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.
It's getting to the point where I have run out of things to say about how good the Flyers are playing. Game 4 in the Eastern Conference Finals was more of the same for them as they had a ton of energy, scored timely goals and got rock solid goaltending in a 3-0 win over the Canadiens. The win was huge for the Flyers as they come home needing just one more win before they can move on to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Game 4 was all about the Flyers showing whether they could bounce back from adversity. After getting outplayed in Game 3, the Flyers needed to respond or else the Canadiens were going to make take all the momentum in the series. The Flyers didn't let that happen, though, as they dominated play for most of the game and effectively neutralized the Canadiens boisterous crowd.
Michael Leighton once again came up big for the Flyers, stopping the meager 17 shots the Canadiens put on net. This game was another instance where Leighton didn't have to be ridiculously good, just in the right place at the right time. With the Flyers defense blocking 27 shots themselves, Leighton just has to be ready for those few tough chances that actually get through to him. For those scoring at home, that's 3 shutouts in 4 games against Montreal.
Offensively for the Flyers, they continue to get scoring from all lines. Tonight, with the top line and power play failing to produce any goals, Claude Giroux got two goals from the third line and Ville Leino got a goal from the second line. The emergence of Giroux, who now has 8 playoff goals and 16 playoff points, has been one of the better stories of the playoffs and really shows just how deep the Flyers are at forward. How many other teams in the NHL have a third line center that can do the things this kid can do? As for Leino, just remember to chuckle at the fact that the Flyers got him for Ole-Kristian Tollefsen and a 5th round draft pick as you notice his 12 points in 12 playoff games.
The Flyers also got a boost in Game 4 by the return of Jeff Carter and Ian Laperriere. While neither player scored a point, both each made an impact in the game. For Laperriere, it was mixing it up with the Canadiens every chance he got. For Carter, it was making the most out of the incredibly short shifts in the beginning of the game as he tried to get his legs under him. Once he did, he had a few flashes of brilliance on his way to tying for the team lead in shots.
After a rocky Game 3, all is well in Flyerland again. While the Flyers have three more chances to put away the Canadiens, you can bet they will be focused on putting them away at home in Game 5 and avoid having to go back to Montreal again. If they play at all like they did in Game 4 they will be just four wins away from bringing home the Cup.
You had to figure that was coming. The Canadiens, back home in Montreal with their playoff lives in the balance, came out firing on the Flyers, jumping all over them in a 5-1 win that decreased the Flyers advantage in the series to 2-1.
Playing in front of their home crowd energized the Canadiens from the start as they dominated play for most of the entire first period, showing the tenacity that got them this far in the playoffs and had been hidden in the Eastern Conference Finals. While the Flyers did eventually break out their funk and play their game, at that point things were too out of hand and they only managed one small victory when they scored on Jaroslav Halak midway through the third period.
When noticing that the Flyers gave up 5 goals, the first instinct of some fans might be to blame Michael Leighton for the loss. Given the onslaught by the Canadiens, though, Leighton did about as well as could be expected. He really should be commended for making several solid stops in the first period that kept the Flyers within striking distance as the team played back on their heels.
It looks like we have a series on our hands, folks. As much as most hoped the Canadiens would just be put away without a fight, you had to know that this team had an answer after being dominated in the first two games. Given that the Flyers goal is to win one game in Montreal, they still have a shot at making that happen in Game 4. While a 5-1 loss is never a positive thing, the Flyers can build on the fact that they showed some life and didn't let the Canadiens completely push them over in the third period.
Just like we shouldn't have gotten too high after the blowout in Game 1, there is no reason to get too low after getting crushed in Game 3. In the playoffs, a win is a win and you don't get to carry over momentum from one game to the next. With a better effort in Game 4, the Flyers can still take a stranglehold on the series. Let's just think of Game 3 as a minor speed bump and not a roadblock in the Flyers quest for the Stanley Cup.
It's hard to fathom that Michael Leighton has played exactly 4 1/2 games of playoff hockey. It's also hard to fathom that the Flyers pulled this guy off the scrap heap in the middle of the season. Now, led by the goalie with no playoff experience that no one else wanted, the Flyers once again cruised past the Canadiens, winning 3-0, to take a 2 games to 0 lead over the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final.
Game 2 was all about Leighton, who somehow kept the Canadiens off the scoreboard all game long despite a barrage of 26 shots in the first two periods. The numbers Leighton is putting up are ridiculous, from the back to back shutouts to the nearly 166 minutes he has gone without giving up a goal. While the Flyers don't need Leighton to stand on his head to win, he deserves credit for helping the Flyers steal a game in which they were outplayed for most of the night.
