After winning the first three games against Pittsburgh and then being pushed to a Game 6 overtime, a bunch of the young Flyers may have gotten over some nervousness.
The Flyers had a well deserved day off on Thursday after eliminating the Penguins late Wednesday night. Coach Rick Tocchet held a noon media Zoom call and one of the main topics was how well the Flyers will be prepared mentally for the next round against the vaunted Carolina Hurricanes.
Did the demanding series against the Penguins really help in the process?
“Absolutely,” Tocchet said. “Every game, even though it’s heightened in the playoffs, is a new game for a guy. A guy can have a couple bad games, then reset. You’re getting another opportunity in the playoffs.”
Tocchet brought up a story from a playoffs past.
“(Ex-Chicago Blackhawk) Jonathan Toews, an unbelievable player, I don’t think he scored in two series when they won the (Stanley) Cup,” Tocchet said. “I don’t think anyone knows that, all they know is he’s a great player, won the Cup, great leader.
“Things might not go your way, you might not score for six or seven games but that new opportunity every game is important. We have some guys that have to get going but it’s a clean slate. It’s zero-zero again. You can energize yourself because it’s a new game.”
>Not lots of shots
The Flyers have done a good job limiting shots on goal this season and now they face a team which can shoot with the best of them.
Tocchet talked about the idea of keeping an opponent’s best shot opportunities to the outside and at wide angles. Not to mention blocking them.
“We know the way they play,” Tocchet said of the Hurricanes. “It doesn’t matter what the other team does. That’s the way they play. Saying that, we’re going to have to tweet a little bit defensively because we’re playing a high shot volume team.”
How do you limit the damage?
“There are some staples that we’re going to have to do against that. Running around, leaving the weak side open sort of stuff is a recipe for disaster. That ‘bend don’t break’ defense is going to help. They’re going to press on you. We’re going to have to make sure we protect certain areas.”
>Michkov responds
After a one-game benching, Matvei Michkov came up with a strong Game 6, including a couple solo rushes plus an assist on Cam York’s overtime winner.
“They’re called building blocks,” Tocchet said. “I know he’s a lightning rod (for media scrutiny) but he’s just a guy trying to build his game. We’re trying to help him while he’s trying to help himself. I thought last night was a building block for him.”
>Sanheim contains Crosby
Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim did a nice job helping to contain Pittsburgh star player Sidney Crosby. What worked there?
“I thought ‘Sanny’ and ‘Risto’ (Rasmus Ristolainen) were monsters out there for us,” the coach said. “They played heavy minutes against a team that’s had a ton of success the last 18, 20 years. They did a hell of a job.”
>Recovery time
The Flyers will have some needed time for several players to mend before the series with the Hurricanes starts.
That said, the players are anxious to get going.
“A couple players came in and they were going, ‘we’d like to start right away.’ Try to keep this high, maybe the other team is a little bit rusty,” Tocchet said. “There are a couple guys who are banged up. I’d like them to get two, three days off. We’re going to have to deal with it mentally either way.”
>Seeler steady
One of the key performers in the first round was defenseman Nick Seeler. He was all over the ice, delivering checks, finding the open man on breakouts and making his presence felt on practically every shift.
“I’m a big puzzle guy and he fits the puzzle,” Tocchet said. “He’s the guy that might not have the light shining on him all the time but he comes to practice every day, he’s a leader, says the right things in the room and will do anything for his teammates.
“You’ve got to have those guys if you want to win a Stanley Cup.”
Be the first to comment