Myth #1: Danny Briere is the $10 million man who helped drive up UFA prices.
Briere earned $10 million in the first year of his contract, and various people cite his contract as one that contributed to skyrocketing salaries.  That neglects the fact that Briere's deal was heavily front-loaded.  His cap hit, which averages the total salary over the total years, comes to only $6.5 million.  For comparison Chris Drury, Scott Gomez, and Thomas Vanek all have a cap hit over $7 million per year.  Fellow 2007 UFA Ryan Smyth makes $6.25 million in Colorado.  So Briere's contract is right in line with his classmates.

Myth #2: RJ Umberger as a productive center in the playoffs.
All right, so it isn't exactly a myth - Umberger is a natural centerman who will likely play with Rick Nash in Columbus.  But Umberger never played center regularly in a Flyers uniform.  Center is the most difficult forward role in the NHL, usually requiring a strong balance of playmaking skill, defensive responsibility, and faceoff winning capacity.  Whether Umberger shift from NHL winger to center successfully remains to be seen.

Myth #3: Mike Rathje handcuffs the Flyers' payroll.
I don't understand the obsession with Mike Rathje.  Fans everywhere are convinced that he counts against the Flyers' cap, hindering the team's ability to acquire a quality D-man.  The truth: Rathje has remained on the long-term injured reserve list since halfway through the 2005-06 season and will not be coming off the list any time soon.  While he stays on the LTIR, his salary does not count against the cap.  The Flyers are still responsible for paying Rathje his salary.  I'm sure Ed Snider would prefer not to pay a man to sit on the bench, but he has consistently shown a willingness to put his money behind the team.  Philadelphia routinely shelled out similar quantities pre-lockout to those offered in Detroit and Toronto.

Myth #4: The loss of Vinny Prospal damages the Flyers' top six.
Vinny Prospal didn't want to play in Philadelphia, period.  The guy showed absolutely no heart in the playoffs after the first few games against Washington.  If playing for the Stanley Cup doesn't get his blood boiling, then I don't want him on my team.

Prospal was brought in to solve a problem: the absence of Simon Gagne.  The only way that "losing" Prospal hurts Philadelphia is if Simon Gagne never returns to the lineup.  In this city, we've seen concussions destroy brilliant careers.  And should Gagne come back, don't expect much the first several months.  Gagne has a long history of requiring significant periods of time to rediscover his magic after an injury.

I'm glad the team wrapped this up before July 1st. Hopefully Randy Jones will be the next one on the stayin around bandwagon.

I wasn't a huge fan of Carter's in the beginning of the season. Actually, I'm not sure I was fully converted until post season (thanks Lisa). His inconsistency scares me. He had his awesome streaks, especially when Richie was out with that hamstring injury. But he really needs to play like that all of the time. I think he has it in him. I really do. So I hope the new season is an epic one for him.

I know a lot of people are scoffing at this deal. Peeps think Carts is definitely a first liner type o' guy and he's worth more. Can't say that I necessarily disagree. But I like that the Flyers have such a strong offense going on here. Danny B, Richie, and Carts are all first liners to me; what a luxury we have. It's just a friggin number. Like, dude, if he plays epic, he plays epic, no matter which line he's on. Why can't we make line three the new line one?

Does any of that make sense? I'm tired and working on little brain power here, but I know what I mean.

Needless to say, hockey withdrawal is a thing of pure evil.

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have traded the rights to forward Vaclav Prospal to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Nashville’s seventh round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft (previously acquired by Tampa Bay) and a conditional pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, according to General Manager Paul Holmgren.

"Vinny really didn’t express much of an interest in coming back and playing for us next season,” said Holmgren in making the announcement. “His heart is elsewhere.”

Prospal, 33, recorded four goals and 10 assists for 14 points and six penalty minutes in 18 regular season games for the Flyers this past season. He added 13 points (3G,10A) and six penalty minutes in 17 playoff games as the Flyers advanced to the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals.

Sigh. I am sad to see him go because I liked the chemistry Vinny had with Danny. But he was kind of fizzling out in the end. Guess he just wanted to go back home.

I wish Holmer would make some big moves soon! We need to resign Carts and Randy Jones (also known as RJ on this blog) asap. We can get rid of Umbie...oh and resign Scottie Upshall kthxbai.

There was no one single thing that the Flyers could have done Sunday to keep their season alive. Aside from having Marty Biron play like he did in the first two series, and a multitude of goals by the orange and black, their future looked bleak heading into game 5. Not even the return of leader Kimmo Timonen could help the club. Timonen picked up where he led off, leading all Flyers in ice time with 21:43, but he alone could not jumpstart this team. No one could.

It only took the Penguins 2:30 to grab the lead, as Sidney Crosby's pass accidentally tipped off the foot of forward Ryan Malone, who could not touch the puck with his stick, past Biron for the first goal of the game. That would eventually prove to be the game winner, despite five more Penguin goals, and no answer by the Flyers. There was a chance of a Flyers goal in the waning seconds of the second period, but the officials ruled, somehow, that Patrick Thoresen impeded Marc-Andre Fleury's ability to stop the puck that did actually find the twine behind him. The official's ruling preserved Fleury's shutout, as the Flyers weren't able to muster a goal in the third period.

No passes worked. No breakout theory worked. No power play scheme worked. No shots found the net, and no hard work paid off. The Flyers were abysmal all series, and although the Pittsburgh Penguins deserve credit for winning this series, the Flyers not once played a complete game in the Eastern Conference Finals. For the first two periods of game four they seemed to really "get it". They planted a man in front of the net. They fore-checked. They played tight defense and always knew where the Penguins were, but they did none of that for the remaining 13 periods of hockey they were forced to play.

Only Mike Richards really showed up this series, delivering his part to the Flyers physical effort, and netting three goals in the series. Danny Briere cooled off in the Montréal series and only scored one goal in the Conference Finals throw-down, and Vinny Prospal went missing after game 7 in Washington. After his effort in the latter rounds of the post-season, Prospal will almost certainly not be re-signed by the Flyers. Richards' drive in the playoffs may have won him the captaincy next year, with Jason Smith's departure imminent.

To be blown out 6-0 in the playoffs is utterly pathetic. Going into this series, the Flyers had knocked off the number three and one seeds, in that order. Yes, the Penguins were the better team. Yes, they were undefeated on home ice (and remain that way). But that is no excuse to leave months of accomplishment hanging in the rear view mirror without even putting up a fight. Last season the Flyers could only muster a league worst, and franchise worst 56 points. This year they rebounded all the way to the sixth seed in the playoffs, and eventually the Eastern Conference Finals. But the effort put forth in that Finals series was utterly pitiful and did no justice to the accomplishments made throughout the season.

Obviously after the 2006-07 season, the players had a bitter taste in their mouths from the worst season in the history of the 41-year-old club. This off-season, the taste should be just as bitter, if not more, after the atrocious effort and performance they put forth in every game this series, which will no doubt be highlighted by the six-goal proverbial nail in the coffin. Their embarrassing loss on Sunday poorly represents the much improved regular season from a year ago. Flyers fans searched for stability with the 07-08 bunch, and never really found it. The Flyers slogan all season long had to "vengeance". They will need to have more of that next season to avenge their disappointing Eastern Conference Finals performance.

Dave's 3 Stars of the Game

1. Marc-Andre Fleury - 21 saves
2. Marian Hossa - 1 goal, 3 assists

Photo courtesy: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

It could have been ugly. There could have been a tentative building, with fans sitting tensely in dread of elimination. But no. The fans, most dressed in their spanking new Megadeath Security t-shirts, were fully engaged from before the puck dropped, roaring their approval of the Flyers playoff efforts and demanding that the real Flyers show up. And show up they did.

