jmd@rduxb.UUCP (Joseph M. Dakes, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, Pa.) (05/22/85)
Game 1 of the 1985 Stanley Cup Finals is history and the old adage good pitching will stop good hitting held true once again. The Flyers defense was awesome, hounding and checking the Oilers all over the ice and giving Edmonton's high powered offense very little chances to open it up. If anything, the Flyers offense was more wide open then anyone expected, playing right into the Oilers hands (skate and shoot) but the Flyers "D" wouldn't allow the Oilers to capitalize. Edmonton was limited to weak shots through out the game (Gretzky didn't have any) with the exception of the beginning of the 3rd period when Pelle Lindbergh was most severly tested. But speaking of being tested, Grant Fuhr was superb in goal. If it wasn't for him the Flyers would have blown the Oilers out. I don't get to see the Oilers play much but when I did it was always a wide open high scoring game and I was never impressed by Fuhr. He's quicker and alot better than I thought. All 3 goals he gave up were tough to stop (Flyers with a 2 man advantage, bad pass by a defenseman and Fuhr's own bad shuffle pass). However, the Oilers do seem a little sloppy on defense and the Flyers will be testing Fuhr all series long. The Flyers defense on the other hand ... what can I say? Read the Game 1 summary. Offensively the Flyers had plenty of opportunities but were turned away and once again as through out the playoffs their powerplay was non-existent. They've got to get their powerplay clicking and take advantage of Edmonton's mistakes on defense or it could come back to haunt them. All in all it was a great game to watch (especially for us Flyers' fans) and the remainder of the series should be just as exciting. My prediction - Flyers in 5. Joseph M. Dakes AT&T Bell Laboratories Reading, PA rduxb!jmd P.S. For you die-hard (bragging about such a high-powered offense) Edmonton fans who compare the Oilers to the high-powered Esposito-Orr Boston team of the early 70's (or claim the Oilers to be better) let me remind you that that Bruin team went down to defeat in the Stanley Cup Finals at the hands of a strong defensive team led by Dave Shultz, Barry Ashbee, Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent. Who was that team? The Philadelphia Flyers!
nagy@sask.UUCP (Magyar) (05/24/85)
> Game 1 of the 1985 Stanley Cup Finals is history and the old adage good > pitching will stop good hitting held true once again. The Flyers defense > was awesome, hounding and checking the Oilers all over the ice and giving > Edmonton's high powered offense very little chances to open it up. If > anything, the Flyers offense was more wide open then anyone expected, > playing right into the Oilers hands (skate and shoot) but the Flyers "D" > wouldn't allow the Oilers to capitalize. Edmonton was limited to weak > shots through out the game (Gretzky didn't have any) with the exception > of the beginning of the 3rd period when Pelle Lindbergh was most severly > tested. But speaking of being tested, Grant Fuhr was superb in goal. If > it wasn't for him the Flyers would have blown the Oilers out. I don't > get to see the Oilers play much but when I did it was always a wide open > high scoring game and I was never impressed by Fuhr. He's quicker and > alot better than I thought. All 3 goals he gave up were tough to stop > (Flyers with a 2 man advantage, bad pass by a defenseman and Fuhr's own > bad shuffle pass). However, the Oilers do seem a little sloppy on defense > and the Flyers will be testing Fuhr all series long. The Flyers defense > on the other hand ... what can I say? Read the Game 1 summary. Offensively > the Flyers had plenty of opportunities but were turned away and once again > as through out the playoffs their powerplay was non-existent. They've got > to get their powerplay clicking and take advantage of Edmonton's mistakes > on defense or it could come back to haunt them. All in all it was a great > game to watch (especially for us Flyers' fans) and the remainder of the series > should be just as exciting. My prediction - Flyers in 5. > > Joseph M. Dakes > AT&T Bell Laboratories > Reading, PA > rduxb!jmd > > P.S. For you die-hard (bragging about such a high-powered offense) Edmonton > fans who compare the Oilers to the high-powered Esposito-Orr Boston > team of the early 70's (or claim the Oilers to be better) let me remind > you that that Bruin team went down to defeat in the Stanley Cup Finals > at the hands of a strong defensive team led by Dave Shultz, Barry > Ashbee, Bobby Clarke and Bernie Parent. Who was that team? > The Philadelphia Flyers! My apologies for reprintig the entire article - I still have't got the feel of this beast. Anyhow, despite the fact that I would much rather see the Flyer's win the cup (1 in a row is always enough), I think a comment is in order after watching game 2. The Oilers simply adopted the Flyer's style and did a better job of it than the Flyer's could. The Oiler's are REAL good. Maybe next year we can get rid of them but I seriously doubt that the Flyer's can eke out a win in Edmonton. Oilers (sigh) in 5. (by the way what does the Flyers stopping the Bruins have to do with anything in today's world - it's 1985 remember? ) Derrick Nagy U. of Saskatchewan (that's in Canada) (and no I didn't have to shovel snow out of my driveway this morning)