1969/70
Bobby Clarke has an
impressive first season scoring 15 goals with 31 assists while making it
to the All-Star Game. However, the Flyers would struggle all season
missing the playoffs by finishing in 5th place with a terrible record of
17-35-24.
1970/71
Bobby Clarke
continues to establish himself as one of the emerging stars in the NHL
as he leads the Flyers in scoring with 63 points. The Flyers would make
it back into the playoffs by finishing in 3rd place with a record of
28-33-17. However, the Flyers would be swept out of the first round
again losing 4 straight to the Chicago Black Hawks.
1971/72
Under new Coach Fred
Shero the Flyers would take a step backward as they missed the playoffs
for the 2nd time in 3 years by finishing in 5th place with a 26-38-14
record that had them lose out on the last playoff spot via tiebreaker
against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
1972/73
Bobby Clarke
captures the Hart Trophy by finishing second in the league in scoring
with 104 points as the Flyers post their first winning season by
finishing in 2nd place with a record of 37-30-11. After splitting the
first 4 games in the playoffs against the Minnesota North Stars the
Flyers took a big step toward winning their first playoff series by
taking Game 5 in overtime 3-2 on a goal by Gary Dornhoefer. The Flyers
would go on to take the series in 6 games with a 4-1 win in Minnesota to
close out the series. However, in the semifinals the Flyers would be
overmatched by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens
losing in 5 games.
1973/74
Led by Dave
Schultz's 348 penalty minutes the Flyers earn the reputation as a
brawling team known as "The Broad Street Bullies" as they fight and claw
their way to the top of the Western Division with a solid record of
50-16-12. Along the way Bernie Parent establishes himself the top goalie
in the NHL taking home the Vezina with an impressive 1.89 GAA.
In the playoffs the Flyers got off to a fast start as they swept the
Atlanta Flames in 4 straight games to reach the semifinals for the
second straight season. In the semifinals the Flyers would knock off the
New York Rangers in a hard fought 7-game series in which the home team
won all 7 games. The Flyers secret weapon at the Spectrum may have been
Kate Smith whose version of "God Bless America" played occasionally in
lieu of "The Starr Spangled Banner" usually meant a Flyers win.
After splitting the first 2 games of the Stanley Cup Finals against the
Boston Bruins on the road, the Flyers returned home to a rousing ovation
at the Spectrum and continued their home ice magic beating the Burins in
Games 3 and 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. However, the Bruins would get
back into the series by winning 5-1 in Boston. Needing a little more
magic to close out the series the Flyers brought Kate Smith to sing "God
Bless America" live. Fans roared through out as the amazing unbeaten
streak of home wins when Kate Smith sings continues as the Flyers edge
out a 1-0 victory to claim their first ever Stanley Cup Championship.
Bernie Parent who blanked the Bruins in Game 6 would go on to win the
Conn Smythe award for playoff MVP.
1974/75
The Flyers continue
to bully their way through the NHL as they win the newly established
Patrick Division with a NHL best record of 51-18-11, as Dave Schultz
spends 472 minutes in the penalty box leaving a bunch of broken and
bruised bodies in his wake. After a first round bye the Flyers would
make it to the semifinals for the 3rd straight season by sweeping the
Toronto Maple Leafs in 4 straight games.
The Flyers appeared to be heading for another easy sweep as they took
the first 3 games against the New York Islanders, with Bernie Parent
shutting out the Isles in Games 2 and 3. However, the Islanders would
keep their hopes alive with an overtime win in Game 4, and then they
proceeded to take the next 2 to force a 7th game. With the Stanley Cup
slipping away the Flyers called on Kate Smith again and she came through
singing her heart out as the Flyers advanced to the Finals with a 4-1
win.
In the Finals the Flyers would get off to a quick start taking the first
2 games against the Buffalo Sabres at the Spectrum. However, the Sabres
would battle back to even the series at 2 games a piece with 2 straight
wins in Buffalo. Back at the Spectrum the Flyers ceased control of the
series with a dominating 5-1 win. In Game 6 in Buffalo it would be
Bernie Parent who would close the deal by setting a record with his 5th
playoff shutout to earn his second straight Conn Smythe as the Flyers
won their second straight Stanley Cup Championship 2-0.
1975/76
The Flyers continue
to fight and crawl their way through the NHL as they won their 3rd
straight Division title with a solid 51-13-16 record, as Bobby Clarke
captured the Hart Trophy for the 3rd time in 4 years with a NHL best 89
assists. However, the highlight of the season came in an exhibition game
against the Soviet Red Army Team on January 11th.
