PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The outcome of this weekend will either be a lifelong memory or something Philadelphia sports fans will try to forget. Nonetheless, this town will be treated to one of the best parts of sports: a Game 7.
The Flyers’ nail-biting 5-4 double-overtime victory against the Islanders guaranteed them at least one more game — Saturday in Edmonton, which airs at 7:30 p.m. on NBC.
The last time the Flyers were in the Eastern Conference Finals was 2010. The Islanders haven’t been there since 1993.
This series has gone back-and-forth — and was once well in control by the Islanders, who led 3-1. However, back-to-back overtime victories by the Flyers have evened things up. In fact, all three of the Flyers’ victories in this series have come after 60 minutes of regulation hockey — a first in franchise history.
Flyers are 2nd team in NHL history to be down 3-1 in playoff series & win Game 5 and 6 in OTOther team 94 Canucks went on to win game 7 in OT pic.twitter.com/R1kuNmmEXW
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS)
September 4, 2020 Ivan Provorov’s double-overtime laser — on a stupendous feed from Kevin Hayes — clinched the victory, as the Flyers came back from two one-goal deficits after coughing up an early 2-0 lead.
Ivan Provorov called game! -- #StanleyCup @NHLFlyers vs. @NYIslanders Game 7 on Saturday at 7:30 ET on @NHLonNBCSports, @Sportsnet and @TVASports pic.twitter.com/nZ4KOjhKfG
— NHL (@NHL)
September 4, 2020 Carter Hart made 49 saves, many of them spectacular in clutch moments of the game.
“What do you see in him that gives you that chance each game?” a reporter asked head coach Alain Vigneault.
“(He) stops the puck,” Vigneault grinned.
What does Alain Vigneault see out of Carter Hart that gives the #Flyers a chance every night?"Stops the puck." pic.twitter.com/asaRdevWnT
— Dave Uram (@MrUram)
September 4, 2020 “Without a doubt without him tonight, we’re not there,” Vigneault added of Hart. “He played extremely well, but I’m not gonna apologize for good goaltending. That’s what you need.”
The Flyers won this game without arguably the most well-rounded player, Sean Couturier, who has been out since he collided with Islanders player Mathew Barzal in Game 5. Teams aren’t allowed to specify injuries, and his status for Saturday night remains uncertain.
The Flyers won this game despite being outshot 53-31 by the Islanders. Hart really does deserve all the credit he’s getting from Vigneault — and then some.
The key moves for a successful Game 7 are no secret: Limit mistakes that the Islanders would take advantage of; get more pucks to the net, as Semyon Varlamov probably won’t be as ineffective as he was Thursday; and, hope 22-year-old Hart keeps playing well beyond his years.
Running into Game 7 like. #AnytimeAnywhere | #PHIvsNYI pic.twitter.com/AuyRkRXUOh
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers)
September 4, 2020 If the Flyers pull this off, it will be a great feat. Back in the 2010 second round, Capt. Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk were part of a Flyers team that erased a 3-0 series deficit to Boston, and a 3-0 hole in Game 7.
That’s another key for Game 7 — don’t fall behind 3-0 in the first period.
“At this point, to be honest, I don’t think it really matters,” Giroux said when asked if past history of rallying in series can help. “We’re going to a Game 7 here. It’s one game. We just got to play one period at a time. We know how to play. We’ve been playing all year like that, so it’s not a secret. There’s no magic sauce. We just need to play our game, and if we do that, we’ll put ourselves in a good situation.”
