The Philadelphia Flyers have officially removed the statue of Kate Smith from its location outside their arena and will no longer play Smith's rendition of "God Bless America" at games, the team announced in a statement on Sunday.

This follows the New York Yankees' decision to suspend the use of Smith's rendition of "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch while they investigate an allegation of racism against the late singer.

The New York Daily News reported Thursday there are conflicting claims about Smith's 1939 song "That's Why Darkies Were Born." The song originated in the 1931 Broadway revue "George White's Scandals" and was considered satire, but it includes racist language. It was recorded by Smith and also by Paul Robeson, who was black.

The Flyers released the following statement on Sunday:

"The Flyers have enjoyed a long and popular relationship with 'God Bless America,' as performed by the late Kate Smith, a woman who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor for her patriotic contributions to our nation.

"But in recent days, we learned that several of the songs Kate Smith performed in the 1930s include lyrics and sentiments that are incompatible with the values of our organization, and evoke painful and unacceptable themes."

The Flyers quoted team president Paul Holmgren as saying: "The NHL principle 'Hockey is for Everyone' is at the heart of everything the Flyers stand for. As a result, we cannot stand idle while material from another era gets in the way of who we are today."

The Flyers considered Smith's live performance of "God Bless America" before Game 6 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Final to be good luck. Philadelphia beat Boston in that game to win its first of back-to-back Cups.

Hockey players are conditioned to think that winning the Stanley Cup means going through the best teams to be the best team.

That doesn't mean they are blind to some of the inequalities of the NHL's current divisional playoff format. An Associated Press/Canadian Press survey of NHLPA representatives from all 31 teams shows that almost half favor changing the format -- and most support going back to seeding the Eastern and Western Conferences 1 through 8, the structure that was used from 1994-2013.

This is the sixth playoffs where each division's top three teams and a wild card are bracketed together with no reseeding by round. A year ago, Nashville and Winnipeg finished first and second in the league in points and had to meet in the second round. The same thing happened with Washington and Pittsburgh in 2017.

"It's kind of tough the fact that a lot of good teams are going out first or second rounds," Columbus defenseman David Savard said. "I think maybe we need to look back at maybe 1 against 8 and play that format."

Savard was among 15 players (48.4%) who said the divisional format should be changed. Seven (22.6%) said it should stay the same and the other nine (29%) were noncommittal. The players were surveyed March 7-April 4, before the playoff matchups for this year were fully set.

The NHL went to back to a divisional structure similar to what it used from 1982-93 in large part to create or revive rivalries. Toronto and Boston are meeting in the first round for the second consecutive year, while the Capitals and Penguins met in the playoffs three times in a row.

There is little doubt those teams dislike each other a lot more now than they did before this playoff format.

"I think it's good for the rivalries," said New Jersey goaltender Cory Schneider, who supports the current format. "I think it's good for the teams seeing each other year after year. You can cry what's fair or not fair, the two best teams meeting in the second round, but it's going to be great hockey one way or another. I think that's the best part about the playoffs is that it's a two-month gladiator event where everyone just beats the crap out of each other."

Presidents' Trophy winner Tampa Bay losing in the first round to eighth-seeded Columbus is more of a Lightning problem than a format problem. If the Lightning had gotten past the Blue Jackets, a potential second-round series against the Bruins would have guaranteed to knock out one of the top three teams in the league before the conference finals.

Travel is the biggest concern among players when it comes to a playoff format, and it's much more of an issue in the spread-out West. Grouping by divisions is designed to limit those issues, but the wild-card system means a team like Nashville could have to face a team from California, Vancouver, Edmonton or Calgary in the first round if it lines up that way.

"The biggest issue is probably the travel for the Western Conference," said Predators defenseman Yannick Weber, who did not indicate a preference either way for changing the format. "If we have to go to California for each round and Eastern teams have a little bit of an easier schedule, I think that's the only downside from it."

The most equitable format is seeding playoff teams 1 through 16, which the NHL tried in 1981 and 1982. The potential for cross-continent travel in each round is the biggest impediment to making that leap.

The Southern Professional Hockey League has tested a "challenge round" format where the top three seeds in each conference get to pick their first-round opponent from seeds 5-8. Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle suggested that for the NHL in a recent interview with Sportsnet in Canada.

A pick-your-opponent format would create plenty of bulletin-board material for lower-seeded teams. But in a sport where matchup advantages, injuries and momentum matter more than the results of an 82-game regular season, it could silence complaints that the current format devalues everything from October through March.

"It almost gets to a point that the regular season doesn't really mean anything because you see those divisions, there's such a big difference between them," Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang said. "If you have to cross over and now you're facing an easier division because you're a wild card, doesn't seem to be fair for me. The whole regular season needs to have a bigger effect on the playoffs."

