Dream denied: Flyers fall short

(Photo by Andre Ringuette/Getty Images)

The Flyers played every game in the 2010 Playoffs with all of their heart but unfortunately it just wasn't quite enough to win it all. After scoring a late goal in Game 6 to push the game into overtime, the Flyers lost 4-3 on a bad angle goal by Patrick Kane and were eliminated by Chicago, who won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years.

It was a hell of a run for the Flyers and it is one I will never forget. From the shootout goal that got them into the playoffs to the incredible comeback against the Bruins to their never say die attitude, the Flyers gave us a ton to cheer about in their improbable playoff run. In the end, the Blackhawks proved to be the better team but it's good to know that our team never gave up and fought until the bitter end. As fans, that's about all we can ask from our teams.

I will get to much more on the Flyers and what the offseason holds for them in the coming weeks. For now, I think we're all going to need some decompression time to really grasp all that we have experienced with this team. Thank you, Flyers, for a tremendous season. I can't wait for the quest for the 2011 Stanley Cup to begin.

Flyers fall in Chicago again, face elimination

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The 2010 Stanley Cup Finals have been all about the home team as the Flyers and Blackhawks have each been perfect on their home ice. Game 5 proved to be no exception as the Blackhawks jumped all over the Flyers to earn a 7-4 win and give them a 3-2 series lead.

The Flyers picked the worst possible time to be off their game when they came out completely flat in a first period that looked like a 20 minute Chicago power play. For a while, the Flyers actually looked like they might weather the Blackhawk storm and get out of the first unscathed but Chicago eventually found their scoring touch and built a 3-0 lead. The Flyers did finally wake up in the second and attempt to make a game out of it but didn't play solid enough in their own end to make another memorable playoff comeback.

Defense, or lack thereof, was the story of the night for the Flyers. While Michael Leighton was run from the game yet again, he really only let in one truly bad goal; the rest of the damage was done due to a number of breakdowns in their own zone. From Braydon Coburn making egregious turnovers to Chris Pronger (-5) playing a truly terrible game, the Flyers defense was exposed early and often in this one. To make things worse for Pronger, his nemesis Dustin Byfuglien finally got going, picking up 2 goals and 2 assists after being basically shut down in the previous 4 games. The one silver lining about Pronger's poor game is that he laid an egg in the Montreal series, putting up a -3 in Game 3, and bounced back to help the Flyers eliminate the Canadiens in quick order. Hopefully he can be the leader in turning the Flyers defense back around.

The goal remains the same for the Flyers after Game 5: they still must knock off the Blackhawks in Chicago. Of course, they also still have to protect their home ice in Game 6 to earn a return trip to Chicago but they have been a solid 9-1 at home so far in the playoffs. As we have learned all playoffs long, the Flyers do well with their backs against the wall, compiling a 4-0 record in games where they have faced elimination. You can bet that Peter Laviolette will make the proper defensive adjustments and that the Flyers will not go out without a fight. This team really seems to thrive when their season is on the line so I'm expecting them to come out with a ton of energy in Game 6; hopefully that energy carries them into a Game 7 and they get another crack at knocking off the Blackhawks in Chicago.

They're down but not out, Flyers fans. If you think they aren't going to fight until the final horn blows and 4 losses are on the board, you haven't been paying attention.

2 wins away: Flyers even up Finals

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Once again, the Flyers have proven no deficit is too great. After the Blackhawks won the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals, several national media members were ready to hand the Cup over to Chicago. The Flyers and their fans knew better, of course; they knew that Team Resilient was going to make some noise before all was said and done.

And make noise they certainly did in a crucial Game 4, knocking off the Blackhawks 5-3 to erase their two game deficit and make it a 3 game series for the Cup. While a late charge from Chicago made for some nervous moments in the final minutes of the game, the Flyers controlled play for most of the night, carrying two and three goal cushions from late in the first all the way until midway through the third. Heroes for the Flyers abounded, from the Captain Mike Richards leading off the scoring to the unsung Ville Leino netting the game winner in the third. Oh, and don't forget about Chris Pronger; he was all over Chicago in this one and earned a +4 in nearly 28 minutes of ice time.

Two interesting stats jumped out to me after the game. First, the Flyers have yet to lose a game in the playoffs after their series reached a Game 4. That's right, the Flyers are now 9-0 in Games 4, 5, 6 and 7 in all of the 2010 playoff series' combined. I'd say that's a team that gets better the later a series gets. The other interesting stat is the Blackhawks have now lost two straight games for the first time this postseason. The Flyers seem to be getting into Chicago's heads as their remarkable 7 game winning streak is now a distant memory.

