Frustrating loss overshadowed by huge trade.
What a night in the Philadelphia hockey world. I told you something was in the air, it’s been a wild week and it just blew up. Monday’s game against the Devils in Philly was awesome. Wednesday’s game in New Jersey was a nightmare. What was in store for tonight was anybody’s guess, and I really doubt anybody was expecting the surprise ending.
A few things about the game
The Flyers were shut out tonight for the second game in a row. It was the first time the Flyers faced the Islanders since Maxim Tsyplakov was suspended for his hit on Ryan Poehling. Poehling has still not returned to the line-up. The mood in the building was tense right from the start. Things were chippy right out of the gate. Whistles were turning into shoving matches in front of the Flyers net.
Turnovers were a problem for the Flyers all night long. Goaltender Ivan Fedotov made his first challenging save on Adam Pelech after an egregious turnover in the Flyers zone.
Less than five minutes into the game it was Scott Laughton who squared off with Maxim Tsyplakov. Laughton got the best of him and came out on top.
12:01 into the 1st period Adam Pelech was accessed a 4 minute double minor for high-sticking Travis Konecny. Right after the first two minutes of the power-play Matvei Michkov appeared to score on a shot from the high slot. Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin protested the goal immediately. The Islanders called for a coach’s challenge to review the goal. It was ruled that Morgan Frost was guilty of goaltender interference and the goal was disallowed.
The infraction was almost impossible for the human eye to see. Some of these goaltender interference calls are really over the top, but that is a subject for a less busy night.
Just like Wednesday night’s game in New Jersey things looked pretty good after a scoreless 1st period. Ivan Fedotov was looking sharp and was being given a tougher workload than Sorokin. The first half of the 2nd period was choppy. Fedotov continued to keep the Islanders at bay, gobbling up pucks, and slowing the pace.
And then…
10:02 Simon Holmstrom ripped a wrist shot far side from the top of the circle. 1-0
17:08 Marc Gatcomb received a cross slot pass from Kyle MacClean and beat Fedotov to the open side of the net. 2-0
Halfway through the 3rd period Kyle Palmieri made it 3-0. Palmieri blew past York and Drysdale and beat Fedotov glove side. The way things were going a three goal lead was insurmountable. The Flyers were getting chances but many of their shots were blocked, went wide, or hit Sorokin in the logo.
Meanwhile…
The Flyers bench was shrinking. Matvei Michkov was not given a shift in the final period. Morgan Frost was on the bench speaking with a trainer and eventually he was just gone. The Flyers were already without Owen Tippett who did not return after being on the receiving end of a huge hit last night in Jersey.
Things went on from there almost like a formality. Jamie Drysdale is looking much improved and really sharp as of late. Garnet Hathaway was a wrecking-ball tonight clocking 10 hits. The Flyers haven’t scored a goal since Monday night. Time unceremoniously ran out on John Tortorella’s 1,600th NHL game. The Farg was already pretty empty. Some Islander fans could be heard trying to have fun. Other people had been spelling E-A-G-L-E-S since the 2nd period.
The biggest story of the night was waiting for everyone in the parking lot.
First news started to break that the Calgary Flames were involved in a big trade. Speculation started swirling about Frost leaving the bench when the Flyers were already down forwards. Then the Flyers were added to the breaking news.
Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost have been traded to Calgary in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 2nd round pick, and a 2028 7th round pick.
The Flyers do not play again until Sunday afternoon in Colorado but there will be plenty to talk about in the meantime.
Extra Credit: holy cow
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