Flyers Fans Eye Canadiens, Islanders in Semifinals
By Colin Newby
The Philadelphia Flyers missed out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2021 after a disappointing season left them in sixth place in the MassMutual East Division. The letdown came after a strong 2019-20 season in which the Flyers won a playoff series for the first time in eight years.
The Flyers defeated the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2020 Playoffs in the Toronto bubble. They were eliminated by the New York Islanders in the ensuing round. While stars Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier watch in aggravation from their couches, both of Philadelphia’s respective opponents from the playoff bubble are now in the NHL Semifinals this year.
Montreal Canadiens (facing Vegas Golden Knights)
The Canadiens benefited from the fluky format of the 2020 Playoffs. They were sitting in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, highly unlikely to earn a playoff spot, when the season went on pause in March. They took advantage of the break and defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in four games in the qualifying round.
They gave the Flyers a tight series thanks to a hard forecheck and strong team defense in front of future Hall of Fame goaltender Carey Price. The Flyers were helped by consecutive shutouts from goaltender Carter Hart in Games 3 and 4. They ultimately advanced in six games.
The Habs again advanced to the playoffs this season with the worst point total of any qualifying team. However, credit needs to be given where credit is due. They stunned the Toronto Maple Leafs in the opening round with three straight victories after falling behind 3-1 and subsequently swept the Winnipeg Jets to advance to the Semifinal round. They’re even getting solid contributions from Flyers castoff Erik Gustafsson.
Montreal hammered the Flyers 5-0 in Game 2 of their series last year, and they’ve similarly exhausted their opponents with a tight-checking style during their two series victories this year. Although they are not favored to beat the Vegas Golden Knights in the Semifinal, they are a unit built for playoff hockey who’s clicking at the right time.
The Flyers will face the Canadiens again next year when the NHL schedule returns to the traditional format. A developing young core of forwards including Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Cole Caufield will be a challenge to contain.
New York Islanders (facing Tampa Bay Lightning)
The Islanders defeated the Flyers in seven games to advance to the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning last season. The physical style of forwards Brock Nelson and Anders Lee, combined with the frustratingly superb puck control of star center Mathew Barzal, presented matchup problems throughout the series. The Flyers also lost all three regular season matchups to the Isles during the 2019-20 season.
At this point in the tenure of head coach Barry Trotz, we can undeniably conclude that the Islanders are greater than the sum of their parts. They have now won five true playoff series and one qualifying round series in just three seasons since the hire. They held off Tampa in Game 1 of their rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Final, stifling the high-powered Lightning attack in a 2-1 victory on Sunday.
The Flyers won their first three games against the Islanders this season but lost their final five. Four of the losses came after regulation. They can expect to see the same obstacles against the Islanders when the Metropolitan Division reassembles next season.