Chris Pronger is a vital piece of the Philadelphia Flyers puzzle, and it's no secret that they've struggled without him in the lineup this season. He's a vital part of just about every aspect of the game, from the transition in the neutral zone, to the defensive zone (obviously) to the power play to the let's-get-going-boys stuff on the bench and in the locker room.
Sabres Vs. Flyers, Game 1: Philly Hopes To Keep Upset-Ready Buffalo In Check Without Chris Pronger
For the Buffalo Sabres, in Philadelphia tonight for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Pronger's absence certainly has to feel like a blessing. They'll look to exploit the Flyers third defensive pairing, consisting of battered veteran Sean O'Donnell and AAAA-level defenseman Danny Syvret.
Buffalo is without Derek Roy, but the offense has picked up in his absence. They'll look to use two scoring lines -- the top unit of Jason Pominville, Tim Connolly and Thomas Vanek, plus the second unit of Tyler Ennis, Brad Boyes and Drew Stafford -- to roll at the Flyers strong defense during even strength.
The Flyers counter with three scoring lines, but the focus will be on shutting down that second unit. If they can limit the Sabres attack to just one line, they should have success. If not, they could be rushing Pronger back sooner than he’s ready.
Sergei Bobrovsky will make his Stanley Cup Playoff debut against one of the league's best goaltenders, Ryan Miller. Bob played well for Philadelphia down the stretch while Miller was injured for a good portion of the last few games, so it could be an interesting battle in nets.
For more on this one, check SBNation.com’s continuing coverage of the series, as well as coverage from our blogs: Broad Street Hockey in Philadelphia and Die By The Blade in Buffalo. We’ll be covering this one live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philly tonight, so stay tuned.
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