As the Chicago Blackhawks watch on/heal their wounds/get some dental work done, the Flyers host the Habs in what could be the final game of the Eastern Conference finals. Let’s take a look at some of the storylines of the game along with where you can find coverage. Montreal Canadiens at Philadelphia Flyers - 7:00 PM ET (Versus, CBC)
Flyers lead series 3-1
It could be a rowdy game tonight. Both clubs haven’t won a Stanley Cup in a long, long time. Each city has made things a bit less hospitable for their visitors than what is normally seen in pro sports. In Philadelphia, hooligans damaged the car of a visiting Montreal reporter. In Montreal, there is some intrigue over who or what exactly caused what I like to call Sand-on-Skategate.
Either way, both teams have been deadly in elimination game situations. The Flyers callously dealt with the New Jersey Devils in Round 1 before stunning the Boston Bruins by winning four in a row after going down 3-0 in that series. The Canadiens are used to fighting with their backs against the wall as they beat Washington after going down 3-1 and Pittsburgh after going down 3-2.
Will we see a more wide-open style from the Canadiens to take advantage of their speed? Probably not, as they most likely will live or die by their “depend heavily on counter-punching and Jaroslav Halak working miracles” strategy. Can the Habs do it again? Stranger things have happened already in this year’s playoffs ...