While the Blackhawks are now the team that is facing some adversity, they still have home ice advantage with 2 of the last 3 being played in Chicago. All the Flyers have done to this point is protect their home ice; they will need to steal one in Chicago if they want to bring home the Cup. With all of the momentum in the Flyers favor right now, Game 5 might be their best chance to get that elusive road win.

Just 2 more wins separate the Flyers from the Stanley Cup. How surreal is that?

Giroux's OT winner gets Flyers back in series

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

They're not dead yet! In yet another game decided by just one goal, the Flyers won Game 3 against the Blackhawks after Claude Giroux tipped a goal past Antii Niemi in overtime. The 4-3 win cut the Blackhawks lead in the series down to 2 games to 1 and got the Flyers right back in the series with their first win in the Stanley Cup Finals in 23 years.

Game 3 was just more proof that the Flyers play their best with their backs against the wall. Facing what was essentially a must-win game, the Flyers showed poise throughout the game and even managed to score twice in overtime if it wasn't for a quick whistle. They key word with this team in resiliency; they aren't going to give up the Cup without a fight.

This series is clearly between two very evenly matched teams that are fighting tooth and nail to win each and every game. With each game in the series being decided by one goal so far, it's a pretty safe bet we've got a few more exciting games ahead.

Here's video of the OT winner so you can re-watch it in all its glory:

Niemi turns Flyers aside in Game 2

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Sometimes you can do just about everything right in hockey and simply get beat by a red-hot goaltender. While the Flyers weren't perfet in Game 2, they showed quite an improvement over their play Game 1 yet it wasn't enough to beat Antii Niemi and the Blackhawks, who won 2-1. The loss puts the Flyers in a 2-0 hole in the Stanley Cup Finals, a disappointing circumstance but nothing the Flyers aren't equipped to fight their way out of (see: Round 2 vs. Boston).

Niemi was the story in Game 2, stopping 33 of the 34 shots he faced. While he was solid all game long, Niemi came up huge in the third period as he stopped 15 shots when the Flyers kicked things into high gear in an attempt to tie the game. When a goaltender is seeing the puck as well as Niemi was tonight, it usually takes some kind of funny bounce or crazy play to get a goal, something the Flyers only managed once on the power play when Simon Gagne buried a bouncing puck.

The Flyers now come home to Philly staring a two game deficit in the face. Many of the same things that were said in the Boston series apply here as well: nothing is done yet, the Flyers just have to protect their home ice, Game 3 becomes a must win, etc. While we can all point to the Bruins series as evidence that the Flyers are never out of it until they actually lose 4 games in a series, it's easier said than done for them to come back against this very solid Blackhawks team. Not to take anything away from their amazing comeback but Boston didn't have the firepower or the defensive prowess that the Blackhawks possess, making getting back into this series an extremely difficult task.

Not that it can't be done. The Flyers have shown us time and time again that they will not go down easily. Given how close the first two games have been, there is no reason anyone should lose faith in the Flyers. All they need is a few good bounces and the best fans in hockey to get behind them in Game 3 to turn the momentum of the series back in their favor. Winning 4 out of the next 5 sounds daunting when you look at the big picture but you can bet the Flyers will be taking it one game at a time. Besides, when you've overcome an 0-3 deficit, an 0-2 deficit is almost laughable.

Keep the faith, Flyers fans. I guarantee you this team isn't even close to giving up.

Flyers lose wild Game 1 to the Blackhawks

(Photo by Andre Ringuette/Getty Images)

I'm pretty sure Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals didn't go how either team planned it, with goals came early and often in this one as both teams played sloppy hockey in the first two periods. After trading one goal leads back and forth all game long, the Blackhawks eventually scored last and then held on to beat the Flyers 6-5 and take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Whether it was the long layoff or the unfamiliarity with their opponents, the Flyers didn't play with the same focused intensity that they had against the Canadiens. Sure, the Flyers made things happen in the offensive end in the first two periods, but they weren't the same team defensively as they made bad turnovers and spent a lot of time watching the Blackhawks rather than playing the puck. The Flyers must play better than that against a Chicago team that will make you pay for all of your mistakes.

On top of losing the game, we now may have another goaltending controversy in Philadelphia. After giving up 5 goals in 20 shots, Michael Leighton was pulled from the game and replaced with the returning Brian Boucher. While Boosh wasn't exactly perfect, he did allow only one goal and made 11 saves, a few of them of the highlight variety. What this means for who starts in net for Game 2 for the Flyers is anyone's guess. Did the Flyers pull Leighton as an attempt to fire up the team or was it simply for how poorly he was playing? And, did Boucher shake enough of the rust off and prove that he is ready to jump back into the starting role?

