Game 4 Preview: Philadelphia Flyers @ Colorado Avalanche

The Flyers have gotten off to a miserable 0-2-1 start this year, despite playing a great game against the Penguins on Tuesday. I'm starting to get a worrisome feeling about the Flyers. They're hanging with the teams they're playing, but they haven't been able to get over the hump. Luckily, the Avalanche are winless as well. Someone has to walk out a winner tonight, why not us?

The Game: Philadelphia Flyes (0-2-1) @ Colorado Avalanche (0-3-0)

What's Good:
The Flyers that need to score have been scoring. Throughout the first three games, the Flyers have three goals from Simon Gagne, two goals from Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, and a goal from Scott Hartnell.

What's Bad:
The Flyers have been prone to allowing quick, consecutive goals this season. In a loss to Montreal, they watched a 2-1 lead turn into a 3-2 deficit in just 44 seconds. In an overtime loss to Pittsburgh, they allowed the first two goals of the game 42 seconds apart in the second period.

What to Expect:
The Flyers finally put it together tonight and get that elusive first win.

The Prediction:
Flyers 4 Avalanche 1

Phillies!

Why I Hate Gary Bettman

So after several emails and phone calls exchanged with Comcast, it turns out that it is the NHL's policy to black out Flyers games in the State College area. So now the NHL can expect an angry email from me as soon as I find the proper place to send it. It is complete b.s. that Penguins games can air here and Flyers games can't. The Phillies and Pirates are both shown here. The Sixers are shown here and I'm sure if Pittsburgh ever had a basketball team they would get aired here too. It's not right that I am forced to watch Cindy tip toe around the ice, but I don't get to see Mike Richards careen around and hit people. Gary Bettman, I hold you responsible for my anguish.

This is the email I tried to send to them:
I am a Flyers fan that attends Penn State University. Two years ago I arrived here as a freshman, and was disappointed to find out that Comcast Sports Net wasn't carried on the dorm TV network. Last year, I moved into an apartment which did carry CSN, so I was excited to finally be able to watch Flyers games again. Much to my dismay, I found out that Flyers games were blacked out all season. During the playoffs, the Philadelphia/Washington series was NOT blacked out on CSN in the State College area. However, once the Montreal/Philadelphia series started, games were once again blacked out. For most of the year I chalked up the games being blacked out to the fact that the Flyers were the worst team in the league in the 2006/2007 season. Since the Flyers made the Eastern Conference Finals last season, I expected that the Flyers games would not be blacked out again this season. I was shocked when I tried to turn on the game on Monday to see that the game was again blacked out. After talking to Comcast over the past few days it has been determined that it is the NHL blackout rules that are preventing Flyers games from being shown in State College. This is complete b.s. Penn State is right in the middle of Pennsylvania and there are just as many Flyers fans as Pittsburgh fans in State College and it isn't fair that only half the fans get to see their team play. This situation NEEDS to be fixed promptly.


But unfortunately they only allow 512 characters in the email so I cut it to this:
I am a Flyers fan at Penn State University. I was shocked when I tried to turn on the Flyers game on Monday to see that the game was blacked out. After talking to Comcast it's been determined that it is the NHL blackout rules that are preventing Flyers games from being shown in State College. This is b.s. Penn State is right in the middle of Pennsylvania and there are as many Flyers fans as Pittsburgh fans in State College and it isnt fair that only half the fans get to see their team play. Please fix this

I will be emailing them every day until I get a response I like.

Comcast, I'm Impressed

So yesterday I wrote a short entry about how I was pissed off that Comcast was blacking out Flyers games in State College. On my walk home from class today, I was thinking about who I could email to inquire about the situation. When I logged onto my computer, I already had an email that said:

K-Mart! How are you?



I read your post about games on Comcast. What channel were you trying to watch the Flyers game on? Also, what area were you trying to watch the game from? If you could let me know, I will try to provide the best answer to address your concern.



Thanks for the opportunity to assist. I apologize for any inconvenience.



Best Regards,



Mark Casem

Comcast Customer Connect

National Customer Operations
----

So I would just like to say, that I am impressed and pleased with Comcast right now, and hopefully, I'll be able to watch Flyers games soon.

Game 3 Preview: Philadelphia Flyers @ Pittsburgh Penguins

This is the first of six battles for Pennsylvania this season. Last year the Flyers won the season series 5-3, but lost the Eastern Conference Finals 4-1. This season the Flyers have gotten off to a slow start, and it doesn't help that their first road game is at Pittsburgh. The Penguins started off the season in Europe, and split the two games with Ottawa, but then lost in overtime to New Jersey on Saturday.

The Game: Philadelphia Flyers(0-0-2) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1-1-1)

What's Good:
The Flyers won twice in Pittsburgh last season. Mike Richards and Simon Gagne have both scored in each game this season.

What's Bad:
Martin Biron has given up 8 goals in 4 periods of hockey.

What to Expect:
The Flyers have come close in both of their games this season, but couldn't hang onto a lead last night, and couldn't complete a comeback on Saturday. They will need to figure out a way to get a point tonight, or the beginning of this season will begin to mirror the terrible 2006-2007 season.

The Prediction:
Pittsburgh 5 Philadelphia 2

Game 2 Preview: Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers

Game 2 of this young season pits a rematch of the 2008 Eastern Conference Semi-finalists; the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers. The Canadiens are off to a good start already, as they've gone 1-0-1 in their first two games. The Flyers started really slow against the New York Rangers on Saturday and were never able to recover. They'll have to avoid that if they want to win tonight.

The Game: Montreal Canadiens (1-0-1) @ Philadelphia Flyers (0-1-0)

What's Good:
The Flyers looked really good during the second and third periods on Saturday, they just couldn't complete the comeback. Look for that energy to continue today.

What's Bad:
The Canadiens have a lot more speed on offense than the Rangers did, so their forwards could present match-up problems for the Flyers defense all night.

What to Expect:
Marty Biron to bounce back and have a monster game. Biron played out of his mind against the Canadiens in May, maybe he just needs a foe he knows how to beat to get him on his game again this season.

The Prediction:
Flyers 3 Canadiens 2 (OT)

I HATE COMCAST

They're STILL blacking out Flyers games at State College. I call bull shit on that. But props on the NHL's game center for streaming 610 WIP flawlessly out here.