The Philadelphia Flyers got back into the win column Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Beating the Anaheim Ducks 5-2.
Kevin Hayes scored his 11th goal of the season on the power-play in the 1st period to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. It was Hayes’s first of three goals on the night. His first career hat-trick.
Rasmus Ristolainen ended a 67-game goalless drought on the penalty kill in the 2nd period to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead. It was the Flyers league leading 9th shorthanded goal of the season.
Morgan Frost scored his 9th goal of the season in highlight reel fashion. Frost went between the legs, bar-down to give the Flyers a 3-1 lead late in the 2nd period.
Samuel Ersson stopped 25 of 27 shots fired his way to earn his 5th win of the season. Ersson is just the third Flyers goalie to start his career 5-0-0. Joining Antero Niittymaki & Bob Froese.
Morgan Frost Highlight Reel Goal
With under a minute left in the 2nd period, the Flyers top line – James van Riemsdyk-Morgan Frost-Owen Tippett – went ot work in the Ducks zone.
Morgan Frost, who won the puck on the initial dumb in, would find a soft spot next to Anthony Stolarz. Where the puck would find him.
Frost would then go between the legs and bar down to beat Stolarz high over his shoulder to give the Flyers a 3-1 lead.
A play that was started by Frost ended in a highlight reel goal for his 9th goal of the season.
Power-Play Zero To Hero
Tonight was a matchup of two of the NHL’s worst special teams units. The Flyers 31st ranked power-play vs the Ducks 30th ranked penalty kill.
In the 1st period, the two units were on the ice three times. Something that delivered an ugly sequence that gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead.
After 44-seconds of 5v3 time and no shots on goal, Kevin Hayes would make a critical error at the blueline. Giving the Ducks a clear cut break-away, which was missed wide right.
But, 20-seconds later, Kevin Hayes would get the power-play goal and give the Flyers a 1-0 lead.
Ivan Provorov’s Religious Choice
As the Flyers took the ice for warmups, they were missing one key player. That player was Ivan Provorov.
Provorov’s absence was surprising because the seven year veteran has only missed two games in his NHL career. Both of which were due to covid. But, as the Flyers took the ice for the start of the game, Provorov joined his teammates on the ice.
After the game, Provorov’s absence from warmup was known. It was because of his religious views towards the LGBTQ+ community.
“I respect everybody’s choices,” Provorov said post-game. “My choice is to stay true to myself, and my religion.”
Result : Ducks 2 – Flyers 5 , WIN
Record : 19 – 19 – 7
Next Game : Thursday 1/19 , Chicago Blackhawks , Philadelphia PA , 7:00pm
PHOTO CREDIT: Len Redkoles – Getty Images
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