Now that we have heard the last of “The Flyers haven’t won a playoff series since 2012”, you would think the Flyers would get just a little respect, right? Well, apparently that is too much to ask. The new horse being beaten to death is that the Flyers lost all three regular season games to the Islanders. Carter Hart, the Flyers young phenom goaltender, was pulled in the last of those three losses. So obviously, the Flyers are doomed to lose this series. What do the Flyers need to do in order to earn a little respect, because earning the #1 seed sure hasn’t stopped them from being the NHL’s version of Rodney Dangerfield.
When the Flyers beat the Penguins 3-2 in the exhibition game, the Penguins were rusty. Sidney Crosby wasn’t on his game. Forget that the Flyers had been off for just as long as the Penguins. Boston was sloppy, the time off was too much, and the Flyers lucked into a 4-1 win. Washington? Their heads weren’t into the game, and the Flyers snuck out of the game with a 3-1 win. Tampa Bay? Stamkos didn’t play, so the Flyers should be counting their blessings that they got a 4-1 win to end up with the #1 seed in the playoffs.
In case you haven’t heard, Claude Giroux hasn’t scored yet in the playoffs, and neither has Travis Koneckny. I am sure, along with the “Islanders won the regular season series”, the Giroux and Koneckny dead horses will receive quite a beating during the pre-game of Game 1. All three of those deceased stallions took a pretty nice whipping on Sunday’s NHL Tonight Playoff Edition, so I would expect the beating to continue unless G and TK shut them up right quick in Game 1.
I am begging you, Claude and TK, please score early and often in this series. JvR, Coots and Hollywood, you can get in on the scoring party too. A shutout or two thrown by Young Master Hart would be appreciated as well. My boss is an Islanders fan, so this is some bragging rights on the line here. During Friday’s team meeting, I told him to start polishing Matt Barzal’s golf clubs. I followed that up with a similar text after the Game 6 closeout. His response was of course an article highlighting the season series record. I know this team can win this series, I do. I have the faith, the team needs to earn the respect; respect that should be given to the #1 seed in the East.
Photo Credit: NHL.com
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