By John Casey
Another Roller Coaster Week for the Flyers
Coming into the month of April the Flyers knew they did not have much room for error. Then they stepped on the ice last Thursday night against the Islanders and it seemed they forgot that.
With back to back games to start the month, the Flyers needed to win both. Thursday against the Islanders the Flyers came out with a lackluster performance and Friday at home agaisnst the Canadiens they ran into a smoking hot goalie in Jaroslav Halak.
Two losses later the Flyers found themselves fighting for their playoff lives sitting in eighth place in the East. Sunday the Detroit Red Wings came to town for a nationally televised contest at the Center.
The Flyers would like to thank the Red Wings for starting goalie Chris Osgood. It was a rare start for Osgood who has not played much this season. Rookie starter Jimmy Howard had played the day before so he was given a day off.
Osgood gave up a soft goal early to Dan Carcillo and the Flyers ended up beating the Wings 4-3. It was a big win and at the time maybe the biggest of the season.
Tuesday night the Flyers were once again fighting for their playoff lives in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. The Leafs are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference but a game like this could have gone completely the other way if the Flyers were not careful.
The Flyers got a first period power play goal from Claude Giroux and that was all they needed. They fought hard keeping the Leafs off the board for all three periods. Mike Richards added an empty net goal with about a minute left to secure a 2-0 Flyers win.
***The Weekly Boosh***
Since Michael Leighton went down with a high ankle sprain three weeks ago, the Flyers playoff hopes have been on the shoulders of replacement Brian Boucher.
So far Boucher has been inconsistent at best. Just the last week alone shows how good Boucher can be, and also shows how sometimes the offense needs to score five plus goals to win.
Thursday night against the Islanders Boucher did not look confident from the beginning. He cannot be faulted for all the goals, especially not the first one. But the fact remains that he gave up some very soft goals in the game. Eliminate the bad goals from that game and the Flyers might squeak one out.
He was pulled in that game in favor of Jeremy Duchesne, who did not fair much better giving up a late suspect goal.
With Boucher's confidence low there was serious question going into Friday night's game against the Canadiens. Earlier in the day the Flyers claimed and signed former NHL goalie and current Swiss League goalie Sebastien Caron. Caron was dressed and backing up Boucher against the Habs.
In the Canadiens game, Boucher only gave up one goal. It was a big bounce back game for the netminder and he needed it. Unfortunately for the Flyers, Canadiens' goalie Jaroslav Halak was unbelievable in net. He shut out the Flyers 1-0.
In the Red Wings game Boucher got the goal support he needed against the Habs. He was not great in the Wings game but he stopped the shots he needed to in order to give the Flyers the win.
All Flyers fans are hoping the Brian Boucher they saw Tuesday night in the Maple Leafs game is the goalie they will see the rest of the season. He got the bounces. Sometimes goalies need them to be successful. He also made a desperation save when it was still 1-0 that may go down as a season saving stop. It was one of those saves Flyers fans will be talking about for a while.
For Boucher, the rest of the season and possibly the playoffs are somewhat of an unknown. The hope is that the Leafs game carries his confidence the rest of the season but with Boucher you just never know.
Johan Backlund is still nursing the groin injury. He could be ready to return at some point this weekend against the Rangers. Right now it is Boucher's team. But if Boucher has a bad outing against the Rangers on Friday night, do you send him out there on Sunday with the season on the line? It is a decision Peter Laviolette will have to make.
For Boucher's sake, I hope he plays the same shutdown hockey we saw in the 2000 playoffs and in the Leafs game. I am rooting for him.
***The Home Stretch***
Eighty games down and just two to go.
It just so happens that those two games are against the New York Rangers in a very important home and home. The Rangers currently sit in 9th place just two points behind the Flyers.
The Rangers walked all over the Maple Leafs tonight keeping themselves alive in the playoff race.
The one major player to watch this weekend will be Sean Avery. When Avery is being a pest and the Flyers allow it to affect their play, the Rangers seem to beat the Flyers every time. The key for the Flyers is to forget about all the extra stuff Avery does. Play smart hockey and worry about putting the puck past goalie Henrik Lundqvist.
The Flyers currently sit in seventh place, one point ahead of the Bruins. The Bruins have a game in hand on the Flyers. The Flyers are also just a point behind the Canadiens for sixth place who also have two games remaining.
The Flyers need two points to clinch a playoff berth. Two overtime losses to the Rangers would even get them in the playoffs. The first game is Friday night in New York. The Flyers have to come out and take care of business. Losing Friday will set up a Sunday afternoon matchup at the Center with the Rangers where the winner goes to the playoffs and the loser plays golf until the fall.
A major plus for the Flyers this weekend could be the return of leading scorer Jeff Carter to the lineup. He will practice with the team tomorrow and if all goes well, he could play in both weekend games. It would be a huge addition this late in the season.
Either way it all comes down to the final weekend. By Sunday night we will know if the Flyers will be skating in the playoffs or teeing off in the coming weeks. We will also know their opponent if they indeed make the playoffs. But they have to take one step at a time.
The only team the Flyers really need to be worrying about now is the Rangers.
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