The Flyers were left for dead after coughing up a 3-1 series lead and a 2-0 lead in Game 6 in Philly. Nobody game them a chance to win a Game 7 in Washington D.C., especially given Martin Biron's 0-4-1 record in the second night of back-to-back starts. Coach John Stevens was maligned as a guy who couldn't get the job done.
That was until Joffrey Lupul buried a rebound of a Kimmo Timonen shot six minutes into overtime.
Redemption. For a team. And their goalie. And their coach.
In his first Game 7, Biron played what Stevens called "his best game as a Flyer," stopping 39 out of 41 shots to help the Flyers survive and advance.
And it was fitting that three newcomers (Lupul, Timonen, and Danny Briere) combined for the series-winning goal. Because this isn't the Flyers team that finished dead last in the league a season ago.
The Caps know a little something about fighting seemingly impossible odds. They were an NHL-worst 6-14-1 at Thanksgiving when they named Bruce Boudreau head coach. The Capitals stormed back to win the Southeast Division and established themselves as a legitimate Cup contender.
So despite the fact that the league doesn't get it's coveted Alexander Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby match up, they've got to be happy about the Flyers-Capitals series and the emergence of young stars from both clubs - Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin, Mike Green, Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Braydon Coburn.
And what a series it was.
Seven games, two decided in overtime, size and skill on display every night, finesse and power intertwined, and so many momentum shifts it was almost impossible to keep track.
What more can you ask for?
You'd better believe that the Flyers and Capitals will face each other again in future playoffs, and much like this year I'm sure it will be a classic.
As for the here and now, the Eastern Conference semifinals start tomorrow night in Montreal. And given their 0-4 record against Montreal this season, I'm sure there aren't many pundits out there giving the Flyers a chance to beat the Canadiens.
I'm guessing the Flyers wouldn't have it any other way.
April 23, 2008
April 20, 2008
"Alrededor una Cara" on Ocho Cinco
Chad Johnson stoked the flames in Cincinnati again this week in an attempt to put more heat on the Bengals front office in hopes of forcing a trade. And anytime a wide receiver of Johnson's caliber has the potential to hit the market, Eagles fans have to keep an ear to the ground.
We've been down this road with Ocho Cinco before. He's obviously unhappy with the direction of the team and doesn't see his situation improving.
The Bengals would face an approximately $8 million salary cap hit if they moved him and thus have indicated their intention to retain the O.C. Again, not a surprise.
The new wrinkle is the involvement, involuntary or otherwise, of Johnson's teammates.
During an interview on ESPN Radio, Johnson reiterated his desire to become an ex-Bengal. When told quarterback Carson Palmer believed Johnson was only posturing and would be there when the lights went on, the O.C. said something to the effect of Palmer "minding his own business."
A day or so later, fellow wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said of Johnson "If he's not traded, he's going to be a problem."
Stop me if you've heard this before: extremely talented yet disgruntled wide receiver squabbles with teammates, defies authority figures, divides locker room, and eventually leaves team in a shambles.
The similarities are frightening, right down to the weasel agent-in-common. Next question.
Cincinnati had no problem waiving the oft-arrested Chris Henry, and it seems as though there are plenty of people associated with the Bengals - management, players, coaches, fans - who would gladly clean out the O.C.'s locker and drive him to the airport.
Truth be told, a month ago I would have volunteered to shuttle him from Philly International to the NovaCare Complex.
Now all of a sudden, he seems like more trouble than he'd be worth.
We've been down this road with Ocho Cinco before. He's obviously unhappy with the direction of the team and doesn't see his situation improving.
The Bengals would face an approximately $8 million salary cap hit if they moved him and thus have indicated their intention to retain the O.C. Again, not a surprise.
The new wrinkle is the involvement, involuntary or otherwise, of Johnson's teammates.
During an interview on ESPN Radio, Johnson reiterated his desire to become an ex-Bengal. When told quarterback Carson Palmer believed Johnson was only posturing and would be there when the lights went on, the O.C. said something to the effect of Palmer "minding his own business."
