No miracle this year: Bruins sweep Flyers out of playoffs

There will be no miracle comeback for the Flyers this season. In fact, the Flyers won't even make the Bruins sweat this time. In Game 4, it was more of the same in this series as the Bruins outplayed the Flyers on both ends of the ice and won, 5-1, and swept the defending Eastern Conference champs right out of the playoffs.

So ends the season for the Flyers, who now can only look back in disappointment. The team dominated the NHL for most of the regular season only to inexplicably stop playing hard in the final month, then saw their lethargic play carry over into a inconsistent playoff effort. While many will blame the goaltending, and rightfully so, there is plenty of other blame that should be placed on the skaters for their lack of intensity even when their backs were against the wall.

The Flyers now enter the offseason with a ton of questions. Do they finally get that elite goaltender that we've been clamoring for? Will they move out a forward or two to make some cap space? What, if anything, can they do to improve their defense? With a long offseason ahead of them, I'm sure Paul Holmgren will wrestle with how to fix this Flyers team that massively underachieved. While there is a ton of talent in this group, something has to change if another Stanley Cup run is to be made.

So another Flyers season ends in disappointment. Not that it makes it any easier but at least were are used to this feeling.
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Gonna need another miracle: Flyers trashed by Bruins, trail series 0-3

If the Flyers plan on advancing past the Bruins again this year, they are going to need another miracle. Unfortunately, given what this team has shown us in this series, that miracle isn't going to happen.

The Bruins whipped the Flyers from start to finish in Game 3, getting two goals in the first minute and then dominating the rest of the way for a 5-1 win. The Bruins were by far the better team, dominating the physical game as well as the scoreboard for the entire night. From the Bruins control of the puck to Tim Thomas in net, nothing the Flyers did allowed them to get any traction towards a comeback. Game 3 was simply a lost cause for the Flyers as they failed to show up defensively in the beginning and then didn't have the determination to get back into the game.

After what happened last year, some fans might jokingly suggest that the Flyers have the Bruins right where they want them. While they did pull off the miracle comeback and won four straight games last year, nothing that we have seen from the Flyers in this series gives us any reason to have hope. The Flyers are a mess on defense, have below average goaltending at best and haven't been able to solve Thomas. Is there a chance that they somehow figure everything out and reel off four wins again? Sure, but this Bruins team is better than last year and they have shown they can hang with even the best that the Flyers have to offer. The difference this year starts with Thomas, who should be able to win one more game in this series on his own.

While I'm hoping they turn it around, it appears the Flyers are headed for a second round exit. Given how dominant they were for the majority of the regular season, that would be nothing short of a disappointment. I guess we're all pretty used to that in Philadelphia.
(AP PHOTO)

Flyers face another deficit as Tim Thomas steals Game 2 for the Bruins

The Flyers almost have the Bruins right where they want them. After winning Game 2 in overtime by a score of 3-2, the Bruins have now taken a 2-0 series lead against the Flyers. Just one more loss to go by the Flyers and they will be ready to make another miracle comeback, right?

Tim Thomas stole the game for the Bruins, looking unbeatable after giving up 2 goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. Thomas made 52 saves in total on the night, including several of the highlight variety. There wasn't anything the Flyers could do against Thomas; no matter how often they generated a good scoring chance, he was there to stonewall them. The Flyers outplayed the Bruins for the majority of the game yet had little to show for their efforts because Thomas stood on his head.

Despite the loss, the best player on the ice for the Flyers tonight was James van Riemsdyk. This game was something of a coming out party for JVR, who had been emerging as the Flyers best forward in the playoffs. In Game 2 he took his game to another level, not only scoring a pair of goals but basically owning the ice whenever he was on it. While it may have taken awhile for him to develop, JVR has become the beast that we all envisioned when the Flyers took him second overall in the 2007 draft.

The Flyers goaltending carousel continued to turn in this one, though not because of ineffective play. Brian Boucher started the game for the Flyers and was solid in net despite letting in two goals in the first period. Midway through the second period, Boosh took a puck off the hand and had to leave the game. Sergei Bobrovsky replaced him and performed quite well, making a few sparkling saves as he shut down the Bruins for the rest of the period. Despite how well he played, Bob's night was done at the start of the third period when Boucher came back into the game. Despite giving up the overtime goal, the Flyers should feel confident in starting Boosh in Game 3.

