PHILADELPHIA -- The Flyers are at home tonight for Game Seven but how much of an advantage will it really be?
Sure, the Wells Fargo Center has been a howling, orange-clad cauldron of noise, but the Sabres have won here twice in this series and also won here on March 5. And get this: In the last 10 Game Sevens in the NHL, the home team is just 2-8 -- and the road team has won the last four straight.
The Flyers are 8-6 in Game Seven in their history and have won their last two, in overtime in 2008 at Washington and last year at Boston. The Sabres are just 1-5 overall and 0-4 on the road, with the lone win in 1997 in overtime over Ottawa on Derek Plante's goal.
So is there really a home-ice advantage?
"It's something we can't sit back and rely on," said Danny Briere. "We have to go out and make it happen and try to use our fans to our advantage. ... Growing up, what you dream about are those Game Sevens and being able to make a difference. It's another chance for us tonight. It's another elimination game for us. We've been in many of them in the past year and we have to approach it with the same mentality we've had."
"Stats are for you guys," added Mike Richards. "For us, we feel confident. That tells you how tight the games are."
Coach Peter Laviolette said his team understands there will be highs and lows within the game and doesn't think the experience of his club's Game Seven win at Boston will help his club much tonight.
"The last thing I would hate to do is hang my hat on last year's experiences," he said. "Today is all about the moment, how we play and how we go out and perform on the ice."
Hear audio from Briere, Richards and Laviolette by clicking the links below.
(You'll hear chuckling when Laviolette's meeting with reporters was interrupted for a few seconds as the audio box malfunctioned and TV/radio reporters had to move microphones to the podium).
Danny Briere
Mike Richards
Peter Laviolette
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