As for the Flyers offense, their power play continues to be the catalyst, going 2 for 4 in Game 2. The Flyers got their usual spread of goal-scorers, with the red-hot Danny Briere notching his 9th goal of the playoffs, Simon Gagne continuing his tear since returning from injury with yet another goal and Ville Leino scoring once again to prove he was a steal of an acquisition by Paul Holmgren. The best thing that can be said about the Flyers offense is that they are making Jaroslav Halak, who silenced both the Capitals and the Penguins potent attacks, look like a below average goalie. It's clear that the Flyers have gotten into Halak's head and crushed whatever confidence he had after the first two rounds of the playoffs.
The Eastern Conference Final now shifts to Montreal and the Flyers are in the exact position they wanted to be. With Montreal being a very difficult building to play in, the Flyers needed to take care of their home ice. Now the Flyers goal should be to take at least 1 out of 2 in Montreal then look to wrap things up back in Philly in Game 5. As we have learned from the Boston series, though, the Flyers can't start making Stanley Cup Finals plans just yet. All it takes is one win by the Canadiens to shift the momentum of the series and put the Flyers back on their heels. With how badly the Flyers are beating them, however, Montreal is going to have to make some serious adjustments if they want to win 4 out of the next 5 games.
6 more wins to go for the Flyers. With the confidence they are playing with now, why did we ever doubt them?
After pulling off their miracle comeback against the Bruins in the last series, the Flyers decided to try a different tactic against the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Finals: crush them from the very beginning. That's just what the Flyers did in Game 1, dominating the Canadiens in every way possible en route to a 6-0 drubbing.
The offense came from everywhere for the Flyers on Sunday as 6 different players scored goals and 9 different players registered at least one point. Braydon Coburn, of all people, started off the scoring when he chipped in a power play goal early in the first period. The avalanche of goals didn't happen until much later, though, as the floodgates opened after James van Riemsdyk scored off a faceoff and Danny Briere and Simon Gagne both ripped shots by a screened Jaroslav Halak all before the midway point of the second period. The Flyers were rolling at that point and chased Halak from the game, forcing them to turn to backup Carey Price, who they promptly scored on twice more in the third period just for good measure.
The Flyers weren't just on a roll offensively, though, as Michael Leighton proved once again that he is more than capable of carrying the Flyers if he needs to. While Leighton wasn't challenged much throughout the game, he did make the few tough saves he needed to as he made 28 saves and shut out the Canadiens. While the Flyers defense deserves a lot of credit for limiting opponents to very few good scoring chances, Leighton deserves credit for shutting the door any time a leak got through.
Game 1 was a huge statement for the Flyers. Not only did they use their size to beat down the diminutive Canadiens forwards but they also flashed their speed as their transition game set up the offensive attack. On top of all of that, the Flyers also took the Canadiens biggest advantage, Halak, and chased him right out of the game. Montreal would be long eliminated from the playoffs if it wasn't for Halak but he hasn't played that poorly since the very beginning of the playoffs. Hopefully the Flyers lodged themselves into his brain and he will think more than just play for the next few games.
While it's exciting to see the Flyers destroy an opponent, it's important to remember it's just one win and that the Flyers only lead the series 1-0. Hopefully the Flyers know to use this game as a starting point and not as a statement on how every game in this series is going to go. You can't just count out the Canadiens because you know they will make adjustments and come out in Game 2 ready to take it to the Flyers. While a 6 goal loss can be demoralizing, it can also serve to pump up a team that wants to get revenge for being embarrassed. It will be up to the Flyers to match the intensity and energy they brought in Game 1 and prove that what happened was no fluke.
One win down, 7 more to go. This Flyers team is clearly focused on the big prize and has more than enough talent to get it done.
Now that the dust has settled from the miracle comeback, it's time for more hockey! Hopefully the Flyers found some time to rest and get themselves mentally prepared to take on a new opponent, one with entirely different obstacles that must be overcome. Due to the ridiculous upsets in the Eastern Conference this year, the 7th seeded Flyers have the good fortune of having home ice advantage in the series, although it hasn't meant much so far in the East. Let's take a closer look and see if the Flyers have what it takes to get four more wins and get themselves into the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 13 years.
