#4 Philadelphia Flyers (44-26-11, 99 pts) at  #7 New York Rangers (42-30-9, 93 pts)
Wachovia Center - 5:00 PM EDT - Philadelphia, PA
TV: Comcast Network (Ch 8 or Ch 201 in HD)
Radio: 610 WIP, XM 207
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: Blueshirt Banter

One friggin point. That's all it's going to take today against the Rangers for the Flyers to open the playoffs at home this week. Considering the Flyers record at Mellon Arena  in Pittsburgh all-time, you can understand why it's important they win today.

Dating back to last season, including playoffs, the Flyers have won one game in Pittsburgh. ONE. That's it. Home ice edge will be a necessity and may determine who wins this upcoming series. So if the Flyers don't have jump today, there's no reason to think they'll have any jump come playoff time. In a very real way, the postseason has already begun.

As already mentioned in a previous post, Ryan Parent will not be in the lineup today. He's out with a lower body injury. Jamie Fritsch, who's never played an NHL game before, replaces him in the lineup.

Expect the Flyers to have an extra jump today. They had it for most of the game on Thursday against the Rangers but were stopped dead in their tracks by Henrik Lundqvist. It's hard to beat a goalie when he plays like that, but as Lundqvist goes, the Rangers go. They probably rely on their goaltender more than any other team in the league, so if he falters, the Flyers should have a good day. Even if he doesn't, though, the Flyers can beat him. It'll just take a solid, complete effort.

Martin Biron is in again for the Flyers today. A string of solid games to close out the season here would be a big confidence booster going into the playoffs.

Get it done, Flyers. Win.

#4 Philadelphia Flyers  at #15 New York Islanders
Nassau Coliseum - 2:00 PM EST - Uniondale, NY
TV: CSN HD
Radio: 610 WIP, XM 206
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: Lighthouse Hockey

How to clinch: The Flyers will clinch the number four seed, and home ice in the first round, If they get more points from their game against the New York Islanders than both the Carolina Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Penguins get from their games against New Jersey and Montreal, respectively. So basically, go Devils and Habs.

Carolina faces New Jersey at home at 1 PM. It's Martin Brodeur versus Michael Leighton. Pittsburgh is in Montreal at 7 PM tonight.

The three teams jockeying for the fourth spot in the East are playing pretty good hockey right now. Nobody knows that better than the New York Islanders, who get the honor of playing all three back-to-back-to-back to close out the season. They've lost to Carolina 9-0 and Pittsburgh 6-1 in their last two games.

The Flyers need to take advantage today. They still control their own destiny, and with wins today and tomorrow, the playoffs will start in Philadelphia.

In goal, it's Martin Biron versus Yann Denis.

Go Flyers.

#4 Philadelphia Flyers (36-20-10, 97 pts) at  #8 New York Rangers (41-30-9, 91 pts)
Madison Square Garden - 7:00 PM EST - New York, NY
TV: CSN HD, MSG HD
Radio: 610 WIP, XM 205
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: Blueshirt Banter

The Flyers have clinched a playoff spot. The New York Rangers have not, but with a win tonight over Philadelphia, they can punch their ticket.

The Rangers have two games left their schedule, both against the Flyers. They control their own destiny right now and can clinch with two points in these final two games. But the Flyers control a bit of that destiny as well, and with two solid games, they can keep New York out of the postseason. Oh, how sweet that would be.

So don't assume that the Flyers have nothing to play for tonight. In addition to playing their hated rivals, they are also fighting for home ice. With wins in the three remaining games, Philadelphia will clinch home ice advantage in the first round.

In the last time these teams met, the Flyers gave in to Sean Avery's crap. Don't expect that tonight. Daniel Carcillo will be on a line with Danny Briere and Claude Giroux, and he says he'll be there to make sure nothing happens.

"He barely looked at me last time," Carcillo said of Avery. "I don't think he'll act up much when I'm on the ice. He hasn't, anyway. I don't see anything happening in these next two games. If he wants to, I'm here."

Things could get heated over these two games. Personally, I hope it does.

