BOSTON, Mass – Minus three seems to be the Philadelphia Flyers lucky number. The Flyers dropped the first three games to the Bruins to start the series between the two clubs. Then the Flyers seemingly ran into a buzz saw as the Bruins jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the deciding Game 7. But once the Bruins went up 3-0 the Flyers had them exactly where they wanted them.
In reflection the Bruins first three goals were simply a cruel joke for the packed house and hardly seem to be worth the keystrokes to detail them. Michael Ryder scored first and then Milan Lucic seemed to etch his name into Bruins playoff lore with a pair of goals.
But the man who undoubtedly will be in the cross-hairs of many Bruins fans–and perhaps management stepped in. With his club plowing the Flyers under, Bruins head coach Claude Julien saw his Bruins step back into a defensive posture. Into the breach the Flyers more than happily stepped up.
The goals the Flyers would score were not classic beautiful goals, but combinations of hard-work, fortunate bounces and an opponent with the lack of a killer instinct. The Flyers were so confident in the outcome their coach Peter Laviolette told a national television audience his club was going to win the game–while the game was still being played! When all was said and done the Flyers became only the third team in NHL history to recover from being down three games to none.
The march to history began late in the first period when James van Riemsdyk knocked a change up past Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask. Philadelphia scored twice more in the second period. Scott Hartnell knocked in a rebound of a Ville Leino attempt and then Daniel Briere deflected a goal off of Boston defender Matt Hunwick.
As if taking a three game lead and then a three goal lead wasn’t enough the Bruins finished their cruel hat trick against their fans by making them revisit 1979. During a historic loss to the Montreal Canadiens in that season the Bruins would be called for a too-many-men on the ice which led to their ouster in Game 7. Unbelievably that odd penalty game into play again in 2010.
This time it would be Marc Savard and Vladimir Sobotka who crossed signals. Once the Bruins had six skaters on the ice the officials called the penalty. Philadelphia’s Simon Gagne would capitalize on the call and register a power play goal. Game, set and match.
With the win the Flyers move on to face the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference finals with Game 1 of the set scheduled for Sunday night.
The Bruins are finished for the year and are left to ponder their lack of killer instinct. The organization will also reflect on their second consecutive seven-game stunning defeat in the Eastern Conference semi-finals after losing in overtime in Game 7 to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2009.
After this defeat the entire Boston organization will be called in question from the top down. They will have their chance to set the stage for a new beginning with the second overall pick in the NHL draft. The only question is, will Peter Chiarelli make the call and/or will Julien be there to coach the new pick?
Contact Tom.Schettino@prohockeynews.com
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