The Philadelphia Flyers have risen from dark horse NHL contender to Eastern Conference frontrunner in Toronto's hockey bubble, giving the city a shot of energy in an otherwise gloomy sports landscape.
On Wednesday night, the Flyers will begin their journey to return to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in a decade.
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More than any other pro sports league, the NHL offers tangible hope that any team can seize the moment and go on a championship run. The St. Louis Blues' title run last season goes to show that a wayward team can reverse its fortunes in dramatic fashion.
As the Flyers prep for Wednesday night's Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens, a pair of hype videos have been released to pump up fans for playoff action.
The Flyers are currently the betting favorite to win the Eastern Conference and are playing with a confidence that has been missing from Philadelphia hockey for years. Much of that is owing to the the stout performances of Carter Hart, who has come into his own as an imposing goaltender.
It's been a while since a Flyers hype video carried this much legitimacy, but in a strange and disrupted NHL season, the timing couldn't be better for the excitement of playoff hockey.