Nobody thought the Flyers would go down without at least making it interesting, right?
They're hanging on after following up a pair of damaging losses with a 2-1 overtime stunner in Pittsburgh, keeping hope alive as 10 games remain.
We'll touch on that and more in our latest weekly observations:
• Carter Hart's two games back tell you a ton about the kid.
After not seeing game action for 20 days and being benched in his previous two starts, Hart returned to face the Capitals and Penguins - the last three Stanley Cup champions.
How did he do? He stopped 68 of 73 shots for a .932 save percentage and 2.44 goals-against average, while delivering a potential season-saving victory Sunday night in Pittsburgh.
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It's great to see Hart trusted in big games despite being 20 years old and coming off an ankle injury. Flyers interim head coach Scott Gordon hasn't shied away from playing Hart, no matter the matchup or circumstances.
That's how it should be. Hart is the future and now is the time to get him ready.
• Now that the Flyers are done with the Penguins, the rival becomes one of their best friends.
A team to keep the closest eye on is the Hurricanes (85 points), who currently hold the Eastern Conference's first wild-card spot, ahead of the Blue Jackets (84 points, in the second wild-card position), Canadiens (81 points) and Flyers (78 points).
The Flyers don't play the Blue Jackets again, whereas they still have two matchups left with the Hurricanes. Carolina also has to play the Penguins twice, the Capitals twice, the Lightning once and the Maple Leafs once.
Yes, the Flyers will be pulling for Pittsburgh there and should have the Hurricanes in their sights if they want to squeak into the playoffs.
• Sunday night was one of countless examples of Claude Giroux's quiet leadership.
Giroux could not partake in morning skate because he was under the weather and deemed a game-time decision.
He ended up gutting it out, playing 23:33 against the Penguins and finishing as a plus-2. In his four matchups with Pittsburgh this season, Giroux scored four points (two goals, two assists) and was a plus-4 in 24 minutes per game.
Gordon told reporters at PPG Paints Arena that Giroux was able to eat a little bit of food during the day and got an IV before the game.
"When you think about a guy being able to feel as bad as he did this morning that he couldn't come to the rink - and you know how much he loves being at the rink - it was pretty impressive," Gordon said Sunday night.
Teammates look up to this stuff.
Not long ago, Giroux took a power-play adjustment in stride when Gordon and assistant coach Kris Knoblauch decided to roll with five forwards, which moved the captain out of his usual left circle.
That morning, before the Jan. 14 game, Giroux was the first player on the ice to get extra reps in from the opposite side, not as friendly of a spot for a righty-shot player.
First person on the ice today: Claude Giroux. pic.twitter.com/oVGJyoIJFX— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) January 14, 2019
Giroux's drive at 31 years old is something else. And his teammates see it.
• A prospect who doesn't draw as much publicity as others accomplished an impressive feat last weekend.
Isaac Ratcliffe, a 6-foot-6 winger taken in the second round of the 2017 draft, scored his 50th goal of the season, tied for fifth best in the OHL.
Captain @isaacratcliffe hits 5️⃣0️⃣🚨@NHLFlyers prospect pots a pair to meet the #OHL milestone for @Storm_City 🌪 pic.twitter.com/ISR7sSeNzI— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) March 16, 2019
The 20-year-old will be a player to watch next season with AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley. He's particularly intriguing because his size belies his skill and soft hands.
Isaac Ratcliffe ... not too shabby for a 6-6 guy. pic.twitter.com/cy7DHTtFVf— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) June 29, 2018
"When I was younger, it was a big thing that I used to work on at the end of practice or the end of a skill session," Ratcliffe said last summer. "It was a big thing I liked to work on, a guy my size, you don't usually see that and I wanted to prove guys wrong. I can bring any sorts of items to the table and I really wanted to show that I could bring my hands, as well.
"You see a big guy like myself, 6-5, 6-6-plus, and you see a guy, usually a little loose on his feet or his hands are a little stiff, but I like to show that I can skate, as well, and use my hands, be deceptive coming into the zone or coming out of the zone."
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