Over the course of a series the team that best adapts to the changing dynamic is the team that will move on to the next round.
You can only imagine the Penguins coaching staff is going over “tapes” of the Flyers solid victory on Saturday with a fine-tooth comb. We should not expect to see a carbon copy of Game 1. The Penguins are going to analyze and adjust. They would be foolish not to. The Flyers will need to adapt on the fly.
Flyers Set the Tone
The anticipation leading up to Saturday’s match-up was huge. The extra half-hour of hang time supplied by the broadcast schedule seemed like an eternity.
One of the many things the Flyers historic season comeback has taught us is you have to play the games and see where it leads you. So before the puck dropped on Saturday night it was anyone’s guess how things would play out.
The young upstart Philadelphia Flyers did not fold under the pressure, added attention, and intensity that makes the Stanley Cup Playoffs the most exciting event in all of sports. In fact they set the tone.
One of the things that became quickly apparent is that the Flyers are a faster skating team than the Penguins. Speedsters like Owen Tippett, Denver Barkey, Travis Konecny, and Jamie Drysdale can pull away from the pack with the puck in this match-up. You can bet Pittsburgh is working on ways to keep this from happening again in Game 2.
The Penguins are not suddenly going to get faster overnight so they’ll need to come up with ways to slow the Flyers down. You can’t get away with a ton of clutching and grabbing in today’s NHL. The Flyers need to keep their feet moving and allow the Pens to send themselves to the box. The Flyers power-play is a whole other issue but at the very least it’s two minutes of clock time with a smaller less dangerous group of Penguins on the ice.
The Flyers also have players like Tyson Foerster, Owen Tippett and Christian Dvorak who can draw penalties through their pure determination. Again the Flyers need to keep their feet moving in Game 2 and let the Pens fall into the trap.
All The Young Dudes
You would expect the Penguins to start paying a lot more attention to the Flyers younger players especially Porter Martone who scored the game winning goal in Game 1. This should open up a little more space for the Flyers more experienced goal scorers and they need to take advantage of those opportunities when they arise. Tippett, Konecny, Zegras, and Michkov these guy can all light the lamp.
Physicality
There were 81 hits registered in the opening game of the series, 41 of those were attributed to the Penguins. The Flyers clearly had the advantage in the physical side of the game. Sean Couturier, Owen Tippett, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Nick Seeler all delivered some highlight reel hits. The physical aspect of playoff hockey is part of what makes it so entertaining. Players are “all in” this time of year.
When teams are outmatched physically some players will resort to nasty stick work to make up for their short-comings. This is a multiple expletive move and not an acceptable form of retaliation. Zero respect for dudes who think their stick in your face is a tough guy move.
Good D
The Flyers did a fantastic job of policing the area in front of their own net in Game 1. Clearing the porch and closing up passing lanes was key to keeping the Penguins at bay. This needs to continue. The Penguins are not without scoring talent and their power-play was ranked 7th in the league during the regular season. The Flyers need to continue the strong defensive play in their own end. They can not let their guard down.
Expect the Pens to step it up in Game 2 after being embarrassed in front of their fans and losing home ice advantage on Saturday night. They absolutely allowed the Flyers to get under their skin.
The Flyers need to continue doing what they do best. Stay calm, work hard, stick to the fundamentally strong style that put them in this position. They also should be ready to deal with any adjustments and adapt on the fly. All gas no breaks in Pittsburgh Monday night at 7 PM.
Check out our Flyers Nitty Gritty Store
Cool Matvei Michkov merchandise
About Author
