…This goal was all Mike Richards, but still nice to see van Riemsdyk get a goal in front of all his friends and family (50+ were in attendance at the Rock last night).

“We keep talking about being the top team in the league, but we haven’t played that way.  We have to get our game in order.”

- Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen, after the 4-2 loss to New Jersey on Friday night.

…Kimmo Timonen sounds like a beat-up, frustrated old man in these post-game interviews lately.  I feel like we’ve seen the Flyers consistently talk about how they want to be the best, but as Timonen says in this quote, they aren’t showing it on the ice.  The pieces are there for them to be one of the top teams in this league – and certainly the top team in the East – but for whatever reason, the Flyers seem to not be able to get it together right now.

They desperately need to find that spark before the playoffs roll around because they are going to end up stumbling into the postseason while a lower seeded team like New York, Buffalo, or even Carolina will come into the playoffs on a high.  We all know how that worked in the Flyers’ favor last year – karma could get them this time around if they don’t get it together as soon as their next game, against, of course, those New York Rangers.

…There’s no doubt in my mind the Flyers miss Chris Pronger and Jody Shelley on a consistent basis in that locker room.  When their both back, maybe the team’s in-game focus will increase, but it seems to me like veterans Mike Richards, Kimmo Timonen, and Danny Briere aren’t having as much effect as Pronger and Shelley clearly did earlier in the season.

I’ve said time and time again: Chris Pronger is the Flyer the team can LEAST afford to lose, and, unfortunately, my point is being very much proven over these last few games.

Mike Richards:

Kris Versteeg

From Charlie Sheen’s Facebook Fan Page

…I think Charlie Sheen is a moron and the whole “Winning” phenomenon is even more absurd, but this is pretty funny.  Hopefully Pronger can get back into the lineup soon and the Flyers start winning some hockey games.

Check out the video here: http://nhl.cdn.neulion.net/u/videocenter/embed.swf

…Bobrovsky stopped 30 of 31 shots last night and is the ONLY reason the Flyers were able to get a point.

…I am a “Bob Believer.”  I said it after the Washington loss, and although he validated my thoughts with his performance against Pittsburgh, it would’ve been nice to have seen the Flyers pick him up on the offensive end a bit.

People need to get used to the idea of Bob being in net, quite simply because he is the future at this point as far as goaltenders are concerned, and, unless there’s an unforeseen injury or complete mental breakdown, he’ll be in net for the Flyers’ first playoff game in mid-April.  I was extremely encouraged by how he played last night, and I can only hope he’ll carry it over into one of the two games this weekend – assuming that Brian Boucher handles one of the back-to-backs on Saturday and Sunday.  Look for Bobrovsky to start against the Islanders – just a gut feeling.

…I can’t wait till Pronger comes back.  Whether it be the Rangers game, before that, or just before the playoffs begin, Pronger’s return will definitely be a jolt for this team.

“They did everything better than us in our building. That was embarrassing.  We talked after the second [period] to come out hard, and we just couldn’t get it going. We didn’t have a shot on net for I don’t know how long.”

- Flyers defenseman Andrej Meszaros after the Flyers 2-1 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.

…It was embarrassing, and, quite frankly, the game stunk.  Still, the Flyers were able to get a point despite a poor showing, and still lead the Pens by four points with a game in hand.  Obviously, that contest in the Steel City next week now looms even larger than it did before, but the Flyers must first take care of business against the Islanders and Bruins – preferably two points in the former and at least one in the latter – before they can go ahead and worry about anything concerning Pittsburgh.

I’d say the Flyers will come out charged up for the Islanders on Saturday night, but who knows at this point?  They may just assume it will be another two points.  Paging Chris Pronger: come back.