Well I haven't done a preview in a little bit, due to being busy and lazy at the same time. Its a rough combination. They are kinda dry, kinda boring, and with teams you are already familiar with and you know who is on them and what they do, they get very repetitive. But with the season winding down and every game important, lets crank up the preview machine.
The Sabres head into Philly tonight for a "nationally televised game" which has major playoff impact. The Flyers have been surging of late, minus their expensive center Daniel Briere. A signing that is going to kill them over the next few years. With the Cap going nowhere but down. The Flyers are 4th in the conference with 80 points, 7 ahead of the 10th placed Sabres and have 2 games on hand. They are 6-3-1 in their last 10, while the Sabres are 4-5-1. The Flyers aren't a team the Flyers are chasing, but will need to beat them in order to climb up the standings to the team that are. Who I'm going to think cool down in the next two weeks, its a streaky league. And teams stay hot for 10 or 12 games, then have a down turn.
Well Danny "poetic justice" Briere will not play tonight due to his torn groin issues. But we will see everyone's favorite Marty Biron in net tonight. Who is no doubt playing for a contract next year. Which of course no one will have money to spend. So good luck Marty!
Marty has pretty decent stats this year, 20-13-5 .912 Sv% and 2.79 GAA. Him and Niitymaki are pretty interchangeable. Thats why they haven't settled on a #1. But with Marty's good play in the playoffs last year, I see them riding him. Unless he starts to struggle.
The Flyers are very offensive team. They have 6 guys with 20 or more goals, then it falls off a cliff. But thats two solid lines of offense. Led by Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. Both have 66 points on the year. Richards is more a set up man, versus the goal scorer that is Jeff Carter. Simone Gagne has 60 points, Scott Hartnell 46, Mike Knuble 41 and Joffrey Lupul 40. You can't really take a shift off against these guys. Because when the first two lines are off the ice, the next few will punish you. Especially with a acquistion of Dan Carcillo. Who is crazy I think.
The defense is okay I think. It maybe their biggest weakness outside of goaltender. Kimmo Timonen is their best defender. Coburn and Carle are nice D Men, but they aren't what I call great. The Flyers will be a tough first round out, due to their offense. But when push comes to shove, I don't think they have to make a run this year.
The Sabres on the other hand, need this game. They are 3 points out of 8th. Yes only 4 out of 5th. But they can't lose 2 in a row. They don't know when Miller is back, and they are riding Lalime, even though he had a tough outing in Ottawa. They are rested, Derek Roy has the flu. But they need a full team effort. This is a very important week. The Flyers tonight. The Panthers on Thursday and the Thrashers on Saturday. They need to take 5 out of 6 points in this stretch.
Well game is at 7pm enjoy.
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