“[email protected]%K” -Islanders Fans, probably
Folks, if you are a fan of chaos, then the National Hockey League is for you. Yesterday, we saw two teams forced into a decisive Game Seven after leading the series three games to one. Early on, the Dallas Stars were able to steal a victory in overtime to give them the series win over the Avalanche four games to three. Later in the evening, the Vegas Golden Knights put together a three-goal third period to give the team a series-clinching 3-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Now, it all comes down to one final game between Philly and New York. The loser goes home while the winner moves on to the Eastern Conference Finals. After showing confidence in the Isles for the entire series, I am beginning to backtrack on my original pick.
The Islanders have had countless chances to bury the Flyers, but Philly is still kicking. New York took a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Flyers on Sunday. Since then, the Isles have had a number of opportunities to eliminate Philly, but they managed to let the Flyers stick around thanks to a pair of overtime victories. Just think about that for a second. If a puck maybe deflects a different way or takes a lucky bounce, then we are not having this conversation. New York had three overtime periods to down the Flyers, and they were unable to. Now, Philly enters tonight’s game with all the momentum in the series and maybe the world. The Isles will be on their heels as they look to put a stop to Philly’s recent string of good luck.
The Flyers haven’t just been lucky. In fact, they have elevated their play to a whole other level since going down three games to one in the series. In the first four games of the series, Philly only managed to score seven total goals for an abysmal 1.75 goals per game. However, the offense has come alive with its back against the wall. Despite being down 3-1 in the series, the Flyers have been able to put on an offensive clinic in their last two games, scoring nine goals in nine periods of Hockey for an average of 4.5 goals per game. Philly’s newfound offense has given new life to this series, and that is why we will be seeing our third Game Seven in two days.
I think one of the most important catalysts during this incredible two-game run by the Flyers is Oskar Lindblom. If you are unfamiliar with the story of his 2019-20 season, then strap in because it is something truly remarkable. Back in December of 2019, the 24-year-old Winger was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a deadly form of bone cancer. However, the Swedish forward was able to complete Chemotherapy treatment back in July, making him eligible to return to the ice for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. All of Lindblom’s hard work paid off when he took the ice on Thursday, helping lift Philly to an overtime victory in Game Six. The team has rallied around Lindblom, and as a result, they find themselves on the cusp of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
I’m not going to sugarcoat things. I would be scared if I was an Islanders fan. With that being said, I am not going to say that either team has a distinct advantage heading into tonight’s game. Four out of the first six games of this series have been decided by just one goal. This really could go either way, but sportsbooks have the Isles as slight favorites in tonight’s matchup. Furthermore, I don’t think that this one will be decided in regulation. Three games in this series have gone to overtime so far. It is only fitting that the seventh game goes into overtime as well. I think the Isles score first, but I think the Flyers mount a little comeback. I say that this one ends 2-2 in regulation. When all is said and done, I think the Flyers pull out the OT victory. Like I said at the beginning of this article, the Flyers are riding all the momentum right now. Philly is for real. They are going to prove why they earned the top spot in the Eastern Conference. My heart wants the Isles, but my brain says Philly wins the series thanks to a victory in overtime.