From the beginning the Flyers looked much more like the team we'd seen through the last few weeks of the season and the first two series of the playoffs. Unlike games one through three, when the Pens seemed to get to every puck, the Flyers were winning the races to the puck and winning the battles on the boards.

The first goal by Joffrey Lupul was a laser from the point. Yes, it deflected off of Hal Gill's stick. But still, that kind of shot with that kind of pace is the shot that Lupul has when he's ready to go on a hot streak. That goal and Lupul's play throughout the game had me wondering if the Flyers may have a miracle up their sleeves.

The second goal by Danny Briere, a scooping shot on a fat rebound as he went sprawling in front of the crease on a power play, was the kind of crazy highlight reel goal that would have the SportsCenter and OnTheFly guys wowowing for weeks if he was named Ovechkin or Crosby. I'll just have to do the wowowing for them I guess. But it showed that Stevens's move to put Mike Richards on that line gave Briere the time and space he wasn't getting earlier in the series (when he was playing on a line with Prospal, the floating asterisk).

The first period ended with a Jeff Carter power play goal with just 1:10 left to the delight of a crowd that was hoping to rock its way through a laugher.

Well, of course, the boys in black and orange never make anything easy. And after a pretty even second period, the Penguins Jordan Staal (what hockey genes those boys have) scored early in the third. With the game at 3-1 the Flyers old tentative-on-the-lead ways reappeared. But the fans never bought into the fear. The crowd was loud, rowdy, and extremely supportive. If a team can be willed to a win, this crowd plans to do that. And they were on their feet multiple times in the last five minutes of the game. Although Staal scored again with a little over 3 minutes left, the Flyers, sometimes very scary against an empty net, got a payoff from Lupul again, who closed the scoring.

The game wouldn't have been complete without a decent fight. Just 10 seconds after the empty netter, Darien Hatcher, who is a complete berserker when he fights, tuned Ryan Malone rather dramatically.

A challenge from Crosby to Richards (not to fight, exactly, because Crosby's gloves are apparently attached to strings through his jersey like a small boy's mittens [credit that image to my friend FlySkippy]) ended the game on a high for the Flyers faithful, who are almost as happy to see Sydney depend on the zebras for protection from the big bad Mike Richards as they would be to see Richie tune Cindy.

Flyers fans left the building on a high, hoping for one more chance to cheer the boys on to victory. Will they get it? Well, did they put a bit of doubt in the heads of the Penguins? Will Coburn, Timonen, or both play on Sunday, boosting morale and deepening the skill level at defense? Biron definitely showed up in the form he'd had earlier in the playoffs. The team gained confidence and played with passion and commitment, if they can do that again, there's no reason they can't.

It was scary, but the Flyers held out.  As in the entire Montreal series, Marty Biron proved the hero.

I loved the scrums towards the end of the game.  Malone received the bitter end of a Flyer fist for the third time this year.  And a big part of me wishes the referees had let Richards and Crosby have at it.  Yes, I know that no one wants to see either player injured in a fight - particularly Crosby.  But those two have had an unceasing verbal battle going since day 1 of the season series, and it would be fun to view a culmination amidst the highly energetic Wachovia Center fans.

Also good to see the Versus commentators giving positive feedback about the Flyer faithful, noting their passion, their signs, and the player reaction.  Most journalists have had an all-out bashfest when it comes to the orange-clad masses.  It's refreshing to hear a different perspective.

Overall, the Flyers brought the game they needed.  They built a three-goal cushion in the first, then withstood the torrent of Penguins' attacks in the third long enough to secure an empty netter and a win.  For all focus on Danny Briere, Philadelphia is a team in the truest sense of the word.  They cannot win unless all 20 guys on the bench commit to the game plan for a full 60 minutes.  I'm aware that sounds trite.  But there are no dominating stars like Malkin or Iginla or Forsberg wearing Flyer colors, so puck control stems from the group rather than an individual.

Returning to Pittsburgh will be extremely difficult.  The Pens excel on home ice, and their fans supply huge quantities of passion and energy.  Winning even the first period of game 5 is an uphill battle.  If any team possessed the resiliency to make that happen, it's the Philadelphia Flyers.

End of 2nd period.  Penguins 0 - Flyers 3

I have become so accustomed to seeing a Flyer end up in the box every time the whistle blows that tonight is like a miracle on ice.  The Penguins are the undisciplined bunch at the Wachovia Center.  Well, if you're not counting the fans.

- This Biron resembles the Marty we saw in Montreal.  He's been square to the puck all night and quick with the glove hand.  The Penguins increased the traffic in the crease, but it hasn't phased Biron yet.

- The boys in Orange and Black put together another good 20 minutes, attacking often and establishing consistent back- and forechecking.  They need another 20 to win.

End of 1st period.  Penguins 0 - Flyers 3.  Goals from Lupul, Briere (PP), and Carter (PP).

- Flyers did exactly what was required.  They came out, attacked from the start, got some excellent saves from Martin Biron, and capitalized on every Pittsburgh mistake.  Now they must reproduce that effort for 40 minutes against a Pittsburgh team that will respond mightily.

- Mike Richards may not have scored in that period, but he led the way once more.  His short handed breakaway created a massive energy boost for the Flyers.  Biron followed the breakaway with an incredible stop on Crosby.  Jeff Carter generated his own breakaway and took a threatening shot at Fleury.  Then, the Flyers got a third rush in which Lupul launched a wrist shot from above the circles that became the first goal of the game.

- The other two Flyer goals represent the style of play we came to recognize as the Flyers' best.  Crashing the net.  Jamming at pucks.  Wreaking havoc on opposition goaltenders.  Similar to what Holmstrom and Franzen do so effectively for Detroit.

Pregame thoughts.

Everyone seems to agree that offense is the Flyers' primary problem.

Mixing up the lines might jump start the offense.  Richards has been shifted up to the top line in an attempt to gain more goals out of Danny Briere.  Stevens attempted this mid-season when Briere struggled to put anything on the scoreboard, and it wasn't successful.  Surprising, because everyone else who ended up on Richards' line throughout the regular season seemed to blossom while on that line.

The bigger offense problem may actually be attributed to the two defensemen on the injury list.  Most great offenses in the new NHL start with a puck moving defenseman.  Timonen and Coburn are the only true puck movers on the Flyers' roster.  Jones and Modry will do in a pinch, but Kukkonen, Hatcher, Smith, and Parent are really stay-at-home guys by nature.  Particularly Smith, who if you haven't noticed, plays better without the puck.

We'll see what happens.  The one point of optimism - the Flyers tend to play their best hockey when their backs are against the wall.  And they couldn't be more against the wall than 3 games behind in the Eastern Conference Final.

The Flyers played a strong game until the midpoint of the third, when fatigue caused errors that resulted in Penguins goals.

What should be noted - the Flyers are not being blown out, despite missing their two best defensemen.  Perhaps Pittsburgh is not quite so skillful as the terminology in the papers and on TV might lead us to believe.

End of 2nd period.  Flyers 2 - Penguins 2.  Carter (PP) and Richards (SH).  Hossa (PP).

- Coburn is done for the night.

- The Flyers need to stay out of the penalty box.  Desperately.  They can't count on a short hander from Richards every time.

- Carter goal gave the entire team energy.  But the Flyers at times continued to lose races and battles for the puck.  Who knows what the third period will bring.

End of 1st period.  Flyers 0 - Penguins 1.  Crosby goal on the power play
- Braydon Coburn left the game around the two minute mark after taking a puck somewhere in the facial region.  We don't know yet whether he'll return tonight.

