Flyers Fueled by Return of Carter, Laperriere
(from CSNPhilly.com)
By Sarah Baicker
CSNPhilly.com
May 22, 2010 - MONTREAL – With their top goal-scorer and gritty emotional leader back in the lineup, the Flyers rediscovered their heart in Game 4.
Neither Jeff Carter nor Ian Laperriere had his name appear on the score sheet Saturday afternoon at Bell Centre, but the return of both players helped create an emotional lift that boosted the Flyers over the Canadiens, 3-0.
"To have them both back at the same time was a good confidence booster to us," Michael Leighton said. "And both of them played great tonight. For being off so long, they both jumped right in the lineup and did what they've been doing all year.
"We felt more confident with them in the lineup, and they did great for us tonight."
Laperriere wasted little time getting physically involved in the game, tangling up with Roman Hamrlik and taking a roughing minor just a few minutes after the puck dropped. His showing on the penalty kill helped the Flyers survive through three critical third-period disadvantages.
"If I don't play that way, I'm not effective for my team," Laperriere said. "That first penalty, that roughing, I took a couple punches to the face, and that kind of got me going. I knew I could take a hit. I won't lie to anybody. I was nervous all night last night, and today just to take that first hit, and I did, and I got bumped around like I usually do."
Laperriere played 9:13, about three minutes less than he averages. He added that he felt "tired, very tired, but excited" after the victory.
"Lappy's obviously an emotional guy, which we feed off of," Mike Richards said.
Emotional, yes. But Laperriere emphasized that he returned to the team only because his neurosurgeons – four of them – said there was no risk of doing further damage to himself. He had completely healed from the concussion and brain contusion that had kept him out of the lineup for 10 games.
"I'm a family guy," Laperriere said. "I've got two kids at home. I've got a wife. I've got to think about that. I didn't want to be selfish, and all four of them were 100 percent sure that I wasn't. That doesn't mean I won't get hit, but I wasn't more at risk than before. And that's why I made my decision to come back. That's it."
A boost, certainly, but Laperriere's Game 4 return had been expected. That Carter played, and Dan Carcillo was scratched to make room for him, came as a shock. Carter hadn't been in the lineup since Game 4 against New Jersey, when he scored two goals but fractured his right foot.
"There's no question that having Jeff Carter (was a boost)," coach Peter Laviolette said. "He was our leading scorer. He's a 30- to 40 goal scorer now, and maybe more in the future."
But, he added, scratching Carcillo was "the toughest thing I've had to do this year."
When Simon Gagne returned to the lineup in Game 4 against Boston, his impact was felt immediately, when he scored the game-winning goal. He followed it up with a pair in Game 5.
Carter's impact was certainly more subtle, but what it did do was give the Flyers their strongest start of this series. There weren't a lot of shots in the opening period, but Carter's two shots on net led his team after the first 20 minutes. He also had the most hits of anyone on the team.
He finished the game tied for the team lead in shots, four, and hits, also four, but played just 13:15 – slightly more than five minutes below his season average.
"I felt pretty good," Carter said. "I told [Laviolette] I think I could probably give him a good 10, 12 minutes, and I left it up to him, and he let me know last night that it was in. It was a good feeling."
Playing on the wing with Richards and Gagne, Carter skated less than he would have had he been in the center, like he usually is. Though he admitted he didn't feel 100 percent, Carter did win three faceoffs, and said he felt "a lot better than I expected."
And he was just happy to be able to contribute on the ice.
"It was awesome," Carter said. "...I love to play hockey, and this is the best time of year to play, so I want to be out there. It's definitely a great feeling to be back."
E-mail Sarah Baicker at sbaicker@comcastsportsnet.com