Photo Credit: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
The Flyers got their second crack at the Kraken in less than a week and quickly found themselves underwater again. I would not say that the Flyers came out looking sluggish as much as I would say Seattle came out looking superior. They gave the Flyers no time or space to get anything going all night long. It was a total disaster for the Flyers who lost by a score of 6-2. The game was not as close as the final score might lead you to believe.
Tortorella Was Not Happy
After the game Head Coach John John Tortorella was in no mood to answer questions. Tortorella is a pretty transparent and straight forward guy. The Flyers have suffered a lot of losses this year but blowouts like tonight have been few and far between. When they have taken place Tortorella has refrained from tearing his team down publicly. He also does not broadcast his planned adjustments. Both of these things are understandable. Strategy belongs in the locker room. Kicking his team publicly when they are down serves no positive purpose.
That being said, It is obviously the job of the press to ask questions at the post game interview. On a night like tonight it can be like lining up to get smacked in the head. The coach pointed out that what took place was very apparent. It was. He didn’t want to answer any questions that we already knew the answers to. Basically telling the press we already have all the information that we are going to get. You saw the game write what you saw, so to speak.
So without further ado, here it is… it was a mess!
The first period was so lopsided the Flyers didn’t even register their first and only shot on goal until near the end of the period. They were out-shot 11-1. They couldn’t get anywhere near the Seattle net. There was coverage absolutely everywhere. The Kraken scored their first goal shorthanded. Kevin Hayes got his pocket picked at the point and Jared McCann skated the puck the length of the ice and beat Carter Hart high glove side.
They gave up the second goal on a delayed penalty call. The Flyers took way to many penalties to a team that already seemed to have them out numbered at even strength. It seemed like there was a sea of blue jerseys everywhere the Flyers attempted to go.
The Flyers came out in the second with juggled lines and a new sense of urgency. Moving the puck much quicker and more successfully and even getting a few shots on goal. This new energy was short lived. The Kraken scored three more unanswered goals. A Power Play rocket from the slot, a breakaway high glove side, and the end of Carter Hart for the night all took place in rapid succession. Sam Ersson made his return to the Flyers net and was greeted by another power play slapper from the slot right into that very popular top glove corner yet again. This is brutal to say but the Flyers were lucky to get out of the 2nd period only down by five.
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A Bright Spot
Travis Konecny scored his career high 25th goal of the season just 14 seconds into the third. The goal ended a 13 game dry spell that had left Konecny sitting with 24 goals since January 11th. Konecny scored his 26th goal of the season a bit later in the period. If this dry spell is truly over for TK it will mean a lot to the team. He has been a real standout this season. Hopefully that is the only thing from this game that carries over into the rest of this road trip.
Moving Forward
The Flyers were never on a comeback mission during this contest. They played out the night with all the energy you would expect from a team that was down by five goals in the final period. The team came into this game well rested. They have not played since losing to the Kraken by just one goal this past Sunday. I don’t think anyone was prepared for what took place tonight. Nobody is happy with it, no one likes it, everyone just wants it to go away. The Flyers have a swing through Western Canada after this playing three games over the next five nights. Hopefully they can turn it around quick. The memory of tonight’s game can not be extinguished soon enough.
