It's Officially Leighton's to Lose...Maybe

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said during his press conference on Thursday that the goaltender with the best numbers will start Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals...and that has to be Michael Leighton, right?

Well, if we look at the numbers, Brian Boucher had a 9-18-3 record throughout the regular season with a 2.76 GAA and a .899 save percentage, but if we look at what Bouch has done in the postseason, it's equally as muddled.

Boucher in the postseason has a 6-6 record with a 2.47 GAA and a .909 save percentage and a shutout.

Leighton by far has the better numbers in the regular season and postseason. In the regular season, he has a record of 17-9-2 and a 2.8 GAA and a .905 save percentage.

Leighton's numbers in the postseason despite being pulled twice in the Stanley Cup Finals, make him the de-facto choice for Game 6. He has a 8-2 record in the 2010 playoffs since coming in following a injury to Boucher in the Boston Bruins series. Leighton has a 2.34 GAA and a .918 save percentage and three shutouts, all coming against the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Reportedly, both players weren't told before the press conference who will start Game 6 and hopefully that was not a ploy to try to out maneuver the Chicago Blackhawks because if nether player actually knew who was going to start, then this is a awful way to enter a obvious must-win situation for the Flyers.

I've been a huge fan of the way Peter Laviolette has inspired and motiavted this team since taking over for the fired John Stevens in December, but the one issue I've had with him is the way he's treated the goaltender who got him to the Cup Finals. He's been far too cavalier with the man that helped carry the team to the doorstep of the Flyers first championship since 1975.

"Our goaltender has the best numbers in the playoffs, I didn't think I had to announce it, " Laviolette said earlier today to the press.

After a shaky overall performance from the Flyers in Game 5, I wanted to see a confidence and prepared team enter the Wachovia Center tomorrow night. I hope goalie-gate doesn't affect the way the Flyers come out and respond in the biggest game of the season.

The Phillies Bats Finally come Alive

The Phils broke the 10 run barrier for the first time since mid-May and looked good doing it.

The Philadelphia Phillies (31-26) defeated the Florida Marlins in a high-scoring affair, winning 10-8. Ben Francisco had the big hit of the night with a two-out, two run single in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Philadelphia the lead for good.

The most impressive part of this game is the way the Phillies didn't give up. The Marlins scored the first four runs of this game before the Phils responded in the bottom of the third inning with their newly awakened heart of the lineup

The middle of the lineup, minus a resting Jayson Werth, looked on the ball tonight. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley had two hits each.

Howard jacked his 10th home run of the season in the third inning, a two-run blast off Marlins starter Chris Volstad.

Every player in the Phillies lineup, except catcher Carlos Ruiz, had a hit for the Phillies.

Raul Ibanez had four hits for the Phils, the most of any regular. Ibanez also had 2 RBIs on the night as he brings his total on the season to 24 total. The four hits for Ibanez are the most he's had in a game in over a year as all of his power numbers are significantly down from last year. Ibanez only has 3 home runs on the season with a .246 average.

While the bats woke up, the solid starting pitching for the Phils went away.

Kyle Kendrick got the start for the Phils and struggled through just five innings while allowing six hits and five earned runs. Kendrick didn't factor into the decision.

Jose Contreras (3-2) entered the game in the eighth inning and got the victory despite giving up a run while striking out two batters. 

Brad Lidge came in to save the game in the ninth and his performance was reminiscent of last year's version of Lidge. He made the top of the ninth very interesting as the Marlins were able to load the bases before eventually grounding out to end the game. Lidge picked up his third save of the season.

The Phils are back at it tomorrow night as we'll see a perfect rematch.

It will be the same pitching matchup as it was the night Roy Halladay pitched his perfect game. It will be Halladay vs Josh Johnson tomorrow night at the Bank with a 7:05 pm start time. Get there early, this should be a quick one.

Hamels loses No-No and the Game

Cole Hamels had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning, but once again the offense didn't do much in support of it.

The Philadelphia Phillies (30-26) lost to the San Diego Padres last night by a score of 3-1 which forced a split of the four-game weekend series. Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres broke up no-hit bid and the shut out with one swing in the seventh inning that gave the Friars a one run lead. 

Gonzalez hit another home-run in the ninth inning off Danys Baez. Those shots were Gonzalez's 12th & 13th home runs on the season and his third in two days off of Phillies pitching.

Gonzalez's first home run was followed by another blast by Scott Hairston to give the Padres a 2-0 lead in a matter of pitches.

Hamels deserved the win last night, he went eight innings and gave up three hits and two runs while striking out six.

Hamels drops to 5-5 on the season, but lowered in ERA in the process to 3.98.

The concern though turns back to the Phillies offense, which seems to greatly miss the services of Jimmy Rollins.

This Phillies offense in the 15 games since Rollins left the lineup has slumped big-time and they've stumbled to a 4-11 record in his absence. The Phils have only scored 29 runs in those 15 games and been shut out five times.

The Phils have lost six of eight, 11 of 15 and 13 of their last 19 and all the offensive stats surrounding that stretch of games have been truly offensive.

The Phillies remain two games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East.

If there was one positive to this mess of a Philadelphia lineup, you can look to the top of the order. Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco, since his return on Friday, have done their part to energize the silent 3-5 Phillies batters.

Victorino and Polanco were hot during the Phils victories on Friday and Saturday and last night they went four for eight. While the anchors of the heart of the order, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth, went one for 11.

Well, the Phillies are back at it again tonight as they open a three-game set against the Florida Marlins tonight a Citizens Bank Park.

On the mound for the Phillies will be Kyle Kendrick who is 3-2 with a 4.62 ERA. Kendrick is coming off arguably his best start of the season against the Braves last Wednesday night when he allowed olny one run in seven innings of work.

First pitch for Phillies/Marlins tonight is set for 7:05pm.