Flyers outclass average Stars in Texas

It was a battle of two divisional leaders in Dallas on Wednesday night as the Stars entertained the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers had crucially been without their top points scorer, Claude Giroux, for four games but they welcomed him back against the Stars as he looked to add to his points tally of 39.

With the new $9 a seat deal being brought in by the new Stars GM Tom Galardi to boost attendances, a half decent crowd was in to see Trevor Daley’s opening shot saved by Sergei Bobrovsky in the Flyers net. It took the home team just a minute to break the deadlock as Michael Ryder, who signed from the Bruins in the off-season, rifled a wrist shot that hit the crossbar and went in after receiving a drop pass from Louie Eriksson.

The game was very open in the first five minutes as the Flyers’ defence looked very sloppy and the Stars continued to apply pressure with good puck movement and shots on goal. However, against the run of play, the Flyers grabbed an equaliser through Canadian Claude Giroux who pounced on a rebound from Jaromir Jagr’s shot with just over eight minutes gone.

Philadelphia came in to the game with a relatively high powerplay percentage so staying out of the box would be crucial for the Stars, something they have struggled to do all year. With around ten minutes gone in the first, Vernon Fiddler gave Bobrovsky a snow shower and was given two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct. After a few cracking powerplay saves from rookie netminder Richard Bachman, the Flyers took advantage of the extra man as Wayne Simmonds directed a Claude Giroux slapshot into the net for a two goal to one lead with just over ten gone.

Just four minutes later brought the Flyers their second powerplay but the Stars killed it off with ease and a good period of hockey ended with a big Michael Ryder hit. The period ended with Dallas having 10 shots and Philadelphia having 15.

It was crucial for the Stars not to fall two or three goals behind the in the second and after a scrappy start to the period they went on the powerplay after Hartnell was called for interference. Dallas’ powerplay has struggled throughout the year and they created a few looks on their chance with the extra man but couldn’t convert.

A crucial moment came with seven minutes gone in the second as veteran defender Sheldon Souray, who has been brilliant for the Stars this season, went to the bin for slashing to put the Flyers on their third powerplay of the evening. What did the Flyers do on the powerplay? They scored, of course, through Czech legend Jaromir Jagr who lifted one over the impressive Bachman’s glove after receiving a beautiful pass from the awesome Claude Giroux who got his third point of the night.

Despite a good phase of pressure from the Stars midway through the second, the Flyers maintained their two-goal lead and the frustration started to show from the Stars as the game got very fiery and physical. The game became very stop-starty with lots of pushing after the whistle as Morrow and Boudon were both sent to the box for trying to start fights. Soon after that Adam Burish and Tom Sestito were both given 10-minute misconducts for slowing the game down.

In the closing stages of the second, the Flyers went on two powerplays which both forced some top saves from the youngster Bachman in net for Dallas. The scrappy period with a lack of offense came to an end with Dallas recording nine shots and Philadelphia just six.

It was crucial that Dallas got an early goal in third as they trailed by two going into the final frame. Early exchanges were made as Giroux and Goligoski both went close but it was again turned out be a period of players getting at each other rather than some flowing NHL hockey.

With five minutes gone in the third, the Flyers got the goal that decided the game as Giroux provided a sublime cross-ice pass to Slovakian Andrej Meszaros who flicked one high into the net for his fourth of the season. Giroux’s third assist and fourth point of the night took him to the top of the NHL points scoring list, overtaking Phil Kessel of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

It was a quiet final ten minutes to the game with the only highlight being a Dallas Stars powerplay containing a trademark blast from the stick of Sheldon Souray, only to be saved by the very solid Sergei Bobrovsky. The shots ended 31 to 30 in favour of Dallas but it was a very clinical performance from the Flyers that gave the Stars a good reminder of where they need to be if they want to lift the Stanley cup in 2012.

Dallas Stars 1 – 4 Philadelphia Flyers

Scorers:

Dal – Michael Ryder
Phi – Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, Jaromir Jagr and Andrej Meszaros