Flyers backing in to the playoffs

[murraycraven]

If they play Boston it will be ugly... if they don't play Boston I think they can hang and possibly squeeze out a first round win.

This team has surprised all year long so no reason to jump ship now.

[Polaris922]

The way I saw it was that Lindback played above his pay grade, and Emery played like an average joe.

 

So what you're saying it... Emery played above his pay grade too?    

[brelic]

So what you're saying it... Emery played above his pay grade too?  

 

Haha pretty much He didn't play badly at all. But I think the team was deflated by that backhander in the 3rd. Difficult shot for sure. The bigger problem, though, was the Flyers only cashing in for one goal on all that tremendous pressure in the 2nd.

[Vanflyer]

Tampa isn't exactly steeped in postseason experience, either - nor is Columbus - but both of them are playing pretty good hockey down the stretch. I see both of them as teams that still have something to prove. The Flyers give me the impression that they think they've already proven it - which isn't a great thing to see rightnow.

 

All good points. If they are going to falter (and they most certainly will at some point as I don't think they are a SCF), I just want to see them give 60+ minutes of effort and be smart. Thats all. Yesterdays game and the Florida game, they lolligagged half the time and the result is what happens when you do that. 

[Vanflyer]

If you stop 38 of 40 shots, but the two goals were bad goals, would you say you got good goaltending or bad goaltending?

 

Good point. I guess the way I look at is when those goals come. That first goal was a pisser and puts the team on their heals right away. But the play for the next 40 minutes was very good- and if not for Linderback, the Flyers would have pulled ahead. The ebb and flows of the game also has an impact on when goals (good or bad) are allowed. Emery made some great stops in the second which rallied the Flyers. But he slide off the slope in the last 10 of the third. If the Flyers solve Linderback second / beginning of the third, maybe those 2 bad goals never happen. Would of could of should of mentality for sure. 

[Mad Dog]

I think most of us here have a pretty accurate view of the way things stand regarding the Flyers' chances vs. the competition this year. Does anybody here believe the Flyers are going to the Final unless they get extremely (extraordinarily) lucky again? So if we're convinced it'll take a crazy number of breaks ... it's a safe bet the players feel that way too.

 

I think there is a difference between what we *want* to see and what's feasible. Of course I want to see this team win the Cup, one day... hopefully sooner rather than later. This cupless drought, quite frankly, is getting old.

 

Everything is possible of course, but I think one must be overly optimistic (or borderline delusional) to honestly believe this is a championship-caliber team. At some point, they will need to play Boston, and I just can't see them beating that team in a 7-game series.   They can play with the rest of the Eastern Conference teams who made the playoffs, but not the Bruins.  I am sure this is not what Berube is telling his players, but every angle I look from, I just don't see how they can get past that team.

[Vanflyer]

At some point, they will need to play Boston, and I just can't see them beating that team in a 7-game series.   They can play with the rest of the Eastern Conference teams who made the playoffs, but not the Bruins.  I am sure this is not what Berube is telling his players, but every angle I look from, I just don't see how they can get past that team.

 

The thing MD is that there are some really good hockey clubs right now. In the last few years, there has been allot of parity. This year is the first year in awhile (perhaps since pre-cap days) that we can all say there is an echelon of teams that are head and shoulders above the rest. On any given night any team can beat any team (well except for Buffalo), but there are 5 teams right now that are just tops. That said, once the playoffs start, anything can happen. The playoffs are as much about survival as skill. 

 

I really want to face Pitts in the first round. I think Berube can outcoach Blysma. While Pitts definitely has more superstars, I think the Flyers are deeper at forward- but unexperienced regarding playoffs. 

 

I think character has allot to play into it too. I really like the character of this club. Their is no derision on the team (unlike the Carter / Richards / Pronger days). The guys all like each other and play for crest on the front and not on the name on the back. That goes a long way. I said on another thread, this team reminds me allot of the mid-late 80's poulin teams. 

[Phlyer1]

So what you're saying it... Emery played above his pay grade too?  

Flyer have a habit of making backups look like Patrick Roy/Martin Broduer

[canoli]

They can play with the rest of the Eastern Conference teams who made the playoffs, but not the Bruins.

 

Yeah I'm not as optimistic. I think TB and NY beat us in 6 games unless the Flyers start playing the way they were a month ago. If they do that then they've got a fighting chance against anybody.

 

It's just possible the recent struggles were a bit of a "reset." They rested some guys while the team took its foot off the gas. If that disciplined, focused team comes alive again in time then I think any series is up for grabs.

 

"up for grabs" of course - not like we'd suddenly be favorites.