With a 1-1-1 document by way of the primary three video games of their season-opening Western highway journey, the Philadelphia Flyers had the chance to find out the narrative heading into their residence opener. A matchup towards a good however not formidable Seattle Kraken group meant a variety of outcomes in play.
Sadly for the Flyers, the worst attainable situation got here true. Philadelphia’s 6-4 loss wasn’t simply their worst efficiency of the season; it harkened again to the ugly nine-game shedding streak within the spring that price the group a playoff spot. After an honest begin, the Flyers unraveled within the center interval, with Seattle lighting the lamp 4 occasions and scoring three targets in 2:55.
The Flyers battled again, with two fast third-period targets getting the group again inside one. However an Oliver Bjorkstrand breakaway aim put the sport out of attain with 5:58 remaining in regulation.
Second Interval Demise for a Second Straight Recreation
Over their final two video games, the Flyers have outscored their opponents 4-1 and generated 58.8% of the anticipated targets (xG) at 5-on-5… within the first interval. Of all combos, the Flyers’ fourth line dominated the opening body. Scott Laughton scored his first two targets of the season on a few good finishes — one a wrap-around on the rebound of a Ryan Poehling shot, the opposite a deft launch into the highest nook over the precise shoulder of Philipp Grubauer.
Poehling and Garnet Hathaway collected an help on each targets and the trio managed 91.48% xG within the opening 20 minutes. Moreover a Brandon Montour blast beating Ivan Fedotov, the Flyers had motive to be ok with their begin.
However during the last two video games, the Flyers have been outscored 6-1 within the second interval with an xG share of simply 22.22%. It took them 12:28 into the center body to get to 2 pictures within the interval, by which level Seattle had already tied the sport on a power-play tally by Jared McCann.
The sport was nonetheless inside attain till, in a short time, it wasn’t. An intensive offensive shift for Seattle ended on a rebound aim by Eeli Tolvanen to offer the Kraken their first lead. Moments later, a fast transition caught the Flyers’ high pair of Travis Sanheim and Cam York scrambling and ended with Kraken captain Jordan Eberle beating Sanheim to the again submit for a tap-in. Earlier than the Flyers may even get their heads round what was occurring, Seattle put the sport away when Shane Wright scored off the following face-off simply eight seconds after Eberle’s tally.
Fedotov’s Play a Main Concern
Whereas the Flyers didn’t play nicely as a group, they need to have been in higher form on the scoreboard at the start went south. Every of Seattle’s first two targets got here from an extended distance, and whereas the second shot went by way of Rasmus Ristolainen’s legs, Fedotov ought to have not less than stopped one if not each makes an attempt. Every of them went proper by way of Fedotov as nicely.
The one aim Fedotov was innocent on was Eberle’s. The Tolvanen aim ought to by no means have occurred, because the preliminary shot hit Fedotov sq. within the chest and popped proper in entrance of the online. Wright’s aim was a pleasant shot but in addition stoppable. It additionally led to the top of his night time, as Samuel Ersson took over for Fedotov firstly of the third interval.
By 5 durations of play this season, Fedotov has struggled mightily to show he’s an NHL-caliber goaltender. His save share (SV%) is a ghastly .818 and he’s allowed a whopping minus-3.92 targets above anticipated based on Moneypuck, worse than each different goalie apart from Alexandar Georgiev. We’re additionally speaking a few netminder with a .873 SV% within the preseason, and whereas it’s not truthful to carry final yr’s temporary end-of-season audition towards him resulting from the circumstances surrounding it, Fedotov’s .811 mark in that pattern is sort of equivalent to his work this season.
The pattern measurement is small, however Fedotov has not proven a lot promise in his time in a Flyers uniform. Prospect Alexei Kolosov has a .885 SV% in two video games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, so he’s not precisely banging the door down but. However with Elliotte Friedman reporting the Flyers have till October to get him on board with their plans or contemplate returning him to the Kontinental Hockey League, Fedotov wants to differentiate himself shortly.
Highest Paid Gamers Must Elevate
After all, Fedotov isn’t the one one liable for this defeat. The Flyers have three gamers making over $6 million on their roster (Travis Konecny’s extension doesn’t kick till subsequent yr and he’s performed nicely regardless) and all of them had underwhelming highway journeys. Owen Tippett, whose eight-year extension begins this yr, has only one help and is hitting the online on solely 33.3% of his shot makes an attempt (he was at 53.1% final season). He had an amazing likelihood to tie the rating at 3-3 within the second however couldn’t get the puck round Adam Larsson and reap the benefits of an out-of-position Grubauer.
Although Cam York saved face with a snipe off the push within the third to offer the Flyers some life, Philadelphia’s high pair of York and Travis Sanheim has had a tough go to start the marketing campaign. Out of 75 protection pairs with not less than 30 5-on-5 minutes collectively, the York-Sanheim duo is 66th with a 38.8 xG%. They’ve additionally been outshot and are most likely lucky to be even in on-ice aim differential (4-4). York not less than emerged from the journey with two targets, whereas Sanheim and Ristolainen have been the one Flyers to play the whole highway journey and never rating some extent.
In the meantime, captain Sean Couturier has not made a lot of an affect by way of the primary 4 video games. He has only one help and bought off to a sluggish begin Thursday with an xG% beneath 5 p.c within the opening interval. To his credit score, he improved as the sport went alongside, ending as a constructive play-driver and placing 4 pictures on aim, tied with Tippett for essentially the most of any Flyer, together with a point-blank likelihood late within the third. Nevertheless, two factors for 3 gamers who mix to make $20.7 million in 4 video games is a troublesome gap to dig your self into.
Subsequent Up
For the third time in 4 years, the Flyers will host the Vancouver Canucks for his or her residence opener (in 2022, the Flyers needed to wait till their second residence recreation to welcome in Vancouver). The groups performed to a stalemate by way of 65 minutes final Friday earlier than the Flyers (taking part in of their season opener) secured the additional level within the shootout.
Associated: Flyers Must Play the Lengthy Recreation with Ivan Fedotov
After spending the primary week of the season in a unique time zone, the Flyers gained’t have to depart the Northeast for some time. 5 of their subsequent seven video games are on the Wells Fargo Heart and the highway contests take them to pretty close by Washington and Boston. Dwelling ice benefit didn’t yield a lot distinction for the Flyers final season (20-17-4 at residence, 18-16-7 on the highway), however the buzz surrounding Matvei Michkov ought to make for an electrical environment on Saturday night time.
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