While it is depressing that the Flyers lost Game 1, there were still a few positives to take from the game. Shockingly, the Flyers didn't have a penalty the entire game, a trend they would be smart to continue considering the Blackhawks can be lethal on the power play. The Flyers also did score 5 times on Antii Niemi, proving they know what it takes to get the puck past him. Had the Flyers actually won the game, we would also be singing the praises of Scott Hartnell, who played some of his best hockey in the season en route to a one goal, two assist night.

After losing Game 1, the goal remains the same for the Flyers: win one of the first two in Chicago. While their effort wasn't particularly inspiring, at least the Flyers didn't get blown out even though they weren't playing their game. It's going to take a much better effort out of the Flyers if they want to knock off the Blackhawks in Game 2 but no one ever said winning the Cup was going to be easy. I trust that Laviolette will make the necessary adjustments and the troops will be ready to roll and make this thing a series.

Flyers vs. Blackhawks: Stanley Cup Finals Breakdown

Four more wins. I still can't believe we've gotten to the point where all that stands between the Flyers and history is four more wins. After all of the tumult this season, from the coach firing to the slew of injuries to the need for a shootout win to even get into the playoffs, who would have thought the Flyers would be just four wins away from winning their first cup in 35 years? Of course, the Flyers still have quite a mountain to climb given that those wins are going to have to come on the biggest stage in hockey against the best team they have faced in the playoffs. While nearly all of the experts have sided with the Blackhawks, let's take a closer look at the two teams in the Stanley Cup Finals and see if the Flyers have what it takes to prove the experts wrong.

Offense: The Flyers appear to have met their match at forward for the first time in the playoffs. In every other series, the Flyers have had a major advantage in the depth department at forward. Not so with Chicago, who rolls out some serious firepower in the form of four players with 7 or more goals in the playoffs. We all know about the kids like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and a red-hot Dustin Byfuglien but the Blackhawks also boast other big scorers like former Flyer Patrick Sharp and perennial Stanley Cup runner-up Marian Hossa. This group of forwards is going to test the Flyers defense in a way it hasn't seen yet in the playoffs.

As for the Flyers forwards, they got even stronger with the returns of Jeff Carter and Ian Laperriere. If Danny Briere, Mike Richards and Claude Giroux can continue their hot streaks, the Flyers should be in good shape up front. Of course, the Chicago defense has been known to stifle the top lines of the opposition so it could be up to someone like Scott Hartnell or Arron Asham to create a spark. While the Blackhawks forwards are the bigger names, the Flyers forwards can hang with anyone in the league, so I call these two teams even at forward.

Defense: Team defense has been the Flyers strength this entire postseason. Led by playoff stud Chris Pronger, the Flyers seem to have found another gear and have shut down whatever the opposition has thrown at them. Much the same can be said about the Blackhawks, too, but there is one difference between these two teams: the Flyers only go 4 deep while Chicago goes 5 deep. The Flyers have been making a regular habit out of hiding Ryan Parent and Lukas Krajicek when at all possible, something that could wear down their top 4 d-men. Chicago, on the other hand, has 5 defensemen that they trust to play 18 or more minutes per game and all have a plus/minus of at least 3. Because of their tremendous depth, the Blackhawks get the edge on defense.

Goaltending: The Flyers have what is perceived to be the weaker goalie heading into every round and yet they always seem to have the better goaltending when all is said and done. While both are in their first playoff runs, Antii Niemi has had to come up with more big saves in the playoffs than Michael Leighton. While Leighton's numbers are much better than Niemi's, he is a product of the Flyers system rather than a goaltender who has had to stand on their head. Based solely on pure talent, Niemi is the better goalie, giving the Blackhawks the advantage in net.

Special Teams: It's hardly shocking that the two teams with the best special teams play in the playoffs have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Look for some interesting matchups here, especially on the Chicago power play, where the Hawks have been stellar and the Flyers have been monsters on the penalty kill. Something will have to give in the series but, for now, these two teams are even on special teams.

