Laviolette eyes Finals; Pronger-Byfuglien matchup looms
After the Flyers won the Eastern Conference title with a rivetting 4-2 victory over Montreal on Monday, winning coach Peter Laviolette looked ahead to his team's ultimate goal _ bringing home its first Stanley Cup since 1975.
Laviolette eyes Finals; Pronger-Byfuglien matchup looms
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
After the Flyers won the Eastern Conference title with a rivetting 4-2 victory over Montreal on Monday, winning coach Peter Laviolette looked ahead to his team's ultimate goal _ bringing home its first Stanley Cup since 1975.
Asked what it would take to defeat the favored Chicago Blackhawks, Laviolette didn't blink.
"I'm always a believer if your team can play their style and their system and implement their game, you've got a good chance of winning hockey games," he said. "We'll start preparing for the Chicago Blackhawks, and we'll be ready when the puck drops.
"I know they had a great year," said Laviolette, who directed Carolina to the 2006 Cup, "....But in order for two teams to get this far, I think both teams have to be playing well, so it should be a good series."
Chicago's massive Dustin Byfuglien, a 6-foot-3, 246-pound winger, had three game-winning goals in the Hawks' Western Conference sweep of San Jose.
"He's a big guy. I'll be honest, I haven't looked too much into Chicago yet. That would be a good question for a couple days from now," Laviolette said when asked how the Flyers would contain Byfuglien "But you're right, he's a big man. The goal _ I think the goal he scored to put them in the Finals _ exemplifies what he does best, which is to get to the front of the net."
Laviolette paused.
"We've got a big guy out there too, No. 20. He does a pretty good job of tying guys up in front of the net. So I'm sure they'll see a lot of each other."
Laviolette, of course, was talking about 6-6, 220-pound defenseman Chris Pronger. The Pronger-Byfuglien matchup is just one of the many great storylines of the Finals.
One of the many others: The series will bring together former Blackhawks goalie Michael Leighton and former Flyers forward Patrick Sharp. Chicago gave up on Leighton, much like the Flyers gave up on Sharp.
Now they are thriving with different teams.
I just love that this Flyers team has been able to outwork it's bad luck. Chicago is a team built a lot like the Flyers, so it will be a tough series. Best thing about playing Chicago...Marian Hossa could not win a cup to save his life!— Hexy4GM- PhillyBoy I agree. Laviolette is the key to our sucess in the Finals. He is a great coach and I hope they keep him around for a long time. Unlike the past few coaches, he understands how to operate a good team and system under the post-lockout rules. And although I don't buy into superstition, the Hossa Black Cloud will give us some help. Split in Chicago, win two at home and take it all in Game 6.— Flyersroadtrip
- Blackhawks take game 1. The flyers bounce back to take the next two. Then lose game 4 at home. Bounce back again to win it in 7!— Murrayag11
- Kidding yourselves.......the hawks are the youngest, fastest, most talented team in the NHL.....the flyers haven't faced a team like the Blackhawks, and it will show. All the pundits said that the Sharks series would go 7....look what happened! Hawks in 5. take it to the Philly Federal Reserve.— hawksrule
- It is true that the Flyers have not yet played a team like the Blackhawks, but they HANDLED a very skilled and fast NJ team in round 1. I am nervous about Chicago, but you never know. Edmonton was an 8 seed and took Carolina to 7 games in 2006. You never know what can happen. Just look at round 2 vs Boston. Win or lose though, Im so proud of this team.— Lintltj5
- When you really break down this series, it seems pretty close to me. Chicago has the offensive edge, while Laviolette is head & shoulders above Quenneville. Defense and goaltending is a push. Chicago has the better PP and Philly has the better PK. I think depth is going to win this series. Leino, Hartnell, Lappy, JVR vs. Bolland, Madden, Brower, Versteeg. I can't wait for Saturday!!! Flyers in 6!— sbg42
- The Flyers faced a team like the Blackhawks back on March 13th and won. They were so much like the Blackhawks they even wore the same uniforms.— denisob
Comment removed.- hawksrule: The flyers did face the Hawks and Pronger beat them. Enough said. THE PRONGER EFFECT!— MichaelZoe
- March 13, 2010: Flyers 3 Chicago 2 GO FLYERS— thatbarrettguy
- Barry Melrose said the Blackhawks will win . . . he also said New Jersey would win, that Boston would win, that Montreal would win . . .— El Tel
Try playing Kimmo vs. Byfuglien Speed on Power. Don't play the body, play the puck. They won't expect it. Use Pronger on Kane & Towes. With them, play the body.— flyler- Flyers D needs to play as well as they did in the last 8 wins and really shut down the quality first shots, and clear the front of the net of players and rebounds. 6 or 7 games. 2010 Flyers have a much better shot than the 97 team. Detroit was unbeatable. Go Flyers.— drew138
- Hawksrule - check your facts, the flyers beat the hawks already this year. You say the Flyers haven't faced a team like the Hawks, I think it's vice versa. The flyers have a lot of defensive depth in Pronger, Timmonen and Carle, they also have the best defensive forwards in the game right now. It will be a great series, but the Flyers will win it in 5 on chicago ice.— the sichee-ation
- I agree with flyler. If you match Pronger & Karle against Byfuglien, that means Kane & Toews are going against Coburn & Timmonen, which is a problem because Coburn gets beat routinely by fast players. That Kane-Toews-Sharp line is lightning fast. Coburn has the size to tie up Byfuglien, and Timmonen frustrates the opposition with his smarts and excellent stick work. Winning one of the first two games is mandatory because the Hawks are 7-1 on the road in the playoffs, but only 5-3 at home.— Snap Crackle Propp
