BIZARRE MISUNDERSTANDING LEADS TO WASHINGTON CLINCHING FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT

The Flyers needed a regulation win to make the playoffs so Tortorella pulled the goalie late in a 1-1 game and the Capitals scored immediately, eliminating the Wings, Pens, and Flyers from playoff contention.

[@kwaty]

Wild sequence of events. 3 teams eliminated on an empty net game winner!

[@xlr0gd205]

Philly was eliminated about a minute prior when Detroit sent their game to overtime

[@RCAdome28]

Ovi still the best. 31 goals at 120 years old

[@Fallout3131]

120 😭😭😭😭

[@brendanbaden]

As a Caps fan after last year I didn’t expect them to be anywhere near a playoff spot if so not be in this close of a race this late in the year. I mean it took 81 games and 57 minutes to make it in

[@p00l95]

As a NYR fan, if we don't show up to this first round you guys can surprise. This is NOT a cakewalk for the rangers. If the Caps win I won't be upset. Love Ovi and he's a legend.

[@brendanbaden]

@@p00l95 yeah anything can happen in the playoffs like last year all the penguins needed to do was beat Chicago and they would’ve made the playoffs over the panthers who ended making the finals

[@xlr0gd205]

​@@p00l95but you will be upset at other fanbases shitting NYR and they'd deserve it. Losing a playoff series to a roster like this is unacceptable. So I guess LGR

[@pekestyxx6674]

@@p00l95there’s also the president trophy curse.

[@brendanbaden]

@@pekestyxx6674 I really hope it stays true lol

[@NmDPlm31]

What misunderstanding? There was no misunderstanding. The Flyers HAD to win the game in regulation. But they also needed Detroit to lose in regulation. Detroit tied it just moments before Tortorella called for Ersson to be pulled. The bench hadn’t heard the score update from Montreal yet. So he was doing exactly what he needed to try and secure the extra man and hopefully push his team to a win. He even said in the postgame presser that they didn’t get the update until Ersson was already on the bench. And by then Washington scored.

[@ColtStone]

Torts knew exactly what he was doing 😂

[@insertgenericusernamehere2402]

As a caps fan. They should have pulled the goalie much earlier. They were pressuring the Caps D so much. Glad we made the playoffs but good god that was a nervous few minutes

[@brendanbaden]

Same

[@mrhonda1]

Caps got a freebie gift last night. First, a called back goal that shoulda counted, then an empty net when the Flyers were already out. They didn't even have to work for it.

[@elninoson5282]

They should rest Ovi all playoffs

[@blackcat-zw5im]

Why?

[@elninoson5282]

@@blackcat-zw5im so he's more fresh to try and get 42 more regular season goals before his career ends

[@lessthansion]

For this who thought Flyers pulled Goalie too early, Philly commentators were expecting him to be pulled around 6 minute mark

[@Bum_Hip]

So what was the misunderstanding?

[@davidwhidden9337]

At that point in time, the Flyers "did not know" Detroit had tied the game. Despite the fact that everyone and their mother was watching the scoreboards. So when they pulled the goalie, the Flyers thought they had to win in regulation. They were already eliminated. It did not matter.

[@NmDPlm31]

@@davidwhidden9337That’s not a “bizarre misunderstanding” however. It’s an unfortunate communications delay about the score from Detroit but it certainly wasn’t a misunderstanding.

[@jockejocke1]

I must have missed what exactly was bizarre about this.

[@camselle]

Torts gave Caps Empty Net because he hates Pittsburgh🐧

[@joshuafisette7255]

Where’s the misunderstanding??

[@kel9855]

As a Cap fan, I don't apologize for this "gift". The Caps had been on the wrong side of misfortunes for 40 years, so this is just a little "compensation". When the Canadiens were leading 4-3, I was waiting for Tortorella to pull the goalie such that we could get an empty-netter. When the Red Wings tied the game up with 3 seconds left, I was thinking "there goes the empty-net gift". Tort had no more reason to pull the goalie. Then T.J. scored the empty-netter immediately.

[@davidfitzpatrick6535]

Okay at first I was like "WHHATT??? WHY THEY PULLING THE GOALIE?" then remembered "wait Philly needed to win in Regulation (wont lie nearly put OT there) " DAMN IT PHILLY WHY DID U HAVE TO RUIN THE BEST HOCKEY STORY????

[@legikgeo]

I don't get the idea of miscalculation. Flyers needed to win in regulation. That's why they pulled out the goalie. What's the deal with another match?

