Can Halak Keep This Up? Can The Flyers Make History?
Can Halak Keep This Up?
Last night fans betting on the underdog were treated to huge win, as the Montreal Canadiens led by stalwart goalie Jaroslav Halak eliminated 2008-2009 Stanley Cup champion the Pittsburgh Penguins. With the win the Canadiens advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since their last Stanley Cup victory in 1993. Similar to the 1993 team, this year’s Hab’s have been led by a fantastic goalie in Halak, who has surpassed Patrick Roy’s save percentage from the 1993 cup run at 943. Further sniper Michael Cammallari has taken the offensive load and run with as he has scored 12 goals in the playoffs, the first Hab forward to do so since Vincent Damphousse did so in 1993. The question however is that after defeating both Eastern Conference favorites to win the cup, can Halak keep up his stellar play as the team will face either the seventh seed Philadelphia Flyers or the sixth seed Boston Bruins. Fans must believe, that although Montreal, is ranked at the eighth seed, after knocking the two best teams in the Eastern Conference, they have the highest Stanley Cup odds coming out of the East.
Can The Flyers Make History?
In the history of the National Hockey League only six teams have come back from starting a playoff series down three games to none. Of the six teams only two have ever come all the way back to win the series, the 1945 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders. Last night the Philadelphia Flyers led by the returning Michael Leighton at the very least joined an exclusive club of four teams that have come back to at least tie a series at three games apiece. Leighton had to step in for goalie Brian Boucher, who had guided the team from squeaking into the playoffs to game five of their second round matchup. However in game five, Boucher suffered a season ending knee injury and Leighton was required to come in. When laying a bet on NHL playoffs, it would have been fair to bet against the Flyers going into game four of their second round matchup as they were down three games to zero, but suddenly the last three games the offense has shown up for the Flyers and dried up for the Bruins.