It probably wasn’t wise betting against Philadelphia — not in 2018, the year of the Eagles and Villanova.
The Panthers learned that lesson on Saturday as they were eliminated from playoff contention before they even took the ice.
The Panthers, who elevated themselves from 28th in the NHL to — at one point — a team that had a 75 percent probability to reach the playoffs, were mathematically eliminated when the Philadelphia Flyers routed the New York Rangers 5-0 on Saturday afternoon.
Florida’s remaining games — at home on Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres and at the Boston Bruins on Sunday — were rendered meaningless as far as the playoffs.