Flyers Look To Avoid Elimination
By Ed Benkin
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The cliches were abundant in the Flyers locker room. Do or die. Win or go home. Backs against the wall. All were appropriate for the moment.
After losing to the Rangers in Game 5 of their playoff series on Sunday, the Flyers must win Game 6 Tuesday in South Philadelphia or their season will come to an end. A victory would force a seventh and deciding game in New York on Wednesday, but Claude Giroux says they first have to take care of business in Game 6.
"We can't be looking at a Game 7 right now," said Giroux. "We've got to worry about one game at a time. We're playing at home in front of our fans, and we know they'll be ready to go."
The Rangers have had the better of the play throughout most of the series, and the trend continued in Game 5 on Sunday. Defenseman Kimmo Timonen gave credit to the Rangers, but said the Flyers have to focus on their own play Tuesday night.
"We have to give them credit," Timonen said. "They play a hard game. They've got five guys on you all of the time and they skate hard. But the whole year, we didn't care who we played against, and it shouldn't change in the playoffs. You've got to worry about your game and what you can do better. I know we can play better."
The Flyers have struggled putting pucks in the net against New York. They have scored more than two goals in just one game during this series. Forward Wayne Simmonds says changes have to be made if the Flyers are going to keep their season alive.
"We've got to take more shots," said Simmonds. "We're getting opportunities. They're doing a good job of blocking shots in this series. We just have to keep pressuring (Hendrik) Lundqvist and bear down in front of the net."
The Flyers have struggled at Madison Square Garden, and players such as Brayden Schenn are glad they will have a chance to keep their season alive in front of their home fans on Tuesday.
"You never want to face elimination," Schenn said. "At the same time, we've got our fans behind us playing at home we're we are comfortable. In this series, we've played better at home. We expect a good start and the guys will be ready."
Game 6 will get underway Tuesday night at 7:35 p.m. The Flyers say Defenseman Nicklas Grossman will remained sidelined due to a lower body injury.
