Of course, the Flyers are in a predicament that's more dire than that of those Hurricanes. After Chicago beat them decisively, 7-4, Sunday at the United Center, the Flyers trail the Blackhawks, three games to two.
Also, Carolina played Game 7 at home. If the Flyers extend this series to the limit, Game 7 will be played Friday in Chicago. The home team in this series has yet to lose.
But Laviolette is all about sending out positive vibes, so why get hung up on some inconvenient truths?
"I lived it in 2006," Laviolette said as he gave the Flyers the day off to recharge their batteries. "We [Carolina] went up to Edmonton in Game 6 and really got outplayed. It was a similar game to [Sunday's]. I think what it does is it makes you remember it was just one game. They're just one-game parts of a series.
"You have to make sure you are ready for the next game, that you put this one behind you because they're all separate. Just from my experience in 2006, we had a lousy game in Game 6. We had probably the best game of the year in Game 7."
Throughout the playoffs, Laviolette has made it a point to praise the Flyers for their what-me-worry approach in the face of pressure, and he has done a superb job of narrowing their focus. Case in point: When the Flyers fell behind Boston by three games to none, he didn't allow the enormity of their task to overwhelm them. Instead, he convinced them they were capable of winning just one game. Then one more. One more and one more.
Throughout the playoffs, he has shielded individual players from criticism. He did so again Monday when the issue of Chris Pronger's awful Game 5 performance was raised. Pronger, the best player on the ice through the first four games, was minus-5.
