What a ride it's been for the Orange and Black this postseason. Unfortunately all postseason runs must come to an end sometime and so the Flyer's did tonight. Fittingly they went down fighting and were oh so close to forcing a game 7 but it just wasn't meant to be. Both teams deserve credit for a great series and it's a crime that it didn't at least go 7, especially since I believe the Flyers would have won if it had gone that far. The loss not withstanding it's clear the Orange and Black gave everything they had in this series and really appeared at times tonight as if they had nothing left to give. Therefore I can live with this result, it just makes it that much toucher to swallow, knowing they put it all out there and were so close, but I digress.
Early on this one things got off on the wrong foot for the Flyers as Chicago scored the opening goal on the power play. The Flyers came right back with a power play goal by Scott Hartnell in the final seconds of the period to knot it up at 1. Then halfway through the 2nd period Danny Briere and Ville Leino teamed up a for pretty goal to give the Orange and Black they're only goal of the night. Less than 2 minutes later the ex-Flyer Patrick Sharp tied it up on a goal Micheal Leighton probably should have stopped. Late in the peiod the Flyers suddenly appeared to run out of gas and Chicago took advantage with Andrew Ladd scoring for a 3-2. Thanks to Leighton Chicago was unable to extend the lead from there. Still, it appeared Chicago would hang on for the win anyway, until the Orange and Black dug down deep one last time as Ville Leino threw a puck at the net that deflected off Hartnell and in for the 3-3 tie.
After that the Flyers had a couple chances to win in regulation but couldn't quite put it away so the game went into overtime. There they had only the momentum early on and couple golden opportunities to win off Blackhawks turnovers but they couldn't cash in. A couple minutes after those opportunities Patrick Kane rumbled into the Flyer zone but it appeared Braydon Coburn had him in check. Somehow though he managed to get off an angled shot, but Leighton appeared to be in position to stop it. I still don't how but it got through Leighton and then lodged in the far side of net where no one except Kane could see that it went in, setting off an odd celebration by the Hawks while no linesman gave a signal and the goal light and horn did not go off. It was a heartbreaking end to a great season that I'll never forget. There's always next year and I think if we can add one more defenseman to our 3rd or 4th line the cup is ours.
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