Ryan Parent won't be in the lineup tonight as a precaution, but he'll probably be back against the Islanders on Saturday. Taking his place is David Sloane, a defenseman making his NHL debut tonight with the Flyers. He signed an amateur tryout contract with the Phantoms a few weeks ago but hasn't cracked the lineup. Most recently, he played with Colgate University in the ECAC.

Between the Pipes:  Biron for the Flyers, Lundqvist for the Rangers. Assumed, at this point.

Let's welcome the Florida fans who are Flyers fans tonight. Go Flyers.

  #9 Florida Panthers (39-29-11, 89 pts) at #4 Philadelphia Flyers (42-25-11, 95 pts)
Wachovia Center - 7:00 PM EST - Philadelphia, PA
TV: CSN HD
Radio: 94.1 WYSP, XM 206
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: Litter Box Cats

On Saturday night, the Flyers let one get away from them in Ottawa. They had a chance to clinch a playoff spot but couldn't get it done. By virtue of taking that game to a shootout, however, they only need one point this evening against Florida to guarantee playing past Sunday.

Let's not let it get that close.

Tonight's game is going to be a tough one for the Flyers. Florida is a team with just three games left on its schedule, beginning tonight in Philly. They do not control their own destiny, currently sitting in ninth place in the East. They are tied with the New York Rangers in points but trail them due to the tiebreaker -- NYR has more wins.

Ironically though, it is in Florida's interest that the Flyers have a strong conclusion to their season. Two Flyer wins against the Rangers on Thursday and Sunday would go a long way toward helping the Panthers secure their first playoff berth since the 1999/2000 season.

But of course, they can help themselves with a win tonight. They're coming off of a big win Sunday at home over the Penguins, a 4-2 win that saw Sidney Crosby get in another fight. They were slow starters in that game though, outshot 18-3 in the first period. If they start half as slow tonight as they did on Sunday, the Flyers better damn well capitalize.

It's all about 60-minute efforts for the Flyers these days. They've been few-and-far-between lately, and it's shown in the results column. A solid, complete effort is necessary tonight, if for no other reason than the teams' psyche. If they compete for the entire game, they can beat any team in this league. Period.

Playoff hockey starts tonight. With four games left and a possible eight points available, the Flyers hold their own destiny in their hands. Taking seven of those points guarantees home ice in the playoffs. Get it done, team.

Between the Pipes: The last meeting between these two came less than two weeks ago. It was a frustrating loss for the Flyers, who despite putting 42 shots on net, were thwarted by a stellar Florida goalie, Craig Anderson. Don't expect that to happen tonight for two reasons: A) it's tough to play like that two games in a row against a great offensive team like the Flyers, and B) Anderson isn't even playing tonight.

Tomas Vokoun, who W4E over at The Litter Box believes is the better of the two Florida netminders, gets the call tonight for the Panthers. He made 41 saves in the win over Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Martin Biron will go again for the Flyers. He'll probably start tonight and both games against the Rangers, which means Antero Niittymaki will go Saturday on Long Island.

Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell missed practice yesterday, but they are in the lineup tonight. No word on if Andreas Nodl or Riley Cote will suit up tonight on the fourth line.

Questions To Answer

1. Does Florida get off to a weak start, and do the Flyers jump on it?
2. 60 minute effort?
3. We're back to this again: does Biron give up a softy?
4. Jeff Carter wins the Bobby Clarke Trophy?

Flyers team awards being handed out prior to the game. There's the Barry Ashbee Trophy for top defenseman (won last year by Kimmo Timonen), the Bobby Clarke Trophy for team MVP (won last year by Mike Richards), Gene Hart Memorial Award for best rapport with fans (won last year by Richards), Pelle Lindbergh Memorial for most improved (won last year by Braydon Coburn), the Toyota Cup for most three stars points (won last year by Martin Biron), and the Yanick Dupre Memorial for best rapport with the media (won by Biron).

Go Flyers!

