PHILADELPHIA -- On the first day of training camp, the Phila

[lw789]

PHILADELPHIA -- On the first day of training camp, the Philadelphia Flyers were already a mess. By the end of the preseason, chairman Ed Snider had grave concerns about the team he founded. "I thought our training camp, quite frankly, was one of the worst training camps Ive ever seen," Snider said. "Im not talking about wins or losses. There was nothing exciting. Nobody shined. Nobody looked good. I couldnt point to one thing that I thought was a positive. "Unfortunately, my worries were realized." He only needed three games to make a move. After a winless start, the Flyers fired coach Peter Laviolette on Monday, three seasons after he led them to the Stanley Cup finals. Assistant Craig Berube, in his seventh season coaching within the organization, was promoted to replace Laviolette. He is the 18th coach in franchise history. Despite a preseason vote of confidence from ownership, Laviolette just couldnt overcome a punchless offence, a pair of journeymen in goal and a patchwork defence to jolt the Flyers out of their funk and keep his job. He dealt with rumours of his firing last season, a year in which the Flyers missed the playoffs after the lockout shortened the campaign. It was the only season in which he failed to make the post-season in Philadelphia. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren tried to mould a playoff roster in the off-season, signing forward Vinny Lecavalier, defenceman Mark Streit and goaltender Ray Emery. He also jettisoned overpriced and underperforming veterans, like goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov and forward Danny Briere. Holmgren liked his transactions. He just didnt like how Laviolette was putting the pieces together. "I think some of the additions that we made this summer were good additions," Holmgren said. "I think there was some excitement about our team going into training camp. Right from Day 1 of training camp, I was concerned. "But it was more about how we played, and it was unacceptable. We dont look like a team at all." Laviolette is signed through 2014-15. Hes just the second coach in Flyers history to coach parts of five seasons. He was hired early in the 2009 season after John Stevens was fired, and led the Flyers on an improbable run to the 2010 Stanley Cup finals, where they lost to Chicago in six games. Laviolette won the Stanley Cup coaching Carolina in 2006, and previously coached the New York Islanders. Hes still set to serve as an assistant under Pittsburghs Dan Bylsma for the United States in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. Snider backed his coach last month and brushed off suggestions that Laviolette was on the hot seat. "As far as Peter is concerned, last year was an anomaly," he said in September. "Hes been a very good coach for us." Just not anymore with the Flyers. Holmgren had a "fleeting thought" of firing Laviolette after last season, but thought the coach deserved one more chance with a full training camp. "They do need a kick in the pants," Holmgren said. Berube had 20 goals and 54 points over parts of seven seasons with the Flyers. He played for four other teams over a 17-year career and his 3,149 penalty minutes are seventh in NHL history. Berube will make his debut Tuesday, when the Flyers play host to Florida. "Just because Ive been in the organization a long time doesnt mean Im going to do the same thing other coaches did," he said. "Im not them. I have my own thoughts. I have my own way of how I want to coach." The Flyers added former forward Ian Laperriere and former Ottawa coach John Paddock as assistants, while Kevin McCarthy, a part of Laviolettes staff, was fired. Snider balked at the suggestion the Flyers should have looked outside the organization to find a coach. The Flyers havent won a Stanley Cup since 1975 and lost their last six trips to the finals. "We dont need a fresh perspective," Snider said. "We have a pretty good culture, and we know who were dealing with." Laviolette led the Flyers to three straight playoff appearances before last season. The Flyers went 23-22-3 and were 10th in the Eastern Conference with 49 points last year. There was no apparent improvement this season. The Flyers lost their opener at home last week to Toronto, then lost games on consecutive days over the weekend to Montreal and Carolina. With captain Claude Giroux without a point, and forwards Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn stagnant, they were outscored 9-3. "I would think guys are probably pretty frustrated," Laviolette said Sunday. "Offensively, if youre not scoring, everythings got to be perfect on the defensive side of things." The Flyers 1-5-1 preseason record was an ominous sign that trouble was ahead. "We all sensed it," Berube said. "We didnt play very well in the preseason. Whether you have a full lineup or not, we just didnt see the competitiveness and team-oriented play thats needed." Snider said Holmgren still has his support even as move after move -- starting with the unexpected dismantling of the young core of the 2010 finals team -- has backfired. "I think Paul did an excellent job over the summer with the three players he brought in," Snider said. "We had extremely high hopes for those three players and we still do. It remains to be seen if we were right or wrong." In a bleak era in city sports, Laviolettes firing means all four Philadelphia teams have changed coaches in the last year. Eagles coach Chip Kelly, hired in January, is now the dean of Philadelphia coaches. "Its kind of the crazy reality of what we deal with, but its unfortunate," Kelly said. "I know Pete a little bit. Hes a good guy. " . He was signed to help with depth to the receiving corps because of the loss of Shamawd Chambers to the 6-game injured list. . They named Mark Washington as their defensive co-ordinator on Thursday and appear to be closing in on an offensive co-ordinator. http://www.officialauthenticsf49ersonli ... RS-JERSEY/. Hes even holding a bat on one of his 2014 baseball cards. So far, hes playing like his picture. . The Suns termed Fridays surgery by team doctor Thomas Carter a success. creturn but the team said in a news release that he "will pursue a possible return to action during the second half" of the season. . In mens doubles, Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock reached the quarter-finals with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-4 win over Croatian Mate Pavic and Andre Sa of Brazil.MONCTON, N.B. -- Jurij Repe had a power-play goal 8:06 into the third period to lift the Saint John Sea Dogs to a 4-3 upset over the Moncton Wildcats on Wednesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Noah Zilbert tied the game 3-3 for Saint John (12-27-4) 6:15 into the third. It was his second of the night. Will Thompson also scored for the Sea Dogs, while Antoine Landry and Sebastien Auger split time in net. Landry got the start, making 12 saves on 13 shots in 30:56 of work. Auger stopped 30 of 32 shots in relief. Conor Garland scored all three goals for Moncton (23-21-2), while Alex Dubeau made 17 saves inn net.dddddddddddd The win moves Saint John into second last in the QMJHL, ahead of the idle Shawinigan Cataractes. The Wildcats sit 10th overall. --- MOOSHEADS 5 ISLANDERS 1 HALIFAX -- Darcy Ashley had a goal and two assists as the Mooseheads skated past Charlottetown. Philippe Gadoury, Brent Andrews and MacKenzie Weegar all scored as Halifax (28-16-1) reeled off three unanswered goals. Luca Ciampini opened the scoring in the first period. Zachary Fucale made 16 saves to earn the win in net. Alexandre Goulet was the lone scorer for the Islanders (17-23-5), while Eric Brassard stopped 43 shots. ' ' '