A day or so later, fellow wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said of Johnson "If he's not traded, he's going to be a problem."
Stop me if you've heard this before: extremely talented yet disgruntled wide receiver squabbles with teammates, defies authority figures, divides locker room, and eventually leaves team in a shambles.
The similarities are frightening, right down to the weasel agent-in-common. Next question.
Cincinnati had no problem waiving the oft-arrested Chris Henry, and it seems as though there are plenty of people associated with the Bengals - management, players, coaches, fans - who would gladly clean out the O.C.'s locker and drive him to the airport.
Truth be told, a month ago I would have volunteered to shuttle him from Philly International to the NovaCare Complex.
Now all of a sudden, he seems like more trouble than he'd be worth.
April 17, 2008
A Wise Man Once Said...
Washington Post sports columnist Mike Wise penned this gem in the wake of the Flyers’ 6-3 dismantling of the Capitals in Game 3 of their playoff series, and you really need to read it to appreciate his level of ignorance.
Not to go all Brett Myers on you, but Wise is a retard who obviously doesn’t know you-know-what about hockey, especially playoff hockey. Allow me to directly refute some of his statements and expose him as nothing more than a sore loser.
Wise: “The Washington Capitals and their star Alex Ovechkin, the closest thing the NHL has to Kobe and LeBron, need some kind of help if they are going to genuinely awaken America to their game again.”
Actually, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby is being marketed as the face of the new NHL. Ovechkin is obviously a talented offensive player, and I actually used to view him with more respect than Crosby because of his physical play. Then I watched him do a combination pirouette-swan dive two strides after he collided with R.J. Umberger, a flop that would make Manu Ginobili proud. I play C league hockey and guys don’t dive like that. At least Ovechkin can head across town and suit up for D.C. United in a couple of weeks.
As for the help he desperately needs, isn’t that what his teammates are for? The only other guy who has consistently shown up in the series is Mike Green, and even that is debatable. It’s a team game, and the Flyers are playing as a team. Ovechkin is stranded on an island by himself with no relief in sight.
Wise: “The tenor of this rugged series is terrible news for hockey progressives everywhere, the way the Flyers have punked a nice bunch of free skaters who train in Ballston and used to be among the most feared offensive teams in the NHL.”
He says “punked,” I say “exposed.” Yes, the Caps were among the hottest teams at the end of the season, but that’s largely because they were facing fellow Southeast Division teams, and the Southeast was abysmal this year. Four of the top five teams (points-wise) hail from the rough-and-tumble Atlantic Division, against whom the Capitals posted a pedestrian 8-8-4 mark. So is anyone really surprised by the style of play employed through the first three games of this series?
Wise: “Midway through the third period of this demoralizing 6-3 loss at Wachovia Center, 20,000 people in fluorescent orange howled for their World Extreme Cagefighters, and a crowd in the upper bowl chanted vulgarities at Ovechkin that went beyond the bounds of loutish fan behavior.”
Right, because Ovechkin gets showered with nothing but roses in other arenas. And I can pretty much guarantee that it wasn’t only the fans in the upper bowl, but rather the entire mass of 20,000 clad in orange that was serenading the MVP.
Last time I checked, finishing your checks wasn’t illegal, which is why I find it humorous that our guys are World Extreme Cagefighters when there’s only been one fight in the series and it was instigated by Green.
Wise: “Did we mention they show fights on the video scoreboard every period here, more than most arenas show dunks in the NBA?”
But it’s alright for the AV crew at Verizon Center to show footage of Ivan Drago pummeling Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV prior to Game 1 of the series? Actually, I found their choice of movie clips hysterical when you realize that Ivan Drago was chemically-enhanced, the Russian fans eventually started cheering for Rocky because of his heart, and the most important thing – ROCKY WINS!!!
If it would make the Caps feel more at home, perhaps we could roll out some footage of the ’76 Bullies smacking around the Russian Red Army team.
Wise: “It's almost impossible to fathom, but the Capitals took the ice in front of a building as loud as Verizon Center last Friday.”
