Redemption

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.