Tortorella didn't know about Red Wings score until after he pulled the goalie

It's all over for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Incidentally it's all over for the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins, as well.

The Washington Capitals clinched the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race with a 2-1 victory over the Flyers. The thing is... things could have played out so much differently. You see, the Flyers HAD to won the game in regulation time and they also needed the Red Wings to lose their game to the Montreal Canadiens in regulation time. In other words, if either the Capitals or the Red Wings earned a single point, the Flyers would be cooked. 

So, all tied up 1-1 with the Capitals and with the Red Wings trailing the Canadiens 4-3, Flyers head coach John Tortorella made the decision to pull the goalie and push for the go ahead goal in regulation. The Flyers came up short though and the Capitals managed to get an empty netter to win the game 2-1. Incidentally though, the Red Wings had tied their own game with just 3 seconds on the clock, effectively eliminating the Flyers just moments before Tortorella pulled goaltender Sam Errsson. The thing is... Torts didn't know....

Tortorella confirmed post-game that he didn't know about the score of the Red Wings game until after the Capitals scored on his team's empty net.

Check it out:

Way she goes, bud...

Way she goes...

Read below for our earlier report on this Flyers and Capitals game, published earlier this evening.

Buckle up, hockey fans... we've got a good old fashioned blown call from NHL officials this evening.

In the most important game of the season for both the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals, referee Kelly Sutherland blew the play down while the puck was still in play and before it entered the Capitals' net.

Caps goalie Charlie Lindgren made a save and the puck bounced high up in the air, but Sutherland must have thought that Lindgren had the puck in his possession because he blew the play down. The puck then fell from the air and landed behind Lindgren and into the open net. 

Check it out:

The play was reviewed but Sutherland ruled that because the 'play wasn't continuous' that the goal could not be allowed. I honestly didn't know this rule, but I guess if an official blows the play down by mistake and the puck carries into the net then it's a good goal? Honestly... I'm not sure.

What I do know though is that Flyers fans are PISSED. After all, their entire season can hang on the balance of that one blown call.