Flyers' top line stalling on all cylinders

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Scott Hartnell isn’t entirely sure what his line can do to get the scoring flowing for the Flyers in Game 4 on Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
 
He and linemate Jakub Voracek have a combined six points but only one goal in the series, and centerman Claude Giroux has just two shots.
 
This much, however, Hartnell does know: Things have to be better with their top line given the Flyers aren’t getting much scoring help, even though they had seven 20-goal guys during the regular season.
 
“We’ve played some decent stretches, but we can elevate our line a little more,” Hartnell said. “I don’t know if we are complacent or what, but we can play more in-your-face, go-after-you hockey.
 
“It’s frustrating that we have not done that a whole game. Our third period we did a lot of great things [in Game 3], but when you are down 2-0, it’s tough to come back against a team that plays great defense and blocks a lot of shots and has [Henrik] Lundqvist in net.”
 
Complacent may not be the right word. But how about hesitant? That was displayed in Giroux’s hesitation to shoot pucks in Tuesday's 4-1 loss when he had a chance.
 
Hartnell also said the Flyers need one thing to improve across the board among all lines: Make it harder on Lundqvist to see shots.
 
“He’s seeing too many pucks,” Hartnell said. “Shots we are taking are getting blocked. Even though we had 30-some shots last game, there were [28] blocks. You’re not going to win too many games when you don’t get shots through.
 
“When they do block 'em, they are usually going the other way with them. Whether it’s faking a shot or missing the net on purpose to get the bounce out, it’s a bunch of different things. You are going to see a very competitive game [tonight]. A very excited team to even up this series.”
 
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said he would like to see the Flyers not take so many shots. Besides the 28 blocked, the Flyers also had 32 on net.
 
“I do think in certain areas we found ways during the game to get better,” Vigneault said. “Like the last game. You’ve got to give Philly credit. They had the puck so much because they had the puck so often.
 
“We had to block more shots, but I’m hoping that [tonight] we can maybe set a faster pace to the game and go north-south a little bit quicker. If we can do that then I think we’ll be better. That being said, there’s so little separating teams, so what you have to get is your best performances from your players.”

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