One thing has now become fairly clear about this Flyers team.
They are not going to do anything the easy way.
And they will go exactly as far as Chris Pronger carries them.
The big defenseman, their marquee off-season free agent acquisition, is the heart and soul of the team. Routinely logging more than 30 minutes of ice time per game, all you have to do to gauge the Flyers’ chances is see how Pronger is playing.
When he plays well, they win. When he struggles … well, witness what happened Sunday night in Chicago.
The Flyers were coming off two straight big wins at home to knot the Stanley Cup Finals at two games apiece.
They were hoping to carry that momentum out to Chicago and do something neither team has been able to do in this series – win a game on the other team’s ice.
Didn’t happen.
Instead, Pronger was on the ice for six of the seven goals rung up by the Blackhawks. To complete his night, Pronger was in the penalty box for the other one.
The Flyers have done nothing easy this season, from sneaking into the playoffs via a shootout on the last day of the regular season, to rallying from a 3-0 deficit to the Boston Bruins, then roaring back from a 3-0 first-period deficit in Game 7.
The finals now return to the friendly confines of the Wachovia Center for Game 6 Wednesday night. The Flyers must win to earn a shot at returning to Chicago for the deciding Game 7 Friday night.
The Blackhawks once again have the momentum. But they have yet to win a game in Philly.
The Flyers now have questions about their defense and in goal, where Michael Leighton was pulled for the second time in this series after one period Sunday night.
Probably have the Blackhawks right where they want them.
They are not going to do anything the easy way.
And they will go exactly as far as Chris Pronger carries them.
The big defenseman, their marquee off-season free agent acquisition, is the heart and soul of the team. Routinely logging more than 30 minutes of ice time per game, all you have to do to gauge the Flyers’ chances is see how Pronger is playing.
When he plays well, they win. When he struggles … well, witness what happened Sunday night in Chicago.
The Flyers were coming off two straight big wins at home to knot the Stanley Cup Finals at two games apiece.
They were hoping to carry that momentum out to Chicago and do something neither team has been able to do in this series – win a game on the other team’s ice.
Didn’t happen.
Instead, Pronger was on the ice for six of the seven goals rung up by the Blackhawks. To complete his night, Pronger was in the penalty box for the other one.
The Flyers have done nothing easy this season, from sneaking into the playoffs via a shootout on the last day of the regular season, to rallying from a 3-0 deficit to the Boston Bruins, then roaring back from a 3-0 first-period deficit in Game 7.
The finals now return to the friendly confines of the Wachovia Center for Game 6 Wednesday night. The Flyers must win to earn a shot at returning to Chicago for the deciding Game 7 Friday night.
The Blackhawks once again have the momentum. But they have yet to win a game in Philly.
The Flyers now have questions about their defense and in goal, where Michael Leighton was pulled for the second time in this series after one period Sunday night.
Probably have the Blackhawks right where they want them.
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