Round 2 Still Uncertain With Buffalo's Win

by Les Bowen, Daily News Sports Writer
Posted: April 28, 1997

The Flyers had hoped to get their second-round playoff matchup settled last night, but no such luck. They'll have to wait until tomorrow night.

Had Ottawa closed out its first-round series against Buffalo in Game 6, the Flyers, seeded third in the Eastern Conference, would know they were playing the fifth-seeded New York Rangers in the next round. There had been talk that the Flyers-Rangers series could start as soon as Wednesday.

Buffalo's 3-0 victory last night in Ottawa kept the second-seeded Sabres alive against the seventh-seeded Senators, heading into tomorrow's Game 7 in Buffalo. If Buffalo wins, the Sabres play the Flyers in a series that likely will start Friday at the CoreStates Center.

FOR THE RECORD - CORRECTION, PUBLISHED APRIL 29, 1997, FOLLOWS: A story in yesterday's sports section incorrectly reported that a Flyers-Buffalo second-round playoff series would open at the CoreStates Center. The series would open in Buffalo.

If Buffalo loses tomorrow, Ottawa goes to play top-seeded New Jersey and the Flyers play the Rangers, but the opener could hardly be moved up on such short notice. Friday now seems the most likely date, regardless of the opposition.

Flyers coach Terry Murray said he doesn't see that much difference between the Rangers and the Sabres right now.

``Both teams play a solid defensive game,'' Murray said.

And both teams gave the Flyers a lot of trouble down the stretch.

Buffalo defeated the Flyers, 3-2, in overtime, at Buffalo March 11, then came to the CoreStates Center four days later and really embarrassed them, 7-5. The Rangers, meanwhile, came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Flyers, 3-2, on April 7 at New York, then visited the CoreStates Center three days later and won, 6-3. In both sets of losses, the initial game engendered bad feelings that the opposition handled better than the Flyers in the rematch.

Index by Keyword
|
Index by Date
|
About Philly.com
|
Contact Us
|
Terms of Use & Privacy Statement
|
Copyright 2013