Over the final
days, hockey fans have relished in the additional minutes of free hockey as the
regular season concludes. In several games that I have watched over the last
few days, teams like: the Flyers, Avalanche and others have gone into
exhilarating overtimes during this regular season that ‘just won’t quit’, as a
hockey analyst proclaimed this weekend. Several of these passionate final games
were deemed of less importance and would not affect the playoff standings, but
the players proved that no one likes to lose, as they vehemently took the ice
and gave everyone a preview of the playoffs.
The Philadelphia Flyers have astonishingly made the playoffs
and are now prepping for their postseason. But, this is not a surprise to
everyone. Their fearless leader, Captain
Claude Giroux never lost sight of their end goal, as he made this audacious
claim in late October: ‘We will make the playoffs’. At the time the Flyers sat
at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, at the bottom of the league with their
top scorers not performing, they had tallied a low 11 points and their record
was 1-7-0. An epidemic early in the season were coaching changes and the Flyers
were not immune, as they dropped three games they also said good-bye to Coach Peter
Laviolette and Assistant Coach Craig Breube got a promotion. Just 6 days into a
195 day season, the immediate outcome was not overwhelming success, it took
some time to turn the season around and it took 15 games for Giroux to net his
first goal of the season. The critics
were brash but Giroux proved why he wears the C on his chest and he took his
team to the top, after all the only direction the Flyers had to go was up.
Now the Flyers start fresh in the postseason, facing the New
York Rangers on Thursday at Madison Square Garden. After overcoming a season of
adversity the comeback kids have had the final say and they will be taking that
energy into the post-season. On Thursday we are looking at a familiar lineup
from a Flyers team that has remained fairly healthy all season long. Zac Rinaldo will be back from his 4-game
suspension and Steve Mason who left after a 2nd period mishap in the
Flyers game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday will be playoff
ready. [Edit: Mason will be side-lined for Game 1 and Emery will start in Goal] The Mason-Emery tandem goalie
team is a recipe for success and with a healthy team everyone is focused going
into Madison Square Garden on Thursday.
Reflections on the regular season from my point of view:
While I saw signs of Peter Laviolette’s early departure from the team, I do not
think that it was completely necessary. Craig Berube stepped up and was able to
make effective line changes all season long that padded the success of the
team. But, I think the foundation for success was always in the locker room and
once the Flyers figured it out and wanted it enough the momentum turned around.
I could have never endorsed Giroux’s early season claims that they were headed
to the playoffs as they sat at the bottom of the league. First because it was
too early to tell and second because I thought that he was just doing his job,
it would have never been right for him to be less than encouraging, motivated
and optimist of his team. All in all, the Flyers have laid out some lessons for
us to learn from this season: Lesson 1 Never get in a fight with a Boxer,
Lesson 2 Keep your eye on the prize, Lesson 3 When you work together you can
win. At the end of the day hockey brings communities and families together,
even despite rivalries. Young athletes are looking up to these NHL players and
I think that through a few bumps the Flyers set a great example this season.
I will be at my favorite bar with my Dad on Thursday, proudly
wearing my Flyers shirt, downing some beer and eating wings as I celebrate the
post season. Win or lose I couldn’t be
more proud of the athleticism, sportsmanship and motivation of this Flyers team
this season.
For the 2013-14 regular season this is The Amateur Fan
signing off. Welcome to the postseason.
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