GDT: Eastern Conference Final - Philadelphia v. Montreal - Series Thread

[RGM81]

#7 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS vs. #8 MONTREAL CANADIENS

How They Got Here

The seventh-seeded Flyers, who required a shootout victory on the last day of the regular season to qualify for the playoffs, joined the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs (vs. Detroit) and the 1975 New York Islanders (vs. Pittsburgh) as the only teams in Stanley Cup Playoff history to rebound from a 0-3 series deficit when they defeated the Bruins 4-3 in Game 7 of the Conference Semifinals. The Flyers also became just the third team in playoff history to come back from a 0-3 deficit in Game 7 of a series (and the first to do so in regulation time) -- joining the Washington Capitals (4/16/1988 vs. Philadelphia, 5-4 in OT) and the Edmonton Oilers (4/16/1991 at Calgary, 5-4 in OT).

The Flyers overcame the loss of starting goaltender Brian Boucher to injury in the second period of Game 5 and turned to Michael Leighton, who stopped 66 of 70 shots he faced the rest of the way to complete Philadelphia's improbable comeback. The Flyers staved off elimination in Game 4 when Simon Gagne, who had missed the previous four games due to injury, scored at 14:40 of overtime to propel his team to a 5-4 victory.

The Flyers defeated the New Jersey Devils in five games in their Conference Quarterfinal. Daniel Carcillo’s goal 3:35 into overtime lifted Philadelphia to a Game 3 victory from which the Flyers never looked back. In his first significant NHL postseason action in 10 years, veteran Brian Boucher was brilliant, posting a 1.59 goals against average and .940 save percentage, both tops among playoff goaltenders.

The Canadiens made history by becoming the first #8 seed to win a playoff series in which it trailed three games to one, taking down the Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals in a seven-game thriller. Goaltender Jaroslav Halak backstopped the Canadiens to victories in Games 5-7, stopping 131 of 134 shots (.978). Michael Cammalleri sparked the offense, tallying points in each of the first six games and leading the club with 10 points (five goals, five assists) in seven games.

The Canadiens again played giant-killer in the second round, eliminating the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games. Montreal staged another comeback, this time rallying from series deficits of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. As at Washington two weeks before, the Canadiens captured the series-deciding game on the road. Michael Cammalleri scored seven goals, matching the highest single-series total by a Montreal player in the modern era. The Canadiens held Penguins star centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to one goal apiece.

Series Storylines

Regular-season series: The Flyers and Canadiens each finished with 88 points in the regular-season standings and split their four-game season series 2-2-0. The Flyers had a slight edge in goals, 10-8, in a low-scoring series. Daniel Briere led all Flyers in goals (four) and points (five), while defenseman Roman Hamrlik was the top-scoring Canadien (0-5--5). No Canadiens player registered more than a goal against the Flyers, while the injured Jeff Carter (three) combined with Briere to total seven of Philadelphia's 10 goals.

In a harbinger of his spectacular playoff performance to come, Canadiens goaltender Jaroslav Halak was dominant in the clubs' most recent meeting, stopping all 35 shots in a 1-0 victory at Philadelphia Apr. 2. The win, just Montreal's second in seven games, revived their flagging playoff drive.

Playoff History: The Flyers and Canadiens will be meeting in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth time in what has been a closely matched and contentious postseason history. The Canadiens defeated the Flyers in a 1973 semifinal perhaps best known for an overtime goal scored by then little-known 21-year old rookie defenseman Larry Robinson in Game 2 that knotted the series after a Rick MacLeish OT goal had shocked the Canadiens in Game 1. Montreal ended the Philadelphia's two-year Stanley Cup run with a four-game sweep in the 1976 Final, the Flyers knocked off the defending champion Canadiens in a 1987 Conference Final, the Canadiens defeated the Flyers in a 1989 Conference Final and the Flyers eliminated the #1 seed Canadiens in a 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinal.

Two thirds of the current Flyers roster did not face the Canadiens in 2008, including Friday's Game 7 hero Simon Gagne (who was injured). Up front, only Mike Richards, Daniel Briere and Scott Hartnell return. Jeff Carter played in 2008 but is currently injured. On the blueline, Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn faced the Habs two years ago. The Canadiens gave rookie goaltender Jaroslav Halak his first career NHL playoff start in that series, taking the loss in Game 4 at Philadelphia.

The Great Debate: The Flyers and Canadiens have given hockey fans a topic to debate for years to come: which historic feat during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs was more impressive? Was it the Flyers coming back to win a playoff series after trailing 3-0 in games and 3-0 in Game 7? Or was it the Canadiens becoming the first #8 seed to win a series after trailing 3-1 and knocking off the Presidents' Trophy winners and defending Stanley Cup champions on the road in Game 7 in consecutive series?

Triumphs Over Adversity: Both the Flyers and Canadiens have overcome significant injuries to reach the Eastern Conference Final. For the Canadiens, the injury bug targeted their blueline. The club's top defenseman in scoring and ice time, Andrei Markov, missed six games of the Pittsburgh series. Jaroslav Spacek was sidelined for four games against Washington and five versus the Penguins. Hal Gill, the dominant shot-blocker in the first-round upset over the Capitals, was sidelined for Game 6 against the Penguins.

The Flyers, meanwhile, have had to deal with key absences up front and in goal. The club lost high-scoring forwards Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne in Game 4 of their first-round series against New Jersey, but closed out the series at New Jersey in Game 5 without them. Carter, whose 33 goals led the Flyers during the regular season, missed the entire series against Boston and Gagne missed the first three games. Goaltender Brian Boucher, who backstopped the Flyers to a playoff berth after replacing injured starter Ray Emery, was lost for the Boston series midway through Game 5.

Longshot Series: This is the first series to pit a #7 vs. #8 seed since the Conference-based playoff format was adopted in 1994. Prior to this match-up the series matching the lowest seeds occurred in the 2006 Western Conference Final when the #8 Edmonton Oilers upset the #6 Anaheim Ducks in five games.

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As always, while staff encourages spirited discussion and participation in the GDT's, please keep the comments relevant to the series, game, teams, and players involved. Personal attacks and comments insulting the fans of opposing teams will be removed and warnings/infractions will be issued if necessary.

[Pheebs888]

Only 8 hours to go! Here's my prayer for the third round, it worked so far so why not

Our Ghosts in heaven
Inspired may we be by your names
May your winning ways be repeated
And your torch be passed
Give us a win in game one
Forgive our occasional lack of toughness
As we forgive the Broad Street Bullies for being so bloody tough
Lead us into the Stanley Cup Final
and deliver us from Gagné, Briere and Richards
For the 25th,
The Power and the Glory are ours
Now and in June,
Amen!

GO HABS GO!!!

So with that said, good third round to all and may we all be treated to some top notch hockey! Good luck all!

[Spaltung]

LET'S GO FLYERS! (clap clap clapclapclap) *repeat*

[Pheebs888]

Well...if you want to do singing/chants...

[StadiumSportsCard]

Best of Luck to all the Hab's Fans.

Here's hoping for a great series!

Go Flyers!

[Pheebs888]

Can someone speed up the time please? I'm quite ready for the game now!

Bit curious to see if the Habs are going to be using Sergei Kostitsyn, couldnt believe they took him to Philly, i thought he was done for sure now...

[Pheebs888]

doh! not the start i wanted...

[Spaltung]

End of the first.

1-0 Flyers

That's what I'm talking about!

[Pheebs888]

We need to convert some of those shots...

[Spaltung]

We need to convert some of those shots...

Most of the shots were just straight on Leighton and not very good scoring chances, but they could turn scary if there were some guys in front.