Carter out, Laperriere ?

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Judging from the line combinations at practice right now, Jeff Carter will sit out tomorrow night?s Game 4 and Ian Laperriere will play.
As I type, Carter is centering a line with wingers Andreas Nodl and Riley Cote, while Laperriere is playing right wing on a line with Blair Betts and Darroll Powe.
That means Carter, Nodl and Cote are likely to be scratches tomorrow night.
I?m also told Carter brought just two sticks with him to Montreal and did not plan on playing in either Game 3 or 4. He is targeting his return on Monday night in Game 5 in Philadelphia.

The Flyers line combos today look like this:
GAGNE RICHARDS CARCILLO
HARTNELL BRIERE LEINO
VAN RIEMSDYK GIROUX ASHAM
POWE BETTS LAPERRIERE

Defense pairs remained the same with Pronger and Carle; Timonen and Coburn; and Parent and Krajicek

 

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Game 4 strategy: Hit, check and focus

Game 4 strategy: Hit, check and focus

The Flyers were outhustled, outshot and outplayed in their 5-1 spanking by the Montreal Canadiens in Game 3. Turns out their minds weren't focused, either, coach Peter Laviolette said in a roundabout way.

At practice Friday, there was an attitude adjustment, said Laviolette, whose team leads the Eastern Conference finals, two games to one, heading into Saturday afternoon's contest at the raucous Bell Centre.


"Our attitude was a little more crisp today," he said. "They seemed to catch our attention last night."

"Today's practice was much more upbeat, and our execution was good," captain Mike Richards said.

Danny Briere, who leads NHL players with four game-winning goals in the playoffs, said the Flyers have regrouped from Thursday's loss.

"We had a good meeting this morning. Watched a lot of clips of a lot of bad things we did that we weren't doing in the previous two series," Briere said. "But the little things that have crept into our game - bad habits that we need to shake off."

Briere said the Flyers need to play with more physicality and "get back on track" with basics, including crisper passing, stronger forechecks, and better coverage in the defensive end.

Left winger Simon Gagne said the Flyers were on their heels Thursday and need to be more aggressive.

"I don't know if we were looking to see what they're going to do, how it's going to be with the crowd and stuff like that, but we just we didn't play our game and they took it to us," Gagne said. "It's over. It's one game. We didn't expect to beat Montreal four-nothing."


Habs' goal

The Canadiens are trying to take resiliency to new heights: They are attempting to become the first team in NHL history to win a third-round series after winning the previous two series in seven games.

"Well, we've had enough practice," said Montreal coach Jacques Martin, laughing, in reference to the team's comebacks.

The Canadiens overcame a 3-1 series deficit against Washington and a 3-2 series deficit against Pittsburgh.

"Basically since the Olympic break, we've been playing desperate hockey, and it's a similar situation for the Flyers," Martin said. "When you look at it, both teams made the playoffs on their last game of the regular season. Both teams have faced elimination in their previous playoff rounds; both teams have shown a lot of resiliency."

Thursday's lopsided defeat wasn't totally unexpected. The Flyers had won six straight and were due for a letdown.

"Sometimes you lose a game by a goal, two or three guys might not be going on your team, and it costs you the game," Briere said. "But I felt (Thursday) night we probably had 15 or 16 guys not going."