The Flyers were unable to solve Blues rookie netminder Jordan Binnington in a 3-0 loss to the Blues on Monday night. The 25-year-old turned aside all 25 shots he faced in his first NHL start and goals by former Flyer Brayden Schenn, Vladimir Tarasenko, and David Perron paced the visiting Blues.
It’s the Flyers’ seventh-straight loss as they eye the high water mark of the 10-straight losses they strung together just last season. Carter Hart was hung out to dry in this one, stopping 34 of 36 shots in a tough luck loss. Head up, Carter, there are bound to be plenty more of those as long as you’re donning the Orange and Black!
First period
Wayne Simmonds welcomed former Flyers prospect Patrick Maroon to the action by leveling the forward near center ice a few clicks in as Simmonds tried to provide a spark early.
In a netminding duel with AHL veteran Jordan Binnington making his first NHL start, Carter Hart was in the action early with stops of Jaden Schwartz and Colton Parayko, though neither looked all that convincing.
At the other the Binnington came up with the best save of the first 10 minutes of action, sliding across the crease to deny Jake Voracek off a strong rush from the Flyers. Next it was Hart’s turn to return the favor with 9:49 left in the first, coming up with a miraculous save on Schwartz to keep things scoreless.
Carter Hart DID get a piece of that shot! pic.twitter.com/wElTe08K2d
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) January 8, 2019
Sean Couturier just missed giving the Flyers the lead with 1:43 left in the period, but his shot sailed wide after a nice rush and drop pass from Travis Sanheim. Couturier appeared to have the Blues goalie leaning the other way, but couldn’t convert.
After 20: Flyers 0, Blues 0
St. Louis would start the scoring very early to start the second with a familiar face doing the honors.
Tarasenko started the rush down the wing and a little touch pass from Carl Gunnarsson got the puck to Jaden Schwartz for the initial shot turned away by Hart. The rebound careened right to Brayden Schenn, who didn’t need much time to put home his ninth of the season, giving the Blues the 1-0 lead just 41 seconds into the period.
A great tip by Gunnarsson gets the puck to Schwartz, and Schenn puts home the rebound. pic.twitter.com/3j6jTG8aDK
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) January 8, 2019
The Blues’ sniper Tarasenko might very well be on the trade block, and he was all over the ice to start this one. No long after Schenn’s opener the Russian would test Hart on back-to-back shifts, no doubt trying to impress the Flyers’ brass in the building.
A Nolan Patrick tripping call with 11:43 left in the second would give the Blues the first power play of the game. Patrick, who has struggled offensively in his sophomore season, has had some issues with the discipline as well but saw his teammates kill off this one with relative ease.
Despite the Blues’ bench being down two forwards, the Flyers spent more of their time defending in their own zone rather than forcing the undermanned team to play in their own zone. The Flyers had just six shots in the period while the Blues peppered Hart’s cage with double that amount, though the rookie was up to the task most of the time save for Schenn’s goal.
Schenn’s goal would be the only tally in the second, and through two periods as journeyman Jordan Binnington pitched the shutout through 40 minutes of play. I’d say I was surprised, but nothing this Flyers team surprises me anymore.
Through 40: Blues 1, Flyers 0
Shayne Gostisbehere nearly setup Couturier for a tying goal, but Colton Parayko muscled Couturier off the puck and negated the chance right in front of Binnington. Ghost got loose down the wing and wrapped around the Blues cage to sent the pass across to Couturier.
Carter Hart continued his stellar play with a stop in close on Rob Thomas off a pass from Parayko, who had ventured into the offensive zone once again to test the Flyers’ defense. Travis Sanheim would test Binnington in close down the other end but again the Blues netminder was up to the task.
With 10:43 left the Flyers would head to the power play for the first time with Gunnarsson tripping up Couturier along the boards. The Flyers were trying to make it three-straight games with power play goals, but Couturier would head to the box for a hook just 29 seconds into the power play trying to win a puck battle with Ryan O’Reilly. That kind of night, folks.
Tarasenko might have gotten denied an assist on the Blues’ first goal, but he made sure to grab a point on their second goal.
The winner tore down the left wing and riffled a wrist shot past Carter Hart with 9 minutes left to extend the Blues’ lead to 2-0. Making matters better or worse (if you like Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko) the Blues would go to the power play as the goal came just before Couturier’s penalty started.
Here’s another goal by Not The Flyers. pic.twitter.com/kN58qZKefj
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) January 8, 2019
Just under three minutes left in regulation Scott Gordon would go into full desperation mode by pulling Carter Hart for an extra attacker. The Flyers maintained possession in the Blues’ zone but Binnington would stop a point blast by Ivan Provorov to start the sequence.
That would prove to be the Flyers’ last chance, as David Perrron would find the empty net with 1:48 left after the initial surge with Hart on the bench. All that was left was the status of Jordan Binnington in his quest to get the shutout in his first NHL start with less than two minutes left to do it.
Fear not, that would do it as Binnington was able to keep the door closed and send the Flyers to yet another loss.
