At Least One League Debut, Though!

Well…I almost saw an NHL game last weekend

Technically, two NHL franchises were playing hockey.  So, there's that.  

So, some of you are aware that I tried to go to a hockey game a little while back and Ran Into Some Issues with the weather that day.  Well, the game was rescheduled for this past Sunday, and again I made the trip.  Mother Nature cooperated, but the two teams very much did not.  Jerks.  

The game was between the New York Islanders and the Philadelphia Flyers.  Heading into the last week or so of the season, things were looking promising for this game, as both teams were fighting for playoff spots in the eastern conference.  It could have very well turned out that this final game of the regular season would be a make or break game for at least one of the teams heading towards playoff time.  

Well, earlier in the week, the Islanders clinched a playoff spot, so the only thing they were playing for would be for seeding, and a first round matchup with Pittsburgh instead of Florida.  Not an overly substantial change.  The Flyers' story was much more exciting.  

Going into the penultimate day of the season, the Flyers stood one point behind the Boston Bruins, who had a Saturday game against a long-eliminated Ottawa Senators team.  A win by Boston would force Philadelphia to win both their Saturday and Sunday games to earn a playoff spot.  A win-or-go-home scenario for our Sunday game?  No.  Boston proceeded to get humiliated by Ottawa to the tune of a 6-1 poleaxing, leaving them clinging to a 1-point lead over Philadelphia for that final playoff spot.  

Philly played against Pittsburgh on Saturday night and won, securing the 8th seed in the Eastern conference and rendering Sunday's game 100% meaningless.  

Sunday's game saw New York scratch 12 players, including pretty much every one of their star players that I would have been interested in watching.  The Flyers scratched six of their finest players as well, keeping them fresh for the playoffs and not risking injury in a pointless game.  

Philly ended up winning, for what that's worth.