Offense: Montreal has proven all the doubters wrong as their undersized forwards have come through big in the playoffs. All 5 foot 9 of Mike Cammalleri has been tremendous for them, scoring nearly a goal per game (12 goals in 14 games) and making the most of every power play. Fellow shrimp Brian Gionta (5 feet, 7 inches) has also been big, chipping in 7 goals, while the rest of the scoring has come here and there from the bottom lines. After facing the weak back ends of the Capitals and Penguins, it's going to be a real test for the Canadiens to see if they can continue to defy the odds against the bigger and stronger Flyer defensemen.
The Flyers scoring has been very balanced in the playoffs, with 6 different players chipping in at least 4 goals. Anyone who has watched the Flyers in the postseason knows that the offense flows through Mike Richards, Danny Briere and Claude Giroux and that the return of Simon Gagne has solidified the Flyers top two lines as being real scoring threats. Besides the big four, anything the Flyers get from Scott Hartnell, James van Riemsdyk and Ville Leino has just been icing on the cake as each has had big moments throughout the playoffs. Just like they have in every series, the Flyers forwards have the advantage simply based on their ability to score across all lines.
Defense: The Flyers defense is what has gotten them this far, with the foursome of Chris Pronger, Matt Carle, Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn acting as a pair of shutdown defense pairings. These four are much better than anything the Canadiens have faced up to this point and won't let Montreal have as many uncontested shots as they have grown accustomed to. It will be interesting, though, to see if the Flyers D wears themselves down chasing the diminutive Canadiens around the ice, especially since the Flyers haven't been able to rely on anything from their third defense pairing.
The Montreal defense has kicked it into another gear in the playoffs despite the absence of Andrei Markov. With big Hal Gill shutting down opposing forwards when he's healthy and P.K. Subban emerging from the minors and contributing big minutes immediately, the Canadiens certainly have some talent in the back end. After that, however, there is a drop-off to guys like the ancient Roman Hamrlik and Marc-Andre Bergeron, who has racked up a -10 in the playoffs. TheFlyers depth gives them the edge on defense.
Goaltending: Once again, the Flyers face a goaltender much better than their own. Jaroslav Halak has been incredible in the playoffs, shutting down the best two offenses in the league seemingly all on his own. While the Flyers have had success against Halak in the past, he has upped his game to a whole new level. As for Michael Leighton, as long as he keeps being in the right place at the right time, he will be successful. The Flyers aren't asking him to stand on his head and he won't have to for the Flyers to advance. Despite how surprisingly good the Flyers goalies have been in the playoffs, the big edge has to go to the red-hot Halak.
Special Teams: Both of these teams have been great on the penalty kill and even better on the power play. The series will likely be decided by which team does better with the man advantage but, on paper, everything appears to be even.
No matter which team emerges from the Eastern Conference, there is going to be a great story behind it. Both teams have claims to being a "team of destiny" and both have overcome big deficits in a series to be where they are now. With each team also coming off a seven game series, expect there to be a lot of tired bodies as the series goes deeper and turns into a battle of attrition. I am predicting the Flyers to win in 6 games because the Canadiens forwards aren't going to be able to create as many scoring chances against the Flyers stout back end and the Flyers have proven that they can find ways to beat a hot goaltender. Whether the Flyers have enough to get past whichever tough opponent emerges from the Western Conference will have to be determined later but the Flyers look like the best team left in the East.
I'm still finding it hard to believe they actually pulled it off. With a miracle already under their belts, the Flyers now go on to the Eastern Conference Finals to take on the equally surprising Montreal Canadiens. Here is the schedule:
Game 1: Sunday, May 16, Montreal at Philadelphia, 7:00 pm Game 2: Tuesday, May 18, Montreal at Philadelphia, 7:00 pm Game 3: Thursday, May 20, Philadelphia at Montreal, 7:00 pm Game 4: Saturday, May 22, Philadelphia at Montreal, 3:00 pm Game 5: Monday, May 24, Montreal at Philadelphia, 7:00 pm Game 6: Wednesday, May 26, Philadelphia at Montreal, 7:00 pm Game 7: Friday, May 28, Montreal at Philadelphia, 7:00 pm
With the Canadiens shocking the hockey world with their upsets of the Capitals and Penguins and the Flyers making history, this should make for an entertaining series. It will certainly be the most improbable Conference Final in history as the two lowest seeds face off for the right to represent the East. Check back later for much more on the series.
As recently as a week ago, the Flyers were playing such uninspired hockey that they probably couldn't wait for the two week Olympic break. Now, after four straight wins against teams in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Flyers probably don't want to stop playing and risk ending their hot streak.
