PHILADELPHIA: One thing Philadelphia fans don’t do it forget anything. Just ask Cutter Gauthier.
In his second career visit to Philadelphia, it was much like his first visit last season. Boo’s, chants, and a passionate fan base showing their dislike to the former fifth overall pick by the Flyers in 2022.
This year, Gauthier would get the first punch, scoring his 20th goal of the season to open the scoring.
However, it was all Philadelphia after that and a former Duck led the charge.
Trevor Zegras would score twice in a span of four minutes to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead. Both goals coming in the same fashion from the exact same shot.
Christian Dvorak and Cam York both found Zegras below the right dot for his 16th and 17th goals of the season.
Noah Cates would make it 3-1 just 75-seconds into the second period. It was Cates first shift after serving 17-minutes of penalty time after coming to the aide of Bobby Brink in the first period.
Brink was hit high in the offensive zone by Janson Hawkins to no call by the referee’s. He would miss the rest of the game after being pulled by the concussion spotter.
Travis Sanheim would add to the lead late in the second period. His fifth goal of the season was a howitzer off the faceoff win by Noah Cates.
The assist for Cates completed the Gordie Howe hat trick.
Dan Vladar was spectacular once again for the Flyers. After giving up the early goal, Vladar would stop 15 of the final 16 shots he faced.
He now has five wins in his last six starts. He was also named to Team Czechia for the Olympics earlier in the day.
Early in the second period, a scary collision happened just inside the Ducks zone that left Jamie Drysdale down on the ice.
Initially, the “X” sign was given to bring the stretcher onto the ice. But, after a few minutes, Drysdale was able to sit up and skate off with the assistance of the Flyers trainers.
No update on Brink’s or Drysdale’s status was available after the game.
The Flyers return to action on Thursday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7:00pm.
