March 31, 2009

Seven games to go, and there are no guarantees for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Not even the playoffs.

Granted, it would take a collapse on par with the 2007 and 2008 New York Mets for the orange-and-black to miss the playoffs, but they only sit seven points ahead of the Florida Panthers, who are currently ninth in the Eastern Conference.

It’s been a few weeks since my last update, and the Fly-boys seemed to right the ship following a very winnable 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on March 17, winning three straight against Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and New Jersey. The momentum vanished when they dropped a 4-2 decision to the Panthers, and even though they bounced back with a shoot-out win over the New York Islanders, the Flyers fell to the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins on Sunday, 4-3.

If the season were to end today, the Flyers would have home ice against the Carolina Hurricanes, a team they bean three games to one in the season series, and would be a favorable match-up. However, the Flyers only hold a one-point margin on the ‘Canes, and only three points ahead of the seventh-place New York Rangers.

The cream of a very competitive Eastern Conference is clearly the Boston Bruins, who sit seven points ahead of the second-seeded New Jersey Devils. The Bruins have been dominant in stretches this year, and lead the East in both goals scored and fewest goals allowed.

Still, you have to feel better about the Flyers heading into the playoffs this year then you did last year, when they scuffled at the end of the season, nearly missing out on postseason play. Goaltender Martin Biron has asserted himself and taken hold of the starting role, which had been in flux for much of the season. Biron and Antero Niittymaki never seemed to gain a chokehold on the starting job, until Biron’s strong play as of late.

If Biron can replicate his performance from the first two rounds of last year’s playoffs, the Flyers can compete with any team in the East. They are as healthy as they’ve been in a while, especially in the defensive corps, where injuries decimated them in the Flyers series against Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.

One of the Flyers’ biggest strengths in the playoffs will be their depth. Most of last season’s cast is back this year, with the most notable loss being that of R.J. Umberger, who lit it up last post season. But Umberger’s shoes can be more than filled by dynamic rookie Claude Giroux, who has established himself as a superb playmaker in the second half of this season.

The Flyers ability to roll four lines in the playoffs last year gave them a major advantage over the Washington Capitals, who are anchored by a one-man wrecking crew that goes by the name of Alex Ovechkin.

The final phase of the regular season begins on April 1, with seven games in 12 days. The regular season draws to a close on April 12, with a nationally televised game against the New York Rangers.

Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride Flyers fans!