Photo Courtesy of Kate Frese
As the NHL season begins to wind down, there's always the sense of urgency that comes with teams scrambling for a playoff spot.
The Flyers are no exception. They've firmly entrenched themselves in the dogfight for the second wild card spot, and have found themselves oh-so-close to it at several intervals over the past week.
Of course, it's coming at a premium. Detroit and Pittsburgh have been in the fight for the spot as well — basically alternating both spots — while Carolina, New Jersey and Ottawa aren't too far behind. Some Flyers fans found themselves rooting for the New York Rangers in a pair of games against the Red Wings and Penguins this weekend. (Yes, it does feel disgusting, but it's all for the greater good, right?)
"Must-win" has essentially been in the Flyers' vocabulary since the beginning of January, when it looked as if they finally shook off the dismal play that haunted them through November and December. A six-game points streak from Jan. 5-17 helped making the playoffs become a realistic possibility, and a 4-3 overtime win against the class-of-the-NHL Washington Capitals just before the All-Star Break stood out as one of their most seminal wins of the season.
This week, however, re-defines the meaning of "must-win" for the Orange and Black. They host the Red Wings on Tuesday and the Penguins on Saturday, with a quick flight out to Chicago in between. It's a tough week for the Flyers, and the ramifications of coming up short could very well mean another early offseason.
Of course, there's no denying how good the Flyers have been playing over the past two weeks. They've earned points in seven of their past eight games — despite losing a big impact in Jakub Voracek, who is set to return to the lineup soon — and have seen secondary scorers continue to step up.
The Flyers' steady play also comes as the Red Wings and Penguins have played to mixed results. Since firing Mike Johnston on Dec. 12 and bringing Mike Sullivan into the fold, the Pens have played to a 20-14-5 record (including a respectable 6-4 in their last 10 games), but have been dealt a significant blow over the weekend with the loss of Evgeni Malkin for 6-to-8 weeks. The Red Wings, on the other hand, have lost four of their past six games — including a 1-0 loss to Toronto on Sunday that keeps them three points ahead of the Orange and Black.
Nonetheless, past performances aren't exactly relevant in the week that's ahead. The Flyers can't get too bogged down by what they've done and what the Red Wings and Penguins have done — prior performances simply don't guarantee points.
A regulation win on Tuesday brings the Flyers one point away from the second seed, and a win on Wednesday could very well see them usurp the Red Wings. It's a tall order, considering they have to travel midway across the country overnight, but it's still very much feasible.
The playoff push has been an uphill battle for the Flyers, and they finally have a chance to strike this week. As long as they can sustain their recent strong play, and not the Jekyll-and-Hyde play that has troubled them through much of the year, their playoff hopes should continue to live on.
Rob Riches is a contributor to Flyerdelphia and Sports Talk Philly. Follow him on Twitter @Riches61
