Flyers End Season on a High Note

       The Flyers went into Ottawa tonight and stole one 2-1.  This pushes their final record above .500 if you listen to the commentators, though with overtime losses they still technically have more losses than wins.  At least 48 game seasons don't really count right?

        There were mixed feelings as far as winning this game was concerned.  The win, while fun to watch, doesn't really help Philadelphia's draft status.  A loss would've put them at 23rd in the league, giving them a 3.6% chance to land the #1 overall pick and ultimately draft Seth Jones.  The win pushes them up to at least 20th in the league and drops their chance at #1 to 1.5% or less.  There is a very deep draft class this year though and Seth Jones isn't the only defender that would look good in orange and black.  Darnell Nurse or Rasmus Ristolainen are also highly-touted defensemen that would bolster the blue line, something we so desperately need.  (Look for a draft preview in the coming days)

       Even with the draft in the back of most fans' minds, the manner in which this game was won made it worth it.  Rookie, Jason Akeson, notched his first NHL goal in his first NHL game tonight.  He also finished the game with the highest +/- on the team.  Voracek got his record 22nd goal this season and Steve Mason played beautifully, saving 43 of 44 shots for a .977 save percentage.  He certainly looks like he enjoys being in Philly and really wants to be the starter.  If he stays around the best case scenario is that he either keeps playing like this or lights a fire under Bryz's ass to play better and keep his job.  In any case, it looks like the goaltender carousel is primed to continue next year.

       Ottawa's lone goal was scored by Kyle Turris.  The Senators will play Boston tomorrow in the NHL regular season finale and desperately need a win to avoid the unfortunate fate of playing the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round.  Just to remind everybody one more time, if the Penguins win the Stanley Cup this year it doesn't count...just like the Heat didn't actually win the NBA title last year because of the short-season.

       At the end of the day, not having a season may have been a better option for the Flyers and their ailing defense, but I'll take a 48-game season over no hockey at all.  See you back at the Well in 5 and a half months.