Coming back from an 0-2 deficit in a series is nothing new for the Flyers but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy. The Flyers can take some consolation in the fact that they were the better team in Game 2 but, unfortunately, Tim Thomas probably has another game or two like that in him in this series. With the series now shifting to Boston, the Flyers are going to have their work cut out for them. Winning Game 3 and not relying on another miracle comeback will obviously be their first step in getting back into the series.
(AP PHOTO)

Defense scuffles as Bruins spank Flyers in Game 1

If the Flyers are going to win their second round series against the Bruins, they are going to need to make another comeback. Only one team showed up in Game 1 and it was Boston, who used a big second period to crush the Flyers, 7-3, and earn a big 1-0 series lead.

There isn't much to break down about this game as the Bruins were simply the better team from beginning to end. The Flyers nearly made a game out of things in the third period when they cut the lead down to two goals but Boston simply flipped the switch again and sealed the win with a pair of late goals. Offensively, the Flyers were even good at times, generating a number of chances and forcing Tim Thomas to have to make several big stops, but they couldn't dig themselves out of their massive hole.

While much will be made about the Flyers switching goaltenders in-game again, having to go from Brian Boucher to Sergei Bobrovsky, the defense deserves much of the blame for the loss. Boosh let in 5 goals before being pulled but he was really only at fault for at most two of them with the rest falling squarely on the defense that hung him out to dry. Too often, the Bruins went unchecked in front of Boucher, allowing them to get multiple scoring chances while the Flyers D seemed to sit back and watch. Knowing that the goals were not his fault, look for the Flyers to stick with Boucher in net for Game 2.

Game 1 was an ugly loss for the Flyers but, as they know, it was still just one loss. Expect the Flyers to re-group, shift their focus to playing better defense in their own end, and have a much better effort in Game 2. Inconsistency has been something that has plagued the Flyers all season long so don't be surprised to see them flying around the ice and playing great hockey in Game 2.
(AP PHOTO)

Flyers vs. Bruins: Second Round Breakdown of the rematch

On April 30, 2010, I wrote a post breaking down the Flyers and Bruins and their upcoming second round series. Exactly one year later, here I am again, writing a post breaking down a series between these same two teams. A lot has changed in the last year, particularly the expectations surrounding the Flyers, who are supposed to make another deep Stanley Cup run this year after playing the role of underdog last year. Much has changed with the Bruins as well, as they have spent the last year hoping to erase the nightmare of their postseason collapse against these same Flyers. Do the Bruins have what it takes to close out the Flyers this year? Let's take a closer look.

Offense: Depth is the name of the game for both teams, with Boston being the only team in the Eastern Conference that can even come close to matching the Flyers top three lines. Where the Bruins struggled in the playoffs to score, however, the Flyers did not, getting to stud goalie Ryan Miller early and often in 5 of the 7 games of their first round series. No team in the East can match what the Flyers bring to the table on offense, from playoff beast Danny Briere to young upstart James van Riemsdyk. Even without Jeff Carter, the Flyers can hurt you with basically any line. The Bruins have weapons of their own, like Patrice Bergeron and the ageless Mark Recchi, but they don't have one guy who should scare the Flyers and they haven't gotten much secondary scoring. With their depth making them virtually slump-proof, I give the edge on offense to the Flyers.

Defense: With Chris Pronger returning to the fold, the deep Flyers defense gets that much stronger. You could feel the impact that Pronger has immediately in the Sabres series as the Flyers played like a completely different team when he took the ice. The Bruins have a game-changer of their own in Zdeno Chara, but they don't have the complimentary pieces like Kimmo Timonen and Andrej Meszaros to back him up. With their ability to clamp down on multiple scoring lines, the Flyers have the edge on defense.

Goaltending: Tim Thomas vs. the Flyers goaltender carousel is a lopsided comparison. In this round, though, expect the Flyers to stick with Brian Boucher as their starter and not have a circus of netminders. Thomas is certainly the more talented goaltender, but if the Flyers play their usual strong defense in front of Boosh, all he has to do is be average and they should limit the Bruins to about two goals per game. While the Bruins have the big edge in net, the Flyers have plenty of experience beating superstar goaltenders; just ask Ryan Miller.

