John Tortorella, Flyers Players Feeling Confident About Capitals Game, Relishing Underdog Status
The Philadelphia Flyers had been considered underdogs for most of their season, despite their results consistently defying expectations and proving that they had no interest in taking people's advice to tank.
Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports - John Tortorella, Flyers Players Feeling Confident About Capitals Game, Relishing Underdog StatusThe Philadelphia Flyers had been considered underdogs for most of their season, despite their results consistently defying expectations and proving that they had no interest in taking people's advice to tank.
Soon enough, they were able to shed that "underdog" title to become a team that hockey fans had to seriously consider when thinking about playoffs. The Flyers had held strong to a playoff spot since December, and their success could no longer be written off as some kind of glitch in the matrix.
An eight-game losing streak that really couldn't have come at a worse time in the season ravaged their playoff hopes. What looked to be a surefire road to the postseason has now turned into a fight for the Flyers' season that is largely out of their control. Simply put, they're underdogs again.
And they love it.
"We're back to being the underdogs, kind of where people thought we were at are counting us out, back to kind of where we feel comfortable," Noah Cates said after the Flyers' 4-1 win over the New York Rangers. "Playing against one of the top teams in the league, everyone's doubting us and we stepped up and had a great effort."
Head coach John Tortorella tentatively agreed with Cates' assessment of where the Flyers were at during Monday's practice session, making a point of the fact that he doesn't feel as though the team has gained the respect of the league.
"I don't know, I think you say that when you're an underdog," he said. "I think it's a lot of hockey-speak. I will say, I think as a player, as a team, as a Philadelphia Flyer organization...the first step we're trying to make here is to gain respect in the league. I don't think we have much respect in the league. That's an ongoing thought in my head as a guy that's running the on-ice stuff.
"I want us to gain respect. Is that an underdog, I don't know. I think you're always looking for any type of motivation you can get so you can get yourself to another level. I'll answer it that way, I do [think the team are considered underdogs]—I don't think we have any respect in the league."
The Flyers have a chance to gain at least some of that respect back when they play the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, a game that they're going into with plenty of confidence and excitement.
"I think we're playing with a lot of confidence and trust in our game and our system," captain Sean Couturier noted.
"Guys are excited," Scott Laughton agreed. "[We've got] one game, and you get to see what happens, but we put ourselves back in the conversation of making it. I think guys are really excited and I think we should be.
"You can have that nervous kind of excitement. That's why you play the game, for games like this and the build-up of it, to have this chance and this opportunity...It's exciting. You get that little pit in your belly and it's gonna be a good one tomorrow."
Speaking on what the Flyers' team back at the beginning of the season would've thought about them having a playoff chance hinging on the final game of the year, Laughton added, "Especially [because of] where people saw us at...we knew within our room what we were capable of and guys believe in each other and trust each other. I'm really excited for this and I know the guys are too."
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