I'm always first to acknowledge that we were extremely lucky with injuries during that series, but it was still awesome to watch. The game 7 being a microcosm of the whole series (in terms of the score) made it even more hilarious.
I'm always first to acknowledge that we were extremely lucky with injuries during that series, but it was still awesome to watch. The game 7 being a microcosm of the whole series (in terms of the score) made it even more hilarious.
Lucky? I know Krejci got hurt during game 3 but are you forgetting Carter was out all series. Gagne was out 3 games. Laperriere was out all series. Having to switch goalies in the middle of a comeback.
Losing Sturm and Krejci definitely hurt the Bruins, but I would still say we had bigger injuries to deal with.
In my mind, no... but I did think thst either the perfect game or the PO no-no might have stole it due to the greater regarded sport.
Also... taking into account that it was CSN, I was surprised that Eagles Meadowland comeback didn't steal it... and even more so had it been WIP.
There really were more than one legit story... had they not been all in the same year. That the Flyers took it with so many more recent ones says a lot... it seems that fresh stories have an edge in these things at times.
Lucky? I know Krejci got hurt during game 3 but are you forgetting Carter was out all series. Gagne was out 3 games. Laperriere was out all series. Having to switch goalies in the middle of a comeback.
Losing Sturm and Krejci definitely hurt the Bruins, but I would still say we had bigger injuries to deal with.
In the span of one game, just before the fourth game of the series (the elimination game coincidentally) we got our best winger back from injury and Richards took out the Bruins best forward. That alone completely reversed the fortunes of the teams.
Satan and Krejci, who played together, were tearing us up in the first three games. They combined for nine points in three games against us with both of them being at least PPG. It was pretty clear that Krejci was driving that offense.
With Krejci the Bruins scored 12 goals in three games, which is 3 goals per game. Without him they scored eight goals in four games for an average of two goals per game.
With Krejci Satan had five points in three games. Without him, Satan had 0 points in four games. Huge difference there.
So, losing Krejci alone did us wonders. Now factor in Gagne. He had 4 goals and an assist in four games for a total of 5 points in four games. Three of those four goals were game winning goals.
Without Gagne the Flyers scored 7 goals in 3 games, just over two goals a game. With Gagne the Flyers scored 15 goals in four games for almost four goals per game.
So, those two things alone were definitely what won us that series.
In the span of one game, just before the fourth game of the series (the elimination game coincidentally) we got our best winger back from injury and Richards took out the Bruins best forward. That alone completely reversed the fortunes of the teams.
Satan and Krejci, who played together, were tearing us up in the first three games. They combined for nine points in three games against us with both of them being at least PPG. It was pretty clear that Krejci was driving that offense.
With Krejci the Bruins scored 12 goals in three games, which is 3 goals per game. Without him they scored eight goals in four games for an average of two goals per game.
With Krejci Satan had five points in three games. Without him, Satan had 0 points in four games. Huge difference there.
So, losing Krejci alone did us wonders. Now factor in Gagne. He had 4 goals and an assist in four games for a total of 5 points in four games. Three of those four goals were game winning goals.
Without Gagne the Flyers scored 7 goals in 3 games, just over two goals a game. With Gagne the Flyers scored 15 goals in four games for almost four goals per game.
So, those two things alone were definitely what won us that series.
You fail to mention the Flyers played the entire series without their best goal scorer. Obviously we will never know what would have happened had both teams been completely healthy that series, however, I don't think that series would have gone 7 games and the Flyers never would have been in a 3-0 hole.
I am aware losing Carter helped set up the Briere line which was very crucial, but the Flyers ran over a Devils team with a completely healthy lineup.
You fail to mention the Flyers played the entire series without their best goal scorer. Obviously we will never know what would have happened had both teams been completely healthy that series, however, I don't think that series would have gone 7 games and the Flyers never would have been in a 3-0 hole.
I am aware losing Carter helped set up the Briere line which was very crucial, but the Flyers ran over a Devils team with a completely healthy lineup.
So did the Bruins.
The Bruins lost Seidenberg, McQuaid, and Sturm that I can remember. So it's not as if they were without injuries.
I just posted clear, hard facts in my last post that show why Krejci and Gagne were the two things that switched the series in our favor.
The Bruins lost Seidenberg, McQuaid, and Sturm that I can remember. So it's not as if they were without injuries.
I just posted clear, hard facts in my last post that show why Krejci and Gagne were the two things that switched the series in our favor.
I would agree that was definitely the turning point. I just don't know if you can call the Flyers "lucky" with their injuries as well. Carter, Gagne, and Laperriere are arguably bigger losses than Seidenberg, McQuaid, and Sturm.
I have the condensed version of game 7 saved on my DVR thanks to NHL Network, and when I watch that comeback I still squirt in my pants when Giroux flips the puck out of the Flyers zone in the final seconds. Just awesome.
I would agree that was definitely the turning point. I just don't know if you can call the Flyers "lucky" with their injuries as well. Carter, Gagne, and Laperriere are arguably bigger losses than Seidenberg, McQuaid, and Sturm.
Except that we got Gagne back and he was easily our best player when he came back. The Bruins lost Krejci.
Anyways, yeah, I don't feel like arguing semantics. We both agree it was the turning point so w/e.
It must be mentioned that Marc Savard returned to the Bruins line up in Game One... that can be tacked on the plus/minus breaks in the series.
That said, I have always believed that the series turned with the injuries and return of players... Two of the first three games proved to be tight and very even games with one decided in Overtime... The forth game was also an OT game and only two games, evenly split between them, were decided by more than one goal.
