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Game 55 Preview: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Edmonton Oilers - Rexall Place - February 3rd, 2010 - 7:30 PM - TSN The Edmonton Oilers (17-31-6) host the Philadelphia Flyers (28-23-3) tonight at Rexall Place. Yes, that means that Chris Pronger is back in town. For tonight's preview, I've interviewed Ryan from the 'Flyers Goal Scored By...' blog about the impact of Peter Laviolette replacing Joe Stevens as the Flyers coach this season. We've seen in recent years how a coaching change can either have a profound or negligible impact on a team's success. Pat Quinn's still probably in what Lowetide would refer to as his 'honeymoon phase.' Basically that means that he hasn't been here long enough to criticize. We all know that he also doesn't have much of a roster to work with either. Speaking of Lowetide, someone at his site recently joked about Craig MacTavish deserving a retroactive Jack Adams award for keeping the Oilers in the playoff race as long as he did last season. Back to Pat Quinn, some have been critical about his poor line matching with the Oilers fourth line getting caught against the top opposition with regularity even when playing at home. Some have also noticed his proclivity either for throwing Jason Strudwick over the boards with a minute left in game or using Ethan Moreau for the extra attacker when we pull our goalie in the dying minutes of a game. Yesterday, Darren Dreger of TSN reported that the Oilers were pushing hard to trade Ethan Moreau or others. Over at Oilers Nation, Robin Brownlee suggested that there's a rumor that Garnet Exelby of the Toronto Maple Leafs might be invovled. Exelby who's a 28-year-old defenseman, has a contract that expires at he end of this season. Brownlee speculates that we would have to trade our 3rd round pick for the Leafs' 4rth round pick to facilitate this trade. Follow the jump for the interview with Flyers Goal Scored By and the projected lineups. 
What impact do think that the coaching change had on the Flyers this season? Obviously the Flyers have moved up in the Eastern Conference, what's changed? To tell you the truth, the coaching change probably hasn't had as much impact as the Philly media'd have you believe. The Flyers were on an awful skid when John Stevens was fired and they continued on it after Laviolette was hired. They eventually pulled out of it, which was bound to happen. I think it had more to do with the law of averages and the Flyers having some serious, serious talent on their squad than Laviolette saying "skate harder assholes!" Even though there's no way that could have hurt. So if Stevens was still coach and we had all the same players we have right now I think we'd be in a similar position in the standings. There'd just be one less shirt and tie in a box combo at a local Edmonton retailer because Stevens was a notoriously light packer.
All that being said I love how aggressive we've been in some games lately, especially pinching at the point. When we play Laviolette's system the way that gives him wet dreams we're Cup contenders, no joke. But if any team played the way their coach planned out exactly they'd always win. So he's system hasn't been an Earth-shattering revelation, it's just been quicker, harder, and therefore more fun to watch.
Basically it's just good to have a face back there that's not homegrown and doesn't bore the shit out of me. I like that Laviolette chews gum too. Gum is for killers.
We thank John Stevens for his part in the 2006-07 turn around and wish him the best in his new analyst role on Entertainment Tonight. 
Philadelphia women don't shave their armpits? 
Chris Pronger's Integrity
The Oilers won their last game against the Carolina Hurricanes. As we all know, it was both their first win of this year and decade. I had forgotten what it's like to watch the Oilers actually win a hockey game. The Flyers rebounded after firing head coach, Joe Stevens, back into 6th place in the Eastern Conference and a playoff spot at the moment. Both of their special teams have been solid with a 22.9% power play and an 80.4% penalty kill efficiency. Jeff Carter leads the Flyers with 22 goals, 25 assists for 47 points in 54 games this season. Chris Pronger's 3rd overall in team point production with 38 points in 54 games. Dustin Penner leads the Oilers with 22 goals, 22 assists for a total of 44 points in 54 games. As their been any point during this season where Penner didn't have a nearly exactly even split between goals and assists? Not that I can remember... Shawn Horcoff has yet to catch up to Ales Hemsky who only played in 22 games this season in terms of point production. Maybe he can file a grievance with the NHL to have his +/- stat reset or declare bankruptcy on his scoring debt. He's currently -25. 
Edmonton Oilers Projected Lineup: Penner-Gagner-Cogliano
O’Sullivan-Potulny-Brule
Moreau – Horcoff – Comrie
Jacques-Pouliot-Stortini Visnovsky – Chorney
Gilbert – Grebeshkov
Plante – Strudwick Dublauriers
Desnyk 
Philadelphia Flyers Projected Lineup:
Gagne – Richards – Hartnell
Powe – Carter – Briere
Van Riemsdyk – Giroux – Asham
Carcillo – Betts – Laperierre Pronger – Carle
Timonen – Coburn
Tollefsen – Bartulis Emery
Leighton
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1. I was suprised to read Pronger is third in points. He played a very solid defensive game on Monday but wasn't a factor at all in the offensive end.
2. The top line is going to hurt the Oilers tonight. They are big, they are fast and they move the puck well. Gagne and Richards seemed to take turns finding space in the slot off the cycle.
3. Carcillo is kind of fun to watch. He is like Stortini is you completely removed the screws from his head. He will piss people off but he is actually a pretty good skater when he wants to be.
4. Flyer fans are scary. I am not sure if the actual Broad Street Bullies were in Calgary but it was a real motley crew at the game Monday. There are a lot of Flyer fans out there and they take things very seriously!
Of course, it was nice to see the Flames roll over on Monday night. They were awful.