On this date in Flyers history: Leino’s game-winner in Game 4 evens up 2010 Stanley Cup Finals

After overtime heroics from Claude Giroux earned the Flyers a win in Game 3 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, they’d need another win in Game 4 in order to even the series and avoid a dreaded 3-1 series hole before heading back to Chicago.

Giroux’s winner continued his hot playoff run and that would continue into Game 4 as well, and during a key moment no less.

Mike Richards gave the Flyers an important early lead less than five minutes in, and Matt Carle tacked on another to make it 2-0 in the first 15 minutes.

But Patrick Sharp cut the lead in half late in the first and appeared to halt the Flyers’ momentum, but Giroux was there to turn the tide ride back to the Orange and Black just before intermission. Giroux parked next to the Chicago crease and Kimmo Timonen found him with a perfect feed for the slam dunk and a 3-1 lead after one.

It was Giroux’s 10th of the postseason to that point, and a massive goal in the Flyers’ hopes of leaving Philadelphia with the series tied at two apiece.

The second period would go scoreless —a rarity in this series— and put the Flyers just 20 minutes away from an even series and an all-important Game 5 looming in Chicago.

While Giroux would become the biggest star out of the Flyers’ 2010 playoff run, a secondary character would be Ville Leino, who provided a massive goal of his own early in the third to give the Flyers a three-goal lead. You might remember the lasting image of Leino’s hands up as he’s embraced following the goal, it’s a good one from that run.

Leino’s goal would prove to be the game-winner, too, as Chicago tacked on two goals from Dave Bolland and Brian Campbell to make things interesting with 4:10 remaining in regulation. Jeff Carter’s empty net goal would put an end to any Chicago comeback —or Flyers collapse for that matter— and give the Flyers a 5-3 win to even the series at two apiece.

Loose pucks

Also on June 4th in franchise history...the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Flyers deal Bill Clement, Don MacLean, and their 1975 first round pick to the Capitals for the No. 1 overall pick in 1975, which they used to select Mel Bridgman....he’d go on to play seven years for the Flyers and was part of the deal in 1981 to bring Brad Marsh to Philadelphia...random birthdays include Derian Hatcher (1972) and Brandon Manning (1990)...

*Stick taps to hockeyreference.com, nhl.com, and Flyers.nhl.com for help with this trip down memory lane*