The Philadelphia Flyers might be playing a better brand of hockey, but it hasn’t resulted in many points or victories in the last week or so.
It was another close game with a dangerous opponent, but the Carolina Hurricane eked out a slim 3-2 victory with a late goal from Teuvo Teräväinen.
The Hurricanes opened the scoring with a goal from Stefan Noesen, to which the Flyers responded with quick strikes from Owen Tippett and Garnet Hathaway to end the first period. Michael Bunting tied the game on a power play strike midway through the second, setting the stage for a tied game entering the third period.
It was a see-saw affair in the final period with both teams coming up with chances aplenty but the goaltenders had all the answers. Carter Hart played well yet again but Teräväinen was able to score on a one-time feed from Jesperi Kotkaniemi with 3:45 left to play to give the Canes a lead they would never cough up. In fact, the Flyers were unable to get the puck back as Hart never made it to the bench in time for the extra attacker until the last few seconds of the game.
Hart made 31 stops, Cam York led the team with 23:50 TOI, Travis Sanheim right behind him with 23:23, and Travis Konecny led the forwards at 20:20 with Sean Couturier behind him at 20:10. Freddie Andersen made 26 saves for his 4th win, Noesen and Bunting each recorded 2 points, and the Hurricanes penalty kill was a perfect 5 for 5.
The Flyers’ home winning streak came to an end after a disappointing loss on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks. The defense looked flat and Samuel Ersson struggled to come up with a big save to keep his club in the game after they tried to mount a comeback. The Flyers entered tonight 4-3-1 to start the season but have lost 3 of their last 4 games, which included games against Dallas, Vegas, and Minnesota.
John Tortorella announced earlier Monday morning that Morgan Frost’s exile in the press box would come to an end as he would step back into the lineup in place of Ryan Poehling. The top line remained the same with Sean Couturier centering Cam Atkinson and Owen Tippett and Noah Cates, Bobby Brink and Joel Farabee remained intact as well. Frost centered Travis Konecny and Tyson Foerster, effectively taking Scott Laughton’s spot as the veteran slid to the fourth line with aggressors Nicolas Deslauriers and Garnet Hathaway.
The defense remained untouched with Travis Sanheim and Cam York at the top, Sean Walker and Egor Zamula followed, with Louie Belpedio and Nick Seeler to round things out. Victor Mete was absent as he tended to the birth of his child and Carter Hart returned in goal for his 200th start as a Flyer – 5th most in franchise history – and also in search of his 5th victory of the season.
As for the Hurricanes, they’d started out the season with a 5-4-0 record and had scored the 6th-most goals per game but uncharacteristically were 30th in goals allowed – even after a 3-0 shutout in their last game against San Jose.
Entering the game, Seth Jarvis, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Martin Nečas were tied for the team lead in points with 9, Teuvo Teräväinen followed with 8, and Brady Skjei and Jaccob Slavin each posted 7. Frederick Andersen tended the twine with a 3-0-0 record but sported a 3.38 GAA and a .875 SV% before puck drop.
FIRST PERIOD
After the Philadelphia Flyers had a breakaway opportunity from Garnet Hathaway that was stopped by Frederik Andersen, the Hurricanes were able to go the other way and find a way to beat Carter Hart for a 1-0 lead. Andrei Svechnikov suited up for only his 2nd game of the season and because of that the Hurricanes have him on the fourth line with Stefan Noesen and Jack Drury. Svechnikov adds just another element to the Hurricanes’ fourth line and was able to set up Noesen for his 2nd goal of the season.
It was kind of a broken play at the blue-line but Jack Drury was able to corral the loose puck near the blue-line and then made a move on Scott Laughton at the point to keep the puck in the zone. The puck was loose for a bit but Drury was able to tie up Nicolas Deslauriers’ stick before Dmitry Orlov found Svechnikov, who then sent it forward to Noesen who was able to slide it through the five-hole.
5:31 into the game, Brady Skjei was found guilty for a high-sticking minor to send the Flyers power play unit – one that was 3 for their last 7 – onto the ice in search of a tying goal. Unfortunately the stingy Hurricanes penalty kill swarmed the Flyers and didn’t let them get a shot on goal, let alone to be able to set up in the offensive zone.
The Flyers struggled early on as the Hurricanes didn’t let them settle in from the onset. Shots were 10-3 through the first 15 minutes, the Flyers hadn’t fired a shot on goal in close to 11 minutes, and any time they had the puck they would be swarmed in packs by white jerseys and forced to either dump it in or turn it over trying to make a pass.
However, all of that changed after the top line was able to strike after quickly jumping on a loose puck in the neutral zone.
