For those who care about hockey (specifically Flyers hockey)

[rep the dems]

John Stevens has been fired as head coach.

http://www.csnphilly.com/pages/landing_09?FIRED-Flyers-Fire-Stevens-as-Head-Coach=1&blockID=99097&feedID=704

I hope this is the move that finally gets the Flyers playing at their full potential for an entire season. Almost every team goes through some rough patches, but I think we hit that point where it was just hard to imagine them winning it all without a coach who's a better motivator.

[Forkboy]

1. A victim of high expectations.

I'm surprised they aren't doing better, though they haven't played terrible by any means. Still, they weren't playing with a lot of fire in the few games I caught, at least not what you'd expect from a Philly team.

[rep the dems]

2. Well tonight was pretty terrible.

It didn't help for Emery that Carcillo went and got 9 minutes of power play for the Caps (I'd love to hear what Laviolette said to him after the game tonight) but he hasn't been the same goalie he was early in the year. We did finally manage to get some goals, but the 2nd one didn't come until it was way too late to even think about a comeback.

The Flyers have gone through these kinds of stretches before, whether it was the 10 game losing streak in February '08 or not getting our first win of the year till like 8 games into the season last year, but it's very disheartening. There's a lot of tough competition in the division, the conference, and the league and it just doesn't seem like this team is the kind that plays their best when their backs are against the wall. Doesn't bode well for the playoffs I'm afraid.

[Forkboy]

3. Might have been a case of shock last night.

We'll see if the Flyers bounce back in their next game.

I totally agree about how tough the division and conferences are, so no team can afford any real long slump. I still see the Flyers as a factor in the East when it's all said and done though.