Have you heard about the Philadelphia Flyers? They’re a National Hockey League franchise in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and for much of the last several weeks, they have not been able to put hockey pucks inside of hockey goals.
It’s been pretty terrible. They’ve fallen out of the playoff race, they’ve embarrassed themselves on a national stage inside of a football stadium, and they’ve made everybody who roots for them on a regular basis into either a complete shut-in or a raging alcoholic. Or, God forbid, both.
But tonight, with just one sleep before the NHL trade deadline and the possible symbolic end of their 2016-17 season looming, the Flyers decided to break out of the doldrums. They scored four goals in route to an excellent 4-0 win over the pathetic Colorado Avalanche, in the process moving ever so slightly closer to the playoffs — now four points back of the final wild card spot.
The shutout performance from Steve Mason in goal is obviously a good thing, but it has me thinking of what maybe could have been if Dave Hakstol hadn’t played Michal Neuvirth for six straight games before tonight. Neuvy had an .872 save percentage in those games, and the Flyers only won two.
And then Mason comes in tonight and pitches a shutout. I’m just saying.
The Avalanche are pretty damn bad, I’ll say that. The possession stats moved into their favor as the game went on, because … well, of course they did. That’s what happens when the Wayne Train comes off the bench in the first minute and wrecks shit, giving the Flyers a quick 2-0 lead and nearly scoring a hat trick before the third goal was given to Jakub Voracek instead.
Jordan Weal made it 4-0 with his first career goal in the second period, and that would be it for the scoring.
Colorado never really had a chance in this one. It felt good. We’ve had to put up with some terrible hockey of late, and this was a fun one even if it doesn’t really have much implication for tomorrow’s deadline or the rest of the year.
The Flyers beat a bad team, and they beat them badly. That’s what they’re supposed to do and that’s what they did. Enjoy your night.
