Flyers Coach Costs Penguins Playoff Spot

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PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins were in the middle of a day off when they saw their push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs come to a harsh end. Without control of their playoff destiny, the Penguins had to sit back and watch the Washington Capitals seal a win and the final spot available in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

However, it wasn’t a typical ending as the Capitals beat the Philadelphia Flyers, a team still in the hunt. The Flyers were a bit more desperate and needed to win in regulation to clinch a spot in the playoffs possibly.

The mindset of needing a regulation win forced Flyers head coach John Tortorella to pull his goalie while the game was tied. Before he pulled Sam Ersson, another team in the playoff race made things extremely interesting.

North of the border, the Detroit Red Wings were facing off against the Montreal Canadiens. The Red Wings needed a win to keep their playoff hopes afloat. If they got as much as a point, they would eliminate the Flyers from contention.

With seven seconds remaining, the Red Wings were losing by one. They won a faceoff in the attacking zone, and with three ticks left on the clock, former Penguin David Perron scored to tie the game and eventually force overtime eliminating the Flyers.

News must not have reached Philadelphia fast enough, as just moments after they were eliminated from contention, the Flyers pulled Errson. It didn’t take long for the Capitals to score and eventually take a 2-1 victory and clinch their playoff berth.

Viewers at home immediately had questions. Was Tortorella aware that he was already eliminated? Would he have pulled him anyway? Did he pull the goalie to ensure that teams like the Penguins and Red Wings didn’t make it in?

According to Tortorella after the game, he didn’t find out about the Red Wings forcing overtime until after the Capitals had taken the lead.

“I got info on the Detroit game right after they scored their empty netter,” Tortorella said. “I think it happened pretty close together. But I was pulling him.”

Tortorella stated that his plan was to pull Errson at that time and that was the right time to do it for his team.

“I didn’t know anything that was going on with Detroit at that time,” Tortorella said. “Immediately after that, our video guys told us Detroit just went to overtime.”

The Capitals won with an empty net game-winning goal and made their way back to the postseason after missing last year.

Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin thanked the Flyers for their decision.

“Detroit get a point and they still pull the goalie,” Ovechkin said. “They didn’t know that. But we’ll take it. Thanks, Philly.”

The Red Wings went on to win in a shootout, which would have also knocked the Penguins out of playoff contention, anyway. They, however, did know that the Capitals had won and clinched a playoff spot over them before the shootout ended.

Tortorella pulling his netminder allowed the Capitals an easy finish. Had the Flyers pressed and pulled out a win, maybe the Red Wings learn their chances are open, but they squeeze their sticks a bit tight and fumble the shootout.

That would have given the Penguins an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth in Game 82 against the New York Islanders. Perhaps that’s a big step to take, but in a way, it’s safe to say Tortorella pulling his goalie played a hand in the Penguins missing the playoffs for the second straight year.

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