Flyers Caps Part 2

On to the Flyers..

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
42-29-11
    The Flyers ran away with the title for most improved team in the NHL, swinging it 39 points in the other direction. After a tumultuous few years with GM Bobby Clarke, they promoted Paul Holmgren to the top front office spot and he immediately made a splash. Donald Briere was the Flyer's prize free agent, having scored 95 points for the Sabres the previous year. Although they cooled down a considerable amount over their red-hot start, they're still a fun team to watch purely for the reason most people watch hockey; they're a roughneck, in your face reincarnation of the 70's Broad Street Bullies. The Flyers will punch you in the mouth and not think twice about it.
    Although Briere had 72 points this year, he had an atrocious -22 plus minus. And their best player from the past few years, Simon Gagne, struggled with injuries. So the team looked to new sources for leadership. Mike Richards (75 points, +22) and RJ Umberger (50 points) really stepped up and showed Philadelphia that they can be counted on. Martin Biron, their Goalie, has a fine 2.59 GAA and will have the unenviable job of trying to stop Alex Ovechkin. To uprade the D, the Flyers added Jason Smith, former Oiler Captain. He's given the defense an identity. He and Derien Hatcher should brutalize the Caps front lines.
    Coach John Stevens has this squad playoff ready. This should be an interesting series.

PREDICTION:
This one should go down to the wire. It's one superstar and his gang against a solid team; whoever prevails will just have to play hard nosed defense the entire series. There's no clear advantage in power play, the Flyers and Caps rank second and seventh, respectively. The big difference is penalty kill, where Philly is top ten and D.C. is bottom five. This, coupled with the team mentality the Flyers bring, should be enough to overcome Washington's goalkeeping advantage and Ovechkin.

Flyers in 7