Owen Tippett scored his 2nd of the season after Sean Couturier set him up with a slick pass at the blue-line that skipped over two Hurricanes defenders. Tippett made the run ahead as Couturier got him the puck and with so much space at his disposal, he ripped it top shelf past a bewildered Andersen with 4:51 left on the clock.
The shots were coming few and far in between but the Flyers struck on their next shot on goal almost 3 minutes later thanks to the revamped fourth line that was sparked by a Deslauriers hit and Laughton’s aggressiveness. None of the shots they took counted towards the tally but they easily created 4-5 scoring chances before Garnet Hathaway scored his first as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.
At the tail end of their shift, Deslauriers levelled a huge hit behind the Flyers goal that jumpstarted their offensive rush. Travis Sanheim dished it to Deslauriers in the neutral zone who then played pitch-and-catch with Scott Laughton at the blue-line. Deslauriers’ initial pass to Hathaway was blocked off but he picked it back up, found him at the net, and Hathaway made a nice move before sliding it though Andersen’s five-hole with 1:37 left to play.
The Flyers picked up the play with 5-6 minutes left in the period and never let up. After going 11 minutes without a shot – that then led to Tippett’s goal – the Flyers started firing on all cylinders and cashed in once again with the period winding down. The Hurricanes led the Flyers 18-3 in the face-off circle, 12-7 on the shot counter, but were being handled in hits, 11-3.
SECOND PERIOD
It looked like the fourth line for Hurricanes struck again just 3:28 into the second period. Jalen Chatfield’s point shot handcuffed Hart, which allowed Drury to pick up the rebound and finish it past the sprawling goaltender for his 2nd of the season.
However the Flyers reviewed the play for a potential offside and the referees overturned the goal after it was revealed that Noesen entered the zone before the puck.
4:32 into the period, Skjei returned to the penalty box but this time for a tripping minor against Cam Atkinson. The Flyers’ power play was stymied yet again with no shots on goal and one missing the net courtesy of Bobby Brink. A few minutes later, Nick Seeler was called for an interference minor, sending the Hurricanes on their first power play of the night.
Michael Bunting – who drew the penalty – tied it up 57 seconds into the man advantage. Laughton initially won the draw but the Hurricanes whacked at the loose puck, taking it away from Hathaway, and allowing Noesen to set up Bunting for the one-timer. Hart felt like he should’ve had that one as he was in position to make the save but it squeaked through his arm.
With 7:55 left in the middle frame, the Hurricanes were caught with too many men on the ice, sending the Flyers onto their third power play of the night. The Flyers recorded one shot on goal, which was a rather dangerous opportunity from Tyson Foerster in tight.
Shortly after the Canes killed off their third successive penalty they were found guilty of a fourth infraction, as this time Svechnikov was called for a tripping minor with 2:21 left in the period. Nothing came about once more other than a few shots, one of which reached Andersen.
The period ended with both clubs tied at 2 apiece. The Hurricanes fired 11 shots to the Flyers 9 in the period and were up 23-16 after 40. The faceoff dot belonged to Carolina as they were up 28-7, while the Flyers continued to lead the hit parade, 13-5.
THIRD PERIOD
6:43 into the third period, Jordan Staal was called for a hooking minor, handing the Orange and Black their 5th power play of the night. With their best penalty killer in the box, the Flyers not only won the faceoff but they also created several chances. Flurries in front of the net ensued but somehow the puck never crossed the line with a mass of bodies in and around the crease.
With just under 9 minutes left in regulation, Brent Burns kept the puck in with an aggressive pinch and then fed Martin Nečas, who made a few nifty moves before being robbed by the pad of Carter Hart. Then on the other end, Tyson Foerster came close to finishing off a Nick Seeler wrap-around pass attempt but Andersen stood tall to keep the puck out.
The chances were aplenty for both sides and with under 6 minutes left on the clock, Atkinson found himself on an odd-man rush and decided to shoot but was stopped by the pad of Andersen. Foerster followed that up with a hard shot from the slot that was stopped by Andersen but he lost sight of the pick as it hit his shoulder, went up in the air, and was about to bounce behind in the blue paint before the Hurricanes batted it down and away.
Unfortunately with 3:45 left to play in regulation, Teräväinen gave the Hurricanes the lead with his 8th goal of the season. A scramble in front of the net ensued, Jesperi Kotkaniemi got the puck out of Sean Walker’s skates and right to Teräväinen in the slot for a one-time blast.
The Flyers weren’t able to get Carter Hart to the bench after waiting things out with 2 minutes left and then icing the puck shortly after. They were weary, tired, and looked down after the late go-ahead goal by Teräväinen. Hart wound up on the bench with 7 seconds left but it was too little too late.
It was a valiant effort from the Flyers, who were neck and neck all game with the vaunted Hurricanes but their winless streak against Carolina was extended to 8 with this 3-2 defeat.
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