Sound Familiar? Flyers blow 2 goal lead

The Flyers just can't seem to hold on to 2 goal leads. For what only seems like the 8th time in the playoffs, the Flyers jumped out to a 2 goal lead in tonights opening game of the second round, only to see the Canadiens battle back, force overtime, and win 4-3. It happened several times in the Washington series, and it happened again tonight. Every time the Flyers pull ahead by 2, they seem to fall back and allow the other team to dictate play. It's a recipe for disaster, and something they can't do against a team with as much firepower as the Canadiens.

The refs had a hand in this one, making two very questionable calls that helped the Canadiens make their comeback.

Click the link for much more analysis, including video highlights featuring both of the controversial calls in the game.

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40 Comments On: "Sound Familiar? Flyers blow 2 goal lead"

 
please tell me you didnt actually watch the game

what are you talking about? Of course I did!

I'm aware of the questionable calls by the refs if that is what you are referring to, check out the link for more!

alright fair enough, but that call made against richards was ridiculous as well, but even soo, that high stick goal should have never counted. the game should have ended 3-2

The Richards call was weak. How do you make a call like that at that stage of the game?

thats what im saying its playoff hockey, plus he clearly put a shoulder into him, its gonna be a tough series and the flyers will have to clean up some of the play, which i believe then can do because well hell we have all seen it

even with that said that game was def stolen by the refs

It was still a well-played game by Philly in terms of the rough stuff, they managed to stay out of the box for the most part

yeah even with that one penalty shot, biron stayed patient and fought it off, i want to see the fly guys keep up the intensity with the hitting and sticking with the agressive play

I am so frustrated right now from the game. In my mind the Flyers won that game and the refs handed it to the Canadians. I really feel bad for the Flyers because for the most part they played a very good defensive game and Biron once again played outstanding. I am just tired of the refs blowing another game for the Flyers and you know it was all because the game was in Montreal. I know there are alot of positives to take away from the game, but it is just extremely frustrating to know that we should be up 1-0 in the series only to have it taken away by a horrible tripping call and a high sticking goal.

I actually enjoyed this article because you weren't just bitching. The fact you acknowledged good play on both sides earns you my props. I look forward to the rest of this series, because it should by all means be great.

Sorry for the curse, I just get a little annoyed when all I hear is complaining with no actual game analysis.

no problem..... there were 61 minutes of hockey played, a lot more happened then two questionable calls!

You guys ask how they could make a call like that on Richards but you weren't complaining about the call that got you guys here. Game 7 is more of a time for the refs to keep the whistle in their pocket than Game 1, come on now.

consistency

i suppose

They flyers did not blow a 2 goal lead the refs did!! How about the goal when we were on the power play!!! Remember that one when the puck was batted down into the net!! Now its 2-2!! The you call a pentaly with 1 min left that was bs!!!!!

As much as I agree that the refs made some bad calls, it wasn't the refs who allowed the Canadiens to have a 3 on 1 break when they were shorthanded, and it wasn't the refs who let in two goals in the span of 1 1/2 minutes.

well it was the refs, that gave them that high stick goal on the three on one break while the flyers were short-handed

but the Flyers gave them the great chance, not the refs

the refs and the NHL i believe actually

but fair enough there was some poor puck handling in the neutral zone

True... But it was the ref's how alowed a 6-4 for 1 minute to go!!! The refs never blow the whistle in the third period!!! They were to Bs calls and that is why the caps won... The flyersa played there hearts out and shut them down the third period on one days rest...

Did the refs play in goal?

No the refs didn't play in net, but they allowed an illegal high stick to score a goal and made an awful call with just over a minute to play which gave the habs a 6 on 4 with which they scored. Stop hating on the Flyers and stop with the contrarian attitude towards things. The Flyers were robbed not once, but twice during the game and it wound up costing them the game. Biron played outstanding through the whole game and to say otherwise just proves your own ignorance of the sport. Beat it Dope!!

No but they helped it... Refs can swing a game... we both no that...

I know, but people need to realize that you can't blame a loss entirely on officiating

im blaming that one goal on it, and well that would have changed the game too, so yeah i think i can, it was a bad call. period. sure the habs had a break away but fact is biron did block it. and well while it may have rolled in any way, a high stick put it in. i dont know how pyshics work in canada but a stick that hits a puck in and then hits a cross bar below it, must have been above the cross bar.

I agree you definitly.... can...... once again above the cross bar then the 6-4!!!!

