The Flyers win? Again? That’s points in their last ten as the Flyers continue to find ways to win games. Let’s take a journey together and see how we got there this afternoon.
First Period
The Sean Couturier line got the game off to a strong start for the Flyers, dominating the Ducks in the offensive zone for the opening minute. Carter Hart would be tested just seconds later though as Adam Henrique escaped for a breakaway. Henrique went for the shot and Hart flashed the leather with a beautiful glove save. Fun start to this game that’s for sure.
The good times kept coming as Michael Raffl made a fantastic play along the board to protect the puck, then center it right to the tape of Phil Varone who made no mistake. The Other Phil gave the Flyers the 1-0 lead less than five minutes in, and that goal was the epitome of the Ducks season. Their defensive struggles are no joke, and it bit them hard on this goal.
Raffl finds Varone and the Flyers strike first! pic.twitter.com/nHv6H9LOmc
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) February 9, 2019
The Ducks would make a charge after the goal however, getting their cycle game going and picking apart the Flyers defense. Hart would be up to the task however like the best boy he is, and keep the Flyers up by one. It’s been said so many times, but Hart’s overall calmness in net has been a treat to watch. It’s something we haven’t seen in Philadelphia in quite some time, and man is it fun.
Even with the Ducks rebounding, it would be the orange and black picking up the game’s second goal. Sean Couturier received a tricky pass from Robert Hagg that he somehow sniped by Chad Johnson to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead. This was Couturier’s 23rd goal of the season, as he continues to assure us all that last year was indeed not a fluke. If he finishes strong, we could very well be watching the Selke Trophy winner for the 2018-19 season.
Couturier off both posts and in! pic.twitter.com/l6WjEtFswG
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) February 9, 2019
Oskar Lindblom would take a tripping penalty seconds later but the Ducks may as well have declined it, because Michael Raffl netted his second goal of the period with a short-handed goal making it 3-0 Flyers. Laughton made a spectacular stretch pass to Raffl, who made no mistake. I think they unleashed some frustration from the Kings game in a big way. This was a “should win” game for the Flyers, and they certainly opened the game with the intentions of making sure that happened.
Raffl scores shorthanded! pic.twitter.com/61QIvfuLPV
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) February 9, 2019
The Flyers fourth goal would be the result of another great play by Couturier. He knocked down a loose puck at center ice, found a cutting Robert Hagg who dealt it to Jakub Voracek in the middle, who found Couturier, who backhanded the puck to the net front where Oskar Lindblom redirected it. Lindblom did a fantastic job of driving the net and not kicking the puck in, but redirecting it with his skate. We knew Anaheim was not a good hockey team, but this was just downright ugly.
Lindblom directs the puck into the net with his skate, and extends the Flyers’ lead to 4! pic.twitter.com/WEBXSE4Jz9
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) February 9, 2019
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Second Period
The Ducks would strike first early in the second, as Adam Henrique deposited a power play goal. The play looked offside after a challenge from Scott Gordon, but the call would stand and make it a 4-1 game. Anaheim would head back to the power play as a result of the lost challenge, but the penalty kill would be up to the task this time and keep them off the board. They also pulled goaltender Chad Johnson to start the period, as backup Kevin Boyle entered the game.
As the period progressed, the Flyers slowly but surely began to tighten up their defensive game. They played way too relaxed defensively in the first, and were allowing too many scoring opportunities. Those opportunities were beginning to dwindle as the period went on and the Flyers began to find their rhythm. Misha Vorobyev had a 2-on-1 chance but may as well have screamed at the Ducks defenseman that he was passing, because it was that obvious. Then Raffl, after cutting to the slot area later in the period, made a pass when he had a clean shooting lane resulting in a turnover.
With 4:37 remaining in the period, Ryan Kesler would head to the box for hooking, sending the Flyers back to the man advantage. Some screened shots and solid puck movement were not enough however as the Ducks killed off the power play. The rest of the period would go without too much action, with the main chances coming from Robert Hagg joining the rush on a shot that went right into the chest of Boyle, and a pass from James van Riemsdyk to a darting Giroux that was stopped by Boyle as well. They would head into the third up by three.
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Third Period
Carter Hart would waste no time making his presence felt in the opening minutes of the third, making clutch saves to keep the Flyers up three. Then, Ryan Getzlaf would head to the box on a high sticking penalty as he clipped Nolan Patrick.
Puck tracking 101. pic.twitter.com/YvJMycFeJF
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) February 9, 2019
The power play would come to an end with 43 seconds remaining however, as Shayne Gostisbehere tripped up Carter Rowney who had stolen the puck. Anaheim would roughly get 1:15 of power play time to get back in the game. They would do just that as Nick Ritchie shot one that deflected off of Radko Gudas and by Hart, making it a 4-2 game.
The Flyers would get a chance to get the goal back however as the Ducks took another penalty. The power play would be uninspiring however, and fail to capitalize yet again. Anaheim would continue to apply the pressure but yet again take another penalty as Wayne Simmonds was tripped up, sending the Flyers back to the power play. Just as they were about to waste another opportunity to put the Ducks away, Nolan Patrick buried a backhand shot by Boyle to give the Flyers a 5-2 lead. He started the play with a nice zone entry, and finished it off.
Not how they drew it up, but they all count the same! 5-2 Flyers. pic.twitter.com/hVIPRIBv6a
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) February 9, 2019
Travis Konecny would tack on the final tally as he netted his 15th goal of the season after batting in a rebound in front of Boyle. the Flyers really picked up their pace in the final few minutes keeping the Ducks chances limited, and walked away with an impressive 6-2 victory to get back in the win column. Carter Hart picks up his eighth straight win matching the rookie record set by Jocelyn Thibault, and their point streak now reaches 10 games and they sit seven points out of a playoff spot.
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