Flyers rout Canadiens in East finals opener (http://www.jersey-sneak.com/index.php/Philadelphia-Flyers-_cid_1626.html)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) May 17, 2010 -- PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Flyers are about to find out what it's like to play from in front. It's been a while since the NHL's comeback kids have been the ones being chased.

Fresh off a stirring Game 7 win over the Boston Bruins that capped a rally from three games down, the Flyers scored early against Jaroslav Halak and the Montreal Canadiens and rolled to a 6-0 win in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday night.

Michael Leighton was strong in a slow-starting first period for the Flyers and finished with 28 saves in his first NHL playoff shutout. James van Riemsdyk, Danny Briere and Simon Gagne scored in a span of 9:23 in the second to turn it into a rout.

"It makes it a little bit easier when we score that many," Leighton said. "In the second period, we played really well. We got a few goals and that kind of calmed me down and I think it calmed the team down. It took a lot of pressure off us."

There would be no comeback necessary for the surging Flyers, who rebounded from a 3-0 series hole against the Bruins and a three-goal deficit in Game 7 in Boston on Friday night. Philadelphia has won five straight overall and is 5-1 in the playoffs in front of its orange-clad crowd.

Game 2 of the NHL's first final four matchup between a No. 7 and No. 8 seed will be Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

"We know they're going to come back a lot better, a lot stronger in the next game," Briere said. "The goal was to keep home-ice advantage — win the two games. We're just halfway there."

Halak was easily outplayed by Leighton, unbeaten since replacing the injured Brian Boucher in Game 5 of Philadelphia's win over Boston.

Montreal is been adept at coming from behind, too, in these playoffs. The Canadiens erased a 3-1 series deficit in the first round, and were down 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 in the second.

"We have to analyze the game, no doubt," Canadiens coach Jacques Martin said. "The special teams play needs to be better. It was our overall game that made us successful the first and second round and we didn't compete the way we needed to win."

The seventh-seeded Flyers were stunned to have home-ice advantage for the first time since the second round in 2004, and quickly made the most of it. Philadelphia also took a 1-0 lead in the opening round against New Jersey before finishing that series in five games.

"It's more fun playing with the lead — winning games," Briere said, "but you have to deal with whatever is in front of you. The goal was to start with a win."

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