Special Teams: Both teams have struggled mightily with the man advantage, with the Bruins being one of the few teams worse than the Flyers on the power play. The penalty kill for each team has been pretty average, though the Bruins had the slight advantage in the first round. Call the special teams a wash.

One year after their epic series, these two teams square off once again for the right to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Things should be much different this time around, as the Flyers won't be giving away three games before deciding to start the series. With their depth and tremendous goaltending, the Bruins are a dangerous matchup for the Flyers, who are always prone to taking long lapses in games. Tim Thomas is good enough to win a game or two on his own for the Bruins but I don't see much else on their roster that the Flyers can't handle. I'm going with the Flyers to win the series in 6, especially after their awakening at the end of the first round against the Sabres. Honestly, if the Flyers can play anything like they did in Games 6 and 7 of the first round, Boston is going to have some serious trouble even winning one game.

Flyers vs. Bruins: Second Round Schedule

In a rematch of one of the best series in sports history, at least in Philadelphia, the Flyers and Bruins will once again meet in the second round of the playoffs. With the series set to start on Saturday, both teams get a decent rest. Here is the complete schedule for the entire series:

Game 1: Saturday, April 30th, Boston at Philadelphia, 3:05 pm
Game 2: Monday, May 2nd, Boston at Philadelphia, 7:35 pm
Game 3: Wednesday, May 4th, Philadelphia at Boston, 7:05 pm
Game 4: Friday, May 6th, Philadelphia at Boston, 8:05 pm
Game 5: Sunday, May 8th, Boston at Philadelphia, 3:05 pm
Game 6: Tuesday, May 10th, Philadelphia at Boston, TBD
Game 7: Thursday, May 12th, Boston at Philadelphia, TBD

Should be a great series! Look for more on this series in the coming days.

Flyers get a familiar second round opponent: the Bruins

The Flyers finished off the Sabres yesterday but had to wait to find out their opponent until after the Canadiens and Bruins played Game 7 of their series today. In a thrilling overtime win, the Bruins have won the right to play the Flyers in the second round of the playoffs. If that matchup sounds familiar, it's because these two teams faced each other last year in the second round and the Flyers pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in the history of sports. With the Bruins looking for revenge this year, expect a tough, long series.

The series will likely begin either Friday or Saturday and I will have much more on it in the coming days, including a prediction and a breakdown. The Bruins will be a tough matchup for the Flyers, what with their quality depth and one of the best goaltenders in the league. If the Flyers play anything like they did in Game 7 against he Sabres, though, I can't really see any team being able to handle them. Check back soon for the complete second round schedule.

Miracle achieved: Flyers pull off improbable comeback

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Have we all just witnessed the greatest comeback in the history of sports? The Flyers, down 3-0 in Game 7 after being down 3-0 in the series, somehow found it in them for one last comeback, scoring 4 straight goals to defeat the Bruins, 4-3, and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. The comeback made the Flyers the 4th team in sports history to erase a 0-3 deficit and win a playoff series, although I don't think any of them pulled it off in quite this dramatic of a fashion.

The hero of the series for the Flyers was Simon Gagne, whose return to the ice in Game 4 directly coincided with the Flyers turning the series around. Gagne not only scored the game winning goal in Game 4 and Game 7, but he also allowed the Flyers to shuffle the forwards around and roll out three lines that were legitimate threats to score. Also deserving massive credit for the comeback was head coach Peter Laviolette. Somehow, Laviolette kept the team focused on winning one game at a time and didn't let them panic when all seemed lost. It's a breath of fresh air for the Flyers to have a competent coach pushing all the right buttons.

I'm not sure there is any way I can put into words how amazing this comeback was from the Flyers. To first come back from the dead in the series and then also do it within the context of a single game shows the determination, grit and, frankly, the balls that this Flyers team has. The Flyers don't care about the score, don't care if everyone counts them out, don't care if they aren't supposed to win, they just keep on playing their game and know that, eventually, things will turn out their way.

Even more shocking after the win is wrapping your mind around the idea that the Flyers, the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference, are now hosting the 8th seeded Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Canadiens aren't your typical 8 seed, though, as they have ridden a hot goaltender past the two best offenses in the league in Washington and Pittsburgh. Still, everything is still pretty well lined for the Flyers to make an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Relish this feeling, Flyers fans. Your team just pulled off a miracle. I know that word is thrown around a lot in sports but it must be applied to what the Flyers just did. This series immediately jumps into the ranks of the greatest moments in Philly sports history and is one that we will be talking about for years to come. Hopefully the Flyers have enough left in the tank to bring home the Cup and make this comeback even more meaningful.

