Date Published: 1-23-2023
Photo Credit: Rob Windfelder
The Winnipeg Jets bought their 30-16-1 record with them to Philadelphia last night and wasted no time showing us how they got it. The Jets scored three goals with their first six shots. It was looking like it may be a long night with the Flyers down 3-0 eight and a half minutes into the game. The Flyers settled things down and stopped the bleeding. With just over a minute left in the first Owen Tippett carried the puck from blue line to blue line, waited out the defenseman, and slid the puck to a charging Ivan Provorov who directed it home. So the Flyers are on the board but down 3-1 after the first.
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Second Period
The Jets came out hot in the second. Felix Sandström had to make a number of challenging stops to keep them at bay. Shots and chances were pretty even. Ivan Provorov got hit in the neck just under the jawline with a shot, the guy has been a magnet all week. The Flyers again waited till there was a minute and half left in the period to score their second goal. Kevin Hayes on the Power Play from an improbable angle at the bottom of the circle with one foot actually over the goal line.
Third Period
Hayes scored his second Power Play goal of the game two and a half minutes into the third to tie the game at three a piece. The Flyers did what was necessary to pull themselves even with the Jets which was not an easy task. The Flyers found themselves having to kill off a 5-on-3 situation. The crowd was loudly showing their approval as time ran out on the remaining 5-on-4. This was the high point of the night. As soon as the Flyers were back to even strength the Jets scored an unfortunate goal that should have never made its way into the net. It was deflating but not as deflating as the empty net goal that came shortly there after.
Head Coach John Tortorella was really not in the mood to talk to the press after the game but he did anyway. It was not the friendliest interview I’ve ever heard. It was a frustrating end to a game against a superior team where the Flyers matched them in every single stat but ended the night without a point. …”Hayes-y played well”.
Extra Credit: The Flyers have struggled in the second game of back to backs all season. I have to wonder why Hart always gets the first start when the second game always seems more difficult for them. Just a thought.
We win this game if Ersson is in net. Also, it seems like the Flyers have a lot of back-to-backs….or is that my imagination??
Ersson is really solid he gives you a ton of confidence when he’s back there. The Flyers had to roster juggle to keep both back ups and they would like to keep one of them for the Phantoms. This is what they had to do in the short run to protect both. I don’t believe we’ve seen the last of Ersson that’s for sure. And yea the whole schedule seems dense this year right? Whatever it takes. For me personally there are never too many hockey games but I am not the one who has to physically play them night after night.