The Red Army team was one of two Russian teams barnstorming the NHL were
unbeaten going into to Philadelphia, as the 2 Russian teams had a
combined record of 5-1-1 record against the NHL. Early on it was
apparent it was not going to be the Soviet's day as The Spectrum fired
up by another rousing rendition of "God Bless America" by Kate Smith had
fans chatting USA, as the Flyers bruising style had the Russians whining
form the start after just 11 minutes Russia's Coach Konstantin Loktev
pulled his team off the ice reacting to an elbowing penalty by Flyers Ed
Van Impe to Central Red Army Star Valeri Kharlamov. After 16 minutes the
Russian would return to the ice for more abuse as the Flyers won 4-1.
Following the game the Soviet state paper "Pravda" would run a cartoon
showing the Flyers bearing clubs like cavemen. Seeking their 3rd
straight Stanley Cup the Flyers need 7 games to get past the Toronto
Maple Leafs to advance to their 4th straight semifinal. With Reggie
Leach becoming a goal scoring machine the Flyers would make it back to
the Stanley Cup Finals by beating the Boston Bruins in 5 games, as Leach
scored 5 goals in the series clinching game. However, not even the
scoring of Leach who set a NHL record with 19 goals to capture the Conn
Smythe would help the Flyers who were swept in 4 straight games by the
Montreal Canadiens.
1976/77
The Flyers would
continue to dominate the Patrick Division winning their 5th straight
division title with a solid record of 48-16-16. In the playoffs the
Flyers would land in the semifinals again as they buried the Toronto
Maple Leafs in 6 games. However, in the semis the Flyers would be swept
in 4 straight games by the Boston Bruins as they dropped the first 2
games at The Spectrum in overtime.
1977/78
On December 11th Tom
Bladon sets an NHL record for a defenseman with 8 points notching 4
goals and 4 assists against the Cleveland Barons. However, the Flyers
would lose their grip on the Patrick Division after they have to settle
for 2nd place despite another stellar record of 45-20-15. Forced to play
in the preliminary round the Flyers would knock of the Colorado Rockies
in 2 straight games. Moving on to the second round the Flyers would
knock off the Buffalo Sabres in 5 games to make it back into the
semifinals for the 6th straight year. However, once again the Flyers
would be clipped by the Boston Bruins as they fall in 5 games. Following
the season Coach Fred Shero would stun the Flyers by taking the Coaching
job with the New York Rangers. However, the Flyers would receive the
Rangers first round draft pick, as compensation.
1978/79
After starting the
season slowly under new Coach Bob McCammon the Flyers decide to chance
coaches in the middle of the season hiring Pat Quinn. Under Quinn the
Flyers would finish the season on a strong note finishing in 2nd place
with a record of 40-42-15. In the playoffs the Flyers would survive a
first round scare as they dropped Game 1 of their preliminary round
series against the Vancouver Canucks at home 3-2. However, the Flyers
would rally to win the next 2 scoring 13 goals as they advanced to the
2nd record. However, in the second round the Flyers would be knocked off
by the New York Rangers led by Coach Fred Shero in 5 games.
1979/80
Powered by a NHL
record 35-game unbeaten streak the Flyers climb back to the top of the
Patrick Division posting a NHL best 48-12-20 record, as Reggie Leach
leads the team with 50 goals and Ken Linesman the player drafted with
the compensation pick obtained for Coach Fred Shero adds a team high 57
assists. In the playoffs the Flyers would slip past the Edmonton Oilers
in 3 straight games, although they needed overtime in 2 of the 3 games.
In the 2nd round the Flyers would jump out to a 3-0 lead before beating
the Shero coached New York Rangers in 5 games. The Flyers resurgence
would continue in the semifinals as they beat the Minnesota North Stars
in 5 games. In the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Islanders the
Flyers would get off to a rough start as they dropped Game 1 at the
Spectrum in overtime 4-3, as the Islanders raced out to a 3-1 series
lead. However, the Flyers would bounce back to take Game 5 at home 6-3.
Trailing 4-2 in the 3rd period of Game 6 the Flyers would rally again to
force overtime. However, the Flyers would fall in overtime on a goal by
Bob Nystrom, as the, Islanders won their first Stanley Cup.
Source: www.sportsecyclopedia.com