This was an even series that seemed to go as the injury situation played out... Thus is often the way of all sports and of all evenly based series on average. Evenly matched up series are often determined by two factors, IMO; players playing above or below their capabilities and health of the players/roster.
I don't see it as much being luck as it was situation.
Having gone to a game in the Montreal series and a game against the Blackhawks in the cup, I've gotta say the best playoff atmosphere I've ever been in in my life was during game 7 of the Bruins series at the Wachovia Center. Pure electricity even though the game was 500 miles away. I'll never forget it.
Having gone to a game in the Montreal series and a game against the Blackhawks in the cup, I've gotta say the best playoff atmosphere I've ever been in in my life was during game 7 of the Bruins series at the Wachovia Center. Pure electricity even though the game was 500 miles away. I'll never forget it.
I think "The Shift" by Richards was the craziest atmosphere of the whole run that I experienced. However, the best part of the Bruins series had to be Gagne's OT goal. I can remember wondering if he aggravated his foot when he hadn't taken a shift in the whole OT, and when he finally got one, I felt like something big was going to happen. You wouldn't have known that the Flyers were still pretty much done for the series if you only had seen or heard the building at the moment he scored.
Brings a tear to my eye. It's a series I look forward to telling my kids and grandkids about. Seriously unbelievable, I was floating on cloud 9 after that game.
Good, Flyers got further than the Phillies, but it would have been hard to argue with Roy Halladay's post-season no-hitter since that's happened fewer times than the 0-3 hole.
I think the goalie switch was something that put a new spin on attempting the come back. You've got a guy whose thinking that he only needs to win 2 games to win a series. That's a lot less difficult than needing 4 in a row.
Good, Flyers got further than the Phillies, but it would have been hard to argue with Roy Halladay's post-season no-hitter since that's happened fewer times than the 0-3 hole.
I think the goalie switch was something that put a new spin on attempting the come back. You've got a guy whose thinking that he only needs to win 2 games to win a series. That's a lot less difficult than needing 4 in a row.
And what about Gagne coming back from injury to be the hero in game 4 and game 7?
And the Flyers being a shootout away from elimination?
And being denied of a Cup since the 70's?
The Flyers were the right choice hands down.
People don't make movies about a single dominant performance by a dominant player (even if he was helped by the Phillies' defense). People right movies about awe-inspiring comebacks made by teams fighting against all odds. The extra parts of the story help make the Flyers case. It isn't just one series vs. one pitching outing.
Even thinking for a second that it should be Halladay is kinda out there.
Halladay's game was incredible and I love it, but the entire Flyers' playoff run was memorable, and this was the most memorable part of it, especially with Gagne coming back early and not only playing hurt, but playing really damned well too.
And what about Gagne coming back from injury to be the hero in game 4 and game 7?
And the Flyers being a shootout away from elimination?
And being denied of a Cup since the 70's?
The Flyers were the right choice hands down.
People don't make movies about a single dominant performance by a dominant player (even if he was helped by the Phillies' defense). People right movies about awe-inspiring comebacks made by teams fighting against all odds. The extra parts of the story help make the Flyers case. It isn't just one series vs. one pitching outing.
Even thinking for a second that it should be Halladay is kinda out there.
The moment wasn't the entire run, it was one game.
I'm not saying the wrong decision was made, I like this better and I'm not even a real Phillies fan. I'm just surprised that the Phillies weren't pandered to like they are for everything else.
And what about Gagne coming back from injury to be the hero in game 4 and game 7?
And the Flyers being a shootout away from elimination?
And being denied of a Cup since the 70's?
The Flyers were the right choice hands down.
People don't make movies about a single dominant performance by a dominant player (even if he was helped by the Phillies' defense). People right movies about awe-inspiring comebacks made by teams fighting against all odds. The extra parts of the story help make the Flyers case. It isn't just one series vs. one pitching outing.
Even thinking for a second that it should be Halladay is kinda out there.
Totally disagree. I think it's incredibly close. What Halladay did is even more rare than what the Flyers did (2 postseason no hitters, 3 comebacks from 0-3 in hockey.)
Totally disagree. I think it's incredibly close. What Halladay did is even more rare than what the Flyers did (2 postseason no hitters, 3 comebacks from 0-3 in hockey.)
I think being down 0-3 in Game 7 as well is what puts the comeback over Halladay.
Plus, a 0-3 comeback has bigger implications. A non-hitter is amazing, but in the end it only counts as one win. With the 0-3 comeback you advance to the next round despite everybody and their mom giving you no chance whatsoever. It also helps that the comeback will be mentioned every time a team goes down 0-3 until it gets eliminated.
I think being down 0-3 in Game 7 as well is what puts the comeback over Halladay.
Plus, a 0-3 comeback has bigger implications. A non-hitter is amazing, but in the end it only counts as one win. With the 0-3 comeback you advance to the next round despite everybody and their mom giving you no chance whatsoever. It also helps that the comeback will be mentioned every time a team goes down 0-3 until it gets eliminated.
I tend to agree with the decision, and I realize that I'm on a flyers board here, but I hate it when people denigrate what athletes do because they don't like the sport. Halladay did something that has been done twice in the history of baseball, a sport with a much longer history than hockey, which was an insignificant league with 6 teams until 1967. It was one of the greatest individual accomplishments in the history of American sports. What the Flyers did against Boston was one of the most amazing team comebacks in the history of American sports. They are both just epic performances, that people will be telling stories about to their kids and grandkids for 70 years, remember where they were when Halladay threw the postseason no hitter (or the perfect game for that matter), or where they were when Gagne scored in Game 7.
I tend to agree with the decision, and I realize that I'm on a flyers board here, but I hate it when people denigrate what athletes do because they don't like the sport.