Looking at the two teams on paper, the Blackhawks are the better hockey team. They are loaded with skill players at every position and just swept a very good Sharks team to get to the Finals. Why, then, am I picking the Flyers to win the Cup in 7 games? Because, as they have proven time and time again in the playoffs this year, the Flyers are better than the sum of their parts. Their defense, which at times during the regular season looked terrible, always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Their offense, which was spotty and inconsistent all year long, is getting contributions up and down the lineup. Whether Peter Laviolette is simply pushing all the right buttons or they have just found another gear, the Flyers have been rising to the occasion in every round and showing they are willing to do whatever it takes to win the Cup. It's going to be a big task to get past the Blackhawks but when the Flyers have met every challenge in the playoffs so far, why should we think they won't meet this one?

The experts predict the Stanley Cup Final

It already feels like it's been an eternity since the Flyers eliminated the Canadiens but we are still a few days away from the start of the Stanley Cup Finals. While we continue the excruciating wait, several NHL "experts" are weighing in with who they think will win the Cup. Here is just a sampling of predictions from around the internet:

Pierre LeBrun, ESPN: Chicago in 6
No upset here, but perhaps a longer series than some would like to think.

Barry Melrose, ESPN: Chicago in 6

The Hockey News: Chicago in 6
Had you said in October that Chicago and Philadelphia would be the two teams playing for the Stanley Cup, that would have sounded reasonable. Now it seems almost preposterous, but the Flyers are clearly beginning to play to their potential. But the way we see it, the Flyers, like the Predators, Canucks and Sharks, will be no match for the Blackhawks lethal combination of speed and skill.

Kevin Allen, USA Today: Chicago in 6
The Blackhawks have the NHL's longest active Stanley Cup drought of 49 years and that will end in a couple of weeks.

Wes Goldstein, CBS Sports: Chicago in 7
On paper, this reads like a mismatch between a No. 2 seed in Chicago and a No. 7 seed with Philadelphia, both with good special teams and led by heart-and-soul type captains in Richards and Toews. Either might very well end up as the playoff MVP if their team wins.

Greg Wyshynski, Yahoo Sports: Chicago in 7
Great, gritty battle between two teams loaded with big names and quality grunts. The Hossa Hex ends, much to our chagrin.

Every other Yahoo Sports Expert: Chicago in 6

As you can tell, there seems to be a consensus that the Blackhawks are the heavy favorites to win the Cup. In fact, I had to search far and wide to find any experts from the national media that were picking the Flyers and I only came up with two: John Buccigross and Scott Burnside of ESPN. Good thing they don't award the Cup before you actually play the games.

As for my prediction, check back Friday for my complete breakdown of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Flyers vs. Blackhawks Stanley Cup Finals Schedule

For the first time in 13 years, the Flyers are back in the Stanley Cup Finals. Let's hope things go a little better this time than they did back in '97. Thankfully, while this Blackhawks team is good, it's no juggernaut like the late 90's Red Wings were. Here is the schedule for the Stanley Cup Finals:

Game 1: Saturday, May 29, Philadelphia at Chicago, 8:00 pm
Game 2: Monday, May 31, Philadelphia at Chicago, 8:00 pm
Game 3: Wednesday, June 2, Chicago at Philadelphia, 8:00 pm
Game 4: Friday, June 4, Chicago at Philadelphia, 8:00 pm
Game 5: Sunday, June 6, Philadelphia at Chicago, 8:00 pm
Game 6: Wednesday, June 9, Chicago at Philadelphia, 8:00 pm
Game 7: Friday, June 11, Philadelphia at Chicago, 8:00 pm

Check back later for much, much more on this series!

The Flyers are Eastern Conference Champions!!

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

And the unlikely run continues. It's shocking, really, that the Flyers, who were a shootout goal away from not even making the playoffs, are now moving on to the Stanley Cup Finals following a tense 4-2 win over the Canadiens in Game 5. The win gave the Flyers a 4-1 series win and moved them onto the Finals where they will face a tough Blackhawks team that is fresh off a sweep of the Sharks in the West.

As has become the norm, the heroes for the Flyers in Game 5 came from several sources, with a usual suspect like Mike Richards scoring a hustle short-handed goal, Arron Asham scoring the unlikely goal and Jeff Carter contributing two goals, one on an empty net, in his first points since the first round. Michael Leighton wasn't great in net for the Flyers but he made just enough saves and the Flyers blocked just enough shots in the final minutes to hold on for the win.

The Flyers are now just 4 wins away from winning the biggest prize in hockey. Before we start planning a parade, though, it's going to be a tough 4 wins to get against a scary-good Blackhawks team. For now, let's just enjoy the ride this team has taken us on and worry about Chicago later. It has taken so much heart and so much determination for them to get this far, I for one don't doubt that they can give the city it's first Stanley Cup in 35 years.