Devils Postgame II/Habs Pregame

I think I'm experiencing deja vu. Did the Flyers seriously two games in a row erase a two goal deficit then win it? Yes they did and despite playing poorly most of the game, the Flyers dug deep and found a way to get the two points. The key moment was when the Flyers killed off a 5 on 3 in the 3rd period to give themselves a chance to at least salvage one point. For all the Chris Pronger skeptics, Ilya Kovalchuk once again did not score and was kept in check the whole night. The emotion displayed on the bench after Simon Gagne fired a wrist shot past Martin Brodeur is something the fans have been looking for all year. It is obvious that this is a reflection of Peter Laviolette's influence. Laviolette's passion and relentless pursuit of perfection is what is motivating this team right now.

Which leads into the final two games before the Olympic break. The Flyers face a critical home and home with the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs are one point ahead of the Flyers for sixth place and are coming off a circus win against the Washington Capitals last night, ending their 14-game winning streak. With both teams coming off huge wins, it is critical to not fall behind a third game in a row. Expect Slovakian Olympian Jaroslav Halak to be back in the net after Carey Price's performance last night. Halak has been solid in net this season despite the Habs' scoring troubles. Michael Leighton should be back in net and has earned the start since Ray Emery's MRI is still not available. Emery's situation is difficult. When healthy, he has demonstrated a phenomenal work ethic, gotten the job done, and behaved himself. Check out how he gave his time to some Haitian children on philly.com. However, it is going to be difficult negotiating a long term contract if he cannot stay healthy. It will certainly be interesting to see how it folds out.

According to philly.com, Blair Betts has just signed a 2-year extension, well deserved and a good move by the Flyers. Betts is not exactly an offensive threat, but provides quality shifts and is invaluable as a penalty killer along with Ian Laperriere.