- The Flyers are playing without any energy.  They have not established a forecheck or a backcheck, allowing the Penguins to run rampant in circles around Martin Biron.  Scottie Upshal fought - and lost - to Tyler Kennedy.  Crosby's second goal was not allowed because no footage definitively showed the puck crossing the goal line.

- One could say the Flyers simply are experiencing rotten luck.  But in hockey, teams often create their own bounces by playing hard and throwing everything they have at their opponent.  The Flyers are not doing that tonight.  They're luck to only be down by one goal.

- Lasse Kukkonen is having a monster game.  During the last minute, with the Penguins on the power play, Kukkonen blocked a shot with his hand and was clearly in pain.  He stayed with the puck, made a valiant clearing attempt (that unfortunatley failed), and managed to squirt the puck out of a major scrum in the crease.  Biron had left the net to play the puck.  The puck bounced out to a Penguin at the point, who shot towards the open net.  Without Kukkonen, it would be a 2-0 game now.

Pregame.

Thoresen's out; Downie is in.  I'm concerned about this switch given Downie's tendency to take poor, undisciplined penalties at the worst possible times.  Thoresen may not score as often as the young Canadian, but he's also far more responsible.  I'm trusting that Stevens knows what he's doing.

It's going to take more than a lineup adjustment for the Flyers to win this game.  It's going to take more than Mike Richards on fire to win this game.  And it's definitely going to take more than a haphazard effort in goal, a sloppy defense, and uninspired offense from the stars of this team to win this game.

The Flyers need Martin Biron, Danny Briere and Braydon Coburn to shine.  And they need Richards, Umberger, Lupul, Upshall, and Kukkonen to continue elevating their games.

For the Flyers, this game is the series.

Sigh. Okay, so not everyone was terrible. Richie had a good game. 2 goals! Yay for him :) Modry also surprised me, he wasn't as awful as I feared he would be.

But wtf happened to everyone else? Namely line 1 and Marty B.  Lines 3 & 4 were kind of invisible, too. Hi Carts, could you please turn on the awesome now? Please?? And Danny B - dude, everytime you touched the puck it was like an instant turnover. Let's work on that, yes?

This is not the team that beat the Habs in 5. Can I have that team back now? Kthxbai.

I will not lose all hope, however. We lost both games 1 in our previous two rounds. Not to mention I felt like the Flyers were getting a bit of their attitude back towards the end of the game. I hope they come out roaring in game 2 tomorrow. I'm thinking we should sit Jimmy Dowd and put Cote in. I'm sure if anyone's dying to play, it's him. And we could use some of that high energy and enthusiasm that Riles brings right about now.

Man oh man do I miss Kimmo.

Unquestionably Timonen has been the Flyers best defenseman during the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs.  From his role as a key member of the five-man shutdown unit implemented against Alexander Ovechkin to his quiet, flawless efforts throughout the Montreal series, Timonen is the true unsung hero of the team.  He stands behind the goaltending genius of Martin Biron, the power play prowess of Danny Briere, and the breakout brilliance of RJ Umberger.

It's quite possible that the Penguins will exploit Timonen's absence to their scoring advantage.  Without Timonen, who will defend Crosby and/or Malkin?  Who's going to play point on the top power play unit?  And who's going to kill penalties?  I'm sure the pundits are predicting this injury skewing the series heavily in Pittsburgh's favor.

On the other hand, the Flyers may prove some unseen defensive depth.  This team has found ways to win when things seemed hopelessly stacked against them time and again.  It was not so long ago that the Flyers faced a tough final stretch in the regular season, with the highly skilled Atlantic Division teams ahead and the Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers, and Buffalo Sabres breathing down their necks.  Yet they managed to pull out some incredible victories versus the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils.

Players who could step forward:
Braydon Coburn - He's grown tremendously since the preseason, elevating his game and soaring from a second pairing with Derian Hatcher to top line duties with Kimmo Timonen.  He played excellent hockey during the first two rounds and may have yet another level within.

Jason Smith - He's a veteran who has proven his mettle in the playoffs before.  Lest you forget, he led the eighth ranked Edmonton Oilers to their unlike Stanley Cup run two years ago.  And they weren't eliminated until the third period of Game 7, despite losing starting netminder Dwayne Roloson.

Derian Hatcher - Big and slow are two words that come to mind.  But gritty hits, massive experience, and terrific penalty killing are the other side of that coin.  And as the only American to captain a Stanley Cup championship team, Hatcher knows what is required to win.

Randy Jones - At times, Jones can become overexposed in the NHL, making poor choices along the boards and shooting a lot of pucks that get blocked too close to the blueline for comfort.  On the other hand, he has a plus-eight rating in the 2008 playoffs.  And unlike Smith, Jones is capable of scoring the occasional goal.  Should he get his hands on whatever RJ Umberger's been drinking lately, he could become the story of the playoffs.

Here's a link to Tim Panaccio's coverage of Timonen's injury.

Wtf? Srsly bbs.

You'd think by now people outside of Philly would begin to see that maybe our boys actually have a shot here. It's not lucky bounces or refs who favor us (can  you even imagine that?) but oh hai - Philadelphia is actually good.

Who woulda thunk it!? At this time last year could anyone have seriously imagined the Flyers going to the Eastern Conference Finals in only a year?

Who cares if the Pens have Crosby, Malkin, and Hossa. We're hardly lacking in the players who are awesome department. Danny Briere, Mike Richards, Kimmo Timonen, R.J. Umberger, Jeff Carter...do any of these names ring a bell?

Oh wow, that Fleury kid is turning out to be quite the net defender. Gee whiz, so is Marty Biron! Not to mention, a few years ago back in the AHL finals, Fleury was whooped by some of our current star players i.e. Richie and Carts, for the Calder Cup.

I know the Pens are an awesome team, I can admit it. But ya know what? So are the Flyers. And that's the kind of awesome I revel in.

I was informed that a TSN commentator said something to the affect of: "The Pens purposefully messed up the last game they played against the Flyers so they wouldn't have to verse them in the playoffs. Well, looks like they're versing them now."

Oh, the cackles that induced.

Yes, I know we must beware of them. All we will hear now is "they've got Crosby and Malkin and Hossa and Sykora..." yadda yadda yadda.

But we have Richie and Carter and Briere and Umberger and Upshall and Lupul, etc. Not to mention our defense and goaltending has improved greatly since the last time we played them.

I am SO excited for this series. It will be rough and gritty and nasty and amazing.

This is what hockey is all about.

SCHEDULE
GAME 1 - @ PIT - Fri May 9 - 7:30pm - VERSUS
GAME 2 - @ PIT - Sun May 11 - 7:30pm - VERSUS
GAME 3 - @ PHI - Tue May 13 - 7:30pm - VERSUS
GAME 4 - @ PHI - Thu May 15 - 7:30pm - VERSUS
*GAME 5 - @ PIT - Sun May 18 - 3:00pm - NBC
*GAME 6 - @ PHI - Tue May 20 - 7:30pm - VERSUS
*GAME 7 - @ PIT - Thu May 22 - 7:30pm - VERSUS
*if necessary

POINTS ON THE PENS
This inexperienced team has really learned on the fly throughout the post-season and shown they can be successful. The Penguins got hot right before the home stretch of the NHL's regular season and got the division title as they were three points better than the New Jersey Devils. The road to the conference finals hasn't been quite as difficult for the Penguins as it has been for the Flyers. They swept the lowly Senators who struggled all season after their hot start to the 2007-08 campaign. Then the Penguins beat the New York Rangers in five games when they got a little bit more of a fight out of their opponent.