Goal or no goal: you be the judge

With the game tied 3-3 the Flyers took a shot that was eventually ruled a no-goal late in the second period. Here is a screenshot of the supposed non-goal:
I don't know about you but I can see Rask's pad, the puck and then the goal line all in a row. That should have been a goal.

Believe it: Flyers are going to Game 7

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

For the third game in a row, the Flyers played with their backs against the wall and, for the third time in a row, they have managed to survive to fight another day. Despite being outplayed for much of Game 6, the Flyers made just enough plays and got just enough good goaltending from Michael Leighton to earn a 2-1 win over the Bruins and force a Game 7 back in Boston. Now, with the Canadiens knocking off the Penguins, all that stands between the Flyers and being the higher seed in the Eastern Conference is one more win.

Before we start looking ahead to Game 7, though, let's look at the brilliance of Game 6. After getting an early goal from Mike Richards, the Bruins controlled the game for the rest of the first and most of the second period, out-shooting and out-hustling the Flyers despite not being able to score. While Leighton did play a great game in net, a lot of the credit has to go to the Flyers defense, who rarely allowed the Bruins a clean look at the net and blocked a whopping 30 shots throughout the night. After a goal by Danny Briere gave the Flyers a 2 goal lead, all they had to do was hold off the Bruins, which they did despite a goal in the final minute that made things interesting.

What Michael Leighton did in this game cannot be overstated. Coming off an injury and in his first career playoff start, Leighton stonewalled the Bruins for 59 minutes of play and stopped 30 shots in all. While much of the success of the Flyers goaltenders can be attributed to how well the team is playing in front of them, for Leighton to be that ready to play after not starting a game for nearly two months is truly remarkable. Hopefully he has another 60 minutes like that in him.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Flyers playoff game without a few injuries. Mike Richards had an early scare that forced him to go to the locker room briefly but returned and luckily showed no signs of injury. Blair Betts, on the other hand, suffered what looked like a separated shoulder and didn't play in the third period at all despite sitting on the bench. Early word from the Flyers is that Betts, the best penalty killer on the team, will suit up for Game 7.

So the improbable run continues. With how well they have played in the last three games, it's amazing to think they ever had a 3 game deficit against the Bruins. Clearly, the Flyers have learned how important it is to get an early lead against Boston and force their anemic offense to attempt to fight their way back into the game. The Bruins simply don't have the offensive firepower to create many solid scoring chances against a Flyers defense that seems to be one step ahead of them at all times.

The Flyers are clearly a team that loves to play with everything one the line, whether it be the final game of the regular season or elimination games in the playoffs. Simply put, they have basically been on borrowed time for weeks now and seem to be playing better because of it. Now, with one final elimination game to go, we'll see if this Flyers team has it in them to complete the miracle. I, for one, believe.

Flyers injury update: Boucher out, Giroux will play

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And the Flyers goalie carousel continues. The Flyers learned today that Brian Boucher, who was injured in Game 5 against the Bruins on Monday night, will miss about a month after an MRI showed that he had a sprained MCL. Taking his place in net will be playoff rookie Michael Leighton, who filled in admirably for Boucher in Game 5 but is dealing with his own injury issues. While the Flyers should have confidence in Leighton, it will be a shame that they will be without Boucher, who has been one of the best goaltenders in the playoffs.

There was some good news on the Flyers injury front, however, as the team expects Claude Giroux to play in Game 6 after injuring his shoulder in Game 5. While some reports around the league speculated that Giroux had a concussion, the Flyers made it clear that he only suffered a shoulder tweak when he was boarded by Bruin Steve Begin.

With every injury, the chances the Flyers have of coming back in this series becomes slimmer and slimmer, making the fact that they have actually made this a series against the Bruins all the more amazing.

We've got a series: Flyers crush Bruins in Game 5

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We should have learned by now that we can't ever count out the Flyers. Somehow, despite barely squeaking into the playoffs, despite amassing a heap of injured players and despite them being in a 0-3 hole, the Flyers are persevering. In Game 5 against the Bruins, the Flyers played some of their best hockey of the season, blowing out Boston in a 4-0 win to narrow the Bruins series lead to 3-2.