After sweeping the Devils last week in a home and home series, the Flyers repeated that feat today after followed up yesterday's win in Philadelphia with a 6-2 beatdown of the Canadiens in Montreal. The star of the game was Danny Briere, who, much to the chagrin of the Montreal crowd, broke out of his slumber to register a hat trick. Briere stuck it to the Canadiens fans who boo him lustily every time he touched the puck by netting his first hat trick of the season.
The Flyers also got goals on the night from Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Blair Betts. Suddenly, the Flyers offense that had gone ice cold in recent games is brimming with hot hands. There's Richards, who scored his 2nd goal in 4 games, and Carter, who has 5 goals in 4 games, to go with Briere and Simon Gagne, who appear to be breaking out of season-long slumps. All of the Flyers top forwards are contributing right now, an excellent sign that this team has turned things around.
Oh, and Jeff Carter haters? The man has been on a tear recently, scoring 11 goals in his last 14 games. I think all of you who have been screaming for him to be traded and that he "has no heart" can be quiet now. Carter is rapidly rising up the leader board in the NHL in goals and is proving why the Flyers aren't willing to trade him. Yeah, the guy can be inconsistent but you can put up with the lulls because you know he has goal outbursts like this in him.
The Flyers now enter the Olympic break solidly in the playoff hunt. With the recent wins over the Canadiens, the Flyers have leapfrogged them and moved into 6th place in the Eastern Conference. With 22 games left after the break, it's going to be a sprint to the finish for the Flyers as they look to move up into an even better position. If this hot streak somehow carries over to March then the Flyers will try to make a late push for a top seed.
I'm not sure I should even bother to post this, but here is what some crazy Montreal sportswriter said about the Flyers after they beat the Canadiens last night:
"There's not a franchise in sports I hate more than the Philadlphia Flyers.
Not the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Not the New York Yankees.
Not the Dallas Cowboys or L.A. Lakers.
No, you'd have to have an Olympic Games flashback to 1936 and watch the pride of Hitler's Germany marching into the Berlin stadium to match the feeling of revulsion I experience every time I see the Flyers play.
Especially against the Canadiens."
Look, I know the Flyers can play a rough style of hockey. Sure, they sometimes get a little overzealous with the fighting and they do have the occasional dirty hit. But, comparing them to Nazis? Come on. They don't play that "pure" hockey that Montreal fans love so much but you cross so many lines when you bring Hitler into the discussion.
By the way, all typos in that article were made by the author, Mike Boone. Philadlphia? Really? Learn to spell the name of the city that just beat your team.
Bring on the Penguins! Or maybe the Rangers if they pull off a miracle.
After falling behind by 2 goals in the third period, the Flyers pulled off an incredible comeback to knock off the Canadiens 6-4 and win their series against Montreal 4 games to 1. It was another total team effort in the comeback, with several players stepping up, making plays and scoring goals to lead the Flyers to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Scottie Upshall was the big hero of the night as he scored the game winning goal when he deflected in a Jeff Carter shot with 3 minutes left in the third. R.J. Umberger also continued his incredible goal scoring streak with two goals tonight, scoring for the 5th game in a row to give him 9 total goals in the playoffs. Umberger has been just incredible lately, scoring timely goals on some amazing plays.
Before the game, the Canadiens decided to start Carey Price, a decision that they probably regret now. Price was shaky all night, continually giving up huge rebounds and allowing the puck to play him instead of the other way around. He made a few solid stops during the game, but more often then not he misplayed the puck and failed to contain his rebounds. He was a big reason why the Flyers were able to win this series, especially when you compare his performance to that of Martin Biron. Biron was a rock in the Flyers goal and Price was completely flustered and lacked confidence.
The game didn't start out great for the Flyers as the Canadiens struck first for the first time all series. Tomas Plekanec scored a power play goal off a deflection that Biron had no chance on 4 1/2 minutes into the game. Umberger then tied the score with his first goal of the night when he broke in on Price, fired a backhand shot that ricocheted off Price and then pumped the rebound home as he was falling down. Those are the types of goals hot players score.
The Canadiens then scored the next two goals to build a 3-1 lead. Biron had no chance on the first goal that deflected off Alexei Kovalev's stick, but he looked human later as Chris Higgins beat him with a shot in the second period. From there, the Flyers rallied to score three unanswered goals in the second period, getting tallies from Mike Richards, R.J. Umberger and Scott Hartnell to take a 4-3 lead into the third period. Richards' goal was fluky as he tried to bat the puck down and it appeared to deflect off his glove and into the net. Hartnell simply fired a shot on Price that he couldn't handle to give the Flyers the lead.