The Penguins defense was suspect throughout the regular season, but improved in the playoffs. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has been good, but hasn't had to be great because of the improved blue line. He has only had to make 240 saves so far in the playoffs, thus his impressive goals against and save percentage. The test for the Flyers will be shutting down the star-studded Penguins offense. Evgeni Malkin is always dangerous. So is Sidney Crosby when he isn't laying on the ice whining for penalties. Trade deadline acquisition Marian Hossa had only eight points going into Sunday, but he scored twice in game 5, so the Flyers will have to look out for him as well. Another headache is sure to be on the way for Kimmo Timonen.

KEYS TO THE SERIES

Officiating

The biggest key to this series could be the special teams for the Flyers. If you thought the officiating was bad last series against Montréal, just wait until you see how the NHL officials have been trained to protect Crosby and Co.. The Flyers have been shorthanded 57 times this post-season. Who was the next worst? Surprise, surprise, it was the Penguins last opponent, the New York Rangers with 54. The Flyers have allowed 13 power play goals so far in the playoffs so they definitely want to improve there.

Goaltending

The hottest goalie hands down in the NHL is Marty Biron. The Flyers have to use this to their advantage, but can't rely on him to win every game. He can't stay this hot forever, and the orange and black will have to continue their efforts they put forth in game 5 against the Canadiens to pick up Biron, rather than count on him to pick up the rest of the team.

1.76 GAA / 8 wins / .940 SV% / 220 saves *stats entering Sunday's game 5 win
2.72 GAA / 8 wins / .914 SV% / 361 saves (best in NHL)

Physical Play

This will again be a very physical series, but unlike the Washington and Montréal series, these two teams flat out hate each other because they're division opponents. We haven't seen a fight yet in the playoffs and I wouldn't be surprised if Riley Cote made an appearance in this series to reinforce the physical presence for Philadelphia.

Experience

Critics have noted time and again that this is a young Flyers team and noted their inexperience, but look at how little experience the Penguins have. Crosby, Malkin, and Fleury (perhaps the three most important players for the Penguins), have not seen third round action in the NHL. Danny Briere has been there three straight seasons, and Kimmo Timonen, Jason Smith, and Jim Dowd all have a lot of experience to bring to the table.

If nothing more, this series will be a ton of fun. The physicality was there against Montréal, but this series will take it up a notch. Look for Hartnell, Upshall, and Hatcher to really mix it up against the pesky Penguins.

SCRATCHED UP

Pittsburgh

Max Talbot C Day-to Day Foot

Mark Eaton D Injured Reserve Torn ACL

Philadelphia

Mike Knuble RW Day-to-Day Torn Hamstring

Simon Gagne LW Injured Reserve Mild Concussion

PREDICTION

Flyers in 6. The Flyers physical play will wear down the stars on the Penguins offensive front. If the Flyers can continue to balance their scoring and have goal-tending like they did in game 5 (good but not fantastic), they will win this series.

In depth NHL playoff coverage coming up this week.

THE SEASON SERIES

Wed Nov 7, 2007

Flyers win 3-1.

Sat Nov 10, 2007

Flyers win 5-2.

Tue Dec 11, 2007

Flyers win 8-2.

Thu Jan 24, 2008

Flyers win 4-3.

Sun Feb 10, 2008

Penguins win 4-3.

Sun Mar 16, 2008

Penguins win 7-1.

Wed Apr 2, 2008

Penguins win 4-2.

Sun Apr 6, 2008

Flyers win 2-0.

Umberger (7) and Scott Hartnell (2) each scored in the second period to give the Flyers another 2-0 lead, but like most 2-0 Flyers leads in the series - it evaporated.  Tomas Plekanec's (3) redirection and Saku Koivu's (3) rebound goals in the third period got the Canadians back into the contest, 2-2.

With four minutes remaining in the game,  Montreal's stone-handed fourth liner Steve Begin, laid a late hit on Flyers' diminutive forward Sami Kapanen, receiving a two-minute interference penalty. The Flyers were not tentative in capitalizing, as Vinny Prospal blasted a shot that bounced around the crease and onto the stick of Briere who put it into the Canadians' net.

“Know what? I don’t want to get fined,” said Carbonneau, who smirked tossing veiled accusations that the refs felt bad for Philadelphia when calling the penalty on Begin. “You watch it and you watch the whole game, then tell me after. There was enough things written in the paper today.”

Besides the late-game referee decisions, Montreal continues to struggle offensively with captain Koivu being the only player with any consistent production in the series.  Weak-willed Alexei Kovalev has once again done his big game disappearing act and Andrei Kostitsyn has seemingly buckled under the physical play the Flyers have laid on him. The Canadians are also struggling on special teams, going 0-4 on the power play while allowing the Flyers to tally two goals on four power play chances.

A big part of the Flyers recent success has been their defense. Biron was sensational once again, stopping 36 shots and putting a lid on Montreal's early offensive flurry.  But helping Biron look so good has been the Flyers defensemen, who have limited Montreal's second chances and kept the Canadians shots - for the most part - to the perimeter.

Thumbs Up

Jaraoslav Halak - In one of the more surprising moves of the post season, Montreal decided to replace 20-year old supertender Carey Price with 22-year old Halak for game four. Halak had only started four games in the regular season and just a year ago was buried in the ECHL.  Put in a ridiculously tough position, the young goaltender did what he could to keep his team competitive and nearly came away with a win.

Chris Therien's Begin to Beijing comment on the post-game show - As soon as the post game analysis started, former Flyers' defenseman Chris Therien let everyone know just how he felt about Montreal's undisciplined play. With the camera zoomed in on just his Frankenstein face, he looked dead seriously into the lens and said "Begin (pronounced BEY-ZHIN) should move to Beijing after that stupid play." Although the line wasn't comedic gold, the timing and seriousness in which "Bundy" said it made almost everyone watching chuckle a little.

Ron Hextall and Dave Mustaine wishing the Flyers good luck - Traditionalists and classic Flyers fans have been complaining for years on how their Flyers experience has changed during games.  With Brett Hamilton loudly cracking bad jokes and childish giveaways and kiddie contests taking away from the blood thirsty colosseum-like atmosphere.  But in the playoffs the environment has been much different.  Instead of games and wacky tom foolery, the only thing on the jumbotron have been videos of playoffs past and highlights of the season.  In game four, former Flyers' goalie Ron Hextall appeared on the big screen to wish the Flyers good luck in their playoff run, accompanied by highlights of him attacking Chris Chelios. The crowd went into a frenzy.  Also wishing the Flyers good luck was Mega Deth's Dave Mustaine, who told the crowd they could work security for him any day.  Good work by the Flyers organization to do things the right way and to know their fan base.

Thumbs Down

Alexei Kovalev's kneeing - Late in the third period with the puck buried deep in the Flyers' zone,  the soft Montreal forward extended his knee to make contact with the knee of Umberger, who topped to the ice.  Typically no call was made, but upon seeing the replay, Kovalev's intentions were obvious.  Looks like someone is getting frustrated.

Danny/Vinny/Harts should be left alone. They have the best chemistry. I feel the same about Richie/Lupes/Thor. Umbie wasn't adding that extra something to line 2, but he has broken out in this round...

Sigh. Decisions, decisions. I'd hate to be Johnny, that's for sure. Though I guess we should consider it a luxury that we have so many players who are made of win.

I don't know about anyone else, but life just hasn't been the same for me this year without the Sabres being in the Playoffs: No boozing on random days for games, no bottle rocket celebrations, no destruction on Eastwood after a loss, no Goo Goo Dolls intro, no Rick Jeanneret, no Ronan Tynan, no Chris Drury miracles, no legal midgets named Danny Briere, no Campbell hits, no Miller saves, no "You Just Got Goosed!," no "You've Just Been Filled...to the MAX!," no Chippewa celebrations.....Lets Go Buffalo.

