Flyers Waste Strong Vladar Night, Power Play Hands Leafs OT Win
The Flyers controlled this game, then handed it away with the same bad habits that keep haunting them, falling 2–1 in overtime to Toronto in a loss that should sting. Daniel Vladar played a very solid game in the crease, the defense did its job, and the power play still found a way to undo everything. In a tight division race, this wasn’t a bad bounce, it was a self-inflicted implosion.
In this evenly matched game, the First period was back and forth but most of the action was in the neutral zone. The Flyers only had 8 shots on goal, while Toronto had 6. In the second period, the Flyers shot production dropped to 3, but of course Travis Konecny shot a low missle past Dennis Hildeby giving the Flyers a 1-0 advantage. In the second intermission, Konecny looked uncomfortable during the interview, and was informed that Scott Laughton said he’s a rat to play against, but Konecny fired back that he learned from Laughton because he’s the biggest rat in the league. Great to see playful banter between former teammates.
In the third the pace quickened a bit which led to a moment that must have felt great, as Laughton proved Konecny’s point and took breakaway at the end of a Flyers power play, and took a wrist shot at the point and Vladar couldn’t see it until it went by him to tie the game. Laughton went from cheers from the emotional video tribute to loud boos after he scored the game tying goal. 3 periods weren’t enough as these two teams turned up the physicality to keep it knotted up.
In the overtime period, the Flyers had many opportunities including a Trevor Zegras break away which was stonewalled by Hildeby sending the puck the other way on a 2-on-1 opportunity for the Flyers, and Daniel Vladar came up huge to stop the odd-man rush. On the ensuing rush, Sean Couturier and Matvei Michkov surrounded Hildeby and both whiffed on shots that had Hildeby dead to rights. Neither will sleep well tonight, because the Leafs went the other way and the Leafs answered with a shot from Easton Cowan that Vladar had no chance at. Cowan, who was playing against his former juniors teammate, Denver Barkey for the first time, making it back to back games with a goal for Cowan. The OT was exciting, it just didn’t manifest in a win as the Leafs continue their recent dominance over the Flyers in a 2-1 loss.
The Travises Continue to Step Up
The first goal of the night felt like a catharsis, probably more so for Travis Konecny. He has been playing well and tonight in the second period, his effort was finally rewarded with a goal. It all started with Travis Sandheim, a great Flyers forecheck and superb puck movement in the defensive zone which led to a clean breakout. Newly signed Christian Dvorak drew in 2 Leafs defenders which freed up Konecny. I’ll morph a popular saying here and say “Puck don’t lie” and found the stick of Konecny and he wristed it home.
Sandheim and Konecny have been playing very solid hockey and tonight that effort was rewarded on both ends of the ice. Konecny scored in the the new years eve loss to the Flames, but his play lately has been much better than his goal output, so seeing him get a goal tonight was not only great to see, but it’s always great to see players that are putting in work. Tonight is something that TK can build on. Sandheim on the other hand has been one of the biggest protector of the goalies for the Flyers. Konecny didn’t come out for the third due to an upper body injury, and the power play wasn’t as quick with him, and there was a moment where the Flyers gave up 15 seconds of what could have been a 2 man advantage, because their power play quarterback isn’t on the ice.
Vladar Continues Solid Play This Season
This week, I talked about the Flyers, and that their success being wrapped around the play between the pipes, and tonight was a perfect example. Playing against one of the leagues top snipers in Auston Matthews was not going to be an easy task for Vladar or the Flyers defense as a whole. His shooting ability is amonsgt the best in the NHL and tonight was no exception. In the second period Matthews had a clean shot from distance, which normally gives the goaltender an advantage, but with Matthews being the one taking the shot, he owns the advantage.
Vladar has been exactly what the young Flyers need to play a little more aggressively in front of him. Going into tonight he has allowed 2 goals or less 17 times this season and tonight made for number 18 on the season despite the loss. What separates his season from Samuel Ersson is that it doesn’t matter the shot volume, Vladar stays focused and in the zone. Ersson has had struggled when the shot volume tends to be a little lower.
Flyers Penalty Kill Shines, While Power Play Stagnates
The Flyers penalty kill unit has been among the best in the NHL this season. Tonight, they had to handle back-to-back penalties in the second period. In those 2 Toronto man advantages, they had a total of 3 shots. This has been the M.O. of the Flyers all season. They tighten up when the other team has the man advantage, and play some of their nest hockey. Tonight, the PK unit was tested early, and didn’t look at all phased by back to back penalties. This has truly been one of the strengths of the Flyers team this year.
The power play unit on the other hand has not been good overall and tonight in the third with the game on the line, they completely fell apart with Konecny not coming out for the third period. He’s run the point on the power play all season, and when he was out they unit looked lost and disheveled. This manifested on a power play where the Flyers drew a penalty, and instead of giving the puck to a Leafs player, to start a 5-on-3 chance, they passed the puck around for 15 seconds, wasting that 15 seconds of a 2-man advantage. These are mental mistakes that add up, and in this case the tail end of that ensuing power play gave up the tying goal to Laughton.
Vladar deserved better than he got tonight, and the opportunity for 2 points can be directly linked to that wasted 5-on-3 power play and letting up and giving up the short handed goal to the former Flyer. The power play has been a concern all season but tonight it cost the Flyers a point. In a tightly contested Metropolitan Division, points are hard to come by and this can’t continue to happen if the Flyers want to make a run. Needless to say Rick Tocchet was livid after the missed opportunities in the third period, so I feel confident this will be addressed. Let tonight be the final straw that will lead to changes on the power play unit.
Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
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