The Flyers put together their third consecutive Couturier-esque checking clinic, and their first with Couturier back in the lineup. The result was a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins and a surprising 2-0-1 in their last three games.
The basics
First Period: No scoring
Second Period: 18:14 – Travis Konecny (Tyson Foerster, Scott Laughton)
Third Period: 10:19 – Justin Brazeau (Charlie Coyle, Mason Lohrei), 15:16 – Travis Konecny (Morgan Frost, Owen Tippett), 16:12 – Danton Heinen (Morgan Geekie, Jake DeBrusk), 18:31 – Tyson Foerster (Ryan Poehling)
SOG: 29 (PHI) – 20 (BOS)
Some takeaways
Well, he’s back
Sean Couturier returned from his two games as a healthy scratch by taking the opening faceoff. The captain has some decent shifts to begin the first 10 minutes but fortunately a bad turnover in his own end is recovered. The opening moments are rather listless with the Bruins having one shot on goal but neither side having much offensive zone time. The Flyers first good chance is a rush from Tyson Foerster which beats Bruins’ goalie Linus Ullmark but unfortunately not the goal post. The Flyers’ penalty kill, showing cracks in his armor lately, gets an early test following an Egor Zamula interference penalty but they kill it.
11 down, 49 to go
Given how the rivalry has been so one-sided of late for Boston, the Flyers will take a scoreless tie as long as possible. The Flyers get their first shot on goal on an attempt by Joel Farabee but Ullmark quickly stops him. A Ronnie Attard slapper with some bodies in front is also foiled. Each shift begins to lean more towards Philadelphia as Frost makes a great deflection on Ullmark. Erik Johnson then lands a hit on Brad Marchand with the Bruins’ captain falling to the ice in agony. Complaining about the fact no penalty was called for what he deemed a knee on knee hit, Marchand gets a penalty for his antics on the bench. The Flyers do nothing on the man advantage and miraculously Marchand is able to skate moments later.
Battling for every inch
Travis Konecny has a great chance for a tip-in roughly a minute into the second period but nothing comes of it. Garnet Hathaway then has his usual bowling ball shift in dropping two Bruins in their own end and the Flyers are winning the little battles in the neutral zone leading to more time up ice. Konecny, Frost and Tippett look to have some mojo but can’t quite find each other going up ice for a seamless rush. The Flyers are giving the Bruins very little and the feeling on the other side is mutual. It’s no surprise there’s just 13 shots with almost 28 minutes gone into the game. Fortunately Travis Sanheim avoids injury when Charlie Coyle falls over him with Coyle’s shin hitting Sanheim in the head. Moments later Erik Johnson gets hit and falls to the ice with the Bruins stoned on a great chance by Flyers goalie Sam Ersson.
Patience is bliss
The Flyers survive the longest shift in their own end with every player (Zamula, Johnson, Foerster, Konecny and Ryan Poehling) dead on their skates after over two minutes. Couturier looks to be more involved and is driving to the net often but there’s no payoff. As the second period goes on, the Flyers have a few opportunities but Ronnie Attard misses the net by a ridiculous amount. Tippett then flies down the wing, driving the net with Frost at the doorstep to break the deadlock. Neither don’t. Minutes later Noah Cates draws a penalty and the power play strikes! Travis Konecny takes a pass from Tyson Foerster and gets the puck past Ullmark for a huge opening goal.
The Flyers nearly go up by two on a breakaway by Scott Laughton but don’t score.
Back to square one
With Flyers’ killer David Pastrnak holding a completely clean stat sheet through nearly 13 minutes of ice time, the third period begins with Pastrnak stopped on a long-range shot by Ersson. A lengthy shift by Couturier’s line keeps the Bruins at bay once again. The Flyers have more time down low but it’s the Bruins who go back up the ice on a rather pretty play by Justin Brazeau to make it 1-1. Fortunately Tortorella’s team does not falter the next few minutes but remain in the fight. In fact, the Flyers answer the call as Konecny somehow fools Ullmark with a low shot with just under five minutes to go.
You know how this goes … or do you?
With the Flyers just taking the lead the Bruins reply 56 seconds later as Scott Laughton has his back to Danton Heinen coming in. Heinen beats Ersson high and it’s all even again.
The remaining moments see Ryan Poehling with near miss but with under 90 seconds to go Foerster puts a nifty shot in the top corner for a lead and, yes, a win!
The Flyers beat Boston in a huge two-point victory!
