Been a while since the Flyers got to Carnival Sunday having WON the day before.
They almost always lose the day before the Flyers' Wives Fight for Lives Carnival. Almost a given.
Peter Laviolette doesn't believe in historical relevancy but there is such when it comes to the Flyers and their "third" month of the schedule. Usually, that is December and it's a month that more often than not, the Flyers stock pile points.
My friends in Canada are fond of saying, "The Flyers always win the Cup in December instead of June."
Under coach Peter Laviolette, the Flyers were 9-3-1 last season in December and 8-4-1 the previous season (2010-11).
We won’t count 2009-10 because Laviolette didn’t take over the John Stevens until Dec. 4, 2009. December was a nightmarish start for him at 6-8-1.
“I don’t put any stock in that,” Laviolette said. “What a team did 4 years ago and what this team will do in the third month. I don’t put a lot of value in that. It’s not that I am being negative.”
With the lockout shortened season, March now represents December as the "third" month and I feel the Flyers are going to make a push now. It ALL hinges, however, on this week.
Thirteen games in 30 days. They have won 2 in a row (but that counts final game in February) and now face the Rangers, Penguins and Bruins.
If the Flyers could come away with 4 points, everyone would be happy. This is where we get to see what this club is made of.
"We are aware that in March we play a lot of very good teams," team captain Claude Giroux said. "It’s where we want it.
"We want to get better every game. It doesn’t matter who we play. All we know is we need to work on our game and tonight was a good way to kick off March. Hopefully we can keep going."
Yes, Tye McGinn is out. Andrej Meszaros is questionable for any of these games right now but stranger things have happened.
Simon Gagne, to my surprise, has given the team a lift. I was wrong to think he might not have an impact because he certainly seems to be showing it on the ice and he is going to be good for Sean Couturier to have around.
Because the teams ahead of the Flyers all have games in hand - some has significant games in hand - it becomes that much more important for the Flyers to earn points against those clubs ahead of them, especially, the Rangers and Penguins.
The difference between the 5th seed and 8th seed this morning is 4 points. I could very easily see the Flyers remaining a "bubble" team right into the final week of April. Or I could just as easily see them where they are now - right there to grab a higher seed.
This week will give us a clue.
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