Look I wish every moment in Flyers history was a good one, but that’s just not how it goes.
Yep, it’s been exactly 10 years since Patrick Kane’s infamous overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Final.
Boy does it ever feel like just yesterday and not a whole decade? Still hurt all the same, and a slam dunk on the short list of most painful Flyers losses in franchise history.
Because I hate myself apparently, let’s take a stroll down memory lane here and go back to June 9th of 2010 as therapy in preparation for the Flyers’ revenge with their impending Stanley Cup title run they’re about to embark on.
After shooting themselves in the foot in Game 5 with a 3-0 deficit in Chicago, the Flyers were facing elimination back home at the Wachovia Center in Game 6.
Though the Flyers avoiding a disastrous start this time around, Dustin Byfuglien would open the scoring for the visitors though Scott Hartnell would get it back before intermission to keep the game from getting out of hand.
In the second Daniel Briere would give the Flyers a short-lived lead eight minutes in, but the 2-1 lead would last less than two minutes as Patrick Sharp evened things up at 2-2. It would prove to be the only lead the Flyers would have in the game, and to make matters worse Andrew Ladd would give the Blackhawks the lead just before the second intermission.
Thankfully for the Flyers Hartnell was on his game with his back against the wall, and provided a dramatic equalizer in Hartnellmania fashion with 3:59 left in regulation. The crowd exploded with the tying goal as the Flyers proved their ability to bounce back once again.
It all seemed so perfectly 2009-10 Flyers with the comeback, the HartnellDown, and an overtime winner to keep their improbable season alive for another night.
But that all changed when Kane roared down the left wing and caught Michael Leighton off guard with an ice-level laser from near the goal line. Kane shook Kimmo Timonen off the wall and his quick release fooled Leighton —and countless others. Though confused reigned, the puck was nestled in the far side of Leighton’s net. When the official came over and lifted up the net to reveal the puck it was all over, and just like that the Flyers’ magical run and pursuit of their third Stanley Cup was over.
Thought it’s been 10 years now, and so much has changed since that night it still feels like it was just yesterday —and it doesn’t feel like it really hurts any less after all this time.
Loose pucks
Also on June 9th in franchise history…former Phantoms coach and then later assistant general manager John Paddock was born in 1954…
*Stick taps to hockeyreference.com, nhl.com, and Flyers.nhl.com for help with this trip down memory lane*
