WIPblog by Joseph Santoliquito- Flyers In Six
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The Flyers completely own our attention. They command it. They should. They’re the only Philadelphia team playing for anything meaningful right now, and can be the only Philly team that can smash through the playoff malaise that has gripped this city.
The Phillies were swept by the red-hot Colorado Rockies last fall. Eagles’ fan are still lamenting over the 27-24 heartbreak to New Orleans in the NFC Divisional playoffs in January 2007, and the Sixers will return to the playoffs this year for the first time since 2005.
So that brings us to the Flyers, a team very capable of beating the Washington Capitals—Alexander Ovechkin, or no Alexander Ovechkin.
I think the Flyers can take Washington in six games. I say that because Marty Biron is playing some of his best hockey at the most important time of the season. That Biron hasn’t ever played in a NHL playoff game is something I dismiss. I throw it out because the last week of the season was played under playoff tension.
If Biron did not step up, no one would be talking about the Flyers right now, because the Flyers would be history. But Biron just put on his two best performances together back-to-back, shutting out New Jersey April 4 and coming back to blank Pittsburgh two days later.
That to me means Biron is playoff tested. The schedule said regular season, but they were playoff games—filled with even more impact because one loss could have dropped the Flyers out of the postseason.
Caps goaltender Cristobal Huet doesn’t have much of a playoff background, either, but he does enter the postseason as probably the NHL’s hottest goaltender.
That makes me think this series could go one of two ways: Exciting shootouts between two goalies who succumb to the playoff pressure; or, nerve-wracking defensive battles, considering the way both Biron and Huet were playing entering the series.
The Flyers obviously need to put the clamps on Ovechkin. Again, the exciting element is that the Flyers come into the series with five 20-goal scorers, at least two lines deep that could score at any time.
Ovechkin is Washington’s primary weapon. The Caps will have to concern themselves with any number of possibilities in defending the Flyers.
That’s certainly a plus.
Washington’s Mike Green does pose a problem, and in my opinion, the X factor of the series. If he continues to stay hot, the Flyers could be in for trouble, combating Green’s perimeter game.
I think the Flyers can shut Green down. Ovechkin is another story. I don’t know if that’s possible. He’s not only a scoring threat every time the puck is on his stick, he’s a complete player with a physical side. What is possible is shutting down everyone around the superstar.
I don’t think I’m going too far out on a limb here by saying the Flyers will the series in six games, giving Philly sports fans at least a short time to rejoice.
In fact, there isn’t a team in the NHL’s Eastern Conference that’s particularly dominating, yes, even the New Jersey Devils. This Washignton playoff series could be the start of seriously good things to come—finally.
Joseph Santoliquito is an Emmy Award-nominated writer based in the Philadelphia area who can be contacted at Jsantoliquito@yahoo.com.
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