Spotted, heard and observed: Coyotes vs. Flyers
Dec 4, 2011, 3:38 AM | Updated: 3:39 am
The Philadelphia Flyers were supposed to be a tired team after playing a game in Anaheim on Friday, but the Phoenix Coyotes looked the slower of the two when they met on Saturday. The Flyers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first period and that proved too much for the Coyotes. Final score: Flyers 4 – Coyotes 1
Seen: Too many defensive breakdowns.
When the Flyers buried their first goal after a lucky bounce off the boards, the Coyotes had two choices to make: shake it off as a fluke or let it affect their game. After three more goals went in, it was clear which choice the Coyotes kept opting for. The Flyers continually put more bodies in front of net and used a great passing game to dismantle the Coyotes defense. Goalie Mike Smith was pulled after the first 20 minutes and spent the rest of the game on the bench.
Heard: A silent Jobing.com Arena.
When you’re on the road, you want to take the crowd out of the game. Going up 4-0, the Flyers silenced the crowd in Glendale. There were a few spurts of yells and cheers after hits and the Coyotes’ two goals, but the rest of the time it was rather silent. It’s tough to stay in a game where the home team is losing, but with the importance of points and the return of former goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, the Coyotes could have used a big, loud crowd.
Observed: Power play drought continues.
The power play can be a potent force in hockey, but the Coyotes don’t have a power play. In general, the power play is a lackluster struggle to make a pass or get a shot, all while having the man advantage. It looks like the Coyotes are constantly tripping over each other. After Saturday’s game, the Coyotes officially have scored only one time on the power play in their last 10 games.
