The Philadelphia Flyers nearly blew their 3-0 series lead. But in an overtime dominated by the Pittsburgh Penguins, the underdogs won to set up a Flyers-Hurricanes second-round matchup.
As late as March 18, moneypuck.com gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 3.8 percent chance to make the playoffs.
Three. Point. Eight. Percent.
About six weeks later, the upstart Flyers aren't just in the playoffs, but they are advancing to the second round after defeating the gallant Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime on Wednesday, 1-0, and winning the series 4-2.
Defenseman Cam York scored on a wrist shot from the point with 2:28 left in the Pittsburgh-dominated overtime, lifting the Flyers to the victory at the electric Xfinity Mobile Arena. Noah Cates won the faceoff and set a screen on the goal, which was set up by Matvei Michkov's slick backhand pass.
An ecstatic York, 25, lost his California cool, heaving his stick into the stands after scoring the first playoff goal of his career.
"I hope everyone's OK. I don't want a lawsuit," said a smiling York. "I just honestly blacked out. I didn't know what to do. I was so excited.
"I was so happy for my teammates and the guys in the room," said York, who has had a redemption year after struggling last season and not seeing eye to eye with John Tortorella, then the Flyers coach. "…We battled all year long for this position."
Added coach Rick Tocchet: "Winning this is huge for the young guys and their development. To play 19-, 20-, 21-year-olds in this kind of pace, playing against Sidney Crosby in this atmosphere… is huge for these kids to taste it."
Dan Vladar stopped all 42 shots he faced to collect his second shutout in the series. He made the fourth-most saves in a series-clinching shutout win over the past 70 years, per NHL Stats.
Pittsburgh controlled the third period and the overtime, outshooting the Flyers 23-11 in that span and setting camp in Philadelphia's defensive zone.
But Vladar had all the answers.
"They pressed us the whole game. The amount of Grade-A, point-blank saves he made was just crazy. Incredible," said defenseman Jamie Drysdale. "He was unbelievable."
The Penguins had numerous more offensive-zone cycles than the Flyers, along with an 85-56 domination in shot attempts and a 42-32 advantage in shots.
"We just hung in there until our moment came," Drysdale said. "We found ourselves."
In the previous shift before York's goal, Pittsburgh goalie Arturs Silovs (31 saves) stopped Owen Tippett in front, then made a great save on Porter Martone's rebound attempt.
The mini-flurry seemed to settle down the Flyers.
Flyers Eye The Hurricanes
The hard-fought series win puts the Flyers into Round 2 against the powerful Carolina Hurricanes, which swept the Ottawa Senators in the first round.
Like they were at the start of the Pittsburgh series, the Flyers will be the underdogs in Round 2.
They don't seem to care.
"They provide a huge challenge with their speed and their skill," Cates said of the Hurricanes, "but when we're in our structure and playing the way we can, we're hard to play against, and we can go up against anyone."
The series will match two coaches – Tocchet and the Hurricanes' Rod Brind'Amour – who were once teammates in Philadelphia.
The Flyers don't seem to mind being underdogs. And for good reason. They overcame long odds by finishing the season on an 18-7-1 run after the Olympic break and ended a five-year playoff drought. Then they upset the favored Penguins.
It was the first time the Flyers won a playoff-clincher at home since 2012, also against the hated Penguins, which nearly tied this series despite losing the first three games.
"We've been there all year," said Drysdale when asked about the Flyers' underdog role against Carolina. "I think we were probably the fifth team that anyone expected to make it in (the playoffs) and we did, so here we are. It's an exciting time, and we're going to push."
Tocchet said the Flyers have embraced being the underdog.
"You hear that stuff, it's good motivation," he said. "I love that stuff. I used to love when someone doubts you, and I think the players kind of had that in mind, and they love that. It's great. We should enjoy that."
They do. That's why the players wear T-shirts under their jerseys that say "Believe" and have a photo of Flyers Hall of Famer Bernie Parent on the front in his mask.
For motivation, the sleeve on the side of the T-shirt reads "3.8 percent."
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