That's where the argument comes in that the NHL should move to a play-in system like baseball, perhaps where the Nos. 7 and 10 seeds and Nos. 8 and 9 seeds in each conference play once to see who gets in. That would theoretically give more of a boost to the top two teams in the East and West.

Colorado's Ian Cole, who played twice in the recent Penguins-Capitals playoff trilogy, supports the division rivalry format because it's doing what it intended: generate interest.

"We were actually talking about it the other day in the locker room: As much as you'd like to see one through eight or one through 16, then you're having Calgary playing Florida, for instance, in the first round," Cole said. "Does that move the needle, as opposed to Boston versus Montreal, which certainly does move the needle?"

This format is locked in through at least next season.

"I think there was some good thought behind it and yeah, sure, there are going to be some divisions stronger than others," he said. "Some teams are going to get left out because of that or get in because of that," Cole said. "It's one of those things that this is the current format and we work with it the best we can."

The first round is shaping up to be a beauty; besides the early upsets of the No. 1-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning and Calgary Flames, we're already locked in for at least two Game 7s after the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks staved off elimination Sunday.

Here's a recap of Sunday night's action (check out replays of every playoff game on ESPN+) and what to watch for on Monday night in today's edition of ESPN Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily:

Jump ahead: Last night's games | Three Stars
Play of the night | Today's games | Social post of the day

About last night ...

Game 6: Boston Bruins 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 2 (series tied 3-3) Boston versus Toronto in a Game 7? Yeah, this one felt inevitable. The Maple Leafs haven't made it past the first round in 15 years, and it would have been sweet to get over the hump in front of a jacked-up home crowd on Sunday afternoon. But after scoring the opening goal, the Leafs were outworked by Boston, especially in a 16-shot second period. The Bruins' power play (two more goals on Sunday) looks especially dangerous lately. Though the Bruins ousted the Maple Leafs last year in Game 7 on home ice, the players insist they have no mental advantage. And perhaps no home-ice advantage, either: After all, Toronto has played well in Boston, taking two games in this series.

Game 6: San Jose Sharks 2, Vegas Golden Knights 1 (2OT) (series tied 3-3). Tomas Hertl guaranteed a Game 7 back at the Shark Tank, and his goal in double overtime ended what so far has been the longest game of the playoffs. Just call him Tomas Messier. How on Earth did the Sharks win this game? They were outshot 59-29. Vegas had home ice and momentum. And yet Martin Jones showed up when it mattered, setting a franchise record for saves with 58. A bright spot for Vegas? Jonathan Marchessault's goal, his line's first even-strength tally of the series. The Golden Knights dominated for a lot of the night and should have been able to score more.

Three Stars

1. Martin Jones, G, San Jose Sharks: It was starting to look like the Sharks wouldn't be able to go far in these playoffs because they had a huge weakness in net. On Sunday, Jones proved he still has the capacity to steal a game, and he definitely stole this one.

2. Tomas Hertl, C, San Jose Sharks: Not only did he make good on his word, but Hertl became the first player in NHL history to score a short-handed winner in a game that required multiple overtimes.

3. Brad Marchand, LW, Boston Bruins: His power-play goal was an important pivot point for the Bruins in this game. His empty-netter was a distillation of pure will and sealed it. The top-line winger had three points total in a do-or-die game.

Play of the night

The goal that kept the Sharks alive.

Dud of the night

Canadian teams. Toronto is Canada's last hope, and it blew a chance to clinch a series at home, with a passionate fan base swarming the streets to cheer it on. If the Maple Leafs don't win Game 7, Canada will officially extend its Stanley Cup drought to 26 years.

On the schedule

Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes, Game 6, 7 p.m. ET (Capitals lead series 3-2)

The Capitals won one for T.J. Oshie (who is likely out for the rest of the playoffs after undergoing surgery on his collarbone) and, more importantly, reverted back to their old selves after a brief identity crisis in Raleigh. Nicklas Backstrom has been a goal-scoring machine; can he keep it up as the series moves back to Raleigh? For the Canes, Andrei Svechnikov (concussion protocol after his fight with Alex Ovechkin in Game 3) says he's aiming to be back for Game 6. We'll see. The Canes looked frazzled in Game 5 and could use some home cooking.

Nashville Predators at Dallas Stars, Game 6, 8:30 p.m. ET (Stars lead series 3-2)

Maybe all you need to win in the playoffs is a strong goalie, one red-hot line and some confidence. That's the recipe the Stars used in Game 5 to put the Predators on the brink of elimination. Dallas' D has been solid, limiting Nashville to 11 goals in five games. And though Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov and Jamie Benn were stars in Game 5, there's plenty of offense to go around for Dallas, which is something we didn't see in the regular season. Nashville feels stale. Their special teams need to improve (especially the power play, which has been dreadful all season), but the Preds need help getting the puck out of their own zone, and just scoring goals, plain and simple.