The Canadiens struck early in the third to tie the game up on another goal that made Marty Biron look human. Then, after a ton of chances both ways and lots of plays up and down the ice, Scottie Upshall deflected Jeff Carter's shot past Price to give the Flyers a 5-4 lead. Mike Knuble later finished things off with an empty netter to ensure the victory.
Tonight's win had a lot to do with lucky bounces, but they were set up by the Flyers hustling to the puck and getting in the right place to make things happen. They showed tremendous fortitude in fighting back from a 2 goal deficit, something they watched their opponents do far too often in the playoffs. This team has the look of a team of destiny; they will not give up no matter how far down they are or how badly they are being outplayed. The Flyers have the ability to absorb the best chances their opponent has and turn them around into back-breaking goals. Timely scoring and amazing goaltending is the recipe for success in the playoffs, and the Flyers have both working for them right now.
The Flyers move on to the Eastern Conference Finals now, and they await the winner of the Penguins/Rangers series. With the Penguins holding a 3-1 lead, it looks like we are heading for a battle for Pennsylvania with our cross-state rivals. With a trip to the Stanley Cup on the line, it's going to be an amazing series.
This is a special Flyers team. They have gone from the worst team in the NHL to one of the four best teams in the league. While so much credit is given to GM Paul Holmgren for re-shaping this team, plenty should be given to Coach John Stevens for getting them to play the game the right way. The Flyers work hard, hit hard, and don't let anything come easy for their opponents. How Stevens isn't a finalist for the NHL Coach of the Year award is beyond me; he certainly has been pushing all the right buttons and making all the right decisions for the last month.
The Canadiens, the number one seed in the Eastern Conference, are the next team to fall to the Flyers. With so much at stake now, the competition will really step up and the Flyers will have to raise their game even more. We are going to see if this team has been overachieving this whole time or if they are truly a team that is destined to win it all. After a few days of solid rest, hopefully they can get right back out there and continue to play with the intensity and aggression that no team has been able to match so far.
Oh, and if they do end up playing the Penguins, I wonder what injury Sidney Crosby will make up this time to avoid playing the Flyers?
Video highlights of the Flyers series clincher against the Canadiens via Comcast SportsNet:
Check back right here tonight at 7:00 for the Flyers vs. Canadiens Game Five Live Blog. Discuss the game action with fellow Flyer fans as it happens. The Flyers will be looking to close out the Canadiens and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals!
Much to the joy of the Philadelphia Flyers, Carey Price will be returning to the net for the Montreal Canadiens for Game Five tonight. As they face elimination, Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau has chosen to play to 20 year old rookie, who has been extremely shaky against the Flyers, rather than Jaroslav Halak, who was in net for Game Four after Price was benched. The Canadiens are hoping that Price's confidence isn't destroyed by his terrible play and subsequent benching while the Flyers hope he keeps misplaying the puck and giving them extra scoring chances.
The Canadiens are in full-on desperation mode for tonight's game. Not only will they be putting a broken goaltender in net, they will also be shuffling their lines around, trying to find a combination that will work. With their backs against the wall, expect Montreal to come out with a bunch of fire and intensity and try to jump on the Flyers early. It will be up to the Flyers to hold their ground and try to counter-punch to calm down the rabid Montreal fans.
Hopefully the Flyers have learned from their first round series with the Capitals that you need to close out a team when you get the chance. With the Pittsburgh Penguins poised to knock off the Rangers tomorrow, the Flyers need to finish off the Canadiens so they can rest up for a potential Keystone state battle.
The Flyers decided to make it interesting in the end, blowing another 2 goal lead, but they still managed to pull out a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens to give them a 3-1 series lead. Martin Biron was once again the hero for the Flyers, making numerous brilliant saves to keep the Flyers in the game. The Flyers will continue to win in the playoffs if Biron, who finished with 36 saves, can play like this every night.
The Canadiens goaltending is a totally different story. Carey Price, the Habs goalie for every game in the playoffs so far, was benched prior to tonight's game following his awful performance in Game 4. Jaroslav Halak was called upon to make his first career playoff start for the Canadiens, and while he looked good for a long stretch in the beginning of the game, he would eventually let in two goals that he should have been able to stop. The problem the Canadiens have now is they can't go back to Price even if they wanted to because the young goaltender's confidence has to be shot after getting benched. They will be forced to go with Halak for the rest of the series regardless of how well he plays.