The Flyers got big-time contributions from three forwards in the game: Simon Gagne, Ville Leino and Scott Hartnell. Continuing his solid play since returning in Game 4, Gagne had a pair of goals in the game, one on the power play and the other an unassisted breakaway goal. Leino (goal, assist) and Hartnell (goal) were also around the net all game long as both finished with a plus/minus of 2. I'm assuming the Flyers have been very happy with what Leino has done with the opportunity he has been given due to injuries.

While the scoreboard shows that the Flyers were the much better team on Monday night, they did have to pay the price for the win. Two more possibly major injuries happened, including one to starting goaltender Brian Boucher and another to one of their most reliable playoff contributors, Claude Giroux. It was frankly remarkable that the Flyers never missed a beat after these two key players went down.

After a collision at the net, Boucher had to leave the game early in the second period and was replaced by Michael Leighton, who was fresh off an injury of his own. Initial reports on Boucher are that he seriously injured his knee and I would expect that he has an MRI tomorrow where we get a clear picture of how long he will be out. In his place, Leighton took over and looked sharp, finishing what was the first combined shutout in Flyers playoff history. While Leighton was as steady as you could ask for, he is a playoff rookie and it's difficult to have too much confidence in him should Boucher be out for any period of time.

Giroux came up his injury after Steve Begin boarded him late in the second period. It is also not known as to whether Giroux will miss any time but he wasn't on the Flyers bench in the third period. With the game a blowout, let's hope the Flyers were just letting Giroux rest up.

Suddenly, with Game 6 coming back in Philadelphia, the Flyers are right back in this series. The way they have played some of their best hockey with their backs against the wall there is no reason to think they can't pull off the comeback. This team has proven again and again, no matter how many players shuttle in and out of the lineup and no matter how tired their legs are, they will give maximum effort. While I hope Boucher and Giroux find their way back to the ice, it's good to know that Leighton is waiting in the wings and guys like Gagne and Leino are picking up the slack offensively.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves and start making plans for the Eastern Conference Finals, however, it's important to remember the Flyers are still only halfway through their comeback attempt. Anyone who has watched the Flyers this season knows that, in any game, for any reason, the Flyers can just not have it and get blown out of the building. Still, it's exciting to know that with a few more bounces and a little more luck, the Flyers could pull off one of the biggest comebacks in playoff history. Game 6 Wednesday night in Philly will be huge.

Welcome back! Gagne's OT goal keeps Flyers alive

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Yeah, I'd say the return of Simon Gagne had quite an impact on the Flyers.

Gagne, returning to the ice for the first time since breaking his foot against the Devils in the first round, scored the game winning goal in overtime to help the Flyers stave off elimination and send the series back to Boston. It was a fitting end to the game for Gagne, who was a true warrior as he toughed out his clearly still hurting foot injury to give the Flyers every ounce of energy he had in the tank.

While Gagne's heroics made for a great end to the game, it never should have gotten to that point. After somehow playing with no sense of urgency for most of the first period, the Flyers found their legs late in the first as they cashed in with a goal by Danny Briere. From there, the energy carried over into the second period as the Flyers continued to dominate play and chipped in two more goals to get out to their first 2 goal lead of the series. At that point, with the way they were playing, the game appeared to be in the bag.

Of course, this is the Flyers we are talking about and they never make things easy. First, Brian Boucher misplayed a puck midway through the second to let the Bruins back into the game. Then, as they protected a one goal lead with 32 seconds left, the Flyers somehow forget to cover Mark Recchi, who had a terrific shot that got past Boucher and sent the game into overtime. While many will point to those events as being evidence that the Bruins never give up they can also be pointed to as mental lapses by a team that has trouble putting their opponent away.

Regardless of their inability to hold on to a lead, the Flyers live to play another day. While most signs point to this series being over sooner rather than later, you really can't count the Flyers out until the series is completely over. With how evenly matched these teams are, if the Flyers work hard and get a few bounces going their way, they can extend this thing far enough to start making the Bruins uncomfortable.

Thank you, Simon Gagne, for returning and giving us at least one more Flyers game this season. Now, if you could just do that three more times...

Punchless Flyers face elimination as Bruins roll

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

With the Flyers/Bruins series returning to Philadelphia, it was supposed to be different. While the Flyers had played hard in stretches, the puck just wasn't bouncing their way in the first two games and the team seemed to run out of gas. Coming to Philly, the Flyers were supposed to get re-energized by the home crowd and work their way back into the series. Unfortunately, Game 3 turned out to be more of the same as the Bruins won 4-1 and grabbed a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Flyers.

Things sure started well enough as Arron Asham gave the Flyers their first lead of the entire series by scoring a goal early in the first period. The goal sent an already pumped crowd into a frenzy, at least for a whole minute and a half before the Bruins scored a goal of their own to tie the game. Then, just to completely kill any possible momentum by the home team, Flyer-killer Miroslav Satan added another goal another minute and a half later.

From that point on, nothing seemed to go the Flyers way. They had 4 power play chances and failed to punch one in. They out-hit and out shot the Bruins. They stayed out of the penalty box. None of that seemed to matter, though, as whatever good offensive chances the Flyers mustered up were quickly squashed by Tuukka Rask and the team got more and more frustrated.

The Flyers simply look like a group that has run out of gas and hasn't gotten enough rewards for their efforts. As I've discussed before, with Mike Richards, Claude Giroux and Danny Briere forced into more critical minutes on the ice, they are completely burdened from trying to carry the team on their backs. Since the depth forwards haven't contributed much of anything, one of those three had to be the one that triggers the offense or nothing was going to happen.

While this series isn't over until the Flyers lose another game, unless the team finds another gear or all of the injured forwards miraculously heal, the run is going to end here. The Bruins are simply the harder-working team that wants it more and has the horses to get it done. We should all hold out hope that the Flyers can turn it around and pull of a miracle but none of us should be holding our breath waiting for it to happen. Just keep things in perspective, Flyers fans, and remember that this team really wasn't supposed to do anything when the playoffs started. Too bad that's really not that comforting when your team is one loss away from getting ousted.

Flyers lose another close one, dig 0-2 hole

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The Flyers and Bruins certainly are two evenly matched teams. If they played 100 times, it's likely that each would win somewhere between 48 and 52 times. That thought isn't comforting to the Flyers at the moment, however, because they now find themselves in a 0-2 hole after losing Game Two due to a game winning goal late in the third period by Milan Lucic in a 3-2 Bruins win.

Game Two was close throughout as each team controlled play for stretches at a time. The first two periods were nearly identical in terms of when each team scored, with the Bruins finding the back of the net before the midway point in each period and the Flyers chipping in a goal late in each period. When it mattered most, with the game tied at 2 in the third, the Flyers seemed to run out of gas as they failed to generate much of anything on offense at all, managing only 5 shots as they allowed the Bruins to dictate play. Late in the third, the Flyers couldn't hold on anymore and got stuck in their own end before Lucic slapped a shot past Boucher with just under 3 minutes left to play. The game winner seemed inevitable as the Bruins simply outworked the Flyers nearly all night long and earned themselves a win.

The Flyers may be starting to feel the affects of having Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne and Ian Laperriere out of the lineup. Being down three contributing forwards weakens the 4th line and forces the Flyers to get as many minutes as they possibly can from Claude Giroux (23:35), Mike Richards (23:13) and Danny Briere (20:50). Whereas the Flyers used to be able to roll out their entire bench and give Giroux, Richards and Briere a breather from time to time, now Giroux and Richards are having to rack up powerplay and penalty kill minutes while Briere plays a ton of even strength minutes. Injuries are never a great excuse for losing but they certainly are starting to take their toll on the Flyers.

The series now turns back to Philadelphia as the Flyers must return serve and protect their home ice. While it might seem like being down 0-2 is a huge hole, nothing is over at this point. With how close each game has been, if a few bounces had gone their way the Flyers easily could be the ones up by 2 games. Of course, if they really want to make it a series, the Flyers are going to need to get some contributions offensively from someone other than Richards, Briere or Giroux. Whether they have anyone capable of doing that is another question.

Don't lose faith yet, Flyers fans. Everything changes when this series shifts to Philly and we show the Bruins what a playoff building really sounds like. Expect the Flyers to come out with some extra jump as they now find themselves in a must-win Game 3. This team isn't about to go out without a fight.

