Buffalo Series Game 6 Review

For the 3rd time in 6 playoff games (and 4th in 7 overall), the Flyers' starting goalie turned in an embarrassing performance.  Miraculously, the Flyers are 3-1 in those games, and 1-2 in games where they get decent goaltending.  Go figure.  This team's ability to come back from any score is nothing short of remarkable.

Either way, the Flyers skaters are beginning to resemble the team that was tops of the NHL in January.  Clearly they aren't playing their best, but they look somewhat recognizable to that January team, and their quality over the Sabres is beginning to show.  It's kind of unfair to judge when the Flyers are always chasing the game after an early deficit, but if you put an average goaltender in net for each team last night and didn't change anything else, that game would've been 5-0 Flyers by the midway point.

To their credit however, after being gifted goals, the Sabres usually can put together 5 or 10 minutes of solid play once the Flyers have arduously climbed back to tie the score.  With the Flyers goaltending this series, 10 minutes of solid play often equals 2 goals.

For all the crap the Flyers have been through, the series in their hands.  Game 7, at home, and no arguments about who should be in net.  I am under no delusions about Boucher---he is a career backup NHL goalie who runs very hot and very cold.  Still, I think it is pretty well settled that this is best the Flyers can do in net this year, and this is their team, for better or worse.

I'll be there tomorrow, and I am very optimistic of Flyers victory.

Comments and other deep thoughts:
-Pronger only played 4:33, all on the PP.  It's an awkward arrangement, considering all anyone has been talking about how his bad hand would limit his ability to shoot, yet there he was on the point on the power play.  Clearly the team was more concerned about his hand holding up in all the physical battles of actually defending in 5-on-5 play, yet they put him in front of the net to jostle of the 5-on-3 PP.  I'll have to keep an eye on twitter today to see how Pronger practices today.  (Bear in mind that, reportedly, Pronger was very angry the day before game 6, and wouldn't even talk to his teammates, which they took as a sign he wouldn't play at all)

-So I slightly jumped the gun on Richards, saying it was time to stop hoping he would miraculously look like the Richards of previous years.  He played his best game of the series last night, being in the thick of things where he is most effective.  His skills aren't high-end enough to drift around the outside and have a big impact (few guys' are).

-The Sabres are saying Richards got away with "mass murder" by boarding Connolly, and Ruff says he should be suspended.  Let me translate that for you: "Please suspend the Flyers captain for game 7, or at least give us a borderline call or two."  I don't know, I seem to recall Ruff saying something about the Flyers whining the other day?  And generally, it's not "getting away" with anything if you are penalized on the play.  It was a clear penalty on Richards, but suspension?  Give me a break.

-Briere, 5 goals in 6 games.  Enough said.  Briere's and JVR's performances this series are beyond reproach.