from Brian Smith of PhiladelphiaFlyers.com,

When the weather starts to get warm, excitement starts to build in most NHL locker rooms. That’s because warm weather generally means the playoffs are coming. For the Flyers, the playoffs aren’t a lock yet by any means – they remain three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final wild card spot in the East. The other wild card spot and a Metropolitan Division automatic berth are each three points beyond that.

But as the team returned to the ice yesterday after having a sunny, 60-degree Tuesday off, there was a noticeable confidence in the locker room. Nobody would profess to Pittsburgh’s loss to Washington on Tuesday night being a part of that, but you can bet the players were aware that the Penguins had used up their game-in-hand on the Flyers without picking up any points. It’s no secret that several of the teams chasing the Flyers in the East gave up top forwards at the trade deadline, while GM Ron Hextall kept his team intact.

In reality, the Flyers currently are in control of their own destiny. With 20 games to play, they are within striking distance of either of those wild card spots or could even make it into the third divisional slot. What’s working in their favor is they have three games against the Penguins yet to play – including one on the final weekend of the season. They are there because they’ve swept their way through the first half of a homestand where they felt they needed 10 and possibly all 12 available points to become contenders in the race.

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