#4 Philadelphia Flyers (40-23-10, 94 pts) at #12 Ottawa Senators (33-34-10, 76 pts)
Scotiabank Place - 7:00 PM EDT - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
TV: CSN HD, CBC HD
Radio: 610 WIP, XM 205
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: Silver Seven Sens

Last season, both tenants of the Wachovia Center, the 76ers and the Flyers, clinched playoff berths on the same day. Thanks to a 95-90 win over the Detroit Pistons today, the Sixers are in the NBA playoffs. With a win tonight over Ottawa, the Flyers can make history repeat itself.

The orange and black arrived in Ottawa around 1 AM this morning after a big statement win at home last night against the Maple Leafs. After a win like that and an overnight trip abroad, it can sometimes be easy to let up a little bit. It can be hard to get up for a game against a team that has nothing to play for, as the Flyers proved last Wednesday.

They can't do that. There is too much on the line tonight. Besides the fact that the Flyers can clinch a playoff berth with two points this evening (which would make the next week much easier on the rest of us), Carolina and Pittsburgh play each other tonight. The Penguins are just two points behind the Flyers while the Hurricanes are just one point back, and with at least one of those teams getting points tonight no matter what happens, the Flyers NEED a win tonight.

At the same time, the Flyers aren't going to come out the same way they did last night and replicate a five-goal first period. But if they play as the situation warrants, they will win. It's really that simple. They need to get it done, and we should all expect them to at this point.

Between the Pipes: It's the second game of a back-to-back, which means it's no surprise that Antero Niittymaki gets the call for the Flyers tonight. He has lost his last two starts: last Sunday against Boston and two Sunday's ago versus the Rangers. He relieved Martin Biron in the second period on Wednesday night and played shutout hockey for just over 25 minutes.

Alex Auld will be in net for the second consecutive game for the Senators. He made 31 saves in a 2-1 loss against Boston on Thursday night. He hasn't played in consecutive games since late February. He has a 2.51 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 39 games this season.

Playoff Push: The other games around the Eastern Conference playoff race tonight, and who we want to win. The Bruins already beat the Rangers today by a 1-0 score, meaning Florida can tie New York in points with a win tomorrow. But, for tonight:

• #2 New Jersey Devils at #10 Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres need a win tonight to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Devils, despite barely eeking out a win last night against Tampa, are still not looking good right now. We'd like things to stay that way. Go Sabres.
• #7 Montreal Canadiens at #11 Toronto Maple Leafs: The Leafs should be pissed off after their loss to the Flyers. Let's hope they take it out on Montreal. Go Leafs.
• #6 Pittsburgh Penguins at #5 Carolina Hurricanes: The 'Canes have won seven straight. Unfortunately for the Flyers, as already mentioned, one of these teams will get two points tonight. It's up to Philadelphia to keep pace and hope it doesn't go into overtime. If you're looking for someone to cheer for, however, go with Carolina. A Pittsburgh loss and a Flyer win would put them out of immediate reach of fourth place. A Carolina win is fine because the Flyers hold a game in hand over them. Most importantly though, Go Flyers.

Questions To Answer

1. There's a ton on the line tonight and the Flyers should play like this is a playoff game. Do they?
2. What's Jeff Carter offer up for an encore?
3. And Claude Giroux's encore?
   
4. What about Antero Niittymaki? He's been less than impressive lately.

Tonight will be Jason Spezza's 400th game. Let's make it miserable for him, eh boys? Philly teams going three-for-three today would be real nice. Go Villanova, and Go Flyers. Clinch it.

#11 Toronto Maple Leafs (32-32-13, 77 pts) at #5 Philadelphia Flyers (41-25-10, 92 pts)
Wachovia Center - 7:00 PM EDT - Philadelphia, PA
TV: CSN HD
Radio: 610 WIP, XM 205
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: Pension Plan Puppets

There isn't much to say about tonight's game that hasn't been said already. The Flyers need a turn around, now. Play like they played on Wednesday night and heads are gonna roll. There needs to be a solid, 60-minute, 120% effort tonight from everybody.

Period. Kick some Leaf ass.

Between the Pipes: Martin Biron will look to rebound after being pulled Wednesday night in Toronto. Martin Gerber will start for the Leafs after serving a three game suspension for abuse of an official. He hasn't played since March 24th.

