The Philadelphia Flyers roared back with two late 3rd period goals in their home opener on Friday night. But, fell in a shootout to the Vancouver Canucks.
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Last season, the Flyers were one of the worst 1st period teams. Something that led to the Flyers always seeming to be playing from behind.
In their first meaningful game after an offseason of change, the new look Flyers came out with a buzz. A buzz that resulted in an 8-0 shot advantage and a 1-0 lead just 6:15 into the 1st period.
Shortly after the Flyers first power-play expired, Joel Farabee’s shot from the right dot would play plinko & beat Thatcher Demko. Farabee’s shot bounced off of Demko, then a Canuck infront, & into the back of the net.
With momentum on their side & a rocking Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers fell into a shell of their former self. Making the same undisciplined mistakes as last season.
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Giving up two goals in quick sequence… CHECK.
Sloppy & untimely penalties… CHECK.
Fluke goal let in a Flyers goalie… CHECK.
After an offseason of change, the Flyers major issues last season returned after the Flyers played one of their best opening periods in recent years.
Like much of last season, the Flyers would need a big 3rd period comeback. That comeback started with 2:17 left when Travis Konecny would get the Flyers within one.
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Travis Konecny would draw a slashing penalty and would score just 7-seconds into the power-play. Konecny would fire one high glove & beat Thatcher Demko.
Just 1:07 later, the Flyers would tie the game.
Claude Giroux would fire home a shot pass from Sean Couturier from the right point. Couturier intentionally missed the net & the rebound off the boards went right to Giroux. Who would score.
Overtime came & went. Carter Hart being the star of the show. Stopping 5-Canucks shots. Including two on the break-away.
But, the Flyers luck would run out. Vancouver would score twice and the Flyers failed to score in the shootout.
Carter Hart stopped 34 of the 38 shots he faced in the losing effort.
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Loose Pucks…
- The Flyers were one of the worst 1st period teams in the NHL last season. Finishing in the bottom-5 with a -23 goal differential. Tonight, the Flyers played one of their best 1st periods in recent seasons. Completely dominating the Canucks in all three-zones.
- One major issue for the Flyers last season was giving up multiple goals in quick sequence. In a span of 1:31 in the 2nd period tonight, the Flyers gave-up two goals to the Canucks. The next shift was a big problem last season. In game 1, it already is causing the Flyers trouble.
- Cam Atkinson loves to score on opening night. In his last 7-seasons in Columbus, Atkinson scored on opening night. Tonight, in his Flyers debut, Atkinson kept the streak going. Scoring his 1st in a Flyers uniform in the 2nd period.
- In the 1st period, the Flyers looked like the new look & new identity Flyers. In the 2nd period, the Flyers looked like the old Flyers. Like last season, the Flyers flipped a switch and fell into a shell of themselves. Something that needs to change along with the other old habits the Flyers fell back to tonight.
- With the shootout loss, the Flyers home opener record is now 30-17-7.
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Result : Flyers 4 – Canucks 5 , SHOOTOUT LOSS
Record : 0 – 0 – 1
Next Game : Monday 10/18 vs Seattle Kraken , Philadelphia PA , 7:00pm
Photo Credit : Tim Nwachukwu – Getty Images
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