Well, Sunday nearly provided the perfect storm for the Flyers. The Islanders were eliminated from contention after the Canadiens scored three goals in 55 seconds en route to the win. The Blue Jackets' hopes were all but dashed after a regulation loss to the Bruins. Unfortunately, the Capitals kept their dreams alive with a victory against the Penguins.
While all three of those teams losing would've meant they only needed one point, the Flyers are still very much in the driver's seat. With two games remaining, they need two points to clinch for the first time since 2020. Their highest finish can be 98 points, but again, they don't need to reach that mark. That's because Columbus can only hit 94, meaning the Flyers need one point to eliminate them. Washington can hit 95, but Philadelphia needs to be above them because they don't own the regulation wins tiebreaker.
Flyers have multiple scenarios to clinch playoff berth
How the Flyers accomplish it is up to them. Ideally, getting the two points against the Hurricanes would wrap this all up neatly. Considering all three matchups thus far have gone past regulation, it wouldn't be shocking to see the same happen again. That would give the Flyers at least one point. But they could have an easier time this go around.
Carolina already has the top seed in the division. They have a chance at clinching home ice through the Conference Finals, but that doesn't appear to be a necessity for them. At least enough to fight for. Buffalo has a chance to leap them if they win their final two games and the Hurricanes lose their last two games. The Sabres, who would also have 110 points, would win based on the regulation wins tiebreaker.
But it's not something that will make or break anything, which is why many of the Hurricanes' top players are not expected to be on the ice against Philadelphia. Sebastian Aho, Jaccob Slavin, Andrei Svechnikov, Jordan Staal, Seth Jarvis, and Shayne Gostisbehere will all rest heading into the final game of the season. And that is huge for the Flyers.
Svechnikov is having a career season, Aho leads the team in points, and Jarvis leads in goals. Meanwhile, Slavin and Staal each have vital roles on the defense and offense respectively. The Flyers still can’t take the Hurricanes lightly, though.
If the Flyers need Tuesday’s game to clinch, they could find themselves in an even easier scenario. Montreal is tied with Buffalo for the top seed in the Atlantic. However, the Sabres have two games remaining to the Habs one. Buffalo plays on Monday, so the Canadiens will know what they have to play for before Tuesday night’s game. Even then, it’s no guarantee with Buffalo having the extra game. So they could just play it safe.
Another thing the Flyers will have to consider is that the Blue Jackets and Capitals play on Tuesday to end their seasons. That means there is no scenario in which the Flyers can lose both games in regulation and get it. Once again, they do not have a tiebreaker advantage on either team so one point by Washington or two points by Columbus knocks them out.
In looking at the above, the Flyers have two options. They can either beat the Hurricanes or Canadiens by any means necessary or they can gain a point via an overtime or shootout loss in both games. Ideally, getting the win Monday would be the best and provide the least amount of potential headaches.
The Flyers have turned it on up to this point. Now it’s time to end it once and for all.
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