Flyers fall to Bruins in OT after comeback

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If only that first period never happened there would have been a totally different outcome to Game One of the Flyers/Bruins series. As it was, Marc Savard of the Bruins, in his first game since early March, scored the game winning goal in overtime to knock off the Flyers, 5-4, and give the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the series. Those facts don't nearly tell the story of the game, however.

Whether it was being rusty from the long layoff or simply that the Bruins outworked them, the first period was an ugly one for the Flyers as Boston controlled the puck and the pace of the play for the first 20 minutes. It was pretty clear from the beginning that the Bruins were much better than the Devils and the Flyers were pretty fortunate to emerge from the first period only down 2-0.

From that point forward, however, the Flyers were the better team as they fought their way back to a one goal deficit late in the third period. Not only did they figure out how to get the puck past Tuukka Rask, the Flyers also solved the Bruins penalty kill, which had been perfect in the playoffs, by scoring a pair of power play goals. Then, late in the third period, Danny Briere had one of the biggest goals of his career as went coast to coast, splitting two defensemen and firing his own rebound past Rask to tie the game late in the third period and complete the Flyers comeback:

The game then went on to a very entertaining overtime as the teams traded chances and Brian Boucher and Rask traded big saves. Eventually, Savard won the game for the Bruins after a lengthy attack in the offensive zone. After a few mishandles and several failed attempts at clearing the puck, you knew that the Bruins were going to get the game winner and there was nothing Boucher or the tired Flyers players on the ice could do.

While the loss may have been initially deflating for the Flyers and their fans, it's important to look at the bigger picture. After clearing out the cobwebs in the first period, the Flyers played their game, getting physical with the Bruins and slowing down the pace of play. They really should be commended for even making this one a game after it looked like Boston was going to blow them out of the building in the first period. The fact that the Flyers also had answers for the two biggest strengths of the Bruins, their goaltending and their penalty kill, should bode well for the Flyers chances of winning the series.

After an entertaining Game One, there is reason to be excited about this series. These are two physical, evenly matched teams that can score a variety of different ways. If this game was just the appetizer, I can't wait to see what's in store for the remaining games. The Flyers just have to make sure they don't play another stretch like the first period in this one and they should be in excellent shape.

Flyers vs. Bruins: Second Round Breakdown

After a loooong layoff, the Flyers are finally ready to get back to playing for the Stanley Cup. Thanks to an unprecedented series of upsets, the 7th seeded Flyers have drawn a relatively beatable opponent in the 6th seeded Boston Bruins, a team we should all be familiar with from the Winter Classic. Do the Flyers have what it takes to get past Boston and into the Eastern Conference Finals? Let's take a closer look.

Offense: With their 2.67 goals per game in the first round, the lowest of any remaining team in the playoffs, scoring isn't exactly Boston's strength. When the ancient Mark Recchi is your leading goal scorer, that's really saying something. Sure, Recchi still has a deft scoring touch, but he's 42 years old and shouldn't be the best offensive player on any team this far into the playoffs. Getting Marc Savard back should help out matters but there isn't anyone else to fear amongst the rest of the Bruin forwards. No, they aren't as bad as the Devils forwards were but it's actually pretty close.

As for the Flyers, they have lost some of their punch with Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne out of the lineup. Luckily, neither player was the biggest offensive threat for the Flyers in the first round and they have plenty of depth ready to pick up the slack. Look for Mike Richards (8 points in 5 games) and Claude Giroux (6 points in 5 games) to continue setting the pace for the attack. In the absence of Carter and Gagne, James van Riemsdyk will have to start scoring and one of the unknown forwards, like a Ville Leino or a David Laliberte, is going to have to chip in a few goals. Because of their depth and ability to score from multiple lines, the Flyers have the advantage at forward.

Defense: The two big boys and big names, Chris Pronger and Zdeno Chara, will be the focal point of this series. Each is going to be asked to shut down the top line on the opposing team and each will likely be very successful. When you start looking at the rest of the defensive units for these teams, the Bruins lack of a second shutdown pair becomes a real weakness. While the Flyers will able to send out Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn to slow down Boston's second line, who will the Bruins be sending out to slow down Giroux? With former Flyer Dennis Seidenberg on the shelf, the Bruins defense looks very young and unproven. Due to the lack of a second solid pair of defenseman, the Flyers have to be given the edge on defense.