Go Flyers, and for the love of God, just win.

#4 Philadelphia Flyers (40-23-10, 92 pts) at #12 Toronto Maple Leafs (31-32-13, 75 pts)
Air Canada Centre - 7:30 PM EDT - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
TV: CSN HD, TSN HD, NHL Network US
Radio: 610 WIP, XM 206
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: Pension Plan Puppets

Beating the snot out of the Toronto Maple Leafs is probably one of my favorite occurances in sport. They're just so easy to hate. Sadly though, tonight's game doesn't mean a damn thing to them. They're officially out of playoff contention (although they've been out of it pretty much since October) and they're pretty much just going through the motions at this point.

They've lost two straight, most recently on Saturday in a 7-5 loss to the Bruins. Both teams coming off of losses to Boston are probably the only thing the Flyers and Leafs have in common right now. This game matters to Philadelphia. With Carolina and Pittsburgh right on the Flyers' tails, the orange and black need to keep pace.

Between the Pipes: Martin Biron returns to the Flyer crease tonight. No shock. 

And, no, this is not an April Fools joke: Curtis Joseph will be in net tonight for Toronto. Yes, the same guy who's been playing since the Leafs last won a Cup. Martin Gerber is serving the final game of a three game suspension. CuJo is 4-8-2 this season with a 3.62 GAA. Hah.

Riley Cote might be in the Flyers lineup. He was only expected to miss a game with his slight hand injury, but Andreas Nodl is still with the club. We'll know at game time. I won't be around, as mentioned, since I'll be at the Phantoms game watching JVR. Expect reports on both games late tonight.

Go Flyers.

  #1 Boston Bruins (47-17-10, 104 pts) at #4 Philadelphia Flyers (41-23-10, 92 pts)
Wachovia Center - 7:00 PM EST - Philadelphia, PA
TV: CSN HD, NESN HD
Radio: 610 WIP, XM 208
This is the open game thread.
Behind Enemy Lines: Stanley Cup of Chowder

It was an excellent comeback win last night when the Flyers came back to beat the Islanders in a shootout, but when you play the best team in the conference, a similar performance won't cut it. That's the issue for Philadelphia tonight as they host Boston for the fourth and final meeting between these two clubs in the regular season.

Boston is coming off of a win themselves last night, as they beat Toronto 7-5 on the road. Over the month of March, though, the Bruins have been a mediocre team, going 5-5-1, the first loss coming to the Flyers back on the 3rd. They have already clinched a top three playoff spot and they have a pretty decent hold on the top spot in the conference, but it's a different story for the Flyers.

A win tonight would be absolutely huge for the orange and black. Tonight is the crucial one game in hand the Flyers hold over the first-place Devils, and a win would move them within four points of New Jersey and a top three playoff spot of their own. With seven games remaining after tonight, a four point gap is certainly possible to close. But without a win tonight, that feat becomes much more difficult. It seemed almost impossible a week ago, but our team does have a legitimate shot at taking the division crown. With great play down the stretch, they have a good shot at it.

First things first, though, they need a win tonight.

Between the Pipes: Martin Biron and Manny Fernandez started for their teams 24 hours ago. Both will be on the bench at 7 PM tonight, as Antero Niittymaki gets the call for the Flyers and Tim Thomas will be in goal for Boston. Niittymaki hasn't started since losing to the Rangers two weeks ago. He is, however, 2-0 against the Bruins with a 1.17 GAA and a .912 save percentage in those games. He knows he won't be getting many starts the rest of the season, so let's hope he takes advantage of his opportunity tonight.

Thomas has just been fantastic for the Bruins this season. He comes into tonight with a 3-1-1 record in his last five, most recently posting a 42 save effort against the Devils. He's 5-1 against the Flyers in his career.

Riley Cote injured his finger last night in a second period fight, so Andreas Nodl was called up to take his place in the lineup tonight. He'll take Cote's place on the fourth line with Arron Asham and Darroll Powe.

Go Flyers.