The Flyers get ready to shake hands following last week's Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers.
While the Flyers' 2013-14 campaign came to a premature run last week in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Rangers, the seven-game series was still great to watch for any fan of the game. It also marked the 11th time both teams met in the playoffs — the most the Flyers have faced any opponent in their playoff history. To try and provide better memories, this week's Flyers Five takes a look at the best series in the Flyers/Rangers playoff rivalry.
5. 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals: The 1995 Flyers/Rangers marked the first series between the two teams since the famed 1992 feud over Eric Lindros. Lindros only scored one goal in the entire series, but the Flyers still swept the Blueshirts in their most recent series sweep to date.
4. 1987 Patrick Division semifinal: The Flyers dispatched the Rangers in 1987's first round, this time in six games. Ron Hextall was admirable in his first-ever playoff series, and the Prince of Wales Conference champs of two years before were largely intact. While a first-round win over the Rangers — almost deja vu from two years earlier — is always nice, the 1987 team is most remembered for taking Edmonton the distance in a grueling seven-game series.
3. 1985 Patrick Division semifinal: The first of three consecutive seasons in which the Flyers and Rangers played in the playoffs saw a 3-0 series sweep in favor of the Flyers. With 113 points, the Flyers were tops in the NHL (though this was one season before the President's Trophy was implemented). They showed that dominance by blowing through both New York teams in the first two rounds as well as a tense series against Quebec — featuring one of the most famous goals in Flyer history, before injuries and running out of steam resulted in a tough five-game loss to Edmonton.
2. 1997 Eastern Conference final: After blowing through Pittsburgh and Buffalo in five games apiece, the Flyers met the Rangers with a trip to the Stanley Cup final on the line. The Flyers faced familiar foes in Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Esa Tikkanen, who were all part of the Edmonton Oilers dynasty that beat the Orange and Black 10 and 12 years beforehand. The Flyers maintained their trend of dispatching opponents in five games, which ultimately would not happen against Detroit in the next round. Interestingly enough, the series' fifth game would turn out to be the last playoff game of Gretzky and Messier's careers.
1. 1974 Semifinals: Before this season, the only time a Flyers/Rangers playoff series went seven games was the 1974 semifinals, which the Flyers won en route to facing Boston for the Stanley Cup. The Flyers had home-ice advantage for the series, which proved to be essential, as the home team won each game. Rick MacLeish led the offense with six goals in the series, while Bernie Parent cultivated and expanded his playoff reputation. The next round is history, as the Orange and Black hoisted their first Stanley Cup.
Rob Riches is a writer for Flyerdelphia, and his Flyers Five appears weekly here and on Sports Source on Cavalier Radio 89.1 WYBF-FM. You can follow Rob on Twitter @Riches61.
