Now that we are awash in orange and black (or should that be, as we suggested on our front page in print today, orange and Blackhawks), it’s little hard to believe just where the Flyers came from to reach hockey’s pinnacle.
Monday night they stuck a dagger in the Montreal Canadiens. They fell behind 1-0 before storming back to post a 4-2 win and win the Easter Conference Finals, 4-1.
But I keep going back to the final day of the regular season. Remember?
The Rangers were in town for the second half of a home-and-home to polish off the season. The Rangers had won Game 1 in New York on Friday night. The Flyers’ season would swing on the outcome of Sunday afternoon’s finale. Win and they would get into the playoffs. Lose and they could start making tee times, another huge step backward for a team that some predicted before the season to be the favorite for the Stanley Cup.
Naturally, 60 minutes was not enough to decide. Nor was overtime.
Instead, the game went to a shootout. The Flyers’ season would depend on one shot. Brian Boucher made the save, and the Flyers made it into the playoffs by their fingernails.
Once they got in, they decided to do a little damage. First, they dispatched the New Jersey Devils. That must have been too easy, especially since their M.O. now clearly was doing things the hard way.
They promptly spotted the Boston Bruins a 3-0 lead in their semifinal series. And even that was not enough for this bunch. After storming back to tie the series at 3, the Flyers promptly spotted them a 3-0 lead in the first period of Game 7 in Boston.
No problem. The Flyers stormed back to win.
Then they dominated the Canadiens, shutting them out three times in their 4-1 demolition.
Now it’s on to Chicago. Nothing has stopped this team. Not losing their starting goalie, three different times during the season. Not seeing Brian Boucher catch fire in the playoffs, only to have him go down with a knee injury. Michael Leighton arrived back just in time to take on the starring role. They lost both Simon Gagne and Jeff Carter during the playoffs. Their heart and soul, Ian Laperriere, took a puck in the face, suffering a bruised brain in the process, but still returned to face the Canadiens.
Now it’s on to Chicago, starting Saturday night. The Blackhawks are the heavy favorite.
In other words, the Flyers have them just where they want them.
Monday night they stuck a dagger in the Montreal Canadiens. They fell behind 1-0 before storming back to post a 4-2 win and win the Easter Conference Finals, 4-1.
But I keep going back to the final day of the regular season. Remember?
The Rangers were in town for the second half of a home-and-home to polish off the season. The Rangers had won Game 1 in New York on Friday night. The Flyers’ season would swing on the outcome of Sunday afternoon’s finale. Win and they would get into the playoffs. Lose and they could start making tee times, another huge step backward for a team that some predicted before the season to be the favorite for the Stanley Cup.
Naturally, 60 minutes was not enough to decide. Nor was overtime.
Instead, the game went to a shootout. The Flyers’ season would depend on one shot. Brian Boucher made the save, and the Flyers made it into the playoffs by their fingernails.
Once they got in, they decided to do a little damage. First, they dispatched the New Jersey Devils. That must have been too easy, especially since their M.O. now clearly was doing things the hard way.
They promptly spotted the Boston Bruins a 3-0 lead in their semifinal series. And even that was not enough for this bunch. After storming back to tie the series at 3, the Flyers promptly spotted them a 3-0 lead in the first period of Game 7 in Boston.
No problem. The Flyers stormed back to win.
Then they dominated the Canadiens, shutting them out three times in their 4-1 demolition.
Now it’s on to Chicago. Nothing has stopped this team. Not losing their starting goalie, three different times during the season. Not seeing Brian Boucher catch fire in the playoffs, only to have him go down with a knee injury. Michael Leighton arrived back just in time to take on the starring role. They lost both Simon Gagne and Jeff Carter during the playoffs. Their heart and soul, Ian Laperriere, took a puck in the face, suffering a bruised brain in the process, but still returned to face the Canadiens.
Now it’s on to Chicago, starting Saturday night. The Blackhawks are the heavy favorite.
In other words, the Flyers have them just where they want them.
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