Big Sports Week Ahead
Philly sports fan get a day to rest before the three local teams get back into action on Tuesday night.
The Flyers head into the last week of the regular season tied with the Washington Capitals for the overall Eastern Conference point lead. Both teams have three games left with teams that have been or just about to be eliminated from playoff consideration. The Flyers travel to Ottawa tomorrow night, Buffalo on Friday before finishing the regular season Sunday at home against the Islanders. Buffalo currently holds the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals head to Toronto tomorrow night before ending the season with a home and home series against Florida. The Maple Leafs trail the New York Rangers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East by five points.
The Sixers, fresh off clinching a playoff appearance on Friday night when the beat the New Jersey Nets at home, will finish the season playing four of their last five games on the home court. The only road game is on Tuesday in Boston. If the season where to end today, Philadelphia would take on Boston in an opening round playoff match up. Wednesday night the New York Knicks come to town. The Sixers have a game and a half lead over New York for the sixth playoff spot. The Sixers then host Toronto on Friday night, Orlando on Monday, then finish with Detroit on Wednesday evening.
Finally, the fast start from a team with great expectations has just added fuel to the "fun fire" in the area. The Philadelphia Phillies will take out the hot bats and great pitching when the New York Mets come to the Bank on Tuesday night for a three game series. In the season opening series sweep of the Houston Astros, the pitching was as advertised. Roy Halladay was effective in a no decision on opening day. Cliff Lee returned with an 11 strike out performance Saturday night and Roy Oswalt gave up two runs while striking out six in six inning of work on Sunday. Ryan Howard has seven hits in his first 13 at bats this season that include a Home Run and six RBI's. Ben Francisco is doing his best to make the Philly faithful forget about Jayson Werth Francisco has six hits, a HR and ten total bases to start the season. But the big news is Jimmy Rollins. J-Roll had six hits and drew two walks over the weekend. And he has his legs back. Hampered by nagging injuries over the past two seasons, Rollins had a big stolen base in the ninth inning in Friday afternoons come from behind win. Add to that a huge defensive play behind Oswalt in Sunday as well. So now it's the Mets with Hammels, Blanton and Halliday slated to pitch for Philadelphia.
