4 Playoff Possibilities Remain

[Digityman]

The Flyers have four outcomes still possible with 2 games remaining.

1) Home ice against the Pens - Pens lose out and the Flyers win out

2) Away against the Pens - If the Pens get 1 point out of the next 2 games (except if #3 happens it won't matter what the Pens do)

3) Away against the Panthers - Devils win out and Flyers lose out

4) Away against the Caps - Devils & Caps win out, Flyers and Panthers lose out *someone can double check this one*

The above is assuming that "Lose = no points at all. Even special bonus points for losers"

Of course there are 4 different camps that most people fall into.

1) Gear up for the playoffs and every game they should give 100%

2) Don't worry about the first round match-up. Just play good hockey.

3) Rest your older and more valuable players before the playoffs and don't worry about the seedings.

4) 'Tank' if needed to get the desired match-up.

Should be interesting to hear the responses.

[fan4ever]

Go into the playoff with momentum and then stick it to the Pens!

[Digityman]

@fan4ever You forgot to vote! (above)

[flyerrod]

Caps due to their goaltending....

[sarsippius]

Bring on the Pens!

[Phillygrump]

I'm not ever in the mindset to avoid a certain team for any reason. You don't sen that message to your own team that you should fear anyone. If winning the last two games meant we'd face the Rangers in the playoffs I'd still be in favor of trying to win them. You can't play scared in any sport and I think thats especially true in Hockey and Football.

[Digityman]

I'm not ever in the mindset to avoid a certain team for any reason. You don't sen that message to your own team that you should fear anyone. If winning the last two games meant we'd face the Rangers in the playoffs I'd still be in favor of trying to win them. You can't play scared in any sport and I think thats especially true in Hockey and Football.

To me it's not playing scared. It's playing smart.

Flyers vs Pens - no matter who comes out of that series they are going to be hurting. Then to face the Bruins or Rangers next would mean almost certainly an end to your season. To me the goal is to win the cup and the easiest route to the cup would be what I would be looking for. Now, I'm not saying they should tank 10 games but bring up a few more Phantoms (if there are any left) and let them play in the last two games. Give Jagr, Giroux, Timo and maybe even Coby a rest for the last two games. If that means you loose the last two then so be it. Hopefully the Devils win their final two and it works out.

[Phillygrump]

@Digityman

I don't agree. Look what Boston did last year to win the Cup. They played 3 7-game series and had to play against Philly as well. They had a tough road and they did it. There's no guarantee we'd get very hurt against Pittsburgh. I don't see them as being as physical as we are. Vitale one dirty shot at Grossman and one hit on Briere. They will both be back. Other than that has Pittsburgh beat us up that bad?

I think it would be great to knock out Pittsburgh and springboard into a series against New York with some confidence and a chip still on our shoulder.

You don't play the game to not get hurt. You play to win and beat whoever. Its fine for we fans to want to avoid someone, but the players and coaches don't think like that.

[Samifan]

Sabres will be loaded for bear tomorrow night. The way we have been playing our 1st periods lately, it has all the makings for being another 3-0 game after the first.

[TedZep]

I'm not ever in the mindset to avoid a certain team for any reason.

That didn't work out so much for the Phillies last season. Winning that last game against the Braves probably cost them the championship.

[pilldoc]

I say play 100%, win out and smack the Pens around with home ice advantage.

Seriously, this team struggled down the stretch last year and had a hard time taking care of the Sabres. (Yes, I know it was a very different team last year with players we do not miss) However, I believe very strongly you give it your all the last 2 games and gain some confidence / mojo going into the playoffs. I want this team firing on all cylinders come playoff time.

Let the chips fall where they may fall...........

[Mad Dog]

@Digityman

I don't agree. Look what Boston did last year to win the Cup. They played 3 7-game series and had to play against Philly as well. They had a tough road and they did it. There's no guarantee we'd get very hurt against Pittsburgh. I don't see them as being as physical as we are. Vitale one dirty shot at Grossman and one hit on Briere. They will both be back. Other than that has Pittsburgh beat us up that bad?

