Philadelphia Flyers' Brayden Schenn (10), Matt Read (24), Jason Akeson (42) and Adam Hall (18) watch with teammates during the third period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series against the New York Rangers, Wednesday, April 30, 2014, in New York. The Rangers won the game 2-1. (AP Photo) (The Associated Press)
PHILADELPHIA – The Flyers turned the worst start in team history into a playoff berth. They forced Game 7 after a 3-2 series deficit.
The Flyers simply ran out of comebacks.
Just as it has in every season since winning it all in 1975, Philadelphia heads home without a Stanley Cup.
The New York Rangers eliminated the Flyers with a 2-1 win in Game 7 in the first round on Wednesday, extending their championship drought to 38 seasons, the sixth-longest streak in the NHL.
There was one sliver of consolation Thursday when team captain Claude Giroux was selected as a Hart Trophy finalist, the league's MVP award.
Giroux matched a career high with 28 goals and finished third in the NHL scoring race (86 points), helping the Flyers rally from a 3-9-0 start. He's the fifth Flyer to be a finalist, joining Bobby Clarke, Eric Lindros (who both won), and goalies Pelle Lindbergh and Bernie Parent.
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