You Talkin' to Me? Will the Flyers beat the odds?

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Fox, Ashley; Parent, Bernie

Subject: Stanley Cup predictions

Bernie carried our line yesterday, as predicted. Thanks for that. Ashley and I will try to pick it up.

Saturday night, the Flyers play their first Stanley Cup Finals game in 13 years. Vegas doesn't like their chances to get past the Blackhawks. The Flyers are relatively heavy underdogs to win the series. Time to pick a side, folks. Who wins, who loses, and - most important of all - why?

From: Parent, Bernie

To: Fox, Ashley; Gonzalez, John

Subject: Stanley Cup predictions

Well my pick is the Flyers, for sure. If you remember when we played Boston in the first Stanley Cup the odds were 20 to 1 against us.  It does not matter what Vegas says. It's what the team brings to the ice. If you play to lose, you're going to lose. You need to play to win and forget about what Vegas says.

P.S. What do you think the odds were against the Flyers in the Rangers game? Their goalie had the best record in shoot-outs and the Flyers' goalie had the worst record against the shoot-outs. What's Vegas have to say about that?

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Fox, Ashley; Parent, Bernie

Subject: Stanley Cup predictions

That's a fine point about your team being huge dogs before the Boston series. I think the Flyers have a better shot than Vegas and most out-of-towners give them. Leighton is playing out of his mind, Richards looks like the captain Flyers fans always hoped he'd be, and now they have Carter and Laperriere back.

Help us with the hockey end of this, Bernie. What specifically will the Flyers be able to do to foil the Hawks. Where are they better than Chicago?

From: Fox, Ashley

To: Parent, Bernie; Gonzalez, John

Subject: Stanley Cup predictions

I don't want to place too much value in the whole destiny thing, but there is something to playing with confidence and feeling that this is your time. The Flyers definitely have that. Call it destiny, or momentum, or belief. Vegas doesn't measure that.

Now, can the Flyers keep up with the Blackhawks' speed?

From: Parent, Bernie

To: Fox, Ashley; Gonzalez, John

Subject: Stanley Cup predictions

I think the advantage the Flyers have is the ability to adjust in game situations. Our speed along with the forechecking will keep the Flyers in the game.

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Fox, Ashley; Parent, Bernie

Subject: Stanley Cup predictions

As much as I'd like to give the Flyers the edge in the "Destiny" column, the Blackhawks have also been waiting for this for a long time. Don't forget, they're also 0-5 in their last five Cup appearances and they haven't won it all since 1961. In terms of it being "their time," they have a case to make, too.

Still, I'll go with the Flyers. We could use another parade in Philly, and I think Snider's boys are ready to deliver. Call it Flyers in 7.