Goaltending: Before we go too crazy over how good Tuukka Rask is, let me first point out that Brian Boucher has the lowest goals against average and best save percentage of any goaltender in the playoffs. Yep, the goalie who was widely thought to be the worst in the league turned out to be the best, at least statistically. While some of Boucher's great numbers can be attributed to how terrible the Devils offense truly was, the man has to be given credit for being nearly perfect in net.

All of that said, Rask is the better goaltender. Since the Bruins are so offensively challenged, Rask has to be on his game if Boston wants to be in the game. Rask was pretty remarkable against Buffalo, stepping his play up to a whole new level while he out-dueled Ryan Miller. The Flyers are going to have some real problems getting pucks past Rask so give the Bruins the edge here.

Special Teams: Boston's penalty kill has been ridiculously good in the playoffs, killing all 19 penalties in the first round. While the Flyers power play is a few steps up from the Sabres, expect the Bruins to continue to be stingy when they are a man down. The Flyers relied on their power play to get them going against the Devils, scoring 8 of their 15 goals with the man advantage, so if the Bruins manage to keep them off the board, expect things to get ugly. As for the Flyers penalty kill, they will take quite a hit with Ian Laperriere out of the lineup as the drop from Laperriere to Darroll Powe is pretty significant. The advantage the Bruins have on special teams could be what leads them past the Flyers in the series.

With the teams pretty even on paper, this series will basically come down to whether the Flyers can solve Rask. Given that they found a way to score on Martin Brodeur, I'm thinking they can get a few past the young and relatively untested Rask and perhaps that will rattle him. Despite the injuries, despite the lack of a real goaltender and despite the fact that they barely made the playoffs, I like the Flyers to get to the Eastern Conference Finals after they beat the Bruins in 6 games. As they continue to play with house money and with the pressure completely off, the Flyers are a very dangerous team. If all goes how I think it will, we'll have another Battle of Pennsylvania in the Eastern Conference Finals. I can't wait.

Flyers vs. Bruins Second Round Schedule

It's been so long since the Flyers played a game that it almost feels like that Devils series didn't really happen. Well, it did, and the Flyers, thanks to Montreal, are on to the second round against a very beatable Boston Bruins team. Hopefully having more than a week off as they waited for their second round opponent won't negatively affect the Flyers; of course, Boston will have had a handful of days off, too. The NHL has released the schedule for their series:

Game 1: Saturday, May 1st, Philadelphia at Boston, 12:30 pm
Game 2: Monday, May 3rd, Philadelphia at Boston, 7:00 pm
Game 3: Wednesday, May 5th, Boston at Philadelphia, 7:00 pm
Game 4: Friday, May 7th, Boston at Philadelphia, 7:00 pm
Game 5: Monday, May 10th, Philadelphia at Boston, 7:00 pm
Game 6: Wednesday, May 12th, Boston at Philadelphia, TBD
Game 7: Friday, May 14th, Philadelphia at Boston, 7:00 pm

Can't wait for the Flyers to continue their run! Look for more on this series in the coming days.

Flyers finally get second round opponent: Bruins

The first round of the NHL playoffs have finally ended and the Flyers have finally learned who their opponent will be. Thanks to a stunning upset of the top-seeded Washington Capitals by the Montreal Canadiens, the Flyers will play the 6th seeded Boston Bruins in a Winter Classic rematch. By knocking off the dangerous Capitals, the Canadiens certainly did the Flyers as they avoided having to play the top-scoring team in the league. While the Caps were terrible in the tail end of their first round series, you knew it was only going to be a matter of time before they busted out and started scoring.

The Flyers/Bruins series starts Saturday and I will have much more on it in the coming days including predictions and breakdowns. At first glance it certainly looks like a favorable matchup for the Flyers to play a team that has some real difficulties scoring. Of course, Boston did manage to score just enough on Ryan Miller in the first round so they could be quite a handful for the Flyers.

NHL releases awesome Winter Classic commercial

It's time to start getting pumped up for the NHL Winter Classic. Check out the first commercial done by the NHL, complete with both the Flyers and Bruins throwback jerseys:

Awesome, I can't wait for January 1st!