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Flyers Playoff Wrapup: Game 7 vs. Caps |
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WRAPUP AND OVERTIME COMMENTARY
Just like that, at 6:06 of overtime, this magnificent series is over.
The fates in playoff overtime are fickle and cruel, especially in a seventh game. One shot, and the Flyers rejoice while the Capitals feel sick and numb. One shot, and Joffrey Lupul's offensive struggles throughout the series are forgotten. One shot, and its on to the next round to play Montreal.
The tripping call on Tom Poti that led to Lupul's series-winning powerplay goal was absolutely a legitimate call, even in a seventh game. Actually, the Capitals had earlier gotten away with one on what would have been a 2-on-1 rush for Philadelphia.
The Flyers had a lot of heroes tonight in a game where their legs seemed fatigued at times. Start with Martin Biron, who played a spectacular game in goal and gave the club a chance to win.
Then go on to Mike Richards (25:00 minutes played, 15 of 26 on faceoffs plus an assist); the top defensive pairing of Kimmo Timonen (28:24 played, two helpers, four hits, one block) and Braydon Coburn (28:46 played, three hits, one takeaway, three blocks) goal scorers Lupul and Scottie Upshall and various players from the supporting cast, including Sami Kapanen (numerous good defensive plays, goal scored, two hits) and defensemen Randy Jones (22:23 played, two blocks) and Lasse Kukkonen (six hits, four blocks, zero giveaways, one takeway, one nice pinch to create a scoring chance).
John Stevens tried to limit the exposure of Jason Smith (10:52 played) to the Caps forecheck, but the captain -- who is clearly still playing in pain -- was still out for another goal against tonight and 14 of Washington's 20 goals in the series (70%). Derian Hatcher (22:01 played) looks to be laboring on his bad leg (don't forget that he also had bad knees), but gutted it out.
The Capitals have nothing to be ashamed of, despite falling just short of winning the series. They have a tremendous young nucleus, play with a ton of energy and passion and should continue to get better. They still need to add a shutdown defenseman and some additional supporting cast, but have a bright future.
I'll have a Flyers-Canadiens preview posted tomorrow.
*******
THIRD PERIOD COMMENTARY
No analysis necessary. The Capitals utterly dominated the third period, and the Flyers can thank their lucky stars -- and Martin Biron -- that they are still one shot away from surviving this series in overtime. Shots in the third were 16-5 in favor of Washington, and most of the play was in the Flyers end of the ice.
Washington's legs appear stronger at this point. The Flyers absolutely have the will but the Caps have been winning the races to pucks, forechecking and backchecking better than Philadelphia. The good news is that it just takes one lucky bounce, and there's no use in saving anything for the next shift, because there may not be one.
Regardless of the outcome, you know that tomorrow there will be stories about that 1988 series that the Flyers led 3-1 and went on to lose in a Game 7 overtime. Either it will be that Philly got its revenge or the ghosts of 1988 are haunting the Flyers anew.
******
SECOND PERIOD COMMENTARY
Amazing second period with a tremendous pace. The Flyers are in solid position to win the game, and that's all you can ask. Second period shots were 13-9 in favor of Washington. Good faceoff period for the Flyers, especially in the defensive zone.
On the Sami Kapanen goal that made it 2-1, the non-call was legitimate. Patrick Thoresen had as much right to go the net as Morrisonn had to cut him off. You see plenty of goals where a defenseman takes his own goalie out of the play. Bad break for Washington, but a legitimate goal.
On Alexander Ovechkin's game-tying goal at 15:29, the Flyers were caught on a line change after a seemingly crucial penalty kill. Jason Smith hit his man (Brooks Laich) at the blueline but took himself out of the play, giving Ovechkin plenty of time and room to walk in and unleash his cannon of a shot.
Rough, rough playoff debut for Steve Downie tonight. Two minor penalties and a sloppy turnover.
******
FIRST PERIOD COMMENTARY
If you are going to win big games, you need to make big plays and make your opponent pay for their mistakes. The Flyers let a golden opportunity go by the wayside in failing to convert a four-minute powerplay and two minute 5-on-3 advantage at the end of the period. They had their chances, but couldn't bury one.
Perhaps the most frustrating sequence came when Daniel Briere -- for the second time in as many nights -- absent-mindedly fumbled away the puck when he was under no pressure whatsoever from the penalty killers.
