Flyers' veterans answer Vigneault's 'big-boy pants' challenge

TORONTO — In a bid to “change the narrative,” Alain Vigneault pulled from the history books.

Facing the threat of elimination Tuesday night and a Wednesday-morning checkout from Hotel X, the Philadelphia Flyers coach conjured the spirit of 2010, when the franchise memorably rallied from an 0-3 series deficit in the Eastern Conference semifinals and ran the table against the Boston Bruins.

Current captain Claude Giroux was a buzzy sophomore during that roller-coaster ride and the organization’s most recent trip to the Stanley Cup Final. James van Riemsdyk was but a fresh-faced rookie.

Yet both core forwards made a much more significant impact on the scoresheet 10 post-seasons ago — when they were sheltered and led by established stars Danny Briere, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Chris Pronger — than they have so far in this one.

Through 13 unlucky Flyers post-season games, neither Giroux nor van Riemsdyk had scored.

So, down 1-3 to the offence-choking New York Islanders, a desperate Vigneault called upon the past to summon a little juice for the now.

“They were both back there back in 2010 when the Flyers were down 3-0 and they came back,” Vigneault said Tuesday afternoon, slowly upgrading a reminder into a challenge.

“Now it’s their turn to put the big-boy pants on.

“I’m not questioning their will, and I’m not questioning their work ethic on the ice. They have to find a way to come through. We have no choice. We have to start tonight.”

Message received. Loud and clear.

With a nail-biting 4-3 overtime win powered by their front-line players, the Flyers have extended their season until at least Thursday.

A yawn-inducing first period of Game 5 and a controversial strike early in Period 2 by the Isles’ Josh Bailey (Mathew Barzal was pushed into Carter Hart’s crease but made little haste in exiting) had all the makings for another low-scoring, lockdown New York victory.

Then the 48-waists got yanked up and belted on.

“I think I used the term ‘wear their big-boy pants.’ And, without a doubt, they came to play,” Vigneault called back post-game, with a wink. “The big-boy pants is something they’re aware of.”

Giroux laced a nifty tip on a Philippe Myers point shot that fooled the razor-sharp Semyon Varlamov to tie the contest.

A couple shifts later, van Riemsdyk made no mistake when centre Scott Laughton sauced him a beautiful pass on a 2-on-1 rush.

And in a snap, both veterans mercifully snapped their epic goal droughts.

“You [reporter] guys, don’t take it personally, but I try not to read too much, especially lately. It hasn’t been very positive,” Giroux said. “Whatever the message is from the coach, we answered pretty well to me.”

The orange-and-black snowball tumbled into the third period, when veteran defenceman Matt Niskanen extended the lead with his first of the playoffs as well.

“I believe we’ll start finding the back of the net,” Niskanen correctly predicted pre-game. “If you get one game, the tides start to turn, and the pressure is flipped.”

The Islanders came into this elimination opportunity vowing to match their opponents’ desperation. Coach Barry Trotz spoke of “a killer instinct” that took its sweet time making an appearance.

It was only down two goals late that the Islanders began punching back. In the final five minutes, Brock Nelson and Derick Brassard each scored to knot the thing 3-3.

“At the end of the game, they came at us pretty hard,” Giroux said.

Yet the Flyers came out, uh, flying in overtime, drawing a penalty and continuing to funnel pucks in Varlamov’s direction.

Laughton — filling in for an injured Sean Couturier on Giroux’s top line — tipped an Ivan Provorov point blast to freeze the clock in Period 4.

“Probably the guy who is the heartbeat of our team,” van Riemsdyk said of the OT hero. “He can go up and down the lineup, play a bunch of different ways, and guys love playing with him.”

Relief.

Joy.

Take a breath.

Only two more mountains to climb.

TFW you force a Game 6 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/FwwI8iXauw

— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) September 2, 2020

Post-game, the Philly stars had no interest in rehashing tales of 2010. They, instead, will aspire to drill their focus into Game 6 and build on this momentum.

“It’s amazing, as a team or individually, when you are feeling it, you score goals where maybe you shouldn’t. You see the ice better. You play freer,” explained Niskanen, who has felt both sides of the multi-game comeback over his 11 post-seasons. “If you’re fighting it, it’s an uphill climb to get back to playing well.

“The beauty of the playoffs is it can flip quick. I think we’re close to busting through. I believe in our group that we can do that.”

Well, they did it. Once.

So, what effect can Game 5’s jolt have on Game 6?

“Maybe we put a little doubt in their mind,” Vigneault said.

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