Flyers Gets a Shot at the Stanley Cup after 13 Years

After 13 long years, the Philadelphia Flyers have finally made a comeback for the Stanley Cup, winning 4-2 against the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference finals.  The last time the Flyers had the Stanley Cup trophy was in 1974 and 1975, winning the finals two years in a row.  After the back-to-back win, however, the Philadelphia team suffered a drought for more than a decade. Ed Snider, founder and team chairman, said that this is one of the most exciting seasons for the team after their first ever Stanley Cup.  The team has surely gone through a lot to get this far considering that not so long ago, the team almost lost their playoff spot if not for a shootout win during the regular season’s last game.  The Flyers will now have to face the Chicago Blackhawks, the Western Conference winner, for Game 1. Winning Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals Even before the start of Game 1, Flyers’ Mike Richards has his hands all over the trophy, something NHL players wouldn’t usually do without winning the finals yet.  Obviously, Richards and the rest of the team are very excited about the Flyers’s return to the Stanley Cup finals.  He believes that what they have is a great team.  Even if they don’t win the Stanley Cup, it’s already a big leap for them and some just can’t hide their excitement even before the first game. In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Flyers made a stellar performance worthy of the spot for the finals.  Richards was able to make a “highlight-reel goal,” while Arron Ashram and Jeff Carter also scored their own, along with Michael Leighton who allowed a goal.  With a total of four goals, the team won Game 5 and advanced to the Stanley Cup finals. During the first two rounds, the Canadiens made a resilient comeback.  But on the third period, the Flyers made a 2-goal lead at 3-1.  The Flyers fans then held their breath with only 20 minutes remaining in the game.  Leighton admitted that he was conscious of the clock, especially during the last two minutes.  Thankfully, the team did well till the end. After Carter scored an empty-netter, the crowd cheered knowing that they’ve sealed a win with only a few seconds left. A great comeback The Flyers fought their way into the semi-finals and into the playoffs.  They were down by 3 against Boston, but managed to make back-to-back wins until Game 7.  Richards said that they just didn’t quit, unfazed with the 0-3 losing streak.  They kept going until they made it into the semi-finals.  He admitted that although they made a great comeback and have proven their ability to fight back, they have to be ready for the Chicago Blackhawks. It was unexpected for some to see the Flyers get this far.  Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne, and Ian Laperriere suffered from injuries, but were able to return to help the team steal a spot for the Stanley Cup. With the Flyers leading the playoffs at 3-1, the Montreal Canadiens gave it a good fight but just fell short against the Philadelphia team in Game 5.  Before the playoffs, the Canadiens were in the 8th seed when they beat the Washington at 3-1.  They went ahead and defeated Pittsburgh at 3-2 and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals against the Flyers.