Please don’t try to compare your building to our building. At least in our building the PA announcer doesn’t have to prompt the fans to make noise, or announce when a penalty has expired. Savvy hockey fans, like the ones in Philly, understand all that. Dopes with red Mohawks who only show up when the team is good don’t.
Wise: “The Flyers are an instant repudiation of what Gary Bettman wanted the league to become. They are a reminder of the NHL's pugilistic past that just won't go away.”
Bettman’s vision for the new NHL was that of a faster, smoother game that emphasized skill more than size and did away with the slow, boring, methodical neutral zone trap philosophy that had taken over. As evidenced by the fact that skill guys like Danny Briere and Vinny Prospal are thriving right now, I’d say the Flyers fit that vision. Bettman didn’t want to do away with physical play, which has been and will continue to be a part of the game. If the Capitals (and their beat writers) can’t handle that, then perhaps they should take up curling.
Wise: “Unless Ovie and the Overachievers get untracked offensively soon and the sublime choreography of teamwork returns to the Capitals' line, there is but one hope left.”
Hey, he finally got something right!
Not to go all Brett Myers on you, but Wise is a retard who obviously doesn’t know you-know-what about hockey, especially playoff hockey. Allow me to directly refute some of his statements and expose him as nothing more than a sore loser.
Wise: “The Washington Capitals and their star Alex Ovechkin, the closest thing the NHL has to Kobe and LeBron, need some kind of help if they are going to genuinely awaken America to their game again.”
Actually, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby is being marketed as the face of the new NHL. Ovechkin is obviously a talented offensive player, and I actually used to view him with more respect than Crosby because of his physical play. Then I watched him do a combination pirouette-swan dive two strides after he collided with R.J. Umberger, a flop that would make Manu Ginobili proud. I play C league hockey and guys don’t dive like that. At least Ovechkin can head across town and suit up for D.C. United in a couple of weeks.
As for the help he desperately needs, isn’t that what his teammates are for? The only other guy who has consistently shown up in the series is Mike Green, and even that is debatable. It’s a team game, and the Flyers are playing as a team. Ovechkin is stranded on an island by himself with no relief in sight.
Wise: “The tenor of this rugged series is terrible news for hockey progressives everywhere, the way the Flyers have punked a nice bunch of free skaters who train in Ballston and used to be among the most feared offensive teams in the NHL.”
He says “punked,” I say “exposed.” Yes, the Caps were among the hottest teams at the end of the season, but that’s largely because they were facing fellow Southeast Division teams, and the Southeast was abysmal this year. Four of the top five teams (points-wise) hail from the rough-and-tumble Atlantic Division, against whom the Capitals posted a pedestrian 8-8-4 mark. So is anyone really surprised by the style of play employed through the first three games of this series?
Wise: “Midway through the third period of this demoralizing 6-3 loss at Wachovia Center, 20,000 people in fluorescent orange howled for their World Extreme Cagefighters, and a crowd in the upper bowl chanted vulgarities at Ovechkin that went beyond the bounds of loutish fan behavior.”
Right, because Ovechkin gets showered with nothing but roses in other arenas. And I can pretty much guarantee that it wasn’t only the fans in the upper bowl, but rather the entire mass of 20,000 clad in orange that was serenading the MVP.
Last time I checked, finishing your checks wasn’t illegal, which is why I find it humorous that our guys are World Extreme Cagefighters when there’s only been one fight in the series and it was instigated by Green.
Wise: “Did we mention they show fights on the video scoreboard every period here, more than most arenas show dunks in the NBA?”
But it’s alright for the AV crew at Verizon Center to show footage of Ivan Drago pummeling Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV prior to Game 1 of the series? Actually, I found their choice of movie clips hysterical when you realize that Ivan Drago was chemically-enhanced, the Russian fans eventually started cheering for Rocky because of his heart, and the most important thing – ROCKY WINS!!!
If it would make the Caps feel more at home, perhaps we could roll out some footage of the ’76 Bullies smacking around the Russian Red Army team.
