Photo Credit: NBC Sports
The Philadelphia Flyers head into the second round for the first time in eight years. Having just beat the 8th ranked Montreal Canadiens, the Flyers showed a kink in their armor. The lower ranked Canadiens gave the first place Flyers a run for their money. Prior to the six game series, Flyers fans were flying high, daring any team in the NHL to match up against their red hot club. Today there seems to be more of a tentative optimism as the Flyers go into face the tenacious New York Islanders.
Since Barry Trotz took over the Islanders head coaching job, the team has transcended their perpetual mediocrity and ascended to become a cup threat during the playoffs. While, the team boasts plenty of offensive and defensive talent, it’s actually the overall team play that leads to the Islanders immediate success. That is what make them a true adversary. In the playoffs, hockey is a game of inches and the Islanders have proven to give centimeters. After sweeping the declining Washington Capitals, the Islanders come in with all the momentum they could ask for.
However, this is not the same Philadelphia Flyers of the past that would be outmatched by a red hot team. The Flyers are very much capable of setting the tone in this series, as they have every bit of talent that of any of the teams in the Eastern Conference. They’ve also proven they are capable of being the best of those teams. In this Gritty Rant! Yariv Wolok (@ywolok) goes through why the Flyers should not be scared of the Islanders or any team in the NHL. If the Flyers want to prove they are the best, they should welcome a challenge from the best.
