Sink or Swim

Tonight the Flyers enter the Shark Tank. Literally. The Sharks are 4-1 so far this season, having beaten the Ducks once and the Kings twice while finding time to handle the Blue Jackets this past Tuesday. Not the hardest opening schedule (read Philadelphia Flyers). They did, however, show that they're human last night when their attempt to wash, rinse, and repeat was foiled by JS Giguere. This is the first game of a stretched out home and home whose second half won't be played until Wednesday in Philadelphia.

The Sharks are off to a good start this season under rookie head coach, and former Red Wings assistant, Todd McLellan. They're a team that's incredibly strong on offense and not too bad on defense either. Up front they have names like Thornton, Marleau, Cheechoo, Michalek, and Clowe. On defense they added Rob Blake and Dan Boyle over the off-season. Most likely because the Flyers had already gobbled up Steve Eminger and Tim Ramholt.

There's three players who will be of more interest to Flyers fans than the skilled guys already mentioned:

JR - No text messages were sent out this summer so it must mean that Jeremy Roenick is still kicking around in California. On the verge of his two thousandth game he's decided to stick around and take one last shot at Lord Stanley's cup. At 38, he's relegated to a role on the fourth line but you can count on him being up to his old antics during any one of his six shifts out there.

JS - Bet the farm that the Shark's enforcer is looking for revenge on Riley Cote after last year's ass-whomping in Philly. Rumor has it he Kelly Youngblooded the shit out of anywhere for 4 -7 punching bags this summer in preperation for tonight's game.



Brian Boucher - Last year Bouche had the chance to earn an NHL job so we let him leave the Phantoms for San Jose. Maybe he can return that favor by replacing the contents of Evgeni Nabokov's water bottle with ground up Slim Jim's. Or even better, by starting.

The Flyers are bringing the worst record in the NHL into San Jose tonight. All the coach only, captains only, and player only meetings in the world won't get them two points if they don't come out tonight and play ice hockey. Fast skating, smart positioning, good passing, disciplined hockey. They don't need to make the playoffs tonight, they just need to win one game.

Here are our dream lines:

Gagne - Briere - Knuble
Downie - Richards - Metropolit
Hartnell - Carter - Lupul
Cote - Upshall - Asham

Timonen - Coburn
Alberts - Vaananen
Eminger - Sbisa