Montreal Canadiens
The series now shifts to Game 3 where Montreal will be the home team. Someone in the series will emerge with a 2-1 lead and a chance to take a commanding lead in the series in just a few days. For the Flyers, who certainly felt embarrassed by the result on Friday afternoon, this is a time for redemption, for a bounce-back game that could help them in the series. Game 3 is set for 8 p.m.
Kyle Collington and Kevin Durso are back to discuss the first two games of the series, what seems to be wrong with the Flyers, the impact of the Canadiens Game 2 win, a look around the rest of the NHL and more.
There was no sugarcoating this one after it was over. The scoreboard said it all. “We got our butts kicked today in all facets of the game,” head coach Alain Vigneault said.
The opportunity was there for the Flyers to take a 2-0 series lead after having what many viewed was only a B-minus, C-game from the Flyers. There were some who viewed Game 1 as a missed opportunity for the Canadiens, while others saw it as a game where the Canadiens showed they could hang around in this series. Man, did they prove that in Game 2.
A pair of goals in the first period – before the Flyers could even get a shot on goal – and two more in the second paced the Canadiens to a 5-0 rout of the Flyers, evening the series at one.
The Flyers didn’t have their best in Game 1, but came away with the 2-1 win in large part due to their goaltender. On Friday afternoon, they have a chance to really establish themselves in the series. Game 2 is set for 3 p.m.
Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien was hospitalized after experiencing chest pains overnight and will miss the remainder of the series against the Flyers.
Perhaps everyone on the outside of the series is making a bigger deal out of the goaltending matchup than the two teams and, individually, the two netminders are. But Carter Hart has come into the playoffs and replicated his performance from the regular season. And then in typical fashion, he has acted like it’s no big deal.
One thing remained a constant. Carter Hart was excellent again. That is the main reason the Flyers find themselves with a 1-0 series lead following a 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1. Here are 5 takeaways from the Game 1 win.
Carter Hart made 27 saves to help the Flyers claim a 2-1 win in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.
