Flyers are confident going into NHL finals

Associated Press

VOORHEES, N.J.

Jeff Carter walks by a framed photo of the Philadelphia Flyers’ 1975 championship parade every day before practice.

It’s a black-and-white snapshot of an era when 2 million fans packed the streets to celebrate the second of Philadelphia’s back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. But the picture is a melancholy reminder that their “Broad Street Bullies” heyday as the dominant team in the NHL was 35 years ago.

Carter and the rest of the Eastern Conference champion Flyers hope to add a little color with a new picture on the walls at their practice rink — and a championship banner raised high above home ice.

“It’s something that you kind of throw in the back of your mind that it’s something to work toward, for sure,” Carter said.

The Flyers are four wins away from being the guests of honor at another downtown parade. The Flyers took Tuesday off but used it to reflect on a stunning postseason run that has them in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 13 years. It’s no surprise they expect to beat the Chicago Blackhawks when the Stanley Cup finals open Saturday in Chicago.

Their run has been as exciting as any in team history: From a shootout win in the regular-season finale to clinch the seventh seed, to beating New Jersey and all-time wins leader Martin Brodeur, a comeback from a 3-0 series deficit to stun Boston, and eliminating the Canadiens.