For a team that had such bad luck during the entire season, the Flyers got some incredible luck on Sunday.
First, they survived a 46-save effort from the Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist. Then Brian Boucher bested Lundqvist in the shootout, which no one in their right mind would have picked.
Finally, the Flyers got lucky to draw the New Jersey Devils in the playoffs; the one team they had success against all season.
That's a difficult trifecta, but it worked.
I believe and had been saying it, that if the Flyers made it, the one team they could beat would be the Devils. Don't know why they have had Jersey's number, but we all know that in the NHL playoffs, it really helps to draw the right matchups.
Now, what the FLyers do with that matchup is another thing.
Boucher told me after the game, that because everything was riding on the shootout - a playoff berth - he felt his shootout save on O. Jokinen was bigger than the save he made in Game 3 of the 2000 Eastern Conf. Finals against Patrik Elias.
Ed Snider said he was railing at the season coming down to a shootout in his suite until it began. And when it ended, he was smiling.
Could the FLyers be blessed and we don't know it? Well, we're about to find out.
One thing did stand out. The team didn't quit and didn't wilt. In fact, the Flyers seemed to get stronger as the game wore on and their will to win, I felt, was greater collectively than the Rangers, who seemed to sit back a bit and allow Lundqvist to decide their fate in the third period and even OT.
Here's my story on CSNPhilly.com:
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