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Reading Eagle, Pa., Matt Malinowski Column: Flyers Make Statement Vs. Ottawa

Posted on: Friday, 23 December 2005, 12:00 CST

By Matt Malinowski, Reading Eagle, Pa., Reading Eagle, Pa.

Dec. 23--PHILADELPHIA -- "I think what we've shown is we can compete against anybody. But there's competing and there's beating. Ottawa is a measuring stick for us. We want to beat them. We want to show that we're as good or better than they are."

That above statement by Philadelphia Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock was smattered all over the press clippings entering Thursday night's showdown with the Ottawa Senators at the Wachovia Center.

And moments after the Flyers hung on for a 4-3 victory over the top team in the Eastern Conference, the questions and answers all centered on the same thing.

Essentially, they were all rehash of that above statement.

Want proof? Well, here's a summary of Hitchcock's first comments after Thursday's victory:

"I think there is competing against teams and then there is beating them," Hitchcock said. "We need to win these games if we are going to improve. . . We still need to win these games to prove to ourselves that we are trying to be a top dog here."

Digest that statement again, and then chew on these little nuggets: Haven't the Flyers already proven they not only can compete with, but beat the mighty Senators?

Is it the Flyers who are the measuring stick for the Senators?

After all, the teams have played two games, and the Flyers have celebrated victory each time.

And wasn't it the Flyers who went to Ottawa earlier in the season and handed the Senators their first home loss? Didn't the Flyers respond to a Senators rally by scoring the final three goals in that victory?

Isn't it true the Flyers have scored nine goals in the two games against a Senators team that has allowed the fewest goals in the league?

So again, we pose the question: Are the Flyers the measuring stick for the Senators?

Well, perhaps that's getting a little bit ahead of ourselves. Top to bottom, from their offensive brilliance to their physical presence to their dangerous power play, it's tough to say any team is better than Ottawa.

But after two meetings this year, it's safe to say that if the Flyers play with vigor and emotion, they are more than capable of recording a knockout against the conference heavyweight.

In fact, the Flyers flat-out dominated the Senators for long stretches Thursday night. They played their best first period of the season in jumping to a 3-0 lead.

The Flyers scored pretty goals, such as the one-timer by Mike Knuble and the nifty redirection by Sami Kapanen. They were rewarded for hard work and hustle on a goal by R.J. Umberger. And they got a terrific performance in net by Antero Niittymaki, who seems to get better every night.

What we also learned is that when the Senators shift into turbo boost and the Flyers let off the gas a bit, well, the ice tilts in Ottawa's direction.

The building went from euphoria to paranoia when the Senators banged in two quick goals in the second period to cut their deficit to 4-2.

And many in the house were gnawing on their cuticles in the third period when the Senators cut it to one.

But those fears were replaced with cheers when the final horn sounded.

"I think when you play great teams like Ottawa, they give you a chance to look at yourself realistically in the mirror," Hitchcock said.

And that image is of a Flyers team that can do more than just compete with Ottawa.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Reading Eagle, Pa.

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Source: Reading Eagle

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