PHILADELPHIA — Dan Vladar turned aside Carolina’s fourth shootout attempt, threw his arms in the air and waited for the swarm of Flyers to mob him in celebration.
Every Flyer hopped the boards and rushed the ice as fans — almost all clad in orange — went wild in a celebration six years — and a long rebuild — in the making.
The Flyers skated to center ice and raised their sticks toward a packed and rowdy crowd that hasn’t enjoyed a home playoff series since 2018 as “CLINCHED!” flashed on the big screen.
Yes, Philadelphia — long ago one of the model franchises in the NHL — indeed is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Tyson Foerster scored the only goal in the shootout to send Philadelphia to a 3-2 win over the Eastern Conference top seed Carolina Hurricanes, setting up a first-round series with Sidney Crosby and Pittsburgh.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Owen Tippett said. “These guys in this room love each other. It’s going to be a blast. But the job’s not done.”
Reaching the postseason is a meaningful milestone for the Flyers and fans who endured many seasons of miserable hockey.
“It’s been a lot of years,” Flyers first-year coach Rick Tocchet said. “I feel for them, I really do. I get it. We could only do our part and try and build this thing. I understand their angst. Hopefully this gives them a little bit of belief.”
The Flyers played must-win hockey in the final week of the season. Chicago beat Philadelphia in 2010 for the Stanley Cup, and the Flyers never recovered, winning three playoff series headed into this season.
Only Toronto (1966-67) has suffered longer than any other team that has won at least one Stanley Cup.
The Flyers have been close: Philadelphia lost in the Cup finals in 1976, 1980, 1985, 1987, 1997 and 2010.
The architect of an overdue organizational overhaul, general manager Danny Briere, kept his eye on the future the last three seasons, refusing to yield his promising prospects for veterans that could have accelerated the rebuild.
The Flyers are loaded with young stars like Matvei Michkov, who scored against Carolina, and 19-year-old rookie Porter Martone. Both are expected to usher the Flyers into serious Stanley Cup contention in the future.
“I think the room’s in a good spot,” Travis Konecny said. “A lot of the young guys that we have, to be honest with you, they’ve been farther ahead than you would expect. And they also play a professional style where they make the right plays at the right time.”
Perhaps the biggest for Briere was hiring Tocchet.
Tocchet played more than a decade with Philly in stints at the start and end of his career and turned modest playoff hopes into reality.
“I’m enjoying watching these games, win these pressure games,” Tocchet said. “As coach, like, I’m not nervous. I’m excited for these guys.”
Philadelphia has one of the longest championship droughts in the NHL, last winning the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975. Those “Broad Street Bullies” teams are a cherished part of the franchise’s past and a reminder of the time that passed since hoisting the trophy.
The Flyers needed two points over their final two games to clinch a playoff spot and trailed 2-0 against a Hurricanes team that got the point it needed to clinch the No. 1 seed in the East.
Michkov started the rally and Trevor Zegras scored on a power play later in the second period, tying the game.
After each team missed on their first three shootout attempts, Foerster delivered the winner that will be remembered as the most important goal over the last six seasons.
Foerster’s season was considered done following an injury in early December. The 24-year-old, who had a career-best 25 goals last season, missed 49 games, but recovered and returned this month.
Not all Flyers fans wore orange.
Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper watched the end of the shootout in the clubhouse after the Phillies’ 13-7 win over the Cubs.
“We’re all going to be behind them in their playoff run,” Schwarber said. “Can’t wait to see them get out there. … I don’t know if we’re ever going to be able to sneak over to a game, but hopefully we can.”
The Flyers finish the season against Montreal before beginning preparation for Pittsburgh.
Read the full article here