The Flyers are all too familiar with the situation that they are in. It feels like year after year the orange and black find themselves fighting for their playoff lives this late in the season.
When was the last time the Flyers coasted into the playoffs? It’s been a while right Flyers fans!!! This year the orange and black fired Ron Hextall, fired Dave Hakstol, and fired Gord Murphy, but yet here they are fighting for their playoff lives once again. Will this year be any different from year’s past?
Last year, the Flyers faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs. The Flyers were beaten in every facet of the game against the Penguins, as Pittsburgh went on to win the series 4-2. Yes, the Penguins were a better team, but the orange and black were also gassed from trying to make the final push for the playoffs.
It appears year after year for the past 4-5 years the Flyers have to make a late run to make the playoffs. For instance, the 2016-17 Flyers missed the playoffs, but the 2015-16 Flyers made the playoffs on the final day of the season. If the orange and black lost to the Penguins they wouldn’t have qualified for the playoffs.
The Flyers now find themselves 6 points out of the playoffs with 10 games to play, as they head into a key matchup tomorrow night with a team ahead of them in the standings in the Montreal Canadiens. With a Flyers victory, they have a possibility of closing that playoff margin to 4 points. However, with a devastating loss, the orange and black could find themselves out of the playoff hunt by 8 points. It’s simple right!!! Just win.
These Flyers are on a 19-6-2 run dating back to January 10, 2019. It just seems this time of year they really know how to put things together. The Goaltending is better, the coaching is better, the Defense (although shaky at times) is better, and just the 5-on-5 play is better. One thing that still lacks is a good start. The Flyers find themselves behind the eight ball a lot, not just in the first half of the season, but in games, as well. It can be frustrating at times, but this team like teams in year’s past are resilient. They always seem to come back for the most part.
Some say let’s not make the playoffs with the hopes of securing a higher pick in the draft, and save the Flyers the embarrassment of the Tampa Bay Lightning stomping them in Round 1 of the playoffs. Although, this might be true, it never hurts to get another year of playoff experience for the young guns in Nolan Patrick, Oskar Lindblom, Travis Konecny, and Travis Sanheim, Ivan Provorov, and Robert Hagg. Moreover, Carter Hart and Philippe Myers would get their first taste of NHL playoff hockey which would be great. Simply put, there are more positives with making the playoffs, then worrying about getting embarrassed in the playoffs with a young team in the orange and black.
Let’s not give up hope on this Flyers team Flyers fans. They have been in this territory before, and although it may seem unlikely…let’s still believe. Remember April 12, 2010 when Brian Boucher sent the Flyers into the post-season, after defeating the New York Rangers in a shootout? Well, what if Carter (The Real Deal) Hart does the same thing this season. I have even counted the orange and black out at times this season, but they have proven me wrong. One thing is certain this year Flyers fans, the Flyers have Goaltending. Anything can happen when you have a phenom in Hart as your goalie.
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
