Rink Rat has hit his last 5 Saturday Night Specials in a row, and has gone 14-2 overall this year with them !!!
Saturday Night Special - Jan. 11/03
by BookieKiller.com's NHL Guru, The Rink Rat
Philly/Detroit
Versus opponent: Only meeting this season
One big problem the Detroit Red Wings had early on was Scotty Bowman. Not that he was gone, turned out to pasture after the best career of any coach the league had ever seen, but that his presence still wafted around Joe Louis Arena. The least enviable job going was being his replacement, and new coach Dave Lewis took a while, less than 15 games in truth, to find his feet. Early on there were whispers as Detroit sputtered a bit, losing to Los Angeles, Montreal, and Nashville. But a 6-5-2-0 run to start the season was followed by a 18-5-5-0 tear, as the Wings cashed 41 of 56 available points. They have won six games in overtime. They are once again a hard team to beat and, like cream in milk, they've been steadily rising to the top.
Philly is the final stop of a four game trip. So far they've managed two overtime wins and a grim 1-0 loss in Tampa Bay. Detroit is decent on the road, with a 10-6-4-0 record. They are third in the Western Conference in goals for/game and fourth in goals against. They are poor in allowing shots (30/game, 11th) but their road save percentage is a solid .920. Joseph got off to a poor start in the Detroit net but is settling in now. His save percentage is .911 which is nothing spectacular considering all the showboating he does.
The Flyers are a relentless grinding team. They occasionally score (2.16 goals/game, 14th in East) but seldom allow a goal (1.74, 1st) No fire wagon hockey here, thank you. The Flyers aren't all that great at home, with only nine wins. They might be better if they could score on the power play (10/87, 11.5%, 15th) but they make amends, sort of, by seldom taking penalties at home. They've been penalized only 68 times, lowest in the NHL. The Rangers, by comparison have been shorthanded at home 125 times, and have 28 power play goals against to show for it. Flyers have given up 15. No-one is whining about goaltender Cechmanek anymore. His save percentage is up to .914 with a goals against of 2.07 - a number Joseph can only dream about. The Flyers are showing signs of beginning to believe in themselves. Coach Hitchcock said in an interview that he thought the team tried to win games too quickly. When results didn't come the team panicked and reverted to individualistic play. The club is presently on a roll, eight of their last nine games have been on the road, but they've managed five straight wins - a home victory over Buffalo sandwiched in the four road victories.
This game is unlikely to produce much in the way of thrills. Philadelphia's sole game plan is to strangle the life out of a game, pot one goal, and hold on for dear life. This strategy could work against the Wings. Detroit has had difficulties with the better defensive teams in the league. They lost to Ottawa 5- 2, lost to Chicago 2-0, then won 4-3 in overtime, squeaked a 3-2 o/t win over Jersey and tied Dallas four times. Detroit is likely to be without defenseman Chelios for this one and his absence could prove decisive.
It won't be pretty and we're not expecting more than three goals for the game, but Philly pounds out another dour win.
Take Philly on the MoneyLine !!!
Saturday Night Special - Jan. 11/03
by BookieKiller.com's NHL Guru, The Rink Rat
Philly/Detroit
Versus opponent: Only meeting this season
One big problem the Detroit Red Wings had early on was Scotty Bowman. Not that he was gone, turned out to pasture after the best career of any coach the league had ever seen, but that his presence still wafted around Joe Louis Arena. The least enviable job going was being his replacement, and new coach Dave Lewis took a while, less than 15 games in truth, to find his feet. Early on there were whispers as Detroit sputtered a bit, losing to Los Angeles, Montreal, and Nashville. But a 6-5-2-0 run to start the season was followed by a 18-5-5-0 tear, as the Wings cashed 41 of 56 available points. They have won six games in overtime. They are once again a hard team to beat and, like cream in milk, they've been steadily rising to the top.
Philly is the final stop of a four game trip. So far they've managed two overtime wins and a grim 1-0 loss in Tampa Bay. Detroit is decent on the road, with a 10-6-4-0 record. They are third in the Western Conference in goals for/game and fourth in goals against. They are poor in allowing shots (30/game, 11th) but their road save percentage is a solid .920. Joseph got off to a poor start in the Detroit net but is settling in now. His save percentage is .911 which is nothing spectacular considering all the showboating he does.
The Flyers are a relentless grinding team. They occasionally score (2.16 goals/game, 14th in East) but seldom allow a goal (1.74, 1st) No fire wagon hockey here, thank you. The Flyers aren't all that great at home, with only nine wins. They might be better if they could score on the power play (10/87, 11.5%, 15th) but they make amends, sort of, by seldom taking penalties at home. They've been penalized only 68 times, lowest in the NHL. The Rangers, by comparison have been shorthanded at home 125 times, and have 28 power play goals against to show for it. Flyers have given up 15. No-one is whining about goaltender Cechmanek anymore. His save percentage is up to .914 with a goals against of 2.07 - a number Joseph can only dream about. The Flyers are showing signs of beginning to believe in themselves. Coach Hitchcock said in an interview that he thought the team tried to win games too quickly. When results didn't come the team panicked and reverted to individualistic play. The club is presently on a roll, eight of their last nine games have been on the road, but they've managed five straight wins - a home victory over Buffalo sandwiched in the four road victories.
This game is unlikely to produce much in the way of thrills. Philadelphia's sole game plan is to strangle the life out of a game, pot one goal, and hold on for dear life. This strategy could work against the Wings. Detroit has had difficulties with the better defensive teams in the league. They lost to Ottawa 5- 2, lost to Chicago 2-0, then won 4-3 in overtime, squeaked a 3-2 o/t win over Jersey and tied Dallas four times. Detroit is likely to be without defenseman Chelios for this one and his absence could prove decisive.
It won't be pretty and we're not expecting more than three goals for the game, but Philly pounds out another dour win.
Take Philly on the MoneyLine !!!
