With all the injures Flyers need to play Florida first round
- Scottie Upshall

How is it a choke if they were never the favorite in any of the previous five playoff appearances?

This year is the first time they will have home ice advantage in any playoff round since the 2005-06 season.

If they disappoint in these playoffs then you can label it a choke job.
- MidnightMarauder

Congrats on the regular season conference title. Hopefully we'll meet up somewhere down the line and you'll have a tougher time against us.

Congrats on the regular season conference title. Hopefully we'll meet up somewhere down the line and you'll have a tougher time against us.
- tangent_man

Although I am happy with the head to head outcome, between the Flyers and Rangers, I am well aware of how dangerous Philadelphia can be.

There is a good chance, with the seedings forming like they are, that these two teams can meet in the conference finals.

I kind of wish we won lastnight, because I really really want the sabres to win Thursday, I wanted to use that game to rest our starters, give bob 1 more start... and hopefully screw the caps out of a playoff spot.....

Right now im ok going in vs the Pens or the Panthers, either way its going to be hard, pens in the first round or blueshrits in the 2nd round.


BRING THEM ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not to sound sour grapes about it but:

1) The Rangers better record is largely a product of their head-to-head dominance of Philly. Turn around 2 of the h2h games this year in regulation and guess what, both teams would have 105 points even with the Rangers winning season series by a 4-2-0 mark.

2) Being "just a better team" isn't a reason in and of itself. There are things that go into that. In addition, every team, regardless of record, has certain clubs they struggle against for whatever reason. Were the cellar-dwelling Canadiens a "better team" than the Rangers when they spanked the Blueshirts by 4-0 and 4-1 scores this year, or did the Habs happen to catch the Rangers at the right time?

3) The playoffs are a whole different animal in terms of preparation and matchups. Obviously, the Rangers would have to be the favorite if they eventually meet the Flyers in the playoffs, but I have seen plenty of times where one team dominates the season series (maybe not to this extent) and then loses to that same club in the playoffs.

4) A secondary part of that reason is the fickleness of the regular schedule. The Rangers pretty consistently caught Philly at the worst possible times for the Flyers in terms of recent volume of games and/or amount of recent travel. That all evens out quickly in a playoff series against one another.
- bmeltzer

I don't have a problem with anything you said until #4, the Rangers just came off of the heaviest schedule of any team for the month of March and have had two days in between games once since March 1st. Thats a lame one, and if in fact that is true then the Flyers don't have the proper focus and or conditioning to last in the playoffs where every game is emotional and are played just about every other night...but your 1st three points is a clear example of the fine line between winning and losing...the one thing I will say is if one team beats another team then being better is a logical conclusion...last night was the first time Philly scored more than twice against the Rangers...I'm sorry, being just a better team is a part of the formula...so I guess I have a slight issue with #2...good luck next week...

I kind of wish we won lastnight, because I really really want the sabres to win Thursday, I wanted to use that game to rest our starters, give bob 1 more start... and hopefully screw the caps out of a playoff spot.....

Right now im ok going in vs the Pens or the Panthers, either way its going to be hard, pens in the first round or blueshrits in the 2nd round.


BRING THEM ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- flyers4487

Thats if the Devils stay in 6th and beat Fla then you would probably get Boston...

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: 8 reasons why the Rangers swept season series
- bmeltzer

Food shopping, some manscaping, and the wife wanting to watch her shows meant I missed 98% of the game.

I will say this, and this is just a gut feeling but I'll give it the CT Chimp lock, the Flyers will meet the Rangers in the ECF and give them the 1995 treatment. Worse case they'll give them the '97 treatment.

Boofrigginyah!

this is one serious amount of excuses

one of us should have wrote one of these when you guys beat us in a skills competition to get into the playoffs.

I am sure that season the Rangers met the Flyers a couple of times when they had played 3 games in 4 nights 'n such....

Giroux with 92 points so far in his first year as our first line center, wow.
- funmaster18

Trade value will never be higher.

this is one serious amount of excuses

one of us should have wrote one of these when you guys beat us in a skills competition to get into the playoffs.

I am sure that season the Rangers met the Flyers a couple of times when they had played 3 games in 4 nights 'n such....
- jimbro83

Pretty sure it's Bill's job to try to analyze why the sweep occurred.

Sure beats the whole "we're just better than you" analysis.

See you in the EC finals.

bring on the panthers!

Pretty sure it's Bill's job to try to analyze why the sweep occurred.

Sure beats the whole "we're just better than you" analysis.

See you in the EC finals.
- bradleyc4

both teams had off on Monday.

The Flyers were the home team last night.

The Rangers jump out to a 4-0 lead.

I mean, seriously?

excuses

both teams had off on Monday.

