Habs To Play Flyers In Round 2

The Montreal Canadiens will play the Philadeplhia Flyers in the second round of the play-offs, this after the Flyers beat the Washington Capitals in overtime 3-2 tonight to take the series 4-3.

The team that most fans wanted the Habs to play in round no.2, the Flyers, will start round 2 at the Bell Centre on Thursday. Some fans said it didn’t matter who the Habs faced as long as they stuck to their game, but admitted that the Flyers gave the Habs the best chance to move on to the Conference Final.

In the Flyers, you get a team with some young talent, a decent goalie, but slow defense-men. Daniel Briere will be constantly harassed by the fans for choosing the Flyers over the Habs. Unfortunately both Briere, and Martin Biron are from Montreal, Biron has the tendency to play well in Montreal.

Anything can happen in the play-offs, most people said the Habs have the best chance against the Flyers, but the Flyers could surprise many people. I do think however that the Canadiens have a better shot at going into the Conference Finals by passing through Philly, instead of New York, but like I said, in the post season anything can happen.

The Canadiens will now have one day to compose a game plan, as they resume play on Thursday night at the Bell Centre. The fans in Montreal made the difference in the Habs previous series against the Boston Bruins in game no.7, and you can bet that they will keep doing the same thing, especially when it comes to Briere, maybe even Biron.

Round no.2 for the Habs should not be as physical as round no.1 was, sure there will still be a physical aspect, but it shouldn’t be as bad as it was against the Bruins.

Unfortunately for the Habs bumps and bruises, they didn’t have much time to heal, but they had more time than the Flyers did, let’s hope it helps. The Habs won the season series against the Flyers this season, yes the post season is different, but at least they have some notion as to how to play the Flyers. Both teams have some bruises, so they are even there, But Carey Price is better than Martin Biron. Alex Kovalev is better than Briere, Saku Koivu when healthy is better than Mike Richards. As for the defence, well the Habs take the cake there too. For all intents and purposes, the Habs are the better team, and should win this series.

Let’s hope that the Canadiens of games no.1, and 7 show up for this whole series, and that they don’t make this series go as far as the previous one. The young kids on the Habs will be better this round as they don’t have a Zdeno Chara to deal with, and that they will have more room to skate and make things happen.

GO HABS GO!