Tonight’s game started with a lot of great chances and a frustrating finish to the first period. However, once the Philadelphia Flyers started scoring, they never looked back. They outshot the Boston Bruins 24-14, Sam Ersson was strong, and the kids showed up. It was an all-around great game and a fun one to watch.
FIRST PERIOD
The Bobby Brink Show
For a guy who has to put it all on the line, Bobby Brink sure did show up that first half of the period. He started his night with a cross-ice pass to a streaking Travis Sanhiem for a mini-break, who couldn’t finish trying to go far post or five-hole.
The Flyers ended up getting the first power play shortly after this sequence, and the first power play unit was disappointing. Deflating, even, but that second unit had the urgency. Tippett gained control of the zone by carrying and stick handling through the middle of the ice. Brink would throw his second cross-ice pass of the night, but this time to Noah Cates who was unable to finish the chance.
Fortunately, they drew another power play just six minutes into the game. On this power play, it was Tyson Foerster seaming a cross-ice pass to Cam Atkinson, who too could not convert.
Boston eventually found more control late in the period, earning a power play with five minutes remaining in the period. They wasted no time executing a nice sequence with a behind the back pass from Charlie Coyle to Morgan Geekie streaking down the slot, who scored high-glove on Sam Ersson.
The Flyers then got another opportunity on the powerplay, which the squandered, and began to fall apart defensively in the final minutes of what was originally a great period for them.
1-0 Bruins
Shots 7-4 Flyers
SECOND PERIOD
Goals in Bunches
Good news here, the Flyers score a minute into the second period. It took a weird bounce from Morgan Frost to Owen Tippett lead to Cam Atkinson catching the puck in front of the net and scoring on his backhand. 1-1 Flyers.
However, they weren’t done just yet. Just under a minute after their first goal, Travis Konecny made one count off of another fluky play courtesy of Morgan Frost. Nevertheless, Konecny settled the puck and snipped one five hole from inside the right circle. 2-1 Flyers.
The Flyers went back on the powerplay thanks to the showman of the night, Bobby Brink. His vision is unreal, and he threw a low, hard shot to Konecny to deflect in front the goalie, but was unsuccessful. Half way through the period, the Flyers earned their second penalty of the night, and this one was important as they restored the lead to 2-1 in the beginning of the period.
Fortunately for everyone, they did a clean job of killing it. Philadelphia didn’t give Boston much and regularly cleared the puck till the penalty expired. And oh boy, did the Flyers make them pay. A bomb from Ronnie Attard at the blue line ricocheted off of Joel Farabee, and the Flyers were suddenly up 3-1.
3-1 Flyers
Shots 16-9 Flyers
THIRD PERIOD
Strong Closing
The Flyers had a fine start, and the Frost line continued to create more chances. The did however, go back to the penalty kill just five minutes into the period.
Philadelphia did a great job of killing the Bruins power play though and even created a 2-on-1 opportunity with Couturier and Atkinson. Despite it not turning into anything, the Flyers were killing valuable time for Boston.
Speaking of Couturier, he is beginning to seem more and more like himself. He created a couple more nifty passes this third period. Much of the period had been in favor to the Flyers, who needed a strong closing.
Boston would put on heavy pressure in the last minute with the goalie pulled, but Ersson stood tall in net. I did not mention him enough through the periods, but he was stellar.
Yes, the Flyers largely outshot Boston most of the night, but if Ersson let in that second goal, this team would have been playing a lot differently. With that, the Flyers were able to close this one out in a 3-1 final at the Wells Fargo Center.
Final Score: 3-1 Flyers
Shots 25-14 Flyers
GAME NOTES
– Owen Tippett, Morgan Frost, Cam York, Sam Ersson, Sean Couturier, Cam Atkinson, and Bobby Brink were my personal standouts.
– Sean Couturier looked very much himself tonight, and creating a 2-on-1 off a penalty should all but confirm that.
– You have to wonder what happens with Tyson Foerster. There’s still time, but Bobby Brink is outplaying him right now.
UP NEXT
The Flyers close out their preseason schedule on Thursday night at 7:00pm ET against the New York Islanders at Wells Fargo Center.
2024 Stadium Series Trip
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