The Flyers were the home team last night.

The Rangers jump out to a 4-0 lead.

I mean, seriously?

excuses
- jimbro83

it was eight reasons why the rangers were the better team in six head to head games. wtf do you want?

both teams had off on Monday.

The Flyers were the home team last night.

The Rangers jump out to a 4-0 lead.

I mean, seriously?

excuses
- jimbro83

Rangers are well-deserving of the #1 seed. They earned it fair and square.

bring on the panthers!
- OrangeBlack27

Bring on whichever team it happens to be, and may the Flyers bring their 'A' game.

Pretty sure it's Bill's job to try to analyze why the sweep occurred.

Sure beats the whole "we're just better than you" analysis.

See you in the EC finals.
- bradleyc4

Its not an analysis, its a conclusion...

both teams had off on Monday.

The Flyers were the home team last night.

The Rangers jump out to a 4-0 lead.

I mean, seriously?

excuses
- jimbro83

Biggest reason the Rangers dominated the Flyers this season, IMO, is that the Flyers almost always give up the first goal and the Rangers are a team you can't afford to do that against. Pretty sure that's the issue in a nutshell, IMO.

Bring on whichever team it happens to be, and may the Flyers bring their 'A' game.
- tangent_man

Totally agree. Flyers can beat anyone if they are in their game. They can also lose to anyone if they don't. Talent is there, all about showing up when it counts.

both teams had off on Monday.

The Flyers were the home team last night.

The Rangers jump out to a 4-0 lead.

I mean, seriously?

excuses
- jimbro83

What did you expect? Groveling, praise, and white flags?

this is by no means to diminish what the Rangers accomplished this year but winning all head to head games but it always seemed as though the Flyers were never healthy, plus #4...you listed above.

the Flyers are in the playoffs, I am not saying to lose the next two but health has to be the higheest priority right now with this club. should you work on getting home ice? Where at times I see starting on the road as less pressure or should you still kick ass and go for it?
overall a healthy team can compete with any team in league.

there are no shootouts in playoffs....
- phi1671

I agree with most of what Meltzer said, except #4. That just sounds like an excuse to me. You have to win those games in the regular season and, by the look of the points the Flyers collected this year, they must have won their fair share.

The playoffs are a whole different beast and, if the Rags are unlucky enough to meet you guys there, the regular season will be out the window. If we don't meet you in the playoffs then this will all be forgotten until next year when you guys will probably find a way to beat us again. This is a minor victory for the Rags and their fans, anyone who makes more of it is just being a douche.

Still, all that said, the Rags had almost zero shootout wins this year. In fact, we have more ROW than any other team will finish with this year (only St. Louis could tie us if they ROW out).

So I don't see why shootouts were even mentioned in your last post. It's the Devils that have used that gimmick to grab a playoff spot this year, not us!

Totally agree. Flyers can beat anyone if they are in their game. They can also lose to anyone if they don't. Talent is there, all about showing up when it counts.
- funmaster18

As has been said many times, the team the Flyers have to fear most is themselves.

They came out with a lot of jump last night, but that first goal took a bit out of them. The second one seemed deflating.

I agree with most of what Meltzer said, except #4. That just sounds like an excuse to me. You have to win those games in the regular season and, by the look of the points the Flyers collected this year, they must have won their fair share.

The playoff are a whole different beast and, if the Rags are unlucky enough to meet you guys there, the regular season will be out the window. If we don't meet you in the playoffs then this will all be forgotten until next year when you guys will probably find a way to beat us again. This is a minor victory for the Rags and their fans, anyone who makes more of it is just being a douche.

Still, all that said, the Rags had almost zero shootout wins this year. In fact, we have more ROW than any other team will finish with this year (only St. Louis could tie us if they ROW out).

So I don't see why shootouts were even mentioned in your last post. It's the Devils that have used that gimmick to grab a playoff spot this year, not us!
- Suckmysweatybawls

Not us?...my bad didn't see you on the bench.

I gave props on the sweep, move on.

As has been said many times, the team the Flyers have to fear most is themselves.

They came out with a lot of jump last night, but that first goal took a bit out of them. The second one seemed deflating.
- tangent_man

They were too worried about beating the rangers instead of focusing on their own game.

Rangers fans gloat all you want, I mean good for you guys...finally have a good coach who can fix your gms mistakes, and you had our number this year.


You just better hope the new cba still allows the rangers to use their AHL team to as a bad contract dumping ground, and not as a player development club like the rest of the league

Not us?...my bad didn't see you on the bench.

I gave props on the sweep, move on.
- phi1671

Can you read? I wasn't asking for props, if anything I'm calling them undeserved!



I just don't like when people use excuses for the Rangers success, like the shootout, especially when it isn't even true!