Flyers Forwards Making Adjustments Under Berube

VOORHEES — Running his first full practice as head coach, Craig Berube’s barking orders could be heard from the press room, a level above the ice through the glass that looks onto the rink.

The Flyers’ new bench boss has precious little time to install a new system, one that focuses on more responsible play in the defensive zone.

“It’s a five-man D-zone coverage,” Berube said. “We’ve got to do more and we’ve got to be better. We’ve got to have more awareness. We puck watch too much.”

In the Flyers’ first game under Berube, one in which the only instruction the players had was a 55-minute morning skate, the team was outshot 34-30 by the Florida Panthers.

By the time the puck drops Friday against the Phoenix Coyotes, Berube hopes his team will be a little stronger in the defensive zone. He isn’t so concerned about the lack of offense, even though it took four games for the Flyers to score multiple goals.

“I think sometimes you press, press, press to score because you’re not scoring and losing games,” Berube said. “Again, I’ll revert back to it – your play without the puck is the most important thing right now. When you do that, and we’ll do even a better job than we did last game, we’ll get more opportunities the other way.”

The change in philosophy from what former coach Peter Laviolette was preaching means an assignment adjustment for the forwards in their own zone.

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