No Where to Go But Up From Here

The Flyers got mauled by the Devils on Saturday. For some reason, my love for this team led me to believe everything was going to be okay and they’d pull through because they had lost so many games prior. Flyers are 2-8-0 in their last 10… and tonight they face the Eastern Conference 5th-seeded Boston Bruins in their last game before they face each other on New Years Day at Fenway (rhyme!). Then tomorrow and Thursday will be a home and home with the Pens before wrapping it up with a home game on Saturday hosting the Rangers. This team needs to get through this week, and hopefully with some points. Here’s a few things to think about:

-Some of our injured players are going to be back sometime next week at the earliest. Powe, Betts, and Gagne have all been getting ready to get back on the ice and we cannot forget how valuable all 3 of these guys are, especially defensively. All of them are great penalty killers and are very effective in the offensive zone as well.

-They are going to be worked and worked. I don’t see Laviolette giving up any time soon.

-There’s been talks of trades if the Flyers don’t pick it up before the month ends, but I’m not sure how much I believe that.

-Turnover extraordinaire Braydon Coburn is out with an ankle injury so OKT will be back in the line-up. Maybe he can do some good? I’d like to see Parent or Bartulis paired with Timmonen.

-At least the Eagles are in first.

-…they can’t get much worse, right? They’re getting some key players back and this team is built for a playoff run. They need to get their heads out of their asses and play as a team. If Richie does not get his troops fired up, do you think they might emasculate him and strip him of his ‘C’? I don’t think they will, but someone needs to lead and this team needs to win. Feelings aside, if Pronger’s the better man to lead this team at this point, maybe the 24 year old needs to take a back seat for a bit. The Calder Cup Champions need to get over the loss of their favorite coach and grow a pair and play some damned hockey, because that’s the only way they’re going to win.