The first period of tonight's game was very even, with both teams looking crisp and playing with a ton of energy. Biron made a few big stops early that proved he was on point again, and Halak stopped a breakaway chance by Jeff Carter to get himself focused. The Canadiens had two powerplays in the first, but the Flyers killed them off without any trouble.
R.J. Umberger, who has been red hot in this series, scored the first goal of the game on the powerplay in the second period. Umberger flipped a shot on net that Halak should have stopped, yet it went past him to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. The Flyers played great defense for the rest of the period and Biron continued to stop everything coming his way.
Scott Hartnell scored the second goal of the game for the Flyers when he tapped the puck into the back of the net after a Vaclav Prospal shot rebounded off Halak and onto his stick. The goal gave the Flyers a comfortable two goal lead, something they have had huge problems with maintaining. Several times this postseason, the Flyers have blown two goal leads and tonight was no exception. Later in the third, the Canadiens scored two goals within 37 seconds and tied the game right back up. The first goal they scored was a deflected shot that Biron had no chance on, the second was a nice goal scored by Saku Koivu.
With the game tied at 2 and under 4 minutes left to play, the Flyers got a break from the refs. The refs called an interference penalty on Steve Begin of the Canadiens that would put the Flyers on the powerplay. The play was questionable at best, and I am sure Montreal fans will say that they were screwed, but I don't have much sympathy for them considering how Game One in this series went. Danny Briere took advantage of the power play chance and scored the game winning goal. R.J. Umberger later added an empty net goal to give the Flyers the 4-2 win.
The Flyers now take a 3-1 series lead for the second time this postseason. Hopefully the Flyers have learned from their series with the Capitals that they need to put the Canadiens away now that they have the chance. The next game will be in Montreal, where the fans are crazed and the Canadiens can feed off their energy, so the Flyers will have to weather a storm at the beginning of Game Five. If Biron and the Flyers can get past the initial storm unscathed, they will be rolling to the Eastern Conference Finals to likely face the Penguins.
Let's all sit back and enjoy how far this Flyers team has come. They are the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference and they have completely dominated the best team in the East. The Flyers have looked like the better team on the ice in nearly every game and if it wasn't for some questionable calls in Game One, the series would already be over. They have the best goaltender in the playoffs right now, and they have the most complete team of anyone in hockey. Enjoy it Flyers fans, this amazing playoff ride doesn't appear to be ending any time soon.
Highlights of Martin Biron's amazing game via Comcast SportsNet:
Check back right here tonight at 6:45 pm for the Flyers vs. Canadiens Game Four Live Blog. Discuss the game action with fellow Flyer fans as it happens. Let's see if the Flyers can protect their home ice and push the Canadiens to the brink of elimination.
Check back right here tonight at 6:45 pm for the Flyers vs. Canadiens Game Three Live Blog. Discuss the game action with fellow Flyer fans as it happens. Let's see if the Flyers can protect their home ice and take a lead in this series.
This time the Flyers made sure the referees couldn't affect the outcome of the game. The Flyers once again jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but this time they never let the Canadiens come back, winning the game by a score of 4-2.
Martin Biron was the story of this game, playing his best game of the playoffs. He made a number of spectacular saves that left the Canadiens forwards frustrated. Biron made 34 saves in all, none more exciting than the Tomas Plekanec breakaway chance that he snuffed out in the second period. Plekanec skated in all alone after a bad turnover by the Flyers, but Biron snatched his shot attempt right out of the air. Without Biron playing his best game, the Flyers could have easily blown another 2 goal lead.
The Flyers got a pair of goals by R.J. Umberger, including one in the final minutes of play that sealed the victory. Jeff Carter and Danny Briere also scored for the Flyers, with Carter's goal coming on the power play. The Canadiens got a powerplay goal from Saku Koivu in the first period and Andrei Markov later added a goal in the third period. They would have scored several more, especially on their potent power play, if Biron hadn't been so on his game.
Montreal goaltender Carey Price, a 20 year old rookie, failed to raise his level of play to match Martin Biron. He looked shaky in net all night, making several strange plays and showing a total lack of effort on the last goal of the game by Umberger. The Flyers clearly know how to get pucks past Price despite getting limited opportunities, scoring on 4 of their 23 shots.