Wise: “It's almost impossible to fathom, but the Capitals took the ice in front of a building as loud as Verizon Center last Friday.”
Please don’t try to compare your building to our building. At least in our building the PA announcer doesn’t have to prompt the fans to make noise, or announce when a penalty has expired. Savvy hockey fans, like the ones in Philly, understand all that. Dopes with red Mohawks who only show up when the team is good don’t.
Wise: “The Flyers are an instant repudiation of what Gary Bettman wanted the league to become. They are a reminder of the NHL's pugilistic past that just won't go away.”
Bettman’s vision for the new NHL was that of a faster, smoother game that emphasized skill more than size and did away with the slow, boring, methodical neutral zone trap philosophy that had taken over. As evidenced by the fact that skill guys like Danny Briere and Vinny Prospal are thriving right now, I’d say the Flyers fit that vision. Bettman didn’t want to do away with physical play, which has been and will continue to be a part of the game. If the Capitals (and their beat writers) can’t handle that, then perhaps they should take up curling.
Wise: “Unless Ovie and the Overachievers get untracked offensively soon and the sublime choreography of teamwork returns to the Capitals' line, there is but one hope left.”
Hey, he finally got something right!
April 10, 2008
Tale of the Tape - Flyers vs. Capitals
On the eve of the beginning of what will hopefully be a long playoff run for the Flyers, I offer a breakdown of the Flyers and Capitals and how they match up in this opening round series.
Offense: The Capitals boast perhaps the game’s most dominant offensive player in LW Alexander Ovechkin, who led the league in goals (65) and is a lock to win the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP. Ovechkin finished with 112 points, but the Capital offense is top heavy (their second leading scorer, Nicklas Backstrom, checks in with 69 points; their third highest scorer was defenseman Mike Green).
The Flyers, meanwhile, are much more balanced. They were the only team in the league with six 20-goal scorers (Daniel Briere 31, Mike Knuble 29, Jeff Carter 29, Mike Richards 28, Scott Hartnell 24, Joffrey Lupul 20). They’ve also got Vaclav Prospal, who finished with 33 between his stints with Tampa Bay and the Flyers.
Remember the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes team that won the Cup? They had three balanced lines, each of which could produce and pick up the slack on any given night. The Flyers have that same kind of ability. Edge: Flyers.
Defense: Washington may have found a superstar in the making in Green. He averages 23 minutes a game and anchors a dangerous power play (eight of his 18 goals have come with the man advantage). Beyond Green, the Caps defense is average. As a team, Washington killed 80.5% of the power plays they faced, which ranks near the bottom of the league.
Injuries and inexperience may the biggest question marks surrounding the Flyers defense. Captain Jason Smith missed the last two games of the regular season with a shoulder injury, and Derian Hatcher is skating again but likely will not play in this series. Young guys like Braydon Coburn, Randy Jones, Lasse Kukkonen and Ryan Parent will be counted on heavily, though veteran Kimmo Timonen will likely match up with Ovechkin as often as possible. Edge: Even.
Goaltending: There are many similarities between Washington ’s Cristobal Huet and Philly’s Martin Biron. Neither has much playoff experience. Huet started six games in the 2006 post-season, going 2-4 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Biron has experienced the playoffs as a member of the Buffalo Sabres, but has done so from the confines of the back-up goalie stool on the bench. Both finished the season hot. Huet rides a nine-game winning streak into the playoffs, while Biron won five of his last seven, the last two by shutout.
Both are also very likely aware that good goaltending and long playoff runs go hand-in hand. Whichever goalie plays better will give his team a boost. Edge: Even.
Coaching: This is the initial NHL post-season appearance for the Bruce Boudreau of the Capitals and John Stevens of the Flyers, although both have coached AHL teams to Calder Cup championships.
Since taking over for Glen Hanlon at Thanksgiving, Boudreau has led the Capitals to a scorching 37-17-7 record, earning him some votes for the Jack Adams award as the NHL’s best coach. Stevens’ first full season behind the Flyer bench was a roller coaster ride that ended with the Flyers right where they should have been – in the playoffs. But the Flyers can’t afford the ups and downs that plagued them in the regular season. Consistency, night in and night out, is so key in April and May. Edge: Capitals.
