Flyers On Brink Of Elimination After Game 5 Loss To Rangers
By Ed Benkin
NEW YORK (CBS) — The Flyers have mounted a host of comebacks this season. They will need one more or their season will be over.
The Flyers now trail the Rangers three games to two after New York captured a 4-2 victory in Game 5. The series now shifts back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Tuesday night with the Flyers needing a victory to force a Game 7 in New York on Wednesday. Scott Hartnell said he and his teammates have to quickly put their Game 5 loss in the rearview mirror.
"We've got to hit the delete button on this one," said Hartnell. "We've got to refocus. I think everyone knew at the beginning of this series, it was probably going seven games."
If the Flyers are to force a seventh game at Madison Square Garden, their power play will have to improve. Despite getting a power play goal from Vincent Lacavalier, the Flyers went 1-for-5 on the man advantage and missed a pair of opportunities early in the first period. Coach Craig Berube said the missed chances in the opening period made the difference in the game.
"We lost the game in the first period," Berube said. "We had some opportunities. There are plays there that if we executed, we could have had success."
Another way the Flyers can keep their season alive is to avoid falling behind. The Rangers took an early lead on a goal by Marc Staal, marking the fourth straight game in this series in which New York has scored the first goal.
"It's frustrating," Hartnell said. "You're always playing catch-up. You make it a lot harder on yourself. It's a lot easier when you've got a lead."
One bright spot in the loss was a goal from Claude Giroux, marking the first time in this series the Flyers captain has found the back of the net. However, Giroux knows he must play better if the Flyers are to salvage their season.
"I'm aware that I have to play better," Giroux said. "I want to play better. Obviously, guys are down but we're going to have to get jacked up again in front of our fans."
The Rangers have frustrated the Flyers throughout this series. But Berube believes there is still plenty of fight left in his team.
"I think we've had our backs against the wall all year fighting for playoffs and fighting for a lot of things," said Berube. "Our team will fight again in Game 6."