After squeaking out a win in a shootout in Vancouver, the Philadelphia Flyers fell 6-3 to the Calgary Flames. The goal scorers for the Flyers were Travis Konecny (2) and Joel Farabee. Ivan Fedotov finished the game with a .839 SV% and a 5.12 GAA. Despite the glaring score and goaltender’s numbers, the Flyers were a lot better on the ice than some of the results would suggest.
First Period
Shots: 19-9 Flyers
Score: 2-0 Flames
As frustrating as it can get for a first period, on the road, on the heels of the back to back games. The Flyers largely controlled play. While every shot was not graded as a high danger scoring chance, they were also severely outshooting their opponent. Tyson Foerster generated some chances completely on his own, but Calgary’s netminder had plans to stay tight across the evenings game.
Things had taken a strange turn, or bounce, when a puck ricocheted off of Jonathan Huberdeau to give the Flames the 1-0 lead just about 5 minutes into the game. Egor Zamula got completely outworked behind the net, and then the puck ended up behind their net. While the goal was not on Fedotov, there is some accountability to be taken by Zamula.
Turning the page, the Flyers responded well. Travis Sanheim and Morgan Frost connected on a nice rebound opportunity, but nothing would give. Unfortunately, the Flyers began to tilt again. Just 2 minutes after the goal, Ryan Poehling would take a regretful tripping penalty.
The game went to a temporary 4v3. For context, Konecny and Brayden Pachal went to the box for slashing one another. The Flames did not burn this chance, and were able to take the 2-0 lead with a rocket from MacKenzie Weegar. While the first goal was not on Fedotov, this was the kind of goal he would want back.
For the rest of the period, it was more or less Matvei Michkov doing everything he could to help the Flyers score. Michkov created a slick feed to Farabee right after the 2nd goal, but Farabee was unable to get off a threating shot from his backhand. Then, the Konecny – Frost – Michkov line connected for some opportunities before going to their first power play of the night.
The power play was a mix. It seemed like everyone not named Michkov struggled with the puck. Namely entering the zone, and getting their unit set up were their biggest challenges. The powerplay would expire, but Michkov’s unrelenting prowess for the puck did not. Michkov stripped Nazem Kadri in center us and sent Konecny streaking with some space around the left circle. Disappointedly, he was unable to convert. It looked like he wanted to pass back but failed to account for the fact that the pass was never really there, so by the time he got the shot off, the goalie was square.
Second Period
Shots: 31-16 Flyers
Score: 3-2 Flames
The Flyers returned to the 2nd period with an expiring powerplay. Despite some great work between Michkov and Frost, they were unable to find a way to score a goal. There chances would continue, with Joel Farabee getting a look off the rush and a slick feed from Rasmus Ristolainen to Sean Couturier, but nothing would budge.
Again, the Flyers would take a penalty barely after the 5 minute mark of the 2nd period. It would be Poehling to the box (again), for interference. This time though, it would not be the penalty kill, but the power kill that struck. Erik Johnson flipped the puck out to a streaking Konecny, who powered through the ice with the 2 on 1 advantage with Scott Laughton. The pair, who were one of the most dangerous duos last year on the penalty kill, would strike again in fashion. The lead was cut to 2-1 with 12:55 remaining in the period.
Just 2 minutes after the goal, Morgan Frost got absolutely crushed along the boards, and while he returned to the game, he was clearly not 100%
Frost would return to the game, and bells would continue to get rung. Foerster immediately went after and fought Martin Pospíšil after he laid out Jamie Drysdale at center ice. The Flyers would snowball a bit, with Travis Sanheim taking an untimely penalty to put the Flyers in a 5v3 situation for 43 seconds.
Despite an excellent faceoff win and clear by Noah Cates, the Flames would score again, reclaiming a 2-goal lead with 5:19 remaining. Ristolainen was drawn in behind the net and left Kadri wide open in the slot.
Fedotov was forced to make some big saves to keep the game within reach on the power play. This gave the Flyers just a little bit of life to try to cut the lead down again.
With just 1:49 left in the period, Farabee would score the Flyers’ third goal. Couturier made a nice bump pass to Bobby Brink, who sauced a pass from the far right boards to create a tap-in goal for #86.
Third Period
Shots: 40-32 Flyers
Score: 6-3 Flames
In the third period, Drysdale got crunched again, and Farabee would be the one to step up this time. Although his loyalty to his teammate was endearing, Blake Coleman was just looking to goad Joel into taking an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Farabee dropped his gloves and the Flames forward skated away. The ref seemed like he saw what was going on and decided to let things go.
Unlike the first two periods of the game, the Flyers were badly outplayed. The Flames outshot the Flyers 16-9 in the 3rd period. On the back-end of the back-to-back, the team was clearly gassed. There last true opportunity to tie things up came on a sequence on the power play. Michkov fed a wide open Konecny on the backdoor, but he was tied up and was unable to finish the chance that would have tied the game.
Later, the Flames would go down the ice on a 2 on 1 where they would re-extend their lead to 4-2.
Not too long after that, the Flames would find the back of the net again to push the lead to 5-2.
Although the game was all but over, Matvei Michkov earned his first point in the NHL. With the extra attacker on the ice, Frost, from the right circle, sent the puck by the goal line where Michkov would quickly send it back to Konecny who would make no mistake here. It was an excellent tic-tac-toe play by the trio.
Nazem Kadri would score the empty netter, icing the game with a 6-3 final score.
Observations
– The Flyers’ power play continues to score, going 1/4 in last night’s game. The penalty kill experienced some challenges though, going 3/5.
– The Flyers’ “top line” of Konecny – Frost – Michkov seemed to be their most effective forward group of the night.
– Tyson Foerster was one of the other best forwards of the night, despite not scoring a goal. While it may have built some team chemistry to stick up for his teammate, you have to wonder if getting pulled out of the 2nd period cost the Flyers some much needed offense.
– Too many unnecessary penalties really buried the Flyers. It is early in the year, but they need to clean this area up.
– The bottom-4 defensemen continue to struggle. Be on the look out for Emil Andrae and what pairings John Tortorella decides on for next game.
Up Next
The Flyers’ next game will be on Tuesday night on the road against the Edmonton Oilers (10:00pm ET; ESPN).