The series now turns to Philadelphia all tied up at one win apiece. Regardless of what happened in Game One, the Flyers should feel good about splitting the games in Montreal, they have effectively taken away the home ice advantage. The Flyers have been the better team in this series, taking the best offensive punch the Canadiens have and repeatedly turning it aside. The number of shots they are giving up is somewhat alarming, but if you have followed the Flyers at all this season you know that they have a tendency to allow the other team to pepper shots on goal. Many of the shots are easy saves for Biron, but they still need to find a way to limit the Canadiens' chances if they hope to move on to the next round.
Highlights of Martin Biron's stellar game via Comcast SportsNet:
Check back right here tonight at 6:45 pm for the Flyers vs. Canadiens Game Two Live Blog. Discuss the game action with fellow Flyer fans as it happens. Let's see if the Flyers can bounce back and even this series up.
The Flyers just can't seem to hold on to 2 goal leads. For what only seems like the 8th time in the playoffs, the Flyers jumped out to a 2 goal lead in tonights opening game of the second round, only to see the Canadiens battle back, force overtime, and win 4-3. It happened several times in the Washington series, and it happened again tonight. Every time the Flyers pull ahead by 2, they seem to fall back and allow the other team to dictate play. It's a recipe for disaster, and something they can't do against a team with as much firepower as the Canadiens. Of course, the referees also played a part in allowing the Canadiens to come back as well, which we'll get to later.
Not that the Flyers did much to deserve the two goal lead. The Flyers first goal was of the fluky variety, with a pass by R.J. Umberger being deflected into the net by Canadiens defender Patrice Brisebois. Umberger was trying to make a cross-ice pass and Brisebois was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Flyers then added a second goal late in the first period when Jim Dowd got a feed from Steve Downie and fired it in. It was a pure hustle goal created by the hard-working fourth liners. The Flyers were fortunate to enter the first intermission with a 2-0 lead as the Canadiens played well and had several chances hit off the post.
The second period was subsequently dominated by the Canadiens, who fought back to tie up the game. Andrei Kostitsyn got the Habs on the board when his brother Sergei raced down the ice and fed Andrei to cut the Flyers lead down to one. Montreal would tie the game up later in the period on a controversial short-handed goal. The Flyers made a terrible play on the power play that set up a short-handed 3 on 1 for the Canadiens where Tomas Plekanec shot the puck on net and Alexei Kovalev batted the puck with his stick down into the back of the net. The referees reviewed the play for several minutes, looking to see if the stick was above the crossbar, but they allowed the goal. Several replays clearly showed Kovalev's stick above the crossbar, but the refs must have thought that there wasn't enough conclusive evidence to wave it off. Bad call number one.
The Flyers took the lead early in the third period on another fluky goal. This time, on the power play, Joffrey Lupul deflected a Braydon Coburn shot off his shin and into the net to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead. Lupul was in the right place at the right time for that goal much like he was in overtime in Game 7 against the Capitals. The Flyers then clamped down for the rest of the period, playing good shut-down hockey and keeping the Canadiens from getting clear looks on Martin Biron. Finally, in the final minute of play, Mike Richards tripped Alexei Kovalev with his knee, and the Canadiens went on the power play. The penalty was a legitimate one, though it was questionable as to why the refs would call it at that juncture in the game. Usually in the waning minutes of a close hockey game you can get away with just about anything and they let the minor infractions go. For whatever reason, they deemed Richards' play worthy of a penalty, and the Canadiens subsequently scored with 29 seconds left in the game to force overtime. That was absolutely not a call you make at the end of a playoff hockey game. Bad call number two.
The Canadiens then quickly finished off the Flyers on their first shift in overtime. 48 seconds in, Tom Kostopoulos grabbed a rebound that fired off Biron and pounded it home to give the Canadiens a 4-3 victory.
It was yet another disheartening loss for the Flyers. It was a game they should have won that they let slip right through their fingers with lots of help from the referees. It was remarkably similar to the first game against the Capitals when they made little mistakes that allowed the other team to get back in. Of course, one could argue that the Flyers were lucky to even be in the game, judging by the way they scored their goals. None of them were of the pretty variety, and their top scoring tandem of Danny Briere and Vinny Prospal was quiet all night.
This was certainly a game with a lot of ups and downs and mixed emotions. The Flyers were completely out-played by the Canadiens in the second period but looked like the better team for most of the third. The Flyers watched the clock melt all the way down into the final minute only to watch the Canadiens pull out a heart wrenching goal.