RJ Umberger on the hip check from Tomas Plekanec: "He stuck his hip out.  It's a long series, and we know who it was. The [knee] brace saved me."

Guy Carbonneau on Carey Price: "He is 20 years old. You can't forget about that.  We are trying to ask this kid to be a savior for our club. Carey has proven in the past he can bounce back and come back really strong. We will sit down and see what is going to happen in the next game. I know he can come back really strong."

Saku Koivu on Carey Price: "His skills and confidence haven't gone anywhere.  You don't lose those things overnight."

Danny Briere on officating: "Tonight we had to fight through a lot of adversity.  It was a gutsy effort trying to battle through all the freedom they had, hitting [Biron] and slashing [Biron] the way we're not allowed to. It's pretty amazing."

Mike Knuble on returing to the lineup: "It's improved a lot.  I skated for the first time Friday, and it was so sore, I was pretty ginger out there. I went out [Saturday] and it was a lot better, so there's progress. Wednesday is questionable, but for sure after that."

Joffrey Lupul on who's making the most chatter on the ice: "We are."

Former Canadien Murray Wilson on Kate Smith: "She sang God Bless America before Game 4 in 1976.  The arena was dark and, when the lights came back on, there was (Canadiens general manager Serge Savard) with a dozen roses, which he gave to Kate Smith. She shouldn't have taken them, but she did, and then when she realized where they came from, she threw them out." The Canadiens won that game to sweep the series.  Fortunately for the current team, Lauren Hart knows better.

Francis Bouillon on the Flyers: "It took only two games to hate them."

Scottie Upshall on Bouillon's quote: "I'm surprised it took that long.  It's the playoffs. We're not friends out there. It's time when everyone puts everything aside. . . . The hatred has been there all year, no matter what the sweater is. Montreal is just a team we're up against. We're in battle mode.""

Kimmo Timonen on Bouillon's quote: "Who likes the Flyers?  It's the playoffs. That's our style of play, and we're going to keep doing it. They have a lot of skill, and we're going to be hard on their top people."

Steven Begin on the upcoming Game 4: "We'll contnue to work hard.  We have to win the next game. We have no choice." 

The Flyers, despite being slower than the Canadiens and continuing their ongoing struggle to clear the puck, hitched their wagons to the man-on-fire.  Outside of the four goals scored, the Flyers' play left much to be desired.  Carter and Hartnell both overreacted in defense of Martin Biron, taking penalties that could have destroyed the Flyers momentum easily without the stellar goaltending.  Randy Jones has been caught on his heels multiple times by the slick Canadiens forwards, which is symptomatic of the greater problem that Flyers often are running at the Habs instead of skating with them.  Topping it off, the Flyers gave the puck away 15 times, usually doing so in the vicinity of the bluelines.  Without Biron, that type of giveaway ends up in the net.

Notes:

- Jeff Carter responded to a tough game with a beautiful goal.  That's the way you want to see young players react to adversity.

- Danny Briere scored, much to the chagrin of the assembled Habs fans.  He needs to be active on the score sheet for the Flyers' to have a chance at this series.

- The "Bee-ron" taunt and Briere boos weren't so successful for the Bell Centre crowd, raucous on this particular Saturday night.  But who will the Flyer faithful target with no clear favorites this round?  My guess: Alexei Kovalev.

- There may be holes in their on-ice execution, but I love the Flyers' attitude towards these games.  Every interview I've seen and read has been focused with a slight hint of optimism.  The Versus broadcast aired a chat with Biron prior to the game in which he pointed out that the Flyers are confident they know how to win in big games.  His quote in the Philly Inquirer: "It's playoff hockey.  This is fun."  There's something almost Capital-esque in their approach.  And that's what they'll need to win.

- According to those who would know, Don Cherry discussed the Koivu goal during the CBC's Hockey Night in Canada broadcast.  Apparently Lasse Kukkonen was cut in the face by a skate blade, which may be the event that caused Martin Biron to look the wrong direction.  Kukkonen fortunately received only a small cut, so it won't affect his ability to play.

- The Flyers vastly improved their faceoffs from Game 1, winning 53% overall.  Danny Briere stood out - 8 for 12. 

- Carter's stick once again broke in nearly the same location, allowing the Canadiens to keep the puck in the zone and force a Flyers penalty.  Should he consider switching from composite to wood?  Georges Laraque cited the Carter faceoff as a reason why he personally uses only wood.  Then again, Laraque isn't exactly known for scoring goals.

- Did anyone else notice that Guy Carbonneau was wearing an orange tie?  It struck me as odd . . .

- Tom Kostopoulos, the Habs' resident agitator, took a pot shot at Kimmo Timonen after play had ended, launching yet another scrum.  John Stevens called it cowardly.  I say it's evidence of the refs allowing highly aggressive borderline hits throughout the game.  There will be fireworks before this one's over.

- In other agitator news, Scottie Upshall engaged in a heated debate with Canadiens captain Saku Koivu.  I don't think that trade favors the Habs.  And apparently neither did Steve Begin, who jumped in to prevent Koivu from fighting.

Saturday night however, the Flyers had that vengeance against Montreal. R.J. Umberger scored on a quick snap shot 5:53 into the first stanza to open up the scoring. Despite Montreal having a heavy lead in shots, the Flyers led where it counted. The rather partial Versus commentators (I didn't even care as long as they weren't the guys from NBC) also noted that the Habs were leading in hits, but that didn't really tell the story either. The Flyers hammered the hardest hits of the game, including a doozie from captain Jason Smith. At 8:39 on the power play Jeff Carter absolutely sniped his shot over the left shoulder of rookie Carey Price. Commentators have been saying throughout both series in this year's post-season that Jeff Carter has been the best Flyer and he proved why tonight. His shot is one of the hardest and fastest in the NHL.

After the Flyers went up 2-0, visions came to mind of the Flyers blowing that lead, something they did in game 1 of the conference semifinals, and on multiple occasions in the first round against Washington. Captain Saku Koivu scored for the Canadiens with just over 3 minutes remaining in the first period, causing fans everywhere to wince. The only reason, by the way, that the score was even that close was the incredible play of Marty Biron. The new father is playing in only his second playoff series and early in this game he decided he would haul the team on his shoulders and carry them, making flashy glove saves in the process. Apparently the constant chants of "Bbbbbb-roooooo" as it sounded in unison of 20,000 French Canadian accents motivated Marty to continue his stellar play this off-season.

The only goal of the second period came off the red-hot stick of Danny Briere. Briere, among boo's from the crowd drew the puck close to him, skated around Andrei Markov who was draped all over him, dragged the puck across the crease in front of Carey Price and neatly slid the puck behind Price's right foot, which was behind the goal line. That goal marked the seventh for Danny in the playoffs which tied him for the lead with Detroit's Johan Franzen who posted a hat trick this afternoon against the Avalanche.

Andrei Markov scored 1:26 in to the 3rd period on a back door goal that Biron had no chance on, to make it a 1 goal game once again. The Flyers didn't collapse this time and held onto the lead until 17:39 when R.J. Umberger netted his second of the night and fourth of the playoffs to really put the nail in the coffin for the Habs. The Flyers look like a different team this series, playing at a higher notch than they were against the Caps last week. There is a sense of confidence in this team that isn't an ignorant  confidence this time around. These guys truly seem to believe they  can and will score the next goal at any point in the game. It also doesn't hurt when your goalie decides he will stand on his head and make the entire opposing team his own personal bunch of lackeys.

