By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
May 19, 1974
There are some great playoff moments from 50 years of Flyers hockey, some of which we will relive in a couple days here, but today marks a special anniversary in Flyers franchise history, arguably the greatest game the team has ever played.
On the Sunday afternoon of May 19, 1974, the Flyers became Stanley Cup Champions.
The buildup to Game 6 on that Sunday was almost as big as the game itself. The Flyers were facing the big, bad Boston Bruins, a team that featured the likes of Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, Wayne Cashman and John Bucyk.
Just two seasons prior, the Bruins had won the Stanley Cup.
The task was a tall one for the Broad Street Bullies. In Game 1, it showed, with a 3-2 loss at Boston Garden.
Game 2 was the crucial swing game for the Flyers, who would need to steal one on the road to be able to claim the Cup. The Flyers looked to be on their way to a 2-0 series deficit with the Bruins ahead 2-1 as the final minute of the third came. But Andre “Moose” Dupont played hero, scoring the game-tying goal with 52 seconds to play to force overtime.
In overtime, captain Bobby Clarke provided the heroics with a goal on his own rebound at 12:01, his second of the game, to even the series going back to Philadelphia.
Playing in the Spectrum was different for the Flyers. Home ice advantage was a big part to their success and that was further proven by a 4-1 win in Game 3 and a 4-2 win in Game 4, putting the Flyers one win away from their first Stanley Cup.
But Game 5 back at Boston Garden did not go as planned with the Flyers falling 5-1, forcing Game 6 in Philadelphia on May 19.
With Boston’s dominance on home ice, the Flyers were in a must-win situation. It was either win the Cup in Game 6, or face the possibility that it would all come to a crashing end on Boston’s home ice in Game 7.
Before the game, head coach Fred Shero set the stage well. “Win today and we walk together forever,” the coach wrote on the locker room blackboard.
With the drop of the puck just moments away, the Flyers turned to good luck charm Kate Smith to perform “God Bless America” prior to the game.
The teams hit the ice in Game 6 and played well into the first period with the goalies standing out at the stars. A power play gave the Flyers a chance to get the first goal. A Dupont shot from the point was deflected in by Rick MacLeish at 14:48. It was the Flyers only power-play goal in the entire series.
The rest of the game centered on Bernie Parent. The Hall-of-Fame netminder held the Bruins off the board the rest of the way, stopping all 30 shots he faced and fending off six Boston power plays in the game.
As the final seconds ticked away, Gene Hart proclaimed those famous words that will ring on forever in Flyers lore. “Ladies and gentlemen, the Flyers are going to win the Stanley Cup! The Flyers have won the Stanley Cup!”
Just seven seasons into existence, the first expansion team to win it all, the Flyers were Stanley Cup Champions.
It remains the timeless image in Flyers franchise history, and even though the Flyers went on to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions the next season, nothing beats the first time.
In celebrating 50 years of Flyers hockey, it all centers back to the origins of the team and the pinnacle moment when the Flyers became champions. And 43 years later, it remains the crowning moment in franchise history.
The entire game can actually be viewed on YouTube here, but below is a look back at Game 6 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Final with some of the members of the team.
