Heroes of Hockeytown

It seems intuitive but if you examine it I don't know why this should actually be the case. There isn't any rule specifying that the puck has to be advanced, it's just what the attacking team does so it seems really weird for them not to try, but it doesn't mean they are obligated to. A defenseman wouldn't shoot a puck from the point if he thought it was going to be blocked; why should he try to start a breakout into the neutral zone if he thought it would result in a turnover? Or they can sit back and do exactly what they did, which eventually caused Tampa to commit a forechecker and get the ball rolling. As for the Delay of Game rule, that's subject to interpretation. The referees in that game contacted hockey operations at the first intermission and were told not to interfere with coaches' tactics.

I happened to have been watching that game, and I can tell you that the score requires context. They waited Tampa out of their trap so that worked for them; they lost on a PPG and a 4-on-4 OT goal so that hasn't got anything to do with the 1-3-1. Of course we all know that the 1-3-1 is perfectly beatable, and if I were coaching I personally wouldn't have gone that route. But I still don't think there's anything wrong with that particular part of the Flyers' strategy, especially given that they accomplished their goal on that front.

And as much as they've been doing it lately, they're not out of the woods yet. A whopping four points separates 5th from 14th place.

I initially thought this as well, but since then I've reconsidered. The goal above anything else is to win. If the Flyers think that attacking a trapping team is going to hurt their chances of winning (which it sometimes does), and if they also think that waiting will pull the Bolts out of their trap (which it did), then I don't see why they shouldn't wait; waiting for the opportunity for your attack to be effective seems like a good strategy to me. If this sort of thing became an epidemic in the NHL then something would have to be done, but it really wasn't that big of a deal in the game it happened in. My guess is that the GMs don't do anything about this.

I am not emotionally equipped to handle these losses. It was much easier when a loss didn't matter because they were going to lose all their games anyways. Now it's actually important and each L is like an icepick directly into my heart. How do fans of real football teams handle this kind of pressure year after year?

Bit surprised if Jimmy goes again, but not necessarily displeased. Hopefully they can prevent Eriksson from scoring his customary 6000 goals against them tonight. Both teams also played last night, although I don't know who that favors, if anyone.

Among goalies that have actually played double-digit games Jimmy is second in GAA and SV%, behind only who else, Nik Khabibulin, for all the good that did him last night.

They actually whistled it down when Philly had the puck and wasn't moving it at all, leveraging the rule they use to call play when everyone is refusing to touch the puck on a delayed high stick/hand pass kind of thing, or when the puck is being pinned to the wall and the player refuses to move it. After that they had Pronger skate it in lazy circles and there was no recourse for it at all. Darren Dreger also said, "League did speak to officiating staff in Tampa Bay, but advised they shouldn't interfere with coaching tactics." I'm alright with all this. Neither side was obligated to go and try and make contact with the other. It wasn't really that big of a deal within the context of the game, however unusual.

Was quite the standoff. I actually kind of like Philly's response but obviously that kind of thing is not watchable. So while I'm no trap fan, unless there's a rule outlawing it I think it's the job of the offense to keep the play moving. Then again it hasn't really seemed to have a very big impact on the game, it only happened about three times in the first period and I don't think I've seen it at all in the second. So probably the appropriate response is to do nothing.

I really don't care about that "Suh is dirty" stuff. He hasn't been suspended yet so anything he's done, real or imagined, hasn't hurt the Lions, and that's what matters. All that I require of Suh is that he be kickin' rad and/or wicked awesome, and he has maintained that high standard on every down he plays.

Regular season only. Can't complain about the game, really (so I will take the next sentence as an opportunity to do so). They got way too passive after getting a couple goal lead, Avs were in control for pretty much the entire second half of the game. Oh well, guess you can afford to a lot more when scoring four goals than one.

I'd like to personally welcome you to the 2011-2012 NHL season, Dano.

Guess they're prepared to just hold on for dear life for the rest of this one.

He was incredible in the playoffs last year. I think he's got plenty of Datsyuk magic left in him, but even if were a step slower he's way better than this.

Dynamo shift from Duchene. Looks like the Wings are going to tread water for the rest of the period...

Avs starting to run s***. Someone needs to have a good shift.

I don't know if he was being lazy, but he was trying to stickhandle through everyone and he had no speed it obviously wasn't gonna work. Pavel has not had much mojo this season at all.

If the Avs put it into their own net it would be a goal. Happens every once in a blue moon.

Gotta hold your post, Jimmy. -1000 to Ericsson, he's been one of the few bad Wings tonight.

Nik + Mule = Luv

I agree, they've done quite a bit of work. And now the fourth line draws a penalty. Gotta love it when everyone is contributing.

Brilliant play from every Wing on that goal.

Started really well, too many turnovers and scrambly play around Jimmy in the second half of the period. I suppose Wings just need to get the puck to their sniper more.

Not very creative playmaking there Hank, Nik.

The Hidden Victories and Secret Shames of a Turnstile: The Jonathan Ericsson Story.