Flyers Lay An Egg

Happy Easter Flyers Fans!

Once again, a team from Philly drops a big game when positioned perfectly to make a title run. Hopefully, this loss won't be totally debilitating, but the season has played out with eerie similarities to many of those in the Orange and Black's recent past. Is it me or does anyone else realize how many Flyers' seasons since their return to prominence in the mid-90's seem to follow the same script:

1. a fast start;
2. a long winning streak during the Christmas season road trip against the Western Conference and other non-division teams;
3. the inevitable slump which usually starts right before or continues through the Carnival;
4. an injury to an important player (Lindros, Primeau, JR, Desjardins, now Forsberg);
5. an inability to beat the elite teams in the league; and
5. a goalie controversy heading into the playoffs.

I think we've all seen how this story ends. Unless this team gets the Rangers in the first round or one of the goalies (preferably Nitty) get red hot, the Forsberg line clicks like it did in the first quarter of the season, Hatcher, Rathe and Rico turn back the clock five years, and the Carter line continues to provide a legit second line, I see a first round playoff exit for the Flyers.

In a unrelated topic, I think if Joe Banner and Jeffrey Lurie ran an NHL team, it would look like the Devils. Similar to the Birds, the Devils have no big stars other than one (Brodeur is the Devils' McNabb). They let their stars walk instead of paying big money (Niedermayer similar to Trotter, Vincent, Duce) as they have complete faith that they can plug anyone into their system and succeed. Unfortunately, Lou Lamiorello and his band of obstructionists from the swamps of Jersey have found a way to win three championships since 1995 with their beloved system. In Philly, we're still waiting for ours.....