Flyers snap dreadful 10 game losing skid with win over Golden Knights
Photo via Philadelphia Flyers' Twitter
Carter Hart.
The man is unbelievable.
41 saves, two goals on the power play, and efficient penalty killing gave Mike Yeo his first win as the head coach of the Flyers and snapped their dreadful, horrid, gruesome 10 game losing streak in a 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Nights at T-Mobile Arena.
Here’s a game summary:
Period 1
Sean Couturier won the opening faceoff, and we were underway from Vegas.
The Flyers got an early power play chance just 2:21 into the period as Adam Brooks went to the box for hooking. However, just four seconds later James van Rymsdyk made his way to the sin bin for tripping. Really annoying. That left us at a 4-on-4 for 1:56. A lot happened in that time. To start, Vegas was a little too close to jumping out to a 1-0 lead. They got a good two-or-three shots on goal where one was a great stop by Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, then the next one seemed like it hit off the post. Flyers got lucky on that one. A few moments later, Kevin Hayes put home a rebound to give the Flyers an early lead.
Hart did it again a few moments later. Nicolas Hague was coming on in on Hart, and he was denied by Hart on the right side. Another shot was fired at the open side of the net, since Hart dove to his left to stop Hague, but Rasmus Ristolainen swatted it away with his stick. With that Vegas’ four second power play came to an end. That wrapped up a four second Flyers PP, and 1:56 4-on-4, and finally a four second Vegas PP.
van Riemsdyk went to the box yet again, this time for hooking. In 12 minutes, JVR made two stops at the box. Quick fact stated by Jim Jackson on the broadcast: the Knights actually have a power play (statistically at least) than the Flyers. I don’t even know how that’s possible. Back to Vegas’ second power play of the night, Hart did what he does and came up big with two saves to scratch the power play off the board.
The Flyers got sloppy in their own zone with under a minute left in the first period and Vegas makes them pay with some quick passing. A pass from behind the goal to Jonathan Marchessault at the faceoff circle, which then found it way to William Karlsson who got the goal with 48.9 seconds remaining.
We ended the period that way, tied at one and the shots 12-10 in favor of Vegas. For how the past months beeb going, I’m fine with this period. Philly almost going to the locker room with a lead is an accomplishment of its own. Also, the Flyers not getting outclassed by the Knights through 20 minutes may be the most positive thing in the past few weeks, which says a lot.
Period 2
Sean Couturier was not on the bench at the start of the second period. Patrick Brown took the face off in his place. And Brown ended up winning the opening faceoff to begin the second.
Max Pacioretty got a good breakaway attempt for Vegas about four minutes in, but thankfully hit the post. He was then denied by Hart on a drive to the net.
At 5:53, Max Willman scored his first NHL goal. The puck was dumped in front of the net right to a Golden Knight. Thankfully for the Flyers, the puck ended up in the hands of Willman right next to the net, and he sunk it.
What a moment for Willman. Quite the journey to reach the NHL for him. Just makes you feel good.
This was the Flyers’ first time holding a lead in the second period of a game since the Black Friday game against Carolina, in which they managed to give up two goals 1:45 into the second frame. That’s ridiculous.
Remember how I said that Couturier wasn’t on the bench in the beginning of the second, well, he returned with a little over eight minutes to go in the period. Great sign.
Brayden McNabb caught van Riemsdyk trying to play the puck with his glove and knocked him over, and it looked like they formed a dog pile. Willman came over to aid him, but got the only penalty. Flyers needed to kill this one. It’s a bad call. McNabb should’ve been penalized as he was the one with the hit. Willman did a whole lot of nothing. Thankfully, Vegas did absolutely nothing on the power play and the Flyers got a very easy kill. Flyers PK was looking Friday night. Especially on this one, where the Flyers cleared the puck five times and Vegas got just one shot on goal.
Once again at the near-end of the period, the Golden Knights tied it up. Max Pacioretty put a rebound past Hart to tie it at with with 1:30 remaining in the second period. They allowed a goal with 48 seconds left in the first, now 1:30 in the second. Not ideal.
Pretty similar story to the first period. Flyers get the lead early and Vegas able to get the equalizer in the final two minutes of the period. It was a 2-2 game going to the third with the shots 27-18 in favor of the Golden Knights.
Period 3
Flyers won the puck drop to begin the third period. It was simple, win the period, win the game.
Mark Stone went to the sin bin for hooking at 4:40. Quickly into the power play, Ivan Provorov shot a pass to Couturier, who blasted one into the net on a one-timer to give the Flyers the lead.
Claude Giroux got an apple on the Couturier goal, which gives him 334 points on the power play and makes him the Flyers all-time leader in power play points, passing Bobby Clarke. Congratulations, G!
A few moments after the Courtier goal, Hart made another huge save. Hart slipped but still got his mit up to snap the puck and make a phenomenal save.
Max Pacioretty went to the box and the Flyers headed to yet another power play. The Flyers could really use a goal here (as they always can) for some needed insurance. An that’s exactly what they got. van Rymsdyk ended his drought as he put home a chance in front on a puck that bounced off the boards.
Point shot by Keith Yandle went wide and bounced back out in front. Travis Konecny with a heads up play to get it across to van Rymsdyk for the goal.
Konecny went off for high-sticking Alex Pietrangelo in the corner a little after the halfway point of the third period. This was a crucial PK for Philly. They needed a kill. And they got that thanks to Ristolainen playing goaltender and Hart doing his thing. Ristolainen got over to the net from yonder away and block a shot that was surely going into the net. What a play. You know what else was a great play, Hart denying basically every Golden Knight right after the power play expired. The big one was when he denied a wrap a shot to his right where he shot out his leg-pad. He was incredible Friday night.
Unfortunately, Yandle went to the box for hooking. Vegas went back on the power play with 6:31 to play. And guess what, the Flyers got the huge PK.
Vegas pulled their goalie with 2:30 left to play.
Couturier took a tough slashing penalty with 2:01 left. Vegas will have a 6-on-4 with the net empty. Didn’t look like Couturier did much, but they still called it. The tough call hurt the Flyers, as Pacioretty ripped one from the right circle. It was a 4-3 with 1:45 left. My heart almost fell out of my chest at this point.
And that did it. Thanks to many icings at the very end, the Flyers ended their 10 game losing streak with a 4-3 win over Vegas. They head to Arizona Saturday night to face the Coyotes.