The series is now tied at 1 game apiece, as both teams head down to Philly. The motivation is clearly in the Flyers favor. They have so many things working for them. Not only is Biron playing superhuman hockey, but the physical play is carried by the orange and black. And analysts thought this would be easy for Montreal? Think again.

Dave's 3 Stars of the Game

1. Marty Biron - 34 saves
2. R.J. Umberger - 2 goals
3. Danny Briere - 1 goal

Photos flyers.nhl.com, Phillip MacCallum/Getty Image

- Flyers survived the third period.  The Canadiens and their fans gleaned momentum from the early Markov goal and pushed through to the very end.  Their forecheck hemmed in the Flyers for much of the period.  But the Flyers improved the success rate on clearing attempts, and that made the idfference.

- Lucky bounces continue for the Flyers.  Habs fans might say it's more that HIggins is snake-bitten.  Either way, Higgins ricocheted one off the inside of the post, and it did not cross the goal line.

- I was worried that the Flyers looked composed but not urgent as the third period drew to a close.  Then Umberger jumps on a puck drifting through the neutral zone, carries it towards Price, and takes the shot.  The rebound pops to a waiting Flyer, who shoots.  Meanwhile, Umberger stays at the net, swats at the airborne puck, and backhands the rebound off Price for a goal.  I haven't seen much of this play from Umberger since his return from the knee injury sustained in Pittsburgh, but it was these little moves that made him incredibly valuable at mid-season.

The Flyers split the series - exactly what you want to do on the road.  Now it's time to dish out some vengeance on Wachovia Center ice.

Second Period.  Flyers 3 - Canadiens 1.  Flyers goal from Briere.

- MAR-TY!  MAR-TY!  MAR-TY!  HUGE glove save on Plekanec breakaway.  HUGE saves on a late penalty kill.  SILENCING the mocking chant of the Bell Centre crowd.  If you're not watching this game, Biron is the reason the Flyers are currently in the lead.  In the dry wit of Kimmo Timonen - "he made a few nice saves there at the end of the period."

- The Habs did a good job through the first half defensively on the Flyers.  They clogged the neutral zone, allowing them to block the east-west passes and long outlets favored by the Flyer defensemen.  They used turnovers around the two bluelines to stretch the ice, separating Flyer forwards from their D. 

- Hartnell took a penalty late in the second in the process of defending Marty Biron from Kostopoulos.  The intentions were good, but the Flyers forwards need to be careful.  There is a fine line between defensive pushing and overdoing it.  A subtle move is sometimes more than enough to convey the message, and it won't cost you a shorthanded situation.  Fortunately, Biron saved his team.

- The Flyers are still struggling to clear pucks.  So far, Biron has covered every mistake.  But a desperate team (like the Habs will be in the third) could very well burn them on such failures.  See Game 1 for an example.

Goals for the 3rd: Maintain the intensity.  Don't change now.

First Period.  Flyers 2 - Canadiens 1.  Flyers goals from Umberger and Carter (PP).  Habs from Koivu (PP).

- Marty Biron is on his game.  He's stick handling, preventing rebounds, and playing high in the crease.  Only missed the Koivu stuff play because he thought the puck had gone the whole way around the net.  He was also the best Flyer through the first five minutes of the game.

- The Flyer fourth liners are again making a difference.  They established the first forecheck for the Flyers, got the first cycle, and the first goal (forwards Kapanen, Dowd and Umberger).  That's energy.

- The Habs are skating around the Flyers defensemen - the guys need to keep moving their feet!

- The Habs are also double-teaming Danny Briere.  He's too small to fend off two guys.  But since he has two, that means someone somewhere is open.  For that line to have some success, he's got to start finding that guy.

- Mike Richards is leadership.  The Habs got a 5-on-3.  Richards, one of the 3 defenders, breaks his stick, manages to bat the puck out of the air into the corner and then beats the Habs into the corner to keep the puck tied up along the boards.  Huge play.

- Goals for the 2nd: Keep those shots on Carey Price coming.  Keep the feet moving on defense.  No more unnecessary penalties! 

Pregame.  There's really nothing new to the game plan for the Flyers.  Keep feet moving, strong team defense, establish a good forecheck, great goalkeeping from Marty Biron.  Do all of the above for a full 60 minutes.

Things to consider for this game:

1.  Jeff Carter had a rough night on Thursday.  Will he respond tonight with the authoritative style that has made him successful in these playoffs, or will his confidence crumble?

2.  Mike Richards didn't like the call at the end of Thursday's game.  He tends to respond to hardship by coming even stronger the second time.  What will we see from Richards tonight?

3.  Danny Briere looked unsettled when the booing began in Montreal.  He simply wasn't playing with the sure hand he had in Washington.  Was it just opening night jitters or is this going to be a longterm issue?

Jagr isn't alone among players who receive rapt fan attention in the opposition's buildings.  Danny Briere may never be forgiven by fans of Les Glorieux for choosing Philadelphia in free agency.  Martin Brodeur is the target of choice at Madison Square Garden.  And I'm told that Kings fans have been sorely tempted to go after one of their own on numerous occasions: Rob Blake.

So where is the line between a healthy animosity and ill-natured chaos?  Is it wrong to heckle the great players of the game?  Are there boundaries other than the glass that fans should never cross?

I would say the line is marked by two incidents I have witnessed involving Flyer fans.  This past season, fans seated behind the visitor's bench engaged in a heated discussion with Rangers pest Sean Avery.  Who started it is up for grabs, but it was a purely verbal engagement. 

Several years ago, a Flyers fan seated behind the penalty box fell into the box.  This sparked the iconic fist fight between Tie Domi of the Maple Leafs and a drunken Philly fan - you can guess who won that one.

Heckling, verbal sparring, yapping, chirping - these are all valid elements of the in-game atmosphere.  The players on the ice engage in the sparring throughout the game.  Likewise, fans come to support their team in any way possible, including using their voices to distract the opposition.  I see nothing wrong with booing or taunting a player, whether it's a star like Sidney Crosby or an above average pest like Darcy Tucker. 

Foul language should be used sparingly because people should feel free to bring their children to games.  Prior to this most recent series against Washington, the only profane language in common usage throughout the Wachovia Center was the a**hole chant, reserved for referees who make poor calls (aka calls against the Flyers).  The recitation of an expletive and Ovechkin's name was truly classless, and I hope those who started and those joined in the chant realize how inapproriate it was.  Boos express dissatisfaction or team loyalty in the face of a rival.  Expletives, however, demonstrate poor gamesmanship and a lack of respect for the sport and its players.

But as awful as words may be, they are nothing compared to endangering the players with physical assaults of any kind.  That includes Flyer fans jumping in penalty boxes to fight opposing players.  Or the Washington Capitals fans launching pizza boxes and bottles at Jeff Carter and Joffrey Lupul, who were being interviewed on the Verizon Center ice. 

Or the Montreal Canadiens fans who dumped beer on Mike Richards while he was in the penalty box at the Bell Centre.  These men earn their livelihood entertaining us with their sport.  They risk life and limb with the various bodily contact they sustain during normal plays; we have no right to ask them to guard against physical danger originating outside the glass as well.  And it's not just players.  In Washington, the cameramen, sound technicians, and journalists who work long, hard hours to bring us the hockey coverage we crave could have been hurt for simply doing their jobs.

I'm not asking hockey fans to stop demonstrating passion for their team or hatred for the opposition.  Let's be honest - I'm a Flyers fan.  I love the battles.  And I love it when fans from other cities become riled up for their own teams.  That's what makes a live hockey game special, exciting, and fun.

That isn't a license to do whatever you want.  Just as we ask the players to respect physical boundaries on the ice for their own safety, we as fans need to respect physical boundaries off the ice for the safety of our players.  If it goes over the glass, it should be either a hat in celebration of a hat trick or the sounds of word wars.  Otherwise, it's off-limits.

