The visit to the nation’s capital went horribly wrong for our Philadelphia Flyers. In a vital game against the Washington Capitals, the Flyers stunk up and threw away a two-goal lead to eventually suffer a 5-2 defeat.
It was a result that happened misplay after misplay and consistently letting the home team get the better of them even as they tried to claw back and make up for their mistakes. It didn’t happen, and the offense dried up. But one particular set of players got plenty of the blame for what ended up being the final nail in the coffin of that game.
On the Capitals’ third goal, a wraparound scored by defenseman John Carlson (that might say enough, there), young winger Bobby Brink was caught puckwatching and did not even begin to get deep enough in the defensive zone to prevent what clearly was going to be a wraparound attempt.
It is just terrible to watch. Even the most basic hockey-understander should probably recognize that the winger should at least drop back and not just stand looking towards their own net with their mouth agape.
For that goal against, and other mistakes, Tortorella let Brink have an earful as he made his way back to the bench. Typical hockey head coach anger when a mess-up like that happens, so nothing concerning to think about for more than a few hours after the final whistle, but certainly a coach like the Flyers’ bench boss wants more awareness from every single one of his players.
It was the result of seeing his team just waste away their initial advantage within the span of 15 minutes. A bubbling emotion as the Flyers continued to get outplayed and what ended up being their downfall in a crucial matchup.
That was Brink’s final time on the ice that night (along with Olle Lycksell). After that fifth goal of the game to close out the second period, he didn’t see any ice for the entire third period. A final 20 minutes that saw the Flyers just continue to fall back offensively and walk away from Capital One Arena with zero points.
After the game, the Flyers coach was asked if he thought it might have been a good idea to get a young player like Brink, the experience of playing from behind in the final minutes.
“Not with the stupidity prior, no.” Tortorella said. “[Brink] and Lycksell, not with the stupidity, they wouldn’t see any ice.”
That makes it clear as day.
Now with the two points over the Flyers, the Capitals find themselves just four points below them, with two games in-hand as well. Add in the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils — who have both played fewer games than the Flyers and are five points below them — and suddenly Philadelphia is plenty uncomfortable.
This final stretch of the regular season is going to be a rollercoaster and we don’t know if we’re ready for it.