Now the Flyers need to regroup and start fresh in the second period of a 1-1 tie. R.J. Umberger set up a nice screen (as he did last night) on Scottie Upshall's powerplay goal that squeezed through Cristobal Huet's pads. Nicklas Bäckström's 5-on-3 powerplay goal was similar to Mike Richards' powerplay tally early in last night's game.
Washington controlled the play in the early part of the period, but the Flyers eventually settled down and were able to break out cleanly on most shifts. The big exception: a lengthy shift in which the Caps 4th line pinned the Flyers (including defensemen Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn) in deep for an extended period of time.
Lasse Kukkonen led all players on both teams in both blocked shots (3) and hits (3) in the first period. He also got some rare powerplay time and looked like a guy who doesn't get out much on the powerplay.
The Flyers outhit Washington, 16-7 in the first period. Caps won 12 of 22 faceoffs. Shots ended up 13-8 in favor of the Flyers.
*****
The Flyers have no time to dwell on last night's utter collapse in the second half of the game. Once the Capitals scored for the first time, Philadelphia's energy level dropped just as Washington hit its stride. Teams that win in the playoffs have to be able to put the clamps down when they have a lead. It's as simple as that.
Tonight, the Flyers will be battling not only the Capitals momentum but also to keep doubt out of their own minds. It's a bad situation when you aren't able to play from ahead, because you sure as hell don't want to be chasing the game, either. The Flyers need to score first if they are going to win.
During the regular season, when Martin Biron played on back-to-back days, he had a hideous record in the second game (0-5, 5.95 GAA, .822 save percentage). If there's any hope to take from those sobering stats it's that the playoffs are a different animal.
After last night's game, one of the suburban newspaper writers asked John Stevens why he sat out Jaroslav Modry in favor of Lasse Kukkonen. Stevens essentially replied that Kukkonen had only been out of the lineup due to a number's game and deserved a shot to get back into a game.
But this factor probably played into it as well: Modry and Jason Smith have been the Flyers' weakest combination in the series. Smith, who was out for two more goals last night, and Modry have been on the ice for an alarming number and percentage of the goals against in this series. Talk all you want about bad luck, bad bounces and deceptive numbers, but this is simply unacceptable:
Game 1
Modry and Smith out for Brashear's goal (ESG)
Modry and Smith out for Steckel's goal (ESG)
Modry and Smith out for Green's first goal (ESG)
Modry and Smith out for Green's second goal (PPG)
Modry and Kukkonen out for Ovechkin's goal (ESG)
Game 2 (2-0 shutout)
Game 3
Modry and Smith out for Fehr's goal (ESG)
Modry and Smith out for Green's goal (PPG)
Modry and Smith out for Laich's goal (ESG)
Game 4
Modry and Smith out for Bäckström's goal (PPG)
Modry and Smith out for Semin's goal (PPG)
Modry and Smith out for Eminger's goal (ESG)
Game 5
Modry and Smith out for Bäckström's goal (5-on-3 PPG)
Timonen and Coburn out for Fedorov's goal (ESG)
Hatcher and Jones out for Semin's goal (PPG)
Game 6
Kukkonen and Smith out for Bäckström's goal (ESG)
Hatcher and Smith out for Semin's goal (ESG)
Timonen and Coburn out for Ovechkin's first goal (ESG)
Timonen and Coburn out for Ovechkin's second goal (PPG)
Of course, it's not all of the fault of a couple of defensemen. The Flyers as a team were prone to defensive breakdowns for much of the season. In addition, the Flyers need offensive contributions from various players around the lineup. It's time for players like Joffrey Lupul to step up tonight, as well as the couple of players who have carried the offense through the first six games (Briere, Prospal and, to a lesser extent, Jeff Carter).
The good thing about a game seven: The Flyers have a simple mission tonight. Win ugly or win in convincing fashion, the end result is all that matters. Last night, Daniel Briere said "We'll have all summer to think about the season-- all we do now is focus on winning one game."
For the Flyers' sake, here's hoping summer vacation doesn't begin tomorrow.
Flyers lines and scratches (subject to change)
Prospal - Briere - Hartnell
Thoresen - Richards - Lupul
Upshall - Carter - Umberger
Cote - Dowd- Kapanen
Coburn - Timonen
Smith - Modry/Kukkonen
Hatcher - Jones
Biron
[Niittymäki]
Scratches
One of Kukkonen or Modry (healthy)
Parent (healthy)
Downie (healthy)
Tolpeko (healthy)
Knuble (hamstring)
Gagne (concussion)
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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