Special Teams: The Flyers had the second most potent power play in the NHL, converting at 21.8%. Washington ’s penalty killing, as previously mentioned, was not exactly stellar. If Washington fails to be disciplined, the Flyers could steal goals (and games) with the man advantage. Major edge: Flyers.
Star Power: It begins and ends with Ovechkin, as evidenced by the fact that every game of this series will be televised nationally on NBC or Versus. And unless you live in my house (where my son and daughter fight over who gets to be Danny Briere when we play knee hockey in the living room), the Flyers are not loaded with household names. With that said, it would be in the best interest of the NHL for Ovechkin and the Capitals to last beyond the first round. I’m not saying the Flyers will be playing against the officials as well, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Capitals get a majority of the power play opportunities in the series. Edge: Capitals.
Home Ice: Washington has home ice advantage for the series as a result of their Southeast Division championship, but the Flyers actually had more points than the Capitals. Besides, the Flyers were one of the better road teams in the league, winning twice in Washington earlier in the season. Edge: Flyers.
Prediction: In my (admittedly biased) opinion, I think the Flyers will advance in a six games.
Offense: The Capitals boast perhaps the game’s most dominant offensive player in LW Alexander Ovechkin, who led the league in goals (65) and is a lock to win the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP. Ovechkin finished with 112 points, but the Capital offense is top heavy (their second leading scorer, Nicklas Backstrom, checks in with 69 points; their third highest scorer was defenseman Mike Green).
The Flyers, meanwhile, are much more balanced. They were the only team in the league with six 20-goal scorers (Daniel Briere 31, Mike Knuble 29, Jeff Carter 29, Mike Richards 28, Scott Hartnell 24, Joffrey Lupul 20). They’ve also got Vaclav Prospal, who finished with 33 between his stints with Tampa Bay and the Flyers.
Remember the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes team that won the Cup? They had three balanced lines, each of which could produce and pick up the slack on any given night. The Flyers have that same kind of ability. Edge: Flyers.
Defense: Washington may have found a superstar in the making in Green. He averages 23 minutes a game and anchors a dangerous power play (eight of his 18 goals have come with the man advantage). Beyond Green, the Caps defense is average. As a team, Washington killed 80.5% of the power plays they faced, which ranks near the bottom of the league.
Injuries and inexperience may the biggest question marks surrounding the Flyers defense. Captain Jason Smith missed the last two games of the regular season with a shoulder injury, and Derian Hatcher is skating again but likely will not play in this series. Young guys like Braydon Coburn, Randy Jones, Lasse Kukkonen and Ryan Parent will be counted on heavily, though veteran Kimmo Timonen will likely match up with Ovechkin as often as possible. Edge: Even.
Goaltending: There are many similarities between Washington ’s Cristobal Huet and Philly’s Martin Biron. Neither has much playoff experience. Huet started six games in the 2006 post-season, going 2-4 against the Carolina Hurricanes. Biron has experienced the playoffs as a member of the Buffalo Sabres, but has done so from the confines of the back-up goalie stool on the bench. Both finished the season hot. Huet rides a nine-game winning streak into the playoffs, while Biron won five of his last seven, the last two by shutout.
Both are also very likely aware that good goaltending and long playoff runs go hand-in hand. Whichever goalie plays better will give his team a boost. Edge: Even.
Coaching: This is the initial NHL post-season appearance for the Bruce Boudreau of the Capitals and John Stevens of the Flyers, although both have coached AHL teams to Calder Cup championships.
Since taking over for Glen Hanlon at Thanksgiving, Boudreau has led the Capitals to a scorching 37-17-7 record, earning him some votes for the Jack Adams award as the NHL’s best coach. Stevens’ first full season behind the Flyer bench was a roller coaster ride that ended with the Flyers right where they should have been – in the playoffs. But the Flyers can’t afford the ups and downs that plagued them in the regular season. Consistency, night in and night out, is so key in April and May. Edge: Capitals.