I think last night was some of the worst officiating I've ever seen. And in a semifinals game, no less. Way to go!

I really think Kovalev's goal was hit with a high stick and I don't see how the War Room didn't see that, but whatever. Everyone thinks it would have bounced off Marty's back and gone in the net anway. But that call on Richie at the end of the game was completely retarded.

I mean, A KNEEING PENALTY?! Come on. No one is going to put their team in that sort of situation with like 40 seconds left in a game, especially Mike Richards.

AND THEN...as if that wasn't bad enough, Habs fans threw a beer on Richie when he's in the sin bin. WTF is up with asshole fans?! I don't care if they're from Montreal, Philly, or Washington. If you do something like that - you're an asshole.

Anyway...I thought the Flyers totally outplayed the Habs. And it was the most pleasant surprise I could have asked for. I knew we were the huge underdogs going into this series, but I think the boys proved last night that not only can they take on the Habs, but they have a shot to win this round! So I'm excited for the next few games (give or take).

I'm glad Joffrey Lupul seems to be getting his game back. I'm not sure if I'm crazy about him on the Danny B/Vinny P line. I liked the way Harts was playing with them, they haven't clicked as much without him. Though I do like Kaps with Richie. How about Danny/Vinny/Harts and Lupes/Richie/Kaps? Kthxbai.

Marty B had another impressive game. Some of the saves he made were sick. I'm very happy for him - I knew he could play this awesome. Haters need to stfu.

I hope to see some more goals from Richie, Carts, Danny & Vinny in the next few games. I know they can do it :)

I think we'll take game 2...here's hoping.

Fatigue was not a factor in the slightest bit from the orange and black to begin this game. They came out with a hop in their step, clearly motivated from an emotional victory days earlier. It's been noted that against Washington, the Flyers had to focus on one player, and Montreal would pose a problem in their depth. The first period was a breath of fresh air for the Flyers, and a bit of a shock for the overly confident Montreal fans and their team.

The Flyers came out firing and while the game stayed scoreless for much of the period due to outstanding goaltending, the Flyers caught the first break. Just over 13 minutes into the opening period, R.J. Umberger backhanded the puck into the middle which was deflected off a Montreal stick and into the net. A lucky bounce resulted in a 1-0 Flyers lead. But the luck would even out later.

The boys from Philadelphia didnt waste much time adding to their lead. Just over 3 minutes later, Jim Dowd sent a nice shot past Price and put the orange and black up 2-0. No offense from Briere and Richards? No problem; the Flyers were getting effective play from all 4 lines and goals from all over. The shots were close, 10-9 in favor of Philadelphia, at the end of one period of play.

Somehow, someway, the Flyers kept their legs churning in the 2nd period as they continued to mount offensive attacks. After a penalty shot was stopped for Biron, the Flyers had all the momentum in the world. But back came the Habs. Right around the midway point of the period, Kostitsyn put the puck in the net past Biron to cut the lead in half. But it was the next goal in the game that was truly heartbreaking with the Flyers playing such a good game. On a power play for the Flyers, Montreal took it down the ice on an innocent 2 on 2. A shot was put on net and Biron got a piece, but it trickled over his head and as it was heading towards the net, Alexei Kovalev swatted the puck in to tie the game at 2. Almost immediately, Biron, Briere, and other Flyers on the ice were screaming for a high stick, and for good reason. As the puck was coming down, multiple angles showed Kovalev's stick hit the puck while the blade was coming down above the crossbar. His stick actually ended up hitting the crossbar after contact with the puck. It was a tough call for the men in Toronto to make, sure, but it was later noted that when asked after their ruling they claimed it was absolutely certain it was a goal. Absolutely none of the angles showed anything representing a legal goal. So, the Flyers got some luck on Umberger's goal, and Montreal got some here.

The third period was just as entertaining, and the Flyers started the period fast and on the power play. They wasted no time in capitalizing as a shot from Coburn at the point went in and out of Price's glove and Lupul swatted it into the net. Yet again the Flyers regained momentum and the lead, 3-2. The minutes kept ticking by, and despite poor play in the neutral zone at times, the Flyers held their lead as 1:30 remained on the clock. Biron was fantastic all game, and stopped the first 8 shots in the 3rd period. But then the luck card game into play again, and yet again it went in favor of Montreal.

With just 1:19 left in the game, the Habs were trying to get the puck into the offensive zone. Mike Richards put his body into the puck carrier and was called for kneeing Alexei Kovalev. There is no Philadelphia bias in saying this was a terrible call. Replay showed that Richards made a play on the man with the puck. Nothing dirty, no knee to knee, and no elbow. The Montreal faithful had been given a gift and a chance to tie this game. With an offensive zone draw, Price was pulled for a 6 on 4 situation. The Habs passed it around and with just 29 seconds left from the Flyers taking game 1 on the road, Kovalev fired a bullet shot from the circle to tie the game, 3-3. You want some bad luck? Right off the face off, Jeff Carter's stick broke right in half and he was unable to take his man off the draw. His man? You guessed it, Kovalev.

So for their second playoff game in a row, the Flyers would be headed for overtime. The score was tied 3-3 and the shots were 32-31 in favor of the Flyers. Both goaltenders had played terrific games for the most part, especially Marty Biron. The Flyers had caught some bad breaks down the stretch, from broken sticks to bad calls. But they had to march on.

Ferocious skating and unreal play from Marty Biron had the Flyers lined up for the win. But it was not to be, as Montreal ended it just 48 seconds into OT on a goal from Kostopoulus. This goal, like the one Kovalev used to tie the game in the 3rd, had no chance of being stopped by Biron.

This is a heartbreaking loss for the Flyers; they played the better game. They had great goaltending, they were physical, and they scored on their hot power play. They had the lead for most of the game and played like a team that was rested for a week, not one that had just come off a 7 game series. Montreal played a good game as well, but the Flyers certainly deserved a better outcome than this loss. Bad calls and unfortunate breaks cost them the game. But as they've done all year, regular season and against Washington, the Flyers wont back down. They showed guts in this game. Biron certainly came to play big time. They got terrific contributions from players like Upshall who drew a few penalties, and strong defense from Hatcher. This game hurts, and they'll take it on the chin. But trust me when I say: they will be more than ready for game 2 on Saturday.

Aaron's 3 Stars:

1. Alexei Kovalev - 2 G
2. Tom Kostopoulus - 1 G, game winner
3. Marty Biron - 30 saves on 34 shots

Flyers did an excellent job considering their high fatigue level.  They worked hard the entire game, pushing through and moving their feet.  They took few penalties, put lots of shots on Carey Price, and forced turnovers.  I'm sure they're frustrated by this game's result, but they should walk away this evening proud of themselves.  Should they play this way throughout the series, they may just steal four games from Montreal.

On officiating:  I will always maintain that teams must put themselves in positions to win despite the referees.  The Flyers received penalties whenever they spent too much time chasing Montreal around Martin Biron.  They did not lose because of bad calls by the officials.

BUT, as Lou Lamiorello once pointed out, referees need to call what they see, not what they think  they see.  The penalty on Mike Richards was an instance where the ref decided based on what he thought he saw.  It did appear from Kovalev's reaction that knee-on-knee contact was made, but replays clearly showed from every angle that Richards' shoulder was the only body part that connected with Kovalev.  May I point out that Mike Hasenfratz was one of the refs tonight, and that he also delivered the horrendous Kozlov goaltender interference call in the Flyers-Caps series?  Were there really that many officials with worse records in the first round? 

Third period. Flyers 3 - Canadiens 3.  Goals from Lupul and Kovalev.

