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Flyers need scoreless Giroux to spark them against Penguins
Claude Giroux carried the Philadelphia Flyers into the playoffs.
The Hart Trophy candidate might be the reason they get knocked out in the first round if he can’t become the force the Flyers need to have a chance against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Only six years ago, Giroux was dubbed “best in the world” by former coach Peter Laviolette after he posted six goals and eight assists in six games and a rare playoff series win over the Penguins. Playing in a major market, Giroux was on his way toward NHL superstardom.
Six years later, the Penguins have won two Stanley Cups, the Flyers haven’t advanced out of the first round and Giroux’s standing as one of the NHL’s best has wildly fluctuated: The 30-year-old followed two mediocre seasons with a career year this season, reaching personal highs in goals (34), assists (68) and points (102). He added a hat trick on the final day.
His production has again vanished in the playoffs.
The Flyers captain has no goals and one assist in three games - the Penguins hold a 2-1 series lead headed into WEdnesday’s Game 4 - in a postseason slump that dates to 2014. He again had no goals and one assist in six games against Washington in 2016 and scored two goals in seven games in 2014 against the New York Rangers. Giroux’s last playoff goal came on April 29, 2014.
In the Game 3 loss to Pittsburgh, Giroux took four shots on goal and led the Flyers with 10 shot attempts - four on goal, one that was blocked and five that missed.
“There’s a lot of hockey left to play here,” Giroux said. “I have no doubt that we’re going to come out strong in Game 4.”
Jake Voracek and Wayne Simmonds (who dropped from 31 goals in 2017 to 24 this season) are also scoreless for the Flyers.
“Our team’s got to elevate our play overall,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “There’s nothing drastic that needs to be done.”
That didn’t stop Hakstol from mixing up his lines at practice Tuesday, when Sean Couturier was injured. There was no immediate word on his status.
The Flyers have hit these rough patches before, losing 10 straight games over November and December before bouncing back to land in the post-season.
“Our guys have been through similar situations,” Hakstol said. “This one’s just a little bit more elevated.”
The Penguins will play Game 4 without Patric Hornqvist, who has a goal and two assists in the series and is out with an
undisclosed injury. He was on the top line with Sidney Crosby in Game 3 and was third in the league in power-play goals this season. Hornqvist was checked from behind into the boards by Philadelphia’s Andrew MacDonald in Game 3.
CLOSE IT OUT
Only four NHL teams have taken a 3-0 series lead like San Jose has over Anaheim and lost a best-of-seven series. The Sharks just happen to be one of them, having collapsed against the Los Angeles Kings four years ago in the first round. That’s one reason why the Sharks head into Wednesday’s Game 4 at home against the Ducks with a sense of urgency to close out
this series.
“Enough has happened in this room where I think we understand the challenges that still lie ahead of us,” captain Joe Pavelski said. “We want a good start, we want to come out and put it on the line. We’re going to have to earn this next game for sure.”
The Sharks have controlled the series, outscoring Anaheim 14-3 following an 8-1 victory in Game 3. Anaheim allowed four power-play goals as the Ducks lost their composure as well as the game.
“I mean, we got to win a game,” captain Ryan Getzlaf said. “Our focus has got to be to win that Game 4 and that’s all we can do.”