The Flyers went from having one of the worst power play efficiencies in 2022-23 to have a historically absymal percentage in 2022-23. By contrast the penalty kill needed a lot of work after 2022-23 which saw them kill just over 74 per cent of the time. In 2023-24 the mindset was attack, and attack they did, improving to fourth overall with a 83.40 percentage. By season’s end it had dropped from being in the top two or three yet still a terrific upside last year. More impressive was scoring an almost unheard of 16 goals down a man in 2023-24, four more than the next closest in Dallas. Here then are five of prettier short-handed goals the Flyers scored this past season.
5. Travis Konecny vs. Dallas (October 21, 2023)
The Flyers scored not one, not two, but three short-handed goals against Dallas in an overtime loss. It was the first time in Dallas’ history they allowed that many in one game. And the first time since 1996 the Flyers equalled that feat. The first of the lot was from Travis Konecny. The quick sticks and thinking from penalty killer Noah Cates broke up a Dallas passing attempt. Cates quickly pushed the puck forward for Konency who took off into high gear for a breakaway against Jake Oettinger. Konecny’s shot was perfect, just above backup goalie’s Scott Wedgewood’s glove to tie the game 2-2 late in the opening period.
The Flyers would strike twice in the same penalty kill 47 seconds apart to tie the game 4-4. Konecny received a pass from Travis Sanheim to put the Flyers within one at 11:58 of the third while at 12:45 Sean Walker’s wrister beat a moving Wedgewood on the stick side.
4. Travis Konecny vs. Calgary (January 6, 2024)
If Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny were traded as a pair to some other team they would more than likely improve said team’s penalty kill significantly. And a perfect example of this was during an early January home contest against the Flames.
With the score tied 2-2- early in the third the Flyers’ Garnet Hathaway took a roughing minor against Calgary’s goaltender Jacob Markstrom. The Flames’ power play wasn’t even a minute old when they skated through the neutral zone. Konecny stood up his man as Calgary crossed center ice before the bouncing puck found Scott Laughton’s stick. Looking as if they had an unspoken language between them, Konecny headed up ice as Laughton’s pass towards open ice eventually found the speedy winger deep in the Flames’ zone.
With enough separation between himself and the Flames’ skaters, Konecny caught up to the puck at the faceoff circle to Markstrom’s left and fired a short but snappy wrister to the goaltender’s glove side. The goal put the Flyers up 3-2 and the team held on for the regulation win.
“What’s nice is we’re getting these chances but we’re not necessarily cheating for them,” Sean Couturier said after the win. “They’re just sort of presenting themselves. With the speed (Konecny) and (Scott Laughton) have they can jump all over loose pucks and create offense.
3. Ryan Poehling vs. Florida (March 7, 2024)
Although Konecny led the Flyers with six short-handed goals this year, Philadelphia got help from darn near everyone not named Marc Staal or Nick Deslauriers. Ryan Poehling certainly held his own with a trio of SHGs over the season. None of them looked better (or came quicker to start a period) than his tally against the Panthers.
Just after the puck dropped to start the second and people still not in their seats, Cam York drove the puck forward and made a short but crisp pass across the blueline to a charging Poehling burning rubber down the boards. Poehling had the time and space to cut across the ice and have his way on Sergei Bobrovsky.
2. Scott Laughton vs. Pittsburgh (December 2, 2023)
In this December tilt in Pittsburgh against Sidney Crosby and company, the Flyers were hoping to kill an important penalty with the Pens up 2-1 in the third period. Most would’ve been content with the Flyers avoiding Pittsburgh getting an insurance goal and keeping them close. However one thing the Penguins (and some other teams) are often guilty of is having their top unit stay out on the ice for the entire two minutes. It burned them on this night.
With the Flyers boarding penalty to Nick Deslauriers nearing completion and both Crosby and Evgeni Malkin seemingly looking for oxygen tanks, the Flyers’ Nick Seeler used the glass to bounce the puck out of the zone. Fortunately the puck bounced behind a lagging Malkin and Laughton was able to avoid Malkin’s stick.
From there Laughton waited out Tristan Jarry and the patience paid off, sneaking the puck just under Jarry’s glove arm and tying the game 2-2. The Flyers went on to beat Pittsburgh 4-3 in a game that saw Philadelphia score a short-handed goal and a power play tally. That’s not a typo. The Flyers scored on both sides of the special teams on this day.
1. Travis Sanheim vs. Maple Leafs (February 15, 2024)
There was one Travis who led them in short-handed goals but perhaps the prettiest of the 16 in 2023-24 was one where Konecny missed on a golden chance and the other Travis scored. As the potent Maple Leafs went to work on the power play in the first period and with no score, the Flyers more than held their own against Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
As the Leafs brought the puck in, both Laughton and Konecny made strong stick checks, forcing the Leafs to cough the puck up and leading Laughton to shovel the pass up ice to a wide open Konecny. Konecny beat Ilya Samsonov but not the net as the puck hit the post. After Konecny was checked to the ice, the Leafs lost all sense of zone coverage and four of them on one side of the ice, Laughton fed Travis Sanheim who was in all alone on Samsonov.
Sanheim tripped over Samsonov who was out of the blue paint and scored while doing his best Bobby Orr flying through the air impersonation. The goal broke the 0-0 score but the Flyers ended up with a loser point on the evening with the Leafs winning 4-3 in overtime.
