The Flyers are one regulation win away from clinching a playoff spot, and it’d be an understatement to say this weekends home and home series vs the Rangers will be the two biggest games of the season.
The players know what these games mean, and certainly aren’t taking these final two lightly. Scott Hartnell said, “We know its going to be a hostile environment up there in MSG, so we just need to go balls out,” I think I understand what hes saying, but really hope he doesn’t mean that literally, because if the carpet matches the drapes on Hartnell I think many fans would be legally blind by Friday at around 7:05.
Gagne, however, took much more of an E for everyone approach to these games, “We want to win tomorrow, we don’t want to wait until Sunday.” Even though this is one of those well, duh quotes Gagne is dead on. You don’t want to head into the final game of the year against a team just as hungry as you. Anything could happen that final game, and the Flyers need to do anything possible to avoid that scenario.
Now onto Jeff Carter. He practiced for the first time Thursday since suffering a fractured bone in his left foot during a game against Atlanta on March 21. Both the coach and GM liked what they saw out of Carter, and Carter said he felt good so he’ll be a game time decision in NY Friday.
A questionable decision regarding Ville Leino has been made. Now maybe its just me, but I feel like Leino has played very well of late. It seemed as though the Gagne-Briere-Leino line created strong pressure in the offensive zone, and since the JVR-Richards-Giroux line was doing the same the Flyers seemed to have a strong one-two punch. But even with my two cents thrown in Leino will be a healthy scratch Friday against the Rangers.
One more quick note I’ll throw in is that according to John Boruk goalie Michael Leighton has had 3 on-ice sessions since sustaining his high ankle sprain, and is scheduled to have an MRI Monday.
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