About 125 have been frustrating for the Flyers and their fans.
They say in sports, defense wins championships.
If that's the case, then give Boston the Stanley Cup now.
The Bruins have controlled the play for most of the whole series, and have thrown the Flyers into an 0-2 hole coming back to Philadelphia.
With the Flyers having 8 days of full rest before even starting this series, they were expected to have some rust to shake off regardless of who they played.
It took them about a period and a half, but the Flyers were able to shake the rust off and put together a decent game.
The scoreboard however, has not reflected their play in the past 2 games. The Flyers have played well, but the B's are playing better.
So far, the Bruins have frustrated the Flyers on offense and defense.
Give credit to Boston coach Claude Julien, as he has implemented a game plan to counter the Flyers' 2-1-2 uptempo attack.
With the Bruins already playing a physical style of tooth and knuckle hockey, they have also been playing very smart. The Bruins have countered the Flyers by pressing the defense and keeping the Flyers pinned in their end. With doing this, they have installed a 2-1-2 high forecheck to keep possession in between the circles.
Confused? So are the Flyers.
Basically, the system that the Bruins are using is exposing the Flyers' lack of speed and skill along the blue line when Kimmo Timonen and Chris Pronger are not on the ice.
Timonen and Pronger are among the best stick-defenders in the league. Braydon Coburn, Matt Carle, Ryan Parent, and Lukas Krajicek are not.
When the Flyers have the puck in their own end, the Bruins are pressuring the Flyers along the boards, but not behind the net. At all times, two men are creating pressure against the puck carrier. This is causing the Flyers to force passes instead of setting up a clean breakout.
Out of the 8 goals the Bruins have scored in the series, 5 can be accounted because of this pressure and defensive turnovers.
Still confused? Let's break it down...
The Bruins are forcing the Flyers to use the boards to try to get out of their zone. When a Flyer defenseman has the puck along the boards, two Bruins will go after the puck carrier to try and turn the puck over. To avoid the turnover, the Flyer will try to force the puck out to the neutral zone and/or try to force a pass to another player who is not open.
Once that player has the puck, the Bruins repeat this strategy, which is very frustrating to fend off.
This is causing an overload of turnovers in the Flyer end that has caused pucks to find their way past Brian Boucher.
You won't see this happening too much when Pronger and Timonen are on the ice because they know how to defend it. The other four defenseman, however, are not skilled enough to be able to
Offensively, the Flyers are also struggling. While they have battled back from deficits in each game, they have not been able to set up the forecheck consistently.
The Bruins have better speed and skill on defense, and are playing what is known as a "collapsing" defense in front of Tuukka Rask. When the Flyers try to set up a forecheck, the Bruins send one man in to pressure the forechecker, and leave the rest between the circles.
This closes all the passing lanes to where the Flyers try to set up a play. When the Flyers play the puck to the blue line, the Bruins are pressuring the point man, and giving the Flyers nothing to shoot at.
I'm sure this is rather frustrating reading this if you don't understand. Trust me it's just as frustrating watching it.
With some people pointing to the injuries of Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne as the reason for the lack of offense...I don't buy it.
The Flyers aren't down because of a lack of goal-scoring, but a lack of consistent pressure.
In the overtime of Game 1, the Flyers had just 4 shots.
In the 3rd period of Game 2, the Flyers had just 5 shots on goal.
Boston is taking it to the Flyers when it counts, and you can't win hockey games that way.
The Bruins have planned well for the Flyers attack, and are doing a very good job of executing it.
While it is still possible for the Flyers to win this series, at this point, it is a tough task to overtake.
The Flyers will have momentum and spark to start Games 3 and 4 in Philadelphia, but need to capitalize early to control the flow of the game.
The Flyers have not yet led this entire series, and have had to battle back in each game from a goal or more down.
While the Orange and Black have not played terribly, they haven't played better than the Bruins. As expected, this is a tough and physical series that will test the will of both teams. However, the Flyers are fighting from behind because they cannot match the Bruins in team speed or defensive ability.
In the playoffs, you don't win when you play from behind.
And if the Flyers get behind in games 3 or 4...start shining the golf clubs, because they won't win if the series due to how well Boston is playing. The Flyers need to re-group and win the next 4 out of 5.
Sounds almost impossible doesn't it? Nope. Not by any means.
In 2000, the Flyers fell behind to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the semi-finals, dropping Games 1 and 2 at home.
The Flyers went to Pittsburgh down 0-2 in the series. The Flyers wound up winning Game 3 in overtime.
Game 4...well it's only the most memorable game in Flyers history...that is...if you were awake to see the end of it.
In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, the Flyers and Penguins played into the 5th overtime until Keith Primeau beat Ron Tugnutt about halfway through the stanza.
With the win, the Flyers tied the series and wound up taking the next two games to win the series 4-2.
There are 2 current Flyers who were on that team. Brian Boucher and Simon Gagne. If any team can face adversity, it's this Flyer team, because it's not like they coasted into the playoffs anyway.
I originally said Flyers in 6 games, and I am sticking with that until I am proven wrong.
The Flyers have the ability to come back in this series and win it, but it all starts on how they begin Game 3.
Until next week, keep your stick on the ice.
Eastern Conference Semi-Finals Schedule:
Game 1: at Boston, 4-5 L/OT
Game 2: at Boston, 2-3 L
Game 3: Philadelphia, Wednesday, 7PM
Game 4: Phiadelphia, Friday, 7PM
Game 5: at Boston, Monday, 7PM (If Necessary)
Game 6: Philadelphia, Wednesday, TBD (If Necessary)
Game 7: at Boston, Friday, 7PM (If Necessary)
Caption of the Week:
Claude Julien gives inappropriate contact to Milan Lucic after his game-winning goal in Game 2:
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
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