1987–88 Philadelphia Flyers season

NHLTeamSeason
Season=1987–88
Team=Philadelphia Flyers
Conference=Wales
ConferenceRank=4th
Division=Patrick
DivisionRank=3rd
Record=38–33–9
HomeRecord=20–14–6
RoadRecord=18–19–3
GoalsFor=292
GoalsAgainst=292
GeneralManager=Bob Clarke
Coach=Mike Keenan
Captain=Dave Poulin
AltCaptain=Mark Howe
Brad Marsh
Arena=The Spectrum
Attendance=17,405 [FlyersHistory.net, [http://www.flyershistory.net/cgi-bin/attend.cgi All Time Team Attendance] ]
GoalsLeader=Rick Tocchet (31)
AssistsLeader=Brian Propp (49)
PointsLeader=Murray Craven (70)
Brian Propp (70)
PIMLeader=Rick Tocchet (299)
PlusMinusLeader=Kjell Samuelsson (+28)
WinsLeader=Ron Hextall (30)
GAALeader=Ron Hextall (3.51)The 1987–88 Philadelphia Flyers season was the Philadelphia Flyers 21st season in the National Hockey League (NHL).

The Flyers stumbled in 1987–88, finishing third in the Patrick Division (after a first-place finish the previous three years). Ron Hextall scored a goal on December 8, 1987 versus the Boston Bruins, the first time a goaltender shot the puck into the opposing team's net. In their first round playoff series with the Washington Capitals, the Flyers blew a 3–1 series lead as Washington forced a Game 7. They then blew a 3–0 lead in Game 7 as Washington won in overtime 5–4. It was because of this playoff collapse that head coach Mike Keenan was fired. Paul Holmgren was named Keenan's replacement, the first time a former Flyer was named the club's head coach.

Regular season

The season was one of many ups and downs. With Ron Hextall lost to an eight-game suspension to start the year after slashing Kent Nilsson in the Stanley Cup Finals, Tim Kerr lost indefinitely with a shoulder problem, and Brad McCrimmon traded to Calgary over a salary dispute, the club limped to a 3–6–2 record in October.

The free-fall continued until late November. After blowing a 4–1 lead into a 6–4 loss to the Islanders at home, the Flyers were at 6–13–3. However, just as quickly, the club rebounded with a 14-game unbeaten streak (12–0–2). The run was highlighted by Hextall's goal, a game-winning two-man short tally by Murray Craven in Winnipeg, and a post-Christmas comeback win in Landover against the Capitals.

A 6–0–1 run through late February and early March saw Rick Tocchet post three hat tricks in a span of four games (Detroit, at Los Angeles, at Vancouver). On February 23, the club set a still-standing franchise record with 11 goals in an amazing 11–6 win in Detroit, including a team-record 7 third-period goals.

After a 7–3 win over the Canucks March 1, the Flyers finished the year in free-fall due to almost daily injuries, going 4–11–2, ending up the lower seed in a second-place tie with Washington. Kerr returned to the lineup finally on March 10, but was unable to find his range before the playoffs began.

eason standings

Game log

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Playoffs

Game log

Player stats

katers

"Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes"

Transactions

The Flyers were involved in the following transactions before/during the 1987–88 season.

Trades

Draft picks

Philadelphia's picks at the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. [hockeydb.com, [http://hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl1987e.html 1987 NHL Entry Draft] ] [hockeydb.com, [http://hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl1987s.html 1987 NHL Supplemental Draft] ]

Farm teams

The Flyers were affiliated with the Hershey Bears of the AHL and the Flint Spirits of the IHL. [FlyersHistory.net, [http://www.flyershistory.net/cgi-bin/otheraffiliates.cgi Non-AHL Affiliates] ] Led by the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award winner as coach of the year (John Paddock), the Eddie Shore Award winner as top defenseman (Dave Fenyves), and the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as top goaltender (Wendell Young), Hershey finished first in their division and swept their way through the playoffs with a 12–0 record to a Calder Cup championship. Young was given the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as playoff MVP. [FlyersHistory.net, [http://www.flyershistory.net/cgi-bin/ml-season.cgi?1987-88 AHL Season Overview: 1987–88] ] In their only season as a Flyers affiliate, Flint finished fourth in the playoffs and lost in the finals to the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in six games.

ee also

*1987–88 NHL season

References

*General: [http://www.flyershistory.net/cgi-bin/season.cgi?1987-88 1987–88 Flyers season] on FlyersHistory.net
*Regular season game log: [http://www.flyershistory.net/cgi-bin/games.cgi?1987-88 Philadelphia Flyers regular season game log] on FlyersHistory.net
*Playoffs game log: [http://www.flyershistory.net/cgi-bin/poffs.cgi Philadelphia Flyers playoffs game log] on FlyersHistory.net