Word with Bill Barber

Flyers legend Bill Barber isn't surprised to see this Flyers team make the Stanley Cup finals.

"I'm not surprised in general. Yes, there were difficult times and unexpected injuries. But they didn't have a big effect on the result. The league has become totally unpredictable after the lockout. A lot of points in the regular season doesn't guarantee playoff success. Look at Washington."

"What do the Flyers have to lose when they barely made the playoffs? The pressure isn't weighing them down. They can relax and enjoy playing. That's why the Flyers and Canadiens met in the Eastern finals - seventh and eighth seeds. We all know what happened before that."

Barber says he couldn't have bet on the Flyers win before the season started.

"Absolutely not. It was impossible to predict the winner again this year. Predicting isn't easy in general. You can have the strongest team on paper, but get injuries. Your goalies can go down. Look at what happened in Philadelphia. Have you ever seen five goalies play in one season? Who's going to predict the winner while having these scenarios?"

Barber isn't surprised to see goalies like Michael Leighton and Antti Niemi in the finals.

"Success usually follows teams that have a strong defense that is excellent at blocking shots and can move the puck quickly out of your own zone. In these cases the goaltenders are not under great pressure. Still, you won't go far without a reliable goaltender. Maybe they can't save the whole series by themselves, but they can make the saves that are needed."

Barber doesn't see a big difference between the Flyers and Blackhawks.

"They are both very similar. The Hawks were not better in the first two games. I believe the Flyers were just unlucky. The bounces didn't go their way. It's been just as close in these games in Philadelphia."

"I don't think the Hawks are as good as everyone thinks. Yes, they're young and fast. But the Flyers prepare themselves well for these games and they have a great coach in Laviolette. And most importantly; the guys believe in each other. That's a great force. If the Flyers keep playing well as a team and don't sit back, they'll win the Stanley Cup."

The playoff fever isn't enough to lure Barber back to coaching.

"Oh, no. It takes a lot of mental strength, health and nerves of steel. Not to mention you have to be thinking hockey 20 hours a day. I'm too old for that."

Quotes from today's Sovietsky Sport