Flyers Beyond The Break

by Bob Herpen
The Phanatic Magazine

Record: 27-16-5, 59 points.

Position: Tied for 1^st in Atlantic Division, 2^nd to Ottawa in Eastern Conference playoff seedings.

Of the Flyers’ 34 remaining contests, 16 are within the division. Seven are home, nine on the road, while the final eight and nine of the last 10 regular-season games come against Atlantic Division opponents.

While the hurting the club has put on the Penguins so far this season (4-0-0, 20-8) and the inexplicable tanking against the Devils (1-5-0, two combined home losses by a 13-5 count) can be projected to finish as they started, the matchups against the Rangers and Islanders (5 games against each) are the keys here.

Philly is 3-for-3 against Ted Nolan’s club thus far, but has three road games to play on the Island, and the Flyers welcome the Blueshirts for three home games during the back-end of the schedule.

With 11 wins and 11 losses on South Broad Street, hammering out a few ugly home victories over the mystifying Rangers, who have given the club fits at Wachovia over the last two-plus seasons (1-5-3), may be tough.

Nonetheless, the conference and out-of-conference home contests could provide a much-needed salve against the possibility of stinging division defeats.

Beginning with Tuesday’s tilt against the Los Angeles Kings, only two of the next 12 home dates are of divisional nature. Anaheim comes in on Saturday, Washington on February 6^th. Tampa (twice), Montreal, San Jose, Florida, Ottawa and Buffalo have all suffered wild inconsistencies this season, and can be had with a full effort much like the 6-1 thrashing of the injury-decimated Sens on January 20.

On the road, back-to-back games in Pittsburgh and Uniondale February 10 and 12 provide a test, and despite a strong showing as the visitor recently, the club may have to find a way to circumvent unfavorable results in future February road games in Montreal, Ottawa and Buffalo. March 1-2 at the Islanders and Rangers on consecutive days will be huge with a possible eight-point swing in the balance.

March 25 at the Garden, March 28 at the Rock, and March 29 on the Island could mean the difference between first and fourth place, between a playoff berth and looking up at the rest of the pack.

What Could Push Them Over The Top: A fully-healthy Joffrey Lupul for extra scoring punch, provided he stays out of Derian Hatcher’s way; John Stevens settling on a starter/backup dynamic instead of sticking with the “hot goalie” for indeterminate periods; three wins against New Jersey; continued power-play success; Simon Gagne recovering his full abilities and confidence with steady linemates; Peter Forsberg.

What Could Hold Them Back: If Gagne and Lasse Kukkonen don’t return to form following injury; if Gagne isn’t reunited with Danny Briere and Mike Knuble on the top line; if any other player which has carried the club thus far goes down to a serious injury; penalty killing which has slid to the bottom third of the league; losing to Pittsburgh with or without Sidney Crosby; sputtering to the finish with the slate of divisional games; any stretch like the inability to win at home in November/December; any prolonged losing streak like the six-gamer prior to Christmas.