Over the years, there is something I have learned about teams being down 3-0 or 3-1 in a playoff series. That's usually when reality sets in.
So after the Flyers dropped Game 3 by a score of 6-1 to fall to a 3-0 deficit in the series against the Washington Capitals, reality was obvious: the season could end on Wednesday night. And even if it didn't, the Flyers were on borrowed time.
The days are numbered, could be one, could be three, either way, time is running out.
But instead of going into a eulogy on the season, I wanted to go back to Game 3 as a whole. What happened on the ice was embarrassing. What happened in the stands was disgraceful. Coupled together, it is a night that will scar Philadelphia sports for a long time. Which is why Wednesday is such an important night.
By all standards, the series is essentially over, but Washington still has to win that fourth game. The challenge for everyone tonight is to make a good showing. The 20 players that take the ice for the Flyers have one last chance to give the home crowd a memory.
That is a great challenge. The Capitals are on the verge of moving on. They will be more than motivated to do so on Wednesday. The Flyers will have to somehow suppress a surging penalty kill and solve a brick wall in goal.
The likelihood of a win is not great. A competitive game will be just as much of a win as a victory to extend the series.
The thousands in attendance will face the challenge of being the opposite of what we saw on Wednesday. Be classy. Show everyone what Philadelphia is really all about.
If it ends in a win, celebrate and enjoy it, even if the season continues another couple of days on more borrowed time. If it doesn't, lose with dignity. Walk out proud of a team that came into the season with no expectations and brushed them aside. Be better than everyone is making you out to be in the last two days.
Is that too much to ask? Is it too much to want the team to give whatever they have left and maybe win one game in this series? Is it too much to want the fans to show support or take a loss with some class?
Game 4 is about making a better showing than what Monday night showed everyone on all fronts.
On a national scale, it won't have much of an effect. One game won't change the lopsided nature of the series on the ice or the perception of the fans off the ice. But we'll know.
The playoffs are always judged based on success. Only one team can be crowned a champion, so success only comes from wins and losses. On the surface, there are no moral victories.
But Wednesday night could be a moral victory with a competitive, entertaining hockey game and fun night for the crowd.
Make it happen, Philadelphia. Make it happen, Flyers. Make one last good showing before the season comes to an end.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
