Canadiens 9, Flyers 3: Six feet under

The Flyers needed a win Tuesday night in Montreal. They got their eighth loss in a row in an almost Vigneault-esque, pear-shaped gong show to Montreal, putting any hopes of a late season resurgence to the playoffs to rest.

The Basics

First period: 1:05- Juraj Slafkovsky (Mike Matheson, Cole Caufield) Second period: 8:43- Juraj Slafkovsky (Nick Suzuki, Mike Matheson), 10:44- Brendan Gallagher (Johnathan Kovacevic, Jordan Harris), 11:22- Juraj Slafkovsky (David Savard), 12:42- Josh Anderson (Jordan Harris, Tanner Pearson), 15:27- Christian Dvorak (Jordan Harris) Third period: 4:54- Ryan Poehling (Owen Tippett, Erik Johnson), 10:06- Christian Dvorak (Rafael Harvey-Pinard), 11:19- Brendan Gallagher (Joel Armia, Johnathan Kovacevic), 15:05- Joel Farabee (Olle Lycksell, Noah Cates), 17:07- Ryan Poehling (Erik Johnson, Owen Tippett), 18:17- Joel Armia (Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook) SOG: 35 (PHI) -- 31 (MON)

Some takeaways

No vengeance, no lead

The last time the Flyers played the Canadiens it included a rather gutless, exceedingly cheap shot on Travis Konecny when he was slashed by Kaiden Guhle who was on Montreal\'s bench. But with both Guhle and fellow Habs defenseman Arber Xhekaj out of the lineup, the Flyers face a weaker blueline. Given the streak of losses they need all the help possible. Montreal misses a great chance about 10 seconds in before Juraj Slafjovsky on a deflection puts this game in jeopardy 65 seconds in as Ersson has to look through three Flyers to see the puck.

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The Flyers look to be out of it like most of the previous 21 periods. A chance for Joel Farabee misses the net but Philadelphia can\'t put any string of quality shifts together for any smidgeon of momentum. Morgan Frost manages to get a good shot that Montreal goalie Sam Montembeault snags between his arm and chest.

Konecny involved

Although he has not been scoring, Travis Konecny gets some life into the Flyers with a huge check on Mike Matheson. The Flyers the watch the Canadiens make two flubs in their own zone but no forecheck quick enough to capitalize. A Montreal minor penalty for too many men results in a good chance for Montreal spoiled. With under five minutes to go in the first Owen Tippett gets a fantastic chance that Montembeault stops. A high stick on Tyson Foerster is uncalled but at this point that might be a blessing. Montreal applies lots of pressure but Nick Seeler blocks a shot after Sam Ersson looks like a fish out of water as the Canadiens fail to make it 2-0.

Signs of legs, signs of life?

The Flyers start the second much like the first, fortunately putting a little bit of pressure in Montreal\'s zone but with the heart, legs and mind not working in tandem it seems. One quick transition has Bobby Brink feeding Frost but his backhand is again stopped. Moments later things open up with Ersson and Montembeault making saves on quality shots. Sean Couturier (marking his return) feeds Cam York but that\'s stopped. Roughly nine minutes into the second the Flyers fall apart in their own end with both Nick Seeler and Scott Laughton laughably going after Nick Suzuki who feeds an open Slafkovsky to make it 2-0.

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It gets worse, so much worse

After making it 3-0 on a goal by Brendan Gallagher, Juraj Slafkovsky ends up with a hat trick to put the Flyers out of their two-week misery. Flyers down by four.

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Make it five.

https://twitter.com/TSN_Sports/status/1777857861311201657

The Flyers have checked out mentally and physically as John Tortorella switches Ersson for Ivan Fedotov. The Canadiens welcome Fedotov the same way they greeted Ersson. A half-dozen for the Habs after Christian Dvorak, returning from a lengthy injury, scores his fourth of the season. That\'s five goals in just under seven minutes of play.

https://twitter.com/nhl_goal_bot/status/1777860443685491165

20 minutes of mercy? Nah

With the Flyers figuratively pissing all over themselves and the league not allowing a running clock for 20 minutes, the Flyers put the puck near the goal line a few times but don\'t break the shutout. Ryan Poehling breaks the goose egg after he roofs the puck over Montembeault.

https://twitter.com/nhl_goal_bot/status/1777868247016132835 Just when you think the horror has ended the Canadiens get their seventh, this time Dvorak with his second of the night to make it 7-1. Brendan Gallagher makes it 8-1 with his second of the night. An official picks up a Flyers jersey that was tossed onto the ice.

https://twitter.com/scottmatla/status/1777870181991141538

The Flyers make it 8-2 with Joel Farabee getting his 50th point of the season on an unassisted goal.

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Moments later Ryan Poehling scores again after Erik Johnson gets his second assist of the night to make it 8-3. But the Canadiens get their fifth insurance goal with two minutes left to make it 9-3. The officials stop the clock with 6.9 seconds left despite Montembeault playing the puck. Now it\'s over. The game. The playoff dream.

Talking Points