PHILADELPHIA -- The Flyers turned the worst start in team history into a playoff berth. They forced Game 7 after a 3-2 series deficit. The Flyers simply ran out of comebacks. Just as it has in every season since winning it all in 1975, Philadelphia heads home without a Stanley Cup. The New York Rangers eliminated the Flyers with a 2-1 win in Game 7 in the first round on Wednesday, extending their championship drought to 38 seasons, the sixth-longest streak in the NHL. There was one sliver of consolation Thursday when team captain Claude Giroux was selected as a Hart Trophy finalist, the leagues MVP award. Giroux matched a career high with 28 goals and finished third in the NHL scoring race (86 points), helping the Flyers rally from a 3-9-0 start. Hes the fifth Flyer to be a finalist, joining Bobby Clarke, Eric Lindros (who both won), and goalies Pelle Lindbergh and Bernie Parent. Individual award nominations are nice, and this one was sweet for Giroux after Team Canada bypassed him for the Olympics. But they simply dont compare to the thrill of hoisting the Stanley Cup. "We do have to be proud of what we did," Giroux said. "Last place and being able to come back and get everybody back on the same page. We had a lot of fun doing it. But right now, it stings a lot we cant be in the second round." Giroux had his chance in 2010 when the Flyers reached Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals. But since that tantalizing run, theyve shown few signs of establishing themselves as a perennial contender. As they rallied from the bottom of the East all the way to the playoffs, the Flyers found two key cogs to their future are already in place: Coach Craig Berube and goalie Steve Mason. General manager Paul Holmgren made the right call when he fired Peter Laviolette after an 0-3 start and promoted the coach known as "Chief." After a small adjustment period, he had the Flyers playing as one of the top teams in the conference, leading to a 42-30-10 (94 points) finish. "We were stuck in a hole for a while and they battled out of it," Berube said. "They stuck together and went to a Game 7." Mason, the NHLs rookie of the year in 2008-09, pushed aside the doubts that lingered from Columbus that he could become a No. 1 goalie and blossomed into their goalie of the future. His mix of sensational saves and easygoing personality helped the Flyers start to erase the memories of Ilya Bryzgalov from their consciousness. "This teams a lot of fun to play with and Im looking forward to growing them in the future," Mason said. Giroux, Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek form a nice offensive nucleus. Veteran defenceman Kimmo Timonen may decide to retire, though of the rest of the D was a sore point for the Flyers, especially in the post-season when Mason faced tough shot after tough shot with little break. The Flyers might not have made the playoffs without Mason. They might have beat the Rangers with even a solid defensive effort. "At no given time were we feeling we were out of the series, or out of it this season, for that matter," Mason said. This year, the Flyers celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Broad Street Bullies team that left a lasting mark on the league, but has done nothing to get them closer to holding that third championship parade down Philadelphia. The Flyers havent advanced past the second round since the surprising Stanley Cup finals run in 2010. But a year after missing the playoffs, the Flyers at least stabilized themselves and proved that an addition or two on the blue line can push them deeper into the post-season. "Game 7. Lose 2-1. Cant get closer than that," Giroux said. "For a young team, I think its great. Its only going to make us stronger." 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Thats how the Ravens won when Ryan was their defensive co-ordinator from 2005-08, and that is precisely the formula Baltimore used to beat Ryans New York Jets on Sunday. Troy Apke Jersey . Armstrong was given the rank of "Chevalier" -- or Knight -- in the "Legion dHonneur" in 2005, the last year of his seven consecutive Tour de France victories.New Zealand were punished for showing a lack of respect to Ireland when they lost in Chicago and could be in for another shock in Saturdays rematch, according to former Lions wing Luke Fitzgerald. Joe Schmidts side delivered one of rugbys biggest shocks of the year by winning 40-29 on November 5 to end the All Blacks 18-game winning run and become the first team since South Africa in 2004 to score 40 points against them.Fitzgerald, who retired from rugby earlier this year after winning 34 caps for Ireland and one for the British and Irish Lions, said Steve Hansens world champions would be a tougher proposition on Saturday as Ireland bid to become the first side to post back-to-back victories against them since South Africa in 2009. Ireland vs New Zealand November 19, 2016, 4:45pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Do I think we can beat New Zealand again? I absolutely do, said Fitzgerald. Its a really uphill task, theyll be really hurting after that defeat in Chicago.I think they showed a little bit of arrogance there and lack of respect with some of their selections.I think theyll be really, really pumped up for this one. Id say theyll do a little bit more research behind the scenes on us. Id say they were a little bit under-cooked in that department and, from my own perspective, some of the selection mistakes that they made they wont make them again. Liam Neeson narrates Irelands 2023 Rugby World Cup bid promo.dddddddddddd Watch it here... Credit: Irish Rugby New Zealand bounced back from the loss by making 12 changes to score 10 tries in a 68-10 win over Italy last Saturday, while Ireland also played free-flowing rugby to beat Canada 52-21.The All Blacks are hoping influential second row Sam Whitelock is fit to return after injury, allowing them to move Jerome Kaino back to flanker. 6 months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price Ireland ruthlessly exploited that scrum weakness in Chicago and Fitzgerald expects a similar gameplan on Saturday.The things we did well, we can definitely do again, he said. I think the pressure we got on all around the park, the desire we showed... I think in front of a packed Aviva Stadium we can definitely do that again.Irelands standout player in Chicago, scrum-half Conor Murray, has recovered from a muscle injury and is fit to play.Watch Ireland v New Zealand live on Sky Sports 2 HD on Saturday from 4.45pm. Catch the match for £6.99 with a NOW TV pass. No contract. Also See: Ireland launches World Cup bid Payne: Henshaw has star quality Toner: All Blacks are rattled Rugby on Sky Wholesale HoodiesNFL Shirts OutletJerseys NFL WholesaleCheap NFL Jerseys Free ShippingWholesale Jerseys CheapCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaWholesale JerseysWholesale NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '