Flyers knock off Jackets in Hitchcock's return
If there was ever a time for Mike Richards' first goal of the season, this was it. As former coach Ken Hitchcock watched on, Richards potted his first of the year in the third period to give the Flyers a 3-2 victory at the Wachovia Center on an eerie Black Friday in Philadelphia. Just ask Columbus' new head man on how eerie the game was. He couldn't even tell his players apart because he had so little time to work with them in practice. He had to go buy the numbers on their backs and on their helmets. Maybe that confusion on the Columbus side allowed the Flyers to walk away with their 6th win of the season.
If there is one thing that has been improving in the past few games, it's been the Flyers power play. Once dead last, they have moved all the way to 25th in the league. Peter Forsberg deflected home a Lars Jonsson shot from the point to put the Flyers in
front 1-0. It was Forsberg's 7th of the season, who was returning from the sore back he suffered in the game Monday vs. Pittsburgh.
The Blue Jackets went on to outshoot the Flyers 19-7 in the second period, and it ended up costing them. Jason Chimera scored on a rebound in front of the net at the 7:29 mark to tie the game at 1-1.
The Flyers answered back late in the period as Mike Knuble found Freddy Meyer streaking towards the net. He delievered a perfect pass and Meyer ripped it past Pascal Leclaire, who got a piece of the puck before it crossed the line. Nonetheless, the Flyers had a 2-1 lead with 1:52 to play.
They could not hold that lead though, as Rick Nash capitalized on a Joni Pitkanen hooking penalty with 19 seconds to play in the period. Antero Niittymaki was out of position as a shot from the point took a weird carom off the boards and in front of the goal. Nash was right there and Niittymaki was not, and Nash deposited it to tie the game at 2-2 heading into the 3rd.
The Flyers kicked off the 3rd period in style, as Richards broke his 40 game scoreless streak just 2:02 into the final frame. Although he had 9 assists on the year, he had not scored since last March. It was a long time coming for the Flyers forward as Joni Pitkanen fired a cross-ice pass to a waiting Richards. From the circle, Richards fired the shot past Leclaire to put the Flyers back in front 3-2.
Despite a late flurry from Columbus, Antero Niittymaki held the fort with 39 saves and secured the 3-2 victory. There's a long way to go for new coach Ken Hitchcock, who is taking over the Blue Jackets in the middle of this season. Hitchcock is the 6th coach in NHL history to coach two teams in one season, and he has his work cut out for him. If he can ever get them to play like the Flyers of old, he may have made the right choice.
If there was ever a time for Mike Richards' first goal of the season, this was it. As former coach Ken Hitchcock watched on, Richards potted his first of the year in the third period to give the Flyers a 3-2 victory at the Wachovia Center on an eerie Black Friday in Philadelphia. Just ask Columbus' new head man on how eerie the game was. He couldn't even tell his players apart because he had so little time to work with them in practice. He had to go buy the numbers on their backs and on their helmets. Maybe that confusion on the Columbus side allowed the Flyers to walk away with their 6th win of the season.
If there is one thing that has been improving in the past few games, it's been the Flyers power play. Once dead last, they have moved all the way to 25th in the league. Peter Forsberg deflected home a Lars Jonsson shot from the point to put the Flyers in
front 1-0. It was Forsberg's 7th of the season, who was returning from the sore back he suffered in the game Monday vs. Pittsburgh.The Blue Jackets went on to outshoot the Flyers 19-7 in the second period, and it ended up costing them. Jason Chimera scored on a rebound in front of the net at the 7:29 mark to tie the game at 1-1.
The Flyers answered back late in the period as Mike Knuble found Freddy Meyer streaking towards the net. He delievered a perfect pass and Meyer ripped it past Pascal Leclaire, who got a piece of the puck before it crossed the line. Nonetheless, the Flyers had a 2-1 lead with 1:52 to play.
They could not hold that lead though, as Rick Nash capitalized on a Joni Pitkanen hooking penalty with 19 seconds to play in the period. Antero Niittymaki was out of position as a shot from the point took a weird carom off the boards and in front of the goal. Nash was right there and Niittymaki was not, and Nash deposited it to tie the game at 2-2 heading into the 3rd.
The Flyers kicked off the 3rd period in style, as Richards broke his 40 game scoreless streak just 2:02 into the final frame. Although he had 9 assists on the year, he had not scored since last March. It was a long time coming for the Flyers forward as Joni Pitkanen fired a cross-ice pass to a waiting Richards. From the circle, Richards fired the shot past Leclaire to put the Flyers back in front 3-2.
Despite a late flurry from Columbus, Antero Niittymaki held the fort with 39 saves and secured the 3-2 victory. There's a long way to go for new coach Ken Hitchcock, who is taking over the Blue Jackets in the middle of this season. Hitchcock is the 6th coach in NHL history to coach two teams in one season, and he has his work cut out for him. If he can ever get them to play like the Flyers of old, he may have made the right choice.
posted by Victor at 1:47 PM
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