[@lessthansion]

Pens/Wings fans act like the empty net is the reason their season. Caps could have just won it in OT, shootout, or the reamining 3 minutes without empty net. Especially since Flyers would know their season is over at that point so it would be a preseason game while Caps would be playing a Game 7 playoff game. Its very unlikely the Flyers would have won either way. And If your entire season comes down to relying on the Flyers not to lose game #82, then you really dont deserve be in the playoffs at all. 😂

[@ShawnLangford]

I mean yeah pull the goalie but the timing was awful in terms of how the play was unfolding.

[@gloriton3754]

I don't understand what the "bizarre misunderstanding" is here when you play for your own win, but man do I dislike Torts and the Flyers. And the Caps.

[@michaelthompson8877]

They had already been eliminated because Detroit had already made it to OT, so there was no reason to take the risk for the regulation win

[@dimabrovikov4139]

No chance against NYR

[@Oilers1972]

He needed a regulation win so he pulled the goalie with 3 mins left?! He didn’t think they could go up at even strength with a goaltender protecting the net? Am I missing something? Why would you disadvantage your team like that? The extra skater with an empty net cancels the advantage with that much time on the clock. He handed it to the caps.

[@camselle]

Torts hates the Penguins going back to when he coached the Rangers..

[@jagrzubarev7322]

Philly NEEDED the regulation win or else they wouldnt make it in. When you are in desperate need of a win, your going to do what torts did.

[@davidfitzpatrick6535]

So personally I probably would've tried the dive strategy and hope for the penalty.

[@Oilers1972]

@@jagrzubarev7322 , ya traditionally with a game tied you try to win with a goalie in the net. How many goalie pulled extra attacker goals did the Flyers have this year? This team struggled to keep the puck out of their net with a goalie there.

[@Oilers1972]

@@camselle , I think you nailed it.

[@QPINE01]

I can’t believe the wings are out bc of this

[@joshuafisette7255]

You think this is why the wings didn’t make the playoffs?? Lmfao

[@QPINE01]

@@joshuafisette7255 they literally got knocked out bc of this. Obviously they should’ve been in sooner but they couldn’t go back in time and win other games

[@joshuafisette7255]

@@QPINE01 so it it had nothing to do with the rest of their season?? Lmfao

[@Fallout3131]

@@joshuafisette7255quit ending every comment with lmfao quit being rude and that’s all I got

[@graigmellon7874]

The Flyers didn't know that the Red Wings scored with 3.3 seconds left - so they were out when the Wings got a point. And then this happened when the empty net goal sealed it for the Caps. If it had not been for the blown calls in the Caps-Flyers game that cost the Flyers at least a goal and a regulation win, the Red Wings would have likely ended their playoff drought or had the Red Wings lost in regulation, the Flyers could have made it in. Really strange stuff...

[@kel9855]

The Flyers would very much likely to miss the playoffs anyway. Had they beaten the Caps and the Red Wings lost, their victory would have set the table for the Penguins to snatch the final berth. The Islanders have nothing to play for in the finale.

[@xlr0gd205]

​@@kel9855it wouldn't have mattered for Patrick Roy

[@davidwhidden9337]

"Blown call". The play was reviewed. Also, Detroit got a favourable icing call with 7 seconds left. Let's not point at this game alone.

[@donbenz2295]

good try

[@Jetski23d]

Torts such a troll lmao

[@fredreed2001]

I’m tired of hearing the same thing every season about a team. The Flyers missed the playoffs because they no talent at all. They have the coaching just not the players who can play. They also need a better GM than they currently have. They don’t spend enough money on quality players at all. They always bring in these washed up guys who can’t even play anymore. They also have no quality goalie keeper at all.They need to rebuild this team completely from the ground up starting with firing that GM they have. They need a GM with experience.

[@xlr0gd205]

Flyers already fired that bad GM. They were this good because of Tortorella, they were supposed to keep rebuilding

[@nathanh8620]

Dunno why everyone thinks philly should of just handed it in....they were playing to get themselves in the playoffs...who cares what else happened with other games....play to win!!!

[@Chickentendey48]

Wings had more wins than the Caps.... NHL is awesome.

[@CanadiansEH]

Caps had more regulation wins, wings shouldn't be shit in the 1st place 😂

[@chocomilkfps1264]

You never had an issue with the rule until it happened to eliminate your team… (Also I am positive that if the situation was reversed you would be mocking the people saying what you are saying lol)

[@greaseweeklygames]

It goes by points percentage then regulation wins