The Philadelphia Flyers' euphoria over their impressive come-from-behind win against Pittsburgh in Game 1 has now given way to a painful admission that they have a problem they need to fix.
By Gene J. Puskar, AP
Philadelphia's Danny Briere started the Flyers' comeback Wednesday with two goals.
"We have to find a way to get better starts," said Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen. "That's why I say we got lucky (in Game 1) because against a really good team, you don't usually get down 3-0 and get back in the game."
Poor starts have been a problem for the team for much of the season. Over the last 56 regular-season games, the Flyers held a lead at the 10-minute mark four times. They were trailing at the 10-minute mark in 23 of those games. It's an odd statistic for a team that finished the season with 103 points.
The Flyers have fallen behind 2-0 eight times in the last 13 games, including in Game 1 when the Penguins built a 3-0 first-period lead before the Flyers seized command in the second period.
"We have to play desperate when the puck drops and it's 0-0," said Flyers winger Scott Hartnell.
It's been a good news/bad news situation for the Flyers because they have become the best team in the league at coming from behind. Ten times in the regular season, they erased a deficit or two or more goals to earn to least earn a standings point. They won nine of those games. Apparently, practice makes perfect when it comes to mounting comebacks.
"What it shows is that they have a belief that when a game is 1-0 or 2-0, it's not gone," said former NHL player Ray Ferraro, now a TSN analyst. "It's intestinal fortitude. Weaker teams crumble more often than not."
The Flyers are at a loss to explain why they struggle out of gate.
"Philly always used to give you that 10- or 15-minute rush out of the gate, and I don't remember that this year," Ferraro said. "It seems more like they ease into the game, as opposed to the avalanche of pressure they used to put on you. It was like they had seven guys on the ice."
Ferraro said the explanation might be as simple as the fact that the Flyers are using six rookies.
"I thought (the Flyers) looked a little paralyzed early," Ferraro said. "They looked nervous. They looked young."
One of the rookies, defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon, was injured and is day-to-day. Pavel Kubina would be the likely replacement if he doesn't play.
Hartnell said the key for the Flyers is to play the way they did in the second and third period: putting pucks deep into the zone where they could retrieved, plus playing physical and avoiding scrums after the whistle.
"It's not winning hockey to get down 2-0 or 3-0 and think you are going to win," Hartnell said. "It's not going to happen."
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