Philadelphia and Vancouver pleased to be home

The Flyers and Canucks gladly return home. Philadelphia has tennis in mind tonight trying to hold serve in their rink and get back into series. Vancouver earned the always desired split on the road in the first two contests, however it was the manner in which it happened that left them unfulfilled. Two home teams with the same thought process, protect home ice.

Boston at Philadelphia 7:00E VERSUS

It’s often funny how life works, especially if you are goalie Brian Boucher of Philadelphia. Boucher has been around the NHL for a number of years and was in goal in his first go-round with the Flyers a decade ago when they trailed Pittsburgh 0-2 in playoff series. Thanks in part to some of his heroics, Philadelphia rallied and overcame the deficit for just the second time in their history. Boucher will be called on again 10 years later to perform the same miracle.

“We were pretty down going to Pittsburgh, feeling pretty bad about ourselves,” Boucher said.

“We had not played well the first two games. We’re at home here. That’s one of the advantages. To be honest, we could probably play a bit better.”

The Flyers will look to achieve flying start on home ice and get back into this Eastern semi-final and have five of last six at Wachovia Center, including four in a row.

Philly hasn’t played poorly, just lacking that something extra that wins games.

“It’s not that we’ve played bad, but just play with more desperation than we’ve shown the last two games,” forward Danny Briere said. “We need a little bit more of the way we played in the first round against Jersey, kind of take their will away. I think we can do a better job of that.”

The Flyers as -155 money line favorites with total at Ov5; however they are just 5-13 revenging consecutive losses to same foe in favorite’s role. Philly is 13-3 UNDER off a one goal defeat.

Boston comes in brimming with confidence with the offense clicking, having score 12 goals in last three contests, the most since they totaled 14 in three games way back on Dec. 5-12. The Bruins are 40-16 having won three of four and are 14-5 UNDER as visitors with three or more straight wins.

Chicago at Vancouver 9:30E VERSUS

The Canucks waylaid Chicago 5-1 in the opening contest of the series and grabbed a 2-0 lead in Game 2 in the Windy City, but left their killer instinct in the locker room and let the Blackhawks off the hook.

Vancouver had only 15 shots in the final 55 minutes (zero in two critical third period power play chances), as Chicago scored the last four goals of the contest and evened the series.
Never has a road split felt so hollow. The Canucks have ghosts in their closets and need to get past these events in order to win the series. Last season they lost an eerily similar game to Chicago in the fourth game of the playoffs and never recovered, losing in six.

"We’re not even thinking like that right now,” Canucks forward Ryan Kesler said. “Game 4 last year is out of our mind. You guys are acting like it’s over. It’s not over by any means. We lost a game. So what? We could have been up 2-0. So what?”

Though Kesler comes off a little testy, he has to feel good about being back at the GM Place where Vancouver is 32-12 this campaign.

The Canucks top center Henrik Sedin was asked what his team learned from Monday’s fallout. “We played on the outside too much,” Sedin said. “We didn’t create enough offensively.” His club is 13-4 off a road loss by two goals or more this season.

Chicago’s advantage coming into the series was bigger, stronger forwards against Vancouver’s ordinary defense and with Ben Eager and Adam Burish back in the lineup (missed Game 1 with lingering ailments) the Hawks were more aggressive in offensive end and won the physical battle.

“They put their meat in the lineup and they did the job,” defenseman Shane O’Brien of Vancouver said. “Their guys are going hard to the net, snowing (Luongo), bumping him, slashing him. We’ve got to play a lot meaner, a whole lot grittier.

“It’s playoff time. I was upset with the way we kind of didn’t respond physically and emotionally. There has been a lot of talk about the fine line of not scrumming up, this and that. But at the end of the day, we’re playing for the Stanley Cup here. You’ve got to push back. Show them that you want it.”

Vancouver is -150 ML pick and is 11-2 after conceding two or more goals in third period. With total at Ov6, the Canucks are 6-0 OVER at home in the second round of the playoffs.

Chicago will attempt to use the momentum they created and are 16-3 after lighting the lamp four or more times at the United Center.