Social post of the day

Vegas playoff games are still very much a scene.

Is...is that @LilJon watching the game with @GordonRamsay??

��YYYYEEEEEAAAAAHHHH!!! pic.twitter.com/A9vuZXuhAS

- x-Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) April 21, 2019

Quotable

"The ice has been terrible there, so we might as well play with a tennis ball, skate around and see who can bounce one in the net." -- Brad Marchand has not been shy about his displeasure of the ice conditions this spring at Boston's TD Garden. Maybe home-ice advantage isn't an advantage at all.

Chelsea forward Gonzalo Higuain has said he is at a stage in his life when he is immune to criticism and regrets having felt like a prisoner because of it earlier in his career.

Higuain has received criticism for failure to help Argentina win a major trophy, while he also left Napoli to join arch-rivals Juventus in 2016.

"I always regretted hiding, not going out on the street for fear of what people might say," he told ESPN Argentina TV show Hablemos de futbol. "There are people who cause so much pain and do so many bad things and yet they go out there showing their faces without shame,

"And we, who don't kill anyone, who do things well, who only play a sport, why can't we go out? Once I started to understand this, I started to go out, to live life more. I am grateful for it because life just goes by and suddenly you are 40 or 50 and you can't go back. I live better."

Higuain is playing in his 12th season playing in Europe. He retired from international football last month after scoring 31 goals in 75 international appearances for Argentina.

Higuain was part of the sides which suffered defeats in the finals of the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 Copa America and the 2016 Copa America Centenario -- famously spurning chances in all three.

Asked about the criticism that followed, the 31-year-old said: "I suffered. Even if you don't look at social media, it still reaches you. I'm now at a stage in my life when nothing hurts.

"I've played in the best leagues, the best teams, in three World Cups and in the Copa America. It no longer affects me what people say. I have overcome it. When I was young, I didn't imagine that I would achieve 10 percent of what I have. Why am I going to worry what they say?"

LIVERPOOL, England -- Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted he doesn't know whether all of his players care enough after the 4-0 hammering by Everton.

United slumped to their sixth defeat in eight games after a dismal display at Goodison Park, leaving their top-four hopes hanging by a thread ahead of home games against Manchester City and Chelsea.

Asked afterwards whether he believed his players cared enough to play for the club, Solskjaer, who said members of his squad need a "reality check" on Friday, said: "I don't know.

"You've got to ask them. I've asked them, you're not going get the answer from me but if you want to play at this club it has to mean more.

"We can't change the whole squad. One step at a time. I'm going to be successful here and there are players that won't be part of that."

- Ratings: Pogba, Martial abject at Everton

Solskjaer apologised to United supporters who travelled to Goodison Park after they continued singing throughout the 90 minutes despite watching their biggest Premier League defeat since 2016. The Norwegian will have to lift his players quickly with City visiting Old Trafford on Wednesday followed by a home game against Chelsea four days later.

"That's the biggest incentive we can have, Old Trafford at home in front of our fantastic fans," Solskjaer said.

"They were unbelievable again and they never, ever moaned at our players which they could have. They've been supportive and I'm sure they will be on Wednesday night.

"We've got to focus on these two games. We're still in with a chance to get the points we need for the top four so sometimes, it sounds too easy to say but we have to look forward. You cannot dwell too much on this."

Everton were completely dominant and the 4-0 scoreline didn't flatter Marco Silva's side after registering 15 shots and eight on target. United forced Jordan Pickford into just one save and also ran 8km less than Everton -- a statistic that prompted Solskjaer to lay into his players' fitness.

"A basic thing in a team performance is running," Solskjaer said.

"Our fitness is nowhere near good enough.

"We've been chasing results and are close to the top four and never envisaged being so close when we came in but maybe it's caught up with us.

"We all know to win games of football, it's basics, and fitness is nothing to do with talent."

Solskjaer went over to the travelling fans and apologised after the match -- and former United captain Gary Neville laid into the side following a woeful afternoon.

"I'm furious with the fact that he's [Solskjaer] had to go over to apologise to the fans," Neville said.

"I've often said that if clubs have got weeds in the garden, you've got to get rid of them. There are some Japanese knot weeds at that football club and it's attacking the foundations of the house and needs dealing with properly.

"The fans are not going to turn on Ole. The players have their heads on the line."

"It was embarrassing watching some of those Manchester United players out there today. I have full belief in Ole with what he needs to do. The club will fully support him. That performance today was rancid."

Asked to name which players he believed were a problem, Neville said: "I don't need to name names. They know who they are. They are in the papers every day and are on social media.

"I've fallen into the trap of talking about talent. Forget it if they don't work hard enough."

Information from Reuters was used in this report.