There are some positives to take away from this game for Philly. Despite not playing anywhere near their best hockey, they still had a great chance to steal a game on the road against a great team. The Flyers also did well to keep out of the penalty box for most of the night, not giving the Habs a chance to show off their potent power play. The Canadiens were also expected to be the much faster team but the Flyers were able to keep up with them for most of the game.
Game Two is Saturday in Montreal. The Flyers showed tonight that they won't be easily beaten, but they need to come out and play a full 60 minutes of hockey if they want to beat a team like the Canadiens who can score whenever they are given an inch of space. The Flyers managed to put out 59:31 of solid hockey tonight, but the Canadiens took what little was given to them and put the Flyers away. The Flyers will bounce back as they have shown time and time again, the question will be whether they have enough left in the tank to beat an elite team like Montreal
Video highlights of the game, complete with both controversial calls, from Comcast SportsNet:
Round Two kicks off tonight with the Flyers taking on the Canadiens. Check back right here at 6:45 pm for a Live Game Blog. Follow the action and discuss it with fellow Flyer fans!
After a thrilling Game Seven victory, the Flyers got one day of rest and they are back to the ice tonight to begin their second round series with the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens got only one extra day of rest after they disposed of the Bruins on Monday, so fatigue could be a factor in this series. Most experts believe that the Canadiens should have no trouble dispatching the Flyers, but these are the same people that all predicted the Capitals would win. Can the Flyers beat the Canadiens? Let's take a closer look.
Offense: Both teams have balanced, deep scoring attacks. In their first round series alone, the Flyers got goals from 11 different players, while 12 players scored for the Canadiens. Neither team has one line you can key in on, both have three quality scoring lines. The Flyers have shown bursts of speed, but the Canadiens have a distinct speed advantage that will give the Flyers plodding D-men problems. Alexei Kovalev is the Canadiens most dynamic forward, but the Kostitsyn brothers aren't far behind. Kovalev has a tendency to go quiet for long periods of time, almost lulling opponents to sleep before he bursts through.
The Flyers depth takes a hit with the injury to Mike Knuble. While Knuble isn't the fastest or most skilled player, he brings leadership and toughness to the team. His loss also means that either Riley Cote or Steve Downie will suit up, two players that aren't the type of players you need in the playoffs. Danny Briere has been the Flyers best weapon, scoring 6 goals in the opening series, so expect him to continue his playoff dominance as he plays against the team he spurned playing for last offseason. EDGE: Canadiens, they're too fast and too skilled.
Defense: Neither team is known for having great defense. The Flyers look like they are two defensemen short, as fans cringe whenever Jaroslav Modry or Jason Smith are trying to make a play. Smith had a horrendous -7 against the Capitals, and Modry didn't fair much better at -4. Derian Hatcher quietly played some of his best hockey against the Capitals, slowing down Alexander Ovechkin and even scoring a goal. Kimmo Timonen is still the key to the Flyer defense corps, he makes things happen on both ends of the ice. This group will be challenged constantly to keep up with the Canadiens, look for them to use their size and toughness to try to shut down any rushes.
The Canadiens don't have any particularly intimidating defensemen, but Andrei Markov and Patrice Brisebois are great at helping out on the offensive end. They also have Roman Hamrlik, who only seems like he's been playing forever. The Canadiens have a few forwards who are great at getting back and helping out, like Saku Koivu, but they still had issues slowing down the weak Bruins attack. EDGE: Flyers, but not by much
Goaltending: The Canadiens traded away Cristobal Huet to give 20-year-old Carey Price the number on job, and he has taken on the role and flourished. Martin Biron is ten years older than Price, but they both have exactly seven games of playoff experience. Coming off a shut-out of the Bruins, Price is the hotter goalie, but Biron made some big stops to keep the Flyers in Game Seven. The hotter goaltender will win, and right now it looks like Price has been better, but he will be challenged more by the Flyers attack than he was by the Bruins. EDGE: Canadiens
The Canadiens aren't a good match-up for the Flyers. They are quick and skilled, and this series could look like the Sabres/Flyers series of a few years ago. The Flyers will try to use their toughness to slow down the Montreal attack, but it's tough to slow down three lines. They will also have to be careful not to take too many penalties because the Canadiens power play will make them pay. The Flyers will steal a game early, but the Canadiens have too much firepower and will win in six games. The season will still be a success for the Flyers, who went from the worst team in the league all the way to the final eight. They are still a few defenders short of having a championship team.
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
