One game, one win.
And that is how new Flyers head coach Craig Berube’s tenure began yesterday, as the Philadelphia Flyers jumped to an early lead against Tim Thomas and the Florida Panthers, and then held on the rest of the way to land their first win of the 2013-2014 season. With their record now standing at 1-3, the Flyers still have a ways to go, but at least Philly can take a collective sigh of relief because they’re not going to go 0-82, even though 1-81 still has a chance!
On a serious note the club played very smart, with a simple and distinct game plan: work zone to zone. They managed to do this pretty decently, with pressure on a Panthers puck carrier as often as possible and as soon as possible. The Panthers must have felt like doing their best Flyers impression, because they did much the same thing Philly fans have seen from the Flyers already, with offensive opportunity never truly developing at even strength despite outshooting and outchancing the Flyers. The only time the Panthers did look dangerous was on the power play, but they were too busy trying to keep residency in their own box too much to really take advantage of those situations and gain momentum.
Craig Berube seemed to have a solid gameplan, knowing that Panthers goalie Tim Thomas plays a little too aggressively for his own good at times, and it appeared as if the Flyers purposely were dumping the puck in right next to Thomas, hoping he’d bite and try to play the puck, and they were proven smart in their assumption. Two times this happened and Thomas flopped out of place, leading to easy goals, the last one which led to Thomas straining a groin muscle and being replaced by fellow goaltender Jacob Markstrom. Markstrom looked much much sharper, shutting down Philadelphia the rest of the way, and will probably make the Panthers coaching staff wonder if Thomas will be the starter when he is healthy again.
Steve Mason just continues to impress so far with yet another sterling performance in net, and threw in a couple of amazing skate saves for good measure. This kid really needed a new town and it shows. Working with goalie coach Jeff Reese once again, Mason seems to be brimming with confidence, and the lost look behind the mask he possessed during bad Columbus days has all but vanished. The criticisms heaped at the Flyers goalie tandem have been undeserving, and will only get even better once the offense finally kicks in. The glimpses shown in this game were a nice reminder that when this club has possession of the puck, and holds it, it can be a force.
The Flyers will have to build on this win of course and continue to listen to their new coaching staff as it works to find its identity, but if there was one word always associated with this roster, it was talent, and there is far too much of it to not go anywhere but up when put in the right position to succeed. Perhaps that time is now, we shall see in the next contest where Berube and Laperriere can take these kids. It seems they listened well already.
Again, we’re only talking one game here, but it has to make a lot of people happy. Above all others? Craig Berube.
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