Wakeup Call

PHILADELPHIA--That's the thing about the playoffs. The day after is always a gigantic valley of desperation for the loser and a moment of blissful enlightenment and accomplishment for the winner. 

So sure, the Flyers feel great today and many are saying the Canadiens revealed their true selves yesterday in an ugly, one-sided 6-0 defeat at the Wachovia Centre on Broad Street. 

And maybe both are true. Then again, both may be wrong.

I don't think many were heralding the Flyers as a fabulous team a week ago after they had lost the first three games to Boston. Similarly, the Habs have most certainly been to this place of doubt before, particularly after losing Games 3 and 4 in the first round to Washington by a combined 11-4 score and after getting whipped by Pittsburgh in Game 1 of the second round.

And Jaroslav Halak? He's been pulled twice before, then came back and won his next game.

So don't draw conclusions based on one game, even one as decisive as yesterday. Remember San Jose getting pummelled in Detroit in Game 4 then going home to wrap up that series? Playoffs are an emotional rollercoaster where momentum means little from one game to another.

That said, the Habs will surely make some adjustments. They've got to try and do something to get centre Tomas Plekanec going. Plekanec had a lot to say at the beginning of the Capitals series but now hasn't scored in nine games. There was a telling moment in Game 1 where he had a clear path to the Flyer net and chose, in true Jason Blake style, to take it to the less congested and scary area behind the net.

If he's going to play like a frightened squirrel, the Habs will have trouble generating offence with two lines.

As well, I'd bet Ryan O'Byrne will be inserted on defence to add a little more bulk to the Montreal defence. Maybe they take Marc-Andre Bergeron out, maybe they dress seven D-men. O'Byrne has been steady if unspectacular, and he may help make his teammates a little braver.

Make no mistake about it, the Flyers have a big, physical defence led by Chris Pronger and Brayden Coburn. But they can be attacked with speed and intelligence as long as the Montreal forwards know there are going to be more lumps taken against Philly than against Washington and Pittsburgh combined.

But this series is just getting started. There's likely a gigantic velley of desperation waiting for the Flyers and blissful enlightenment in the offing for the Habs.

Comments

[other mark]

Good points Damien. Habs need to try to find the front of the net and could use some more sand paper on D. The other adjustment I would suggest for the Habs is for Suban to be a little more selective about when he rushes the puck. He's talented, no doubt, but he got caught a number of times (glaringly obvious when Lapierre had to cover him on D; resulting in a goal). One game does not a series make, but the Habs need to make adjustments quickly.

[scagneti]

If there was such a thing as a "good time" for the entire team to have a terrible game, I'd pick game 1 against a similiar level opponent. Much better than the Pens terrible game in game 7!