The Flyers had heart, but that only gets you so far

The second round of the NHL playoffs started today, and for the Flyers that brought along a chance to get a 1-0 lead on the Boston Bruins. However, the Bruins jumped out to a two goal lead in the first period and continued to keep that lead until late in the third period, when the Flyers would come back on goals by Mike Richards and Danny Briere. The only problem after that was the overtime, where Boston dominated. In his first game back from a concussion, Marc Savard scored the game winner, allowing the Bruins to hold home ice advantage and put the Flyers in that 1-0 hole.

Even with the loss today, you have to come away impressed with the way the Flyers played. When they were down 2-0 in the first period, they didn't give up and kept chipping away. Then, they ended up down 3-1 and 4-2, but continued to play strong, eventually tying the game and forcing overtime. The offense still looked sharp after a week off, and Brian Boucher wasn't bad at all, stopping 41 of 46 shots. When the defense is allowing that many shots and chances, the odds aren't going to be in your favor to begin with, and that certainly helped swing things towards the Bruins tonight. However, Boucher did what he had to do, and this loss in no way reflected how he played. With the defense giving up chances like they did, he could only do so much.

I'll give the offense credit as well. They continued to attack despite the two goal lead for most of the game, and Richards and Briere came through in big situations in the third period. It was Briere that scored the goal that should make a lot of highlight reels, as he skated the length of the ice, then through two Boston defensemen, got his own rebound and put it past Tuukka Rask to tie the game. Briere had his issues playing center today, but that goal is what people are going to be seeing for a while, and it's worth watching. I just wish the Flyers had won the game.

That being said, this looks like it's going to be a long series. Both teams are going to come out for the rest of the series playing a physical brand of hockey, and while that looks like it should favor Boston because of the injuries that the Flyers have, the Bruins aren't without their own issues. Marco Sturm left the game today with a lower body injury and did not return, pushing the injury balance towards the middle instead of favoring Boston. Either way, if both teams play like they did today, this is going to be the series to watch in the second round. Both goalies played like they did in the first round, and if the Flyers can pick it up on the defensive end, then they should be able to steal Game 2 in Boston and head back to Philadelphia with the series tied at one. At least, that's what I hope happens. No one wants the Flyers to be down 0-2 to anyone, let alone a team from Boston.

I hate Boston.