Melt Down

Flyers blow 2-goal lead in 3rd period to lose game one 5-4



I hate to be the one who said last night that "I told you so" but I knew this was going to happen when the Flyers had a 4-2 lead and were playing as if the game was already in hand. As I was watching this game with my girlfriend I told her that the Flyers would blow the lead and lose it 5-4.

There's something about this team that stinks of choking. Maybe they're too young. Maybe their goalie isn't good enough. Maybe the coach isn't an NHL-level coach. It's probably a combo of the three. And, of course there's the factor of having seen this sort of thing play itself out so many times before with all four of our teams.

I'll admit I'm anything but an expert on hockey. But, even I can see that this team is not a championship team. Hell, they're not even capable of advancing more than a round in the playoffs because Biron isn't a franchise goalie.

With that said, last night was frustrating and another chapter in the endless abyss of frustration that is known as Philadelphia sports.

The Flyers wasted a key opportunity to get a 1-0 lead in this series and it's a big deal when you can go on the road and win the first game. They had shut down the reincarnation of Wayne Gretzky, otherwise known as Alexander "The Great" Ovechkin for some 53 minutes only to see that hard work go down the tubes when he fired the game winning goal in the net.

The men in orange and black had this game...well for 2 periods they did. That's the problem with this team. They aren't a closer. They're like that guy in the bar who is great at talking to girls, but when it comes down to closing the deal he chokes up. Raise your hand if you have a friend like this. Everybody does. And, that's the Flyers for you.

I don't expect them to advance beyond this series because the guy who can't close the deal is Biron. The goalie is the last line of defense and when all else fails he has to step up. Giving up 5 goals in the first game of the playoffs (including 3 in the 3rd period) doesn't cut it.

Don't be surprised to see this game go 6 or 7 though, but don't be surprised to see it end in disaster.