Wow enriquefed, you obviously didn't watch that game, or if you did, you know absolutely nothing about hockey. You claim the flyers let the canadians dictate the pace of play... I really didn't see that at all, once they got the lead in the 3rd, they didn't let up, and kept pressing and nearly made it another 2 goal lead at least twice in that 3rd period. And in response to your comment about Biron... please do share with us which goal you thought he should have stopped? One was knocked in by a high stick, after a stupid play by our powerplay, and Biron was screened for that 1, the one in OT was off of a Darien Hatcher screen and a terrible job by Hatcher of closing the shooting lane, and the other two could not have been stopped by Biron either.
Then you claim the flyers gave them the opportunity, well jeez, you could say that about any game, most retarded point of analysis I have ever heard. They played their hearts out, played well enough to win, and got screwed on two calls. Listen up buddy, penalties and bad calls in playoff hockey aren't the same as 2 bad penalties is a football game or w/e. Scoring in playoff hockey is generally low, w/ the winner scoring 2-4 goals only. When officiating hands a team a goal which should've been disallowed, that pushes the score up to needing 3-5 to win. Then when the referee makes another bad call w/ 1 min left in a game, and sends your best penalty killer to the box, and leaves you w/ a two man defecit, that is almost always going to be a goal. Teams w/ 2 man advantages have scored 7 of 9 times in the playoffs... that is 78% buddy, so don't tell me they could've done more. They got screwed, that is the bottom line. No more analysis is needed. You wouldn't be printing this story if they won, and if it hadn't have been for the refs, they would've won. So stop saying they could've done more in this game, they realistically did all they could, and got their hearts ripped out by refs, something that happens all too frequently in the NHL, the NHL has the worst refs in all of pro sports, and that is part of the reason why hockey hasn't taken off as it should.

I don't think you really understand any of my points at all. Try reading it a little closer next time!

Honestly, the Flyers shut down the Habs in the nuetral zone and never really allowed them to set up in the offensive zone once they were in. The questionable goal was DEFINITELY a high stick. When your stick is moving straight down AFTER hitting the puck and smacks the top of the crossbar, there is no question! And to keep the whistles in the pocket until the final minute of play and to make that call is a disgrace. The Flyers played great...physical, moved the puck well and dealt with the canadians speed in stride. To say the Flyers blew a lead is idiotic and uninformed. The game was stolen to say the least. Stop the banter about the Flyers not being able to hold a lead, they played great especially Biron...It's very difficult to win when 2 of the worst calls of the season happen in the same game against the same team!

The Flyers were completely dominated in the second period, they were out-hit, out-shot, lost a ton of faceoffs.... and that allowed the Canadiens to tie the game up. The refs had nothing to do with the Flyers giving up their 2-0 lead. The refs came into play later in the game and definitely made some bad calls, but the Flyers should never have allowed Montreal to come back in the second period the way they did.

If the Flyers stay physical in the series they have a shot. Game1 in Washington ended the same way. With the Flyers giving away a 2 goal lead, and letting the opposing team score on a stupid play by the Flyers. They should have cleared the zone and they didnt. Game. I know they will bounce back and make a series out of it, especially in Philly. But I look at it like this. From worst team to the semis in the east is a good one year turnaround. Plus we have a very young team which will be competing for years to come.

Yep Enrique, your logic is incredible, except for the fact that if you take out the two bs goals, the score is 3-1 flyers, and no the flyers weren't dominated in the 2nd pd... they gave up 1 legit goal, and the only reason they gave up the break was b/c they weren't used to the aggressive pk, that break would've been inconsequential if those idiots in Toronto could do what they are paid to do. Who cares if they are outshot and lost more faceoffs? Look at time in opponent's zone. And btw, the shots and hits were close... close enough that the margain is inconsequential. I personally love when amateurs such as yourself feel the need to over analyze everything, and blame the Flyers.

The bottom line is that could the Flyers have played better? Yes, but any team in any game can always play bettter, but Should they have had to play better to win? No. The refs get paid to do this, as do the reviewers in Toronto. That goal should've been disallowed if people did their jobs, and as far as the Richards penalty, that is why there are 4 officials on the ice, 2 refs and 2 linesmen... someone should be able to see it from every angle, and should make sure these dumb calls don't happen. That call was inexcusable... where was the trailing official to say that the legs made no contact whatsoever? Please enrique... if you can, name me one game in any league in the past 2 years where someone has gotten screwed worse than this by the refs. Go ahead and try. Please.

You can't claim a team blows a 2 goal lead when the one of the goals wasn't a goal and the other happened on a 6 on 4 that never should've happened. They won that game, plain and simple. Your argument is feeble and pointless.
If a boxer gets dqed for a low blow when he hits a guy w/ a body shot, by your logic, he should've never punched the guy in the body, even though playing/boxing this way would hurt his chances of winning.

By your logic, if you apply for a job, and the person reviewing your application misreads your application and rejects you, it is your fault.

By your logic, we might as well have Hellen Keller reffing a hockey game, cause it would save the NHL money, and according to you, it doesn't matter how many bad calls she would make, b/c if a team lost, it would be the team's fault.

The flyers played their aggressive game for 3 periods, and yes made a couple mistakes as all teams do in any game, but they covered their mistakes when they made them, and if not for poor officiating, their mistakes would've resulted in 0 goals.

Just an unrelated question, does your name happen to be Enrique Van MassenHoven by any chance?

I fell asleep half way through that rant

yeah it was little long, but you keep saying that the flyers gave up a 2-0 lead, that one goal was so much bullshit that i thought i was at the rodeo, the flyers let one goal by, the second was given to the habs, and ill admit that "third" goal was amazing.


yeah it was little long, but you keep saying that the flyers gave up a 2-0 lead, that one goal was so much bullsh*t that i thought i was at the rodeo, the flyers let one goal by, the second was given to the habs, and ill admit that "third" goal was amazing.

I think it's time we all look to tomorrow's game. Let's hope for no more BS calls and that the Flyers even it up with good, hard, clean play!

amen

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