Back to Philadelphia

Well, that one reeeeeeeally sucked. For much of the first period, it looked like a carbon copy of game one. The Flyers held their own – they got nineteen shots on goal – but when the horn blew after twenty, they hadn’t beaten the Caps’ goalie and Washington was already on the board. We blew a five-on-three power play. We lost no further players, though the talking heads suspect that Claude Giroux is playing hurt as a result of a hit he took from, you guessed it, Alex Ovechkin on Thursday. At the end of the game, Philly had lobbed 41 shots at Brayden Holtby and only beaten him once. Thank you, Jakub Voracek (who is not on my pool team).

I had told Basher they’d win this one. He kept looking at me. “Mum, you said …”

“I know,” I replied. At the end of the game, I explained that I’m a seer and was referring to game three. I’m unsure that he believes me.

So, back to Philadelphia we go. We were going there anyway; it’s a best of seven series and the Capitals have to win twice more to move on. This means we have to win four of the next five. Three at home and one – just one; one measly minuscule sixty minute game – in Washington. Of course we can do it. Anything is possible. I have seen teams claw their way back from the imminent grave – the Rockets are doing it in their WHL series against Victoria right now (game six today in Kelowna, gods help the Royals), and Philadelphia has done it before. They did it against Boston in 2010 … but they did it with Mike Richards as their captain, and guess where he ended up? Squaring off in a Caps jersey against his old team in this year’s playoffs. Regrettably, his style has not changed. It’s not nearly as much fun when he’s on the other side.

However, I am fairly confident that the Flyers will win tomorrow. Home ice, fans on their side, Lauren Hart singing God Bless America with Kate Smith and the ghost of Ed Snider present in the room. Hard to lose with that kind of energy unless it overstimulates you … which I admit it could, but doubt it will. The first period will be crucial. All they have to do is keep Washington off the board for the first ten minutes; take the game to them and make them play it our way, then we can build our momentum and win one for Mr. Snider.

Piece o’ cake.