April 11 & 13, 1978
In the 1977-78 NHL Season, the league adopted a new playoff format which included a first round best-of-three series. For the Flyers, who finished with a record of 45-20-15, their "preliminary round" opponent would be the lowly Colorado Rockies.
The Rockies were just in their second year in Denver, having moved from Kansas City following two dismal seasons. In a weak Smythe division, the Rockies finished second, despite only having 19 wins and 59 total points. They had a promising 20-year-old defenseman in Barry Beck, who scored 22 goals from the back line along with 30-goal scorer Paul Gardner – but not much else.
The Flyers would win Game 1 at the Spectrum, 3-2, in overtime on a goal by Mel Bridgman just 23 seconds into the extra period. Bernie Parent stopped 16 of 18 shots, beating an old friend and former teammate, Doug Favell. Favell would face 44 shots, stopping 41.
In Game 2 in Denver, the Flyers dominated once again, as they outshot the Rockies 45-17. Don Saleski scored in the first two minutes of the third period to break a 1-1 tie and Bob Kelly would add insurance, scoring at 10:36 to give the Flyers a 3-1 victory.
This game was also the only home playoff game ever played by the Colorado Rockies, as a reported 16,399 attended. The Rockies would not make the playoffs in the next four seasons and the team was sold and then moved for the 1982-83 NHL Season and became the New Jersey Devils.
Oddly enough, this is the only playoff series in Flyers history in which they have "swept" an opponent by winning two games to none in this best-of-three format. In 1978-79, they advanced by winning two of three from the Vancouver Canucks and also in 1979-80 by winning two games to one – with two games going to overtime – over the Edmonton Oilers in Wayne Gretzky's first NHL season.
Beginning in the 1980-81 season, the preliminary round format moved to a best-of-five series, then in 1986-87, the NHL expanded all playoff rounds to be a best-of-seven series format.
Mike Watson is a contributing writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on twitter @Mwats_99
