Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 7
#7 Philadelphia Flyers at #6 Boston Bruins
Series tied 3-3
TD Garden – 7:00 PM ET – Boston, Mass.
TV: CSN Philly HD, TSN HD, NESN HD, Versus HD
Radio: 610 WIP (internet stream here), XM 204, SIRIUS 208
Get the Boston perspective at Stanley Cup of Chowder
Prior to Game 6, if you’ll recall, we ran with the headline, “Can they actually do this?” Well, they can actually do this.
It all comes down to one game tonight — a Game 7 for the history books, regardless of the outcome. If the Flyers win, the history is obvious: only the fourth team in major professional sports history to complete an 0-3 comeback, joining the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, the 1975 New York Islanders and the 2004 Boston Red Sox. If the Bruins win, they’ll be the first team since the Flyers in ’75 to win a Game 7 after blowing an 0-3 lead.
History will be made, as the commercials do say, and yes, the Flyers can actually do this. They’ve had their backs against the wall before, you might know. Final game of the season versus the Rangers. One Olli Jokinen shot away from this all being different, perhaps. One Boston bounce in Game 4 from this all being different, perhaps.
This is the fifth true elimination game the Flyers have faced this season, in a year that, nine times out of 10, they probably wouldn’t have even made the playoffs given their regular season record. But here they are, and win or lose, they’ve really proven something this postseason. Our biggest problem with this team over the last few years has been their seemingly lackadaisical attitude and their frustrating inconsistency, but they’ve done nothing this postseason but overcome those hurdles. It has been impressive beyond what any of us expected from this team.
But now that we’re here, in this situation, staring down yet another elimination game, none of that matters. It all comes down to one game and the hope for tomorrow. The Bruins haven’t faced this situation this season. They’re shaking up lines, a sign of desperation, and heading into a home arena with fans ready to turn on them at the first sense of gloom.
The Flyers will be determined, as they have been for the last month, and hopefully, they can put the Bruins down early and head home with smiles on their faces. There’s no reason to believe they can’t. They can actually do this.
Game thread will be up at an extra early 5:00 PM ET. Many of us are heading to the Wachovia Center for Game 7, so please hold down the fort here tonight. No need to burn things down — it’s just the semifinals.
