How bad is it for Flyers?
Daily News Flyers blog
How bad is it for Flyers?
OTTAWA -- So, just how bad is it for the Flyers?
Exactly one week ago, after their all-important victory over Pittsburgh at the Consol Energy Center, the Flyers were in the driver’s seat and appeared destined to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
They moved to three points up on second place Washington. They were a full four points ahead of Pittsburgh in the Atlantic divsion. And with just five games to play, they had one game in-hand on each team.
Their magic number to close out Washington was just 7 points. For Pittsburgh, it was down to 3 points.
Since then, the Flyers passed on two opportunities to eliminate both New Jersey and Atlanta from playoff contention - allowing other teams to do the dirty work for them - and also two chances to clinch their first Atlantic division title since 2004.
Guess what?
The Flyers have lost 13 of their last 19 games. The magic number in the Atlantic division is still at 3 points.
And the Flyers’ probability to win the Eastern Conference has plummeted from 88 percent last Wednesday to just 12 percent today.
They now have a 47 percent chance to pick up the second seed. More alarmingly, they now have a 28 percent chance to lose the Atlantic and finish in fourth place, since the NHL seeds division leaders, which would setup a date with Tampa Bay in the first round.
Washington’s magic number to close out the Flyers is now down to 3 points, which means the Flyers would likely need to win both of their remaining games against Buffalo and the Islanders to have a shot at the No. 1 seed.
All of which is the long way of saying that the Flyers are in the middle of an epic collapse. The fear of every Flyers fan for the past month has been validated. They need to stop praying for the playoffs to get here. It could be a quicker exit than they’ve been banking on.
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They need to be more physical. They are extremely soft on the puck. Carter gives up the puck way to easy. Someone just needs to step up. The next 2 games need to be played as if they are play off games.— FlyersFan64- I have to wonder what Paul is thinking right now. I sold out the future for this team? What the f*&k!— FlyersFan64
- Villanova free-fall!— The Philly Shadow
- Let them move to Winnipeg and we start over with a new franchise a few years down the road. Can't be any worse scenario than we have now...— barry1757
- stupid people. Yeah lets have them go all out and get hurt so they can win the conference and then be too injured to win a round in the playoffs. This team is built FOR THE PLAYOFFS, losers, not the regular season. 103 points with their best D-Man out for 30 games this year. Morons.— seaonasdad
- Why do you have to resort to calling people, "stupid", "losers", and "morons" simply because they disagree with you? Do you believe that type of rhetoric reinforces your argument?
- why should carter even try? he gets paid for the next 11 years to coast around and play when he wants. Perhaps he'll get one hit and cross his own blue line but dont hold your breath— CFA
- "Its Gonna Take a Miracle!" Catchy tune Eh?— younged
- How bad is it? Shortly after the game finished on Sunday at WF, a fan walked down close to the ice, took his Flyers jersey off, threw it on the ice - and walked away.— nuggetnectar
- I'm always pessimistic and things always seem to go right when being that way, at least for the Flyers. However, I see a team that doesn't care skating around. Tired is a big excuse because the Caps and Pens aren't using it and they are winning, even without their stars. This team is weak at heart. They also give up way too easy. The playoffs are a totally different atmosphere so hopefully they can change, but I aint betting on it.— exrec9
- funny how i see the same posters that posted during the year what an awesome team this was, lavy is great, blah, blah, blah, now it's the same losers with all this 'inside info' and expertise into the psyche of the team, the defense stinks, no depth, etc, etc. what a bunch of losers, you deserve this team, they're apparently built in your image. pathetic.— spittooncj
- The Flyers are out of gas and DONE! Thanks Lavy for pushing them too hard in November, December, and January....nice plan, knucklehead. I guess that is why Lavy was avaiable for hire only a few years after wining a Cup with Carolina...it all makes sense now.— Phront_Runner
- If the Pens win out the Flyers need one win and one otl to keep the 2nd seed which is exactly where they want to be. Does anyone here want to see the Rangers as a first round opponent...I don't. People need to relax.— michaelthegreat
- Answer = Real bad— shawnmac
- When Zherdev show the most heart, you have problems.— CanadianPhilly
