Brian Elliott would pick right back up where he left off against the Golden Knights with a pair of grade-A stops in the first few minutes, including this gem on Andrew Shaw.
Elliott robbery pic.twitter.com/0dnYO8hiNi
— Brandon Murphy (@2Murphy8) October 25, 2019
The Flyers nearly struck first, but Kevin Hayes was ruled offsides to nullify the great setup from Joel Farabee. The rookie would have to wait a little longer to register his first NHL point.
But hold everything, folks, the Flyers would get another and this wasn’t up for discussion. A quick 2-on-1 developed at center and Travis Konecny fed Oskar Lindblom beautifully to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead with 6:55 left in the first.
Lindblom forces a turnover in the defensive zone, and he and Konecny go to work. pic.twitter.com/qDK5j7RkWa
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) October 25, 2019
Can’t draw it up any better than that, gang.
After Lindblom’s beauty was the only tally of the first, the Flyers would get to work quickly to extend their lead early in the second.
Claude Giroux redirected one past Robin Lehner to make it 2-0 Flyers just 59 seconds into the period, notching his first goal of the season at long last. Picking up his first point of the season on the goal was James van Riemsdyk, with the other helper going to Travis Sanheim.
Giroux with the redirect for his first of the season! pic.twitter.com/1niwDQuuMz
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) October 25, 2019
“Trade this” – G, probably.
Robert Hagg actually drew a penalty, but the Flyers couldn’t capitalize late in the period but it wasn’t all bad as Giroux was operated from the left side of the ice where he’s spent years racking up points on the man advantage. That’s a change for the better for the first power play unit, which has seen the second unit find a ton of success early on.
Only downside of the Flyers’ first 40 minutes in this one was discipline with three penalties and a rather careless one from Ivan Provorov to close the period with about 30 seconds of carryover to the third.
Nothing behind Elliott as the Flyers take a 2-0 lead through two intermissions while also enjoying an 18-8 lead in shots. Pretty, pretty, pretty good.
As the Flyers raced out to a quick start in the second, the Blackhawks did the same in the third to pull closer.
Brandon Saad ended Elliott’s shutout bid a minute in to pull Chicago within one at 2-1 to set the stage for some drama down the stretch. It capped a lousy first minute that entailed a bunch of standing around for a team looking exactly like one intent on sitting on a two-goal lead. Not ideal.
After nearly coughing up the lead fully with a terrible first four minutes, the Flyers would get a break from their sluggish play in the form of a quick counter.
Hayes pounced on a loose puck near center ice and cruised in on Lehner, beating the netminder easily for his third of the season and making it 3-1 Flyers 5:03 into the third.
* Extremely Kate McCallister voice *
KEVIN!
Hayes scores, and the bench is loving it. pic.twitter.com/CTVmU0iTI5
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) October 25, 2019
And for the assists? It’s Joel Farabee for his first NHL point, which is a pretty darn cool moment for the kid in just his second game.
Not as cool, Farabee nearly had his first NHL goal not long after, but review would take away the tally as Hayes was offsides to deny the Flyers a three-goal lead as well as the youngster of what would have been a dandy goal.
Well. This was almost Joel Farabee’s first NHL goal, but the entry was offside. pic.twitter.com/PzPbrPMk7Z
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) October 25, 2019
We know one thing, Hayes probably owes Farabee a drink or two after the game after personally denying the rookie of at least a goal and an assist with his tomfoolery.
Another goal drought for a Flyers start would end as JVR would put this one away with his first of the season coming with a little over three minutes left in regulation to make it 4-1. Also of note here that the Flyers were armed with four allowed goals and two disallowed goals while the Hawks had just the one lone allowed goal. That’s wild.
That’s how it’d end, too, as the Flyers take it by a final of 4-1 from Chicago to move to 4-3-1 on the young season while the Blackhawks drop to 2-4-2.
Sweet move by JVR to make it 4-1. pic.twitter.com/Lce4KCx6rH
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) October 25, 2019
Three stars
1. Brian Elliott
Alain Vigneault was rewarded for staying with the hot hand from the Vegas game as Elliott returned the favor with another impressive showing albeit against a much less formidable opponent.
2. Joel Farabee
First (official) NHL point and a goal and an assist taken away by the work of Kevin Hayes, still a great night for the rookie as he was a difference maker offensively almost every time he stepped on the ice.
3. Kevin Hayes
Look, if you take away the two goals that he cost the Flyers, it was a pretty dominant night for Hayes out there. The fact that he robbed Farabee of his first NHL goal does stink, though.
GIF of the night
Sweet move by JVR to make it 4-1. pic.twitter.com/Lce4KCx6rH
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) October 25, 2019
You know that one time when Jeremy Roenick said that Patrick Roy should go get his jock strap from the rafters of the United Center? Well I think Robin Lehner’s is gonna be up there too, bud.