I think it would be great to knock out Pittsburgh and springboard into a series against New York with some confidence and a chip still on our shoulder.

You don't play the game to not get hurt. You play to win and beat whoever. Its fine for we fans to want to avoid someone, but the players and coaches don't think like that.

Well said. I am of a mindset that if you try to finish the season as to avoid a certain team in the 1st round of the playoffs, that, almost by deafult, means you are just not a good team and will be bound to exit the playoffs sooner rather than later.

With that said, I *do* think the Pens are a dirty team who will always get a benefit of a last call. And it's not just Vitale. They have several players who can take a premiere player out of the entire playoffs, and there is not a damn thing the Flyers will be able to do. That's just teh dynamics of this specific matchup. The Flyers used to be the team who had a reputation of a dirty team, and you know what? I liked that. But over the past few years, they've been lacking that so much needed element of team toughness.

I think if the Flyers wil draw this team, it will be a grueling series in which the Flyers may win, but it will be at a high price. This Pittsburgh team reminds me of the Leafs team of 5-6 years ago, which would always lose to the Flyers in the playoffs, but would not go away quietly and inflict a lot of pain before they go down.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Mad Dog

[xganarchy]

Well said. I am of a mindset that if you try to finish the season as to avoid a certain team in the 1st round of the playoffs, that, almost by deafult, means you are just not a good team and will be bound to exit the playoffs sooner rather than later.

With that said, I *do* think the Pens are a dirty team who will always get a benefit of a last call. And it's not just Vitale. They have several players who can take a premiere player out of the entire playoffs, and there is not a damn thing the Flyers will be able to do. That's just teh dynamics of this specific matchup. The Flyers used to be the team who had a reputation of a dirty team, and you know what? I liked that. But over the past few years, they've been lacking that so much needed element of team toughness.

I think if the Flyers wil draw this team, it will be a grueling series in which the Flyers may win, but it will be at a high price. This Pittsburgh team reminds me of the Leafs team of 5-6 years ago, which would always lose to the Flyers in the playoffs, but would not go away quietly and inflict a lot of pain before they go down.

And wasn't it Kunitz that injured Timonen (with a dirty check) that put him out for a while during the playoffs a few years ago? Dirty Pens....

[Mad Dog]

And wasn't it Kunitz that injured Timonen (with a dirty check) that put him out for a while during the playoffs a few years ago? Dirty Pens....

I believe it was him. Kunitz will look to hurt more players and put them out of commission come playoff time - there is no doubt in my mind. He is a clone of Darcy Tucker: decent talent and dirty.

[Phillygrump]

That didn't work out so much for the Phillies last season. Winning that last game against the Braves probably cost them the championship.

So as a coach how do you tell your team "Hey, I think you're a championship bunch of guys, but I don't think you can beat St. Louis, so lets lose to the Braves and keep the Cardinals out of the playoffs."?

No coach can do that and keep their self respect and the respect of their team.

[Phillygrump]

I believe it was him. Kunitz will look to hurt more players and put them out of commission come playoff time - there is no doubt in my mind. He is a clone of Darcy Tucker: decent talent and dirty.

Thats the only thing that scares me about this Penguins team is that when you play them (especially in the playoffs) you play the refs too. Guys like Kunitz can run rampant and suffer no retribution from the league. Also, if you try to exact your own retribution you get slapped with a huge penalty. Its just not the same as playing any other team.

[hf101]

It would be nice to be able to rest a few extra players, but I doubt that will or can happen especially with both Briere and Grossmann out. I think if they just start each of the last two games slow and give up 2-3 goals as they normally do they will have a difficult time coming back to win the two remaining games anyway.

[doom88]

I only picked the Caps matchup so I could easily go to games.

[Digityman]

No coach can do that and keep their self respect and the respect of their team.

The coach that takes a gamble and wins the cup will be remembered forever for the choice that he made.

[Phillygrump]

The coach that takes a gamble and wins the cup will be remembered forever for the choice that he made.

See, I don't think a coach that takes that gamble in hockey has a snowball's chance in hell of winning the Cup. Its a cowardly move in a sport that is not supposed to be cowardly.