The Flyers lost to the Canadiens 4-1 Thursday night in Montreal, a game that saw the Flyers sleepwalk through the first 20 minutes. The Flyers put three behind Cayden Primeau in the third period, but unfortunately, only one counted. A missed chance at some breathing room in the playoff chase.
The basics
First period: 12:58 – Nick Suzuki (Juraj Slafkovsky, Mike Matheson), 16:46 – Jesse Ylonen (Jayden Struble, Nick Suzuki)
Second period: No scoring
Third period: 17:05 – Joel Armia (Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle) (empty net), 18:59 – Owen Tippett (unassisted), 19:57 – Jake Evans (Mike Matheson, Joel Armia)
SOG: 30 (PHI) – 17 (MON)
Some takeaways
Lights, Cam, action?
Noah Cates was out of the lineup tonight for personal reasons and Cam Atkinson was put back in, his first game back since the Flyers 6-5 loss to Boston back on March 16. Atkinson, who hasn’t scored since Jan. 23 against Tampa Bay, has an average first shift alongside Sean Couturier and Olle Lycksell. But it’s the line of Morgan Frost, Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett that get the Flyers off on the right foot with a good first shift. While there aren’t many quality chances to start, the run-and-gun nature is something coach John Tortorella probably isn’t too keen on this early in the game.
Snooze button
The Flyers get the first power play but it’s once again highly offensive (I mean offensive to watch). Outside of a Scott Laughton shot there’s nothing worth mentioning. Moments later, Montreal has the defensive pairing of Ronnie Attard and Adam Ginning hemmed in. The Flyers survive then take an interference penalty which results in Nick Suzuki scoring his 30th of the season on the Canadiens’ third shot on goal.
The following faceoff sees no real sense of urgency that the Flyers had for most of their previous 21 periods against the league’s elite. Outside of a shift by Couturier, Atkinson and Lycksell, the Flyers look listless as the Canadiens take a two-goal lead courtesy of Jesse Ylonen.
Time for some paint-peeling preaching from Tortorella in the intermission.
Wake-up call
The second begins with some 4-on-4 hockey which gives Konecny and Tippett more room to play with. Tippett and Struble then take another pair of coincidental penalties. Tortorella starts juggling the lines early in the second and the Flyers seem to wake up a bit. Juraj Slafkovsky has a chance close in but Ersson — looking to be fighting the puck since the opening faceoff — stands tall. The Canadiens get another power play on a trip by Attard and the Flyers fortunately kill it. The longer the game goes the more Ersson seems comfortable in goal. Unfortunately the Flyers are making it rather easy for Canadiens goalie Cayden Primeau. Maybe they’re mistaking him for Carey Price?
Desperation? Not yet
As the second period begins winding down there’s not much to get excited about. Another power play is for naught. Couturier’s line again has a strong shift as Ryan Poehling is fed the puck perfectly in the slot. The shot doesn’t cut the lead in half. A subsequent shift sees Egor Zamula’s slap shot deflected by Konecny but it goes just wide. Cam York then drives the net but Bobby Brink can’t knock it in. A two-on-one has Farabee’s shot stopped. You get the sense the Flyers are coming, you just can’t be sure if it’s about 20 minutes too late.
Bad luck worse than no luck
The third period begins with Tyson Foerster having a clean sheet through 12:20 of ice time which isn’t ideal given what’s needed. The Canadiens ice the puck twice in the first 36 seconds and moments later the Flyers seem to have hit much needed paydirt. The referees take a look to see if Garnet Hathaway kicked the puck into the net and they determine he did. No goal. Thankfully moments later the Flyers seem to score again but this time the goal, scored by Morgan Frost, is again under review and this time for offsides. It’s determined to be offsides. Sometimes you have to laugh.
Leave nothing in the tank
The Flyers get another power play and Konecny rings the puck off the post. Moments later the Canadiens get a goal called back as Nick Suzuki hits the puck with a rather high stick. The clock continues to be an enemy for Philadelphia and are foiled again by Primeau. Frost tries to wait out Primeau and has Farabee for what looks like an empty net. It doesn’t go in. Another pair of coincidental penalties with just over three minutes to go makes it 4-on-4 and the Flyers pull Ersson. The Canadiens go up ice and Joel Armia scores an empty net goal. The Flyers break the shutout with Tippett scoring with just 61 seconds left.
The Canadiens pot another empty netter and the Flyers miss a golden opportunity to give themselves a little more breathing room.
