from Frank Seravalli of TSN,
“We control our destiny.”
They are four words usually used incorrectly, often by a team that requires a minor miracle to leapfrog four other teams to grab a playoff spot, to somehow suggest that fate may have played a role in the first 60 games of their season.
Except, in the case of this year’s Philadelphia Flyers, it’s actually true.
The Flyers don’t need help from anyone to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs for just the second time since 2012.
They have 17 games remaining. They trail the Red Wings and Penguins by two points for the final Eastern Conference wild card spot — and they have one game in-hand.
They will face the two teams they’re chasing — Detroit (twice) and Pittsburgh (three times) — a combined five times over their final 15 games.
In other words: the Flyers can thank NHL schedule-maker Steve Hatze Petros for an opportune matrix. Without it, their playoff hopes would be at the mercy of others.
“It’s a perfect scenario for us,” Wayne Simmonds said Wednesday. “We can talk as much as we want, but now it’s up to us to deliver on it.”
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