NHL Playoffs: Boston Bruins-Philadelphia Flyers Game 4
The Philadelphia Flyers face elimination from the Stanley Cup Playoffs when they host the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of their Eastern semifinal Friday.
Game 3 on Wednesday ended with a Bruins 4-1 win over the Flyers 4-1 in Philadelphia, giving the Bruins a commanding 3-0 series lead. The Bruins, NHL odds favorite, are one game away from a sweep and going to the Eastern Conference Finals. With a win, this will be the first appearance for the Bruins in 18 years.
After allowing a quick goal by Arron Asham 2:32 minutes into the game, rookie goaltender Tuukka Rask never allowed the Flyers to score another goal, finishing the night with 34 saves.
Even with injuries to center David Krejci and defenseman Adam McQuaid, the Bruins were able to wipe out the Flyers early 1-0 with four unanswered goals and never looked back. Claude Julien, Bruins’ head coach, is unsure of the status of Krejci and McQuaid for Game 4.
The Flyers face a steep uphill battle. In order to make this a seven-game series, the Flyers will have to win three straight games, they are 0-6 when trailing in any series 3-0. It’s not impossible, but the odds are clearly not in their favor. Only two teams, the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders, are the only teams to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. They will also have to find a way to get the puck past Rask. With a 0.971 save percentage, Rask has been playing excellent hockey. On the other side, the Bruins are undefeated (16-0) when leading any series 3-0.
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