- Flyers spent too much time in their own end towards the end of the game.  Richards receives an unfortunate penalty for supposed knee-on-knee contact.  Replays showed that he clearly hit Kovalev with the shoulder - as Richie was telling the refs after the play - but to no avail.

- Carter is having a bad night.  Missed several shots during the game, turned the puck over for no apparent reason on the play that ended in the Kostitsyn goal, and had his stick break off the faceoff with 30 seconds left.  The puck squirted to Kovalev in front of the net, and he banged it home.

- Headed to OT, which has to favor the Canadiens since they had more rest coming into the game than the Flyers.  Flyers need to play solid defense here and hope for a good turnover to capitalize on.

- Carey Price has struggled to control the puck every time Braydon Coburn has shot the puck.  If the Flyers could get someone in front when Coburn shoots, they might have a goal.

Second period.  Flyers 2 - Canadiens 2.  Goals from A. Kostitsyn and Kovalev

- The score doesn't reflect how well Martin Biron is playing.  He made an amazing glove save on a shot from Mark Streit as well as stoning A. Kostitsyn on a penalty shot.

- Kovalev's goal is extremely controversial in my book.  His stick came down right on top of the cross bar.  He hit the puck.  I don't know how the physics would work to move a stick vertically, hit the puck and the cross bar, and still score a goal.

- Flyers need to pick up the pace.  They had the Habs fans out and now they're back in.

First period.  Flyers 2 - Canadiens 0.  Goals from RJ Umberger and Jim Dowd.

- Good night so far for the Flyers fourth line.  Umberger was out with Thoresen for the first goal, and Dowd out with Thoresen and Downie on the second.

- MAR-TY! MAR-TY! MAR-TY!  Martin Biron made the most amazing save at the horn to prevent the Canadiens from making it a 2-1 game.  Habs fans thought the puck had gone in and that the refs had ruled no goal because of time.  But the puck never made it past the goal line.

- The goal posts are the Flyers' friends.  Canadiens hit two posts in the first.  Flyers hit one, which resulted in a goal.

- The Flyers looked a little slow to start, perhaps because they're a little tired.  A bit of a track meet.  They're hitting well and playing solid defense - they'll need to continue that effort without relaxing to win.

- A few scrums already, usually involving either Mike Komisarek or Mike Richards.  Richards and Markov had words on multiple occasions.

- Alex Kovalev is one of the slipperiest forwards in the NHL.  Braydon Coburn tailed perfectly on a play, moving from the boards to the hash marks to the blueline without losing him for a second.  Great work by Coburn!

Pregame. 

Flyers to watch:

1.  Jeff Carter - The Caps have big bodies on defense, and even they struggled to contain the Flyers' largest center.  Outside of Mike Komisarek, the Habs are much smaller on the blue line, but they hit hard and often.  So the question becomes - will Carter or Price prevail?

2.  Danny Briere - He's been great for the Flyers so far.  It will be interesting to see how he reacts to playing in Montreal.  Fans there are still upset he chose Philadelphia rather than Montreal this past summer, so the boo birds should be out in force.  Will he prove he made the right choice or will les Quebecois relish their revenge?

3.  Martin Biron - Everyone knows Carey Price will put up some terrific saves.  Biron must bring the same determination he showed against Washington if the Flyers want to be successful.

GO FLYERS GO!!!

SCHEDULE
GAME 1 - @ MON - Thu Apr 24, 7:00 PM CSN
GAME 2 - @ MON - Sat Apr 26, 7:00 PM VERSUS
GAME 3 - @ PHI - Mon Apr 28, 7:00 PM VERSUS
GAME 4 - @ PHI - Wed Apr 30, 7:00 PM CSN
*GAME 5 - @ MON - Sat May 3, 7:00 PM TBD
*GAME 6 - @ PHI - Sun May 4, 7:00 PM TBD
*GAME 7 - @ MON - Tue May 6, 7:00 PM TBD
*if necessary

CANADIEN REVIEWE (sorry now I'm forced to make fun of everything Canadian)
The Habs chopped away at Ottawa's lead in the regular season and eventually shot ahead of them and won the top seed in the East. They are a much more balanced team than the Capitals were. They have gotten great veteran leadership so far in the playoffs from lé capitaine Alex Kovalev (2g 4a). Also impressive are the brothers Kostitsyn. The youngest, Sergei, was 200e au total in the 2005 draft. He is tied with Kovalev for the team lead in playoff points with 6 (3g 3a). His older brother Andrei, ain't too bad either. He has 5 points (3g 2a). Those are the key offensive weapons for the Habs, so Flyers defensive specialist Kimmo Timonen will surely have his hands full.

Roman Hamrlik will be the biggest battle the Flyers will have to face in order to get to rookie goaltender Carey Price. The 34 year old will try and keep the Flyers from crashing the net, something they did effectively in their first round match up, and will have to do again in order to advance. So on to Price de savior. Don't let his two shutouts in the first round fool you, he hasn't exactly been Vezina material thus far. He allowed 10 goals in two games, so he can definitely be beaten. And at times he got ambitious and misplayed the puck against Boston.

KEYS TO THE SERIES

This Montréal hockey team plays the same type of physical game the Flyers do, and are just as deep. This series will come down to who can clear their own front porch better, allowing the goaltender to see the shots. The Flyers have to crash the net and disturb Carey Price. They need to keep playing physical and remember to play an entire 60 minutes (at least). The stamina of the Flyers wasn't very good last series and quite frankly were lucky they didn't lose games 4 and 7. That being said, if they had played with heart throughout the whole contest during games 5 and 6, they might have closed the series out earlier.

The Flyers need to continue to get shots on net. Danny Briere is public enemy # un in Montréal, especially he didn't sign with them in the off-season. The Flyers' leading scorer needs to dish off the puck, perhaps to Vinny Prospal or Mike Richards, because they will mark Briere well.

This series may very well come down to goaltending, because these two teams are so similar. Marty Biron played his first playoff series brilliantly, especially in game 7. He needs to maintain the confidence he played with to close out the Caps. Carey Price was impressive enough that the Canadiens were willing to trade Cristobal Huet and let their playoff hopes lie on the shoulders of 20 year old Price. We'll see if he can continue to play well in the post season.

SCRATCHED UP

Montréal

No injuries reported

Philadelphia

Mike Knuble RW Day-to-Day Torn Hamstring

Simon Gagne LW Injured Reserve Mild Concussion

PREDICTION

Flyers in 7. This guy knows what I'm talkin' about. Come on, you didn't really expect me to pick against them, did you? If Boston can push it to 7 games against this team, the Flyers should be able to win that last game. Regardless of the outcome, I fear for the city of Montréal.  Look what they did when they won a first round playoff series. I can only imagine they would torch the entire city in the clever shape of a Habs logo if they won in the second round. If that's the case...what happens when they lose?

In depth NHL playoff coverage coming up this week.

THE SEASON SERIES

Thu Nov 1, 2007

Canadiens win 5-2.

Thu Dec 13, 2007

Canadiens win 4-1.

Sat Feb 16, 2008

Canadiens win 1-0.

Sun Feb 17, 2008

Canadiens win 5-3.

Briere ~ Philadelphia Flyers

Originally uploaded by murphhockey1

I have gone to some awesome NHL games. Last season when the Philadelphia Flyers came to Florida, I was lucky enough to have tickets on the glass behind the Flyers bench. Close enough to see Danny Briere in action, it was so awesome! I also was sitting next to some crazy Flyers fans, although I had on my Jr. Panthers jersey ... I am still a BIG Flyers fan (being born in Philly and all). It is games like this that make hockey players like myself dream big!