First & Jenn

If you’re not following the Stanley Cup playoffs – especially the Philadelphia Flyers – you’re actually missing out.

There’s fights.

There’s helmets getting ripped off.

There’s embellishments left and right.

The Flyers get to celebrate a plethora of milestones from hosting their first home playoff game in ages to guys getting playoff goals for the first time. The game – much like its other three – knows how to bring the city together.

If you’ve gotten a chance to attend any game in the opening playoff series with the Pittsburgh Penguins, it’s been a true Battle of Pennsylvania.

How we got here

The Flyers were off to an incredible start, despite being in Pittsburgh. In the first two games, the Flyers outscored, 6-2.

And that’s just on the road – albeit a hop, skip and jump on I-76 West.

The Flyers brought playoff hockey back to Philadelphia for the first time since 2018. Fans showed out. What’s usually red or green was a sea of orange. Stepping foot in Xfinity Mobile Arena meant the Flyers were up for a near-sweep up to this point.

In a historic home game, Philadelphia, of course, did not disappoint.

The sea of orange cascaded around the stadium with various chants, but all full energy. Game 3 saw the Penguins put a score on the board first in the first period.

In the top of the second period with 4:33 to go, Konecny went harder to the blue paint than Rust liked. Rust led with aggression following that, leading to a scrum. After it was all sorted out, and about 10 minutes later, 11 players sat in the penalty box.

It was this moment you could tell the “Flyers” turned into the Broad Street Bullies because what followed was insane. The Flyers finished that second period bruised and up 3-1.

But the Flyers can never make it that easy. They dropped the next two games, essentially forcing a Game 6 back in Philly.

History repeats itself

If we remember anything from the 2012 run, again with the Penguins, the Flyers went up three games before dropping two. As history repeats itself, the Flyers took Game 6 then, and again 14 years later.

In 3 periods and about 15 minutes of overtime, there was not a single score. There were even plenty of near goals, but not a single goal. It was an exciting game that turned anxious real fast, with the Penguins getting a last strike of luck about halfway to go in overtime.

It’s then when the Flyers breathe life back into their home rink by making fearless shots at the Penguins goal, with Cam York eventually making the game- and series-winning goal. His constant chances at the ice all night paid off when it mattered most.

The Flyers walked away with the Game 6 victory, similarly breathing a familiar life into the city of Philadelphia: playoff sports.

The Philadelphia Flyers take on the Carolina Hurricanes, who swept the Ottawa Senators.