown his way.

Game Information: 7:00, ComcastSportsNet, 610WIP

Sheppard will play; Westbrook and Stallworth still up in the air

The Eagles got some good news on Friday night as it was announced that cornerback Lito Sheppard will play in Sunday's game against Dallas. The status of running back Brian Westbrook and wide receiver Donte' Stallworth is still unknown. With Rod Hood already listed as doubtful, and most likely out for Sunday, it is huge news to be getting Sheppard back in the fold. Sheppard last played in the first game of the season against the Houston Texans, where he injured his ankle in that Week 1 contest. The official injury report states that Stallworth is questionable due to a sore hamstring and that Westbrook is questionable with a swollen knee.

The Eagles have been trying to plug their cornerback holes with former 49ers cornerback Joselio Hanson, who provided solid play against the Packers on Sunday. Dexter Wynn was also brought back into the fold due to his ability to return kicks and to play in the defensive backfield. It is expected that Wynn will still be returning kicks this week, but an interesting situation could arise when Rod Hood is finally healthy.

Sheppard will play Sunday

Sixers fall to Barcelona

There are 4 teams currently in Spain right now for the EA Sports Europe Live Training Camp: the Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Clippers, and Philadelphia 76ers. The Clippers beat Khimki 98-91, the Spurs defeated Adecco Asvel easily, and the Phoenix Suns currently lead Lottamatica Roma. So where does that leave your Philadelphia 76ers?

With a 104-99 loss to FC Barcelona, that's where. Let's be real here, did you honestly expect this 76ers team to beat a much more fundamentally sound Spanish team that has probably been playing together since they came out of the womb? If you did, then you're probably legimately crazy.

The good news coming out of this is that Samuel Dalembert had 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 blocks in the contest. Maybe he does have his head on straight this season.

The main reason the Sixers lost this game though was because of foul shooting. They shot 28/46 from the free throw stripe, which overexposed the team's defensive weaknesses. (ahem... Chris Webber) The 76ers next preseason game is on... wait nobody cares. But I bet they are staying in Spain for a while. Hopefully they don't come back.

Fledgling Flyers lose to Penguins

Wow, now that was just flat out disheartening. The Flyers began the 2006-2007 campaign off in a nasty fashion by losing to the Penguins 4-0 at Mellon Arena, which will be completely empty by sometime next week. Sidney Crosby, Michele Oullet, and Jarko Ruutu scored the goals for the Penguins.

The defense struggled quite a bit for the Flyers, and the Penguins just took advantage of Randy Jones and Nolan Baumgartner. Geoff Sanderson was the only guy on the ice for the Flyers who even played a decent game, with Petr Nedved also having to get some praise as well. 40 shots on Marc-Andre Fleury, and zero goals. It was just that kind of night in Pittsburgh.

Flyers fall to Pens 4-0

T.O. comes to town

So, yeah... there's a relatively sorta big football game coming up this weekend between the T.O.'s, err... Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. It's really hard to imagine it gets any bigger than this. When the schedule came out back in April, it was a game people were looking forward to. Throw in a suicide attempt by the star (and hated) player and we're setting up for disaster here in Philadelphia. Won't take that long for the pill bottles to reign down on Owens and the Cowboys.

Philly fans will be tailgaiting for the next 3 nights. It's sure to be one of the biggest regular season games in recent memory. Imagine if it's even half good...

T.O. visits the Birds this weekend