Special Teams: The Flyers had the second most potent power play in the NHL, converting at 21.8%. Washington ’s penalty killing, as previously mentioned, was not exactly stellar. If Washington fails to be disciplined, the Flyers could steal goals (and games) with the man advantage. Major edge: Flyers.
Star Power: It begins and ends with Ovechkin, as evidenced by the fact that every game of this series will be televised nationally on NBC or Versus. And unless you live in my house (where my son and daughter fight over who gets to be Danny Briere when we play knee hockey in the living room), the Flyers are not loaded with household names. With that said, it would be in the best interest of the NHL for Ovechkin and the Capitals to last beyond the first round. I’m not saying the Flyers will be playing against the officials as well, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Capitals get a majority of the power play opportunities in the series. Edge: Capitals.
Home Ice: Washington has home ice advantage for the series as a result of their Southeast Division championship, but the Flyers actually had more points than the Capitals. Besides, the Flyers were one of the better road teams in the league, winning twice in Washington earlier in the season. Edge: Flyers.
Prediction: In my (admittedly biased) opinion, I think the Flyers will advance in a six games.
April 5, 2008
Playoff Bound!!!
The Flyers played their most inspired game of the season last night, beating the Devils 3-0 in a game they absolutely had to have. Martin Biron stopped all 22 shots he faced to post the shutout, as the Flyers snapped a six-game losing streak against New Jersey.
R.J. Umberger, Scottie Upshall, and Joffrey Lupul scored the goals, but it was the Florida Panthers who recorded the big assist. The mathematically-eliminated Panthers hadn't beaten the Hurricanes in Raleigh since 2002, but won 4-3 in regulation last night.
And with that, the Flyers have clinched a playoff berth and completed their remarkable turnaround from last year's historically bad compaign.
Where they'll be seeded and who they will face in the opening round has yet to be determined. They could finish as high as sixth and draw the Southeast-division winner (likely the white-hot Washington Capitals). They could leap-frog idle Ottawa for the seventh spot, or remain in eighth place and play Montreal or Pittsburgh.
At this point, none of that matters. What matters is the Flyers' roller-coaster ride of a regular season will end with them in the playoffs.
They'll have to share the Wachovia Center with the Sixers, who also punched their post-season ticket last night with a 109-104 win in Atlanta. Andre Iguodala led the way with 30 points and 10 assists as the Sixers ended the night as the fifth seed in the East.
R.J. Umberger, Scottie Upshall, and Joffrey Lupul scored the goals, but it was the Florida Panthers who recorded the big assist. The mathematically-eliminated Panthers hadn't beaten the Hurricanes in Raleigh since 2002, but won 4-3 in regulation last night.
And with that, the Flyers have clinched a playoff berth and completed their remarkable turnaround from last year's historically bad compaign.
Where they'll be seeded and who they will face in the opening round has yet to be determined. They could finish as high as sixth and draw the Southeast-division winner (likely the white-hot Washington Capitals). They could leap-frog idle Ottawa for the seventh spot, or remain in eighth place and play Montreal or Pittsburgh.
At this point, none of that matters. What matters is the Flyers' roller-coaster ride of a regular season will end with them in the playoffs.
They'll have to share the Wachovia Center with the Sixers, who also punched their post-season ticket last night with a 109-104 win in Atlanta. Andre Iguodala led the way with 30 points and 10 assists as the Sixers ended the night as the fifth seed in the East.
As it stands, they would get LeBron James and the Cavaliers. But that, too, is subject to change.
The Wizards are the six seed and have the same 39-37 record as the Sixers. Toronto is 38-38 and slotted seventh. Regardless of their position, the Sixers are beginning to garner league-wide attention as the team nobody wants to see in the first round.
The Wizards are the six seed and have the same 39-37 record as the Sixers. Toronto is 38-38 and slotted seventh. Regardless of their position, the Sixers are beginning to garner league-wide attention as the team nobody wants to see in the first round.
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