This game started out looking a bit sloppy but at least energetic. Both of these attributes waned as this match wore on. To be brutally honest the Flyers looked sluggish and the Islanders only had to be adequate to skate away with the win. The Flyers were shut down and shutout by the Islanders and it didn’t take all that much of a performance by the New York hockey club to get those results.
The Flyers first power-play looked promising early in the opening period. Noah Cates drew the penalty while forcing his way to the net with the puck. They created a number of good chances. Owen Tippett hit the crossbar with a laser. It was an unsuccessful but quite solid man advantage.
The Flyers first penalty kill was impressive as well. They kept the Islanders blocked out and nibbling around the edges. At this point in the game it looked like this could settle into the highly competitive match that was anticipated.
Implications
This was an important game against a division rival who is neck and neck for the final playoff position. Things are going so well in the Atlantic Division that if things stay on pace only the top three teams in the Metropolitan Division will make the playoffs. There’s plenty of season left to play but you gotta stay with the pack. This was one of those “four point” games. It should have looked like it mattered more than it did.
By the time the Flyers went on their 2nd powerplay things were already taking a turn for the worse. Then they gave up a shorthanded goal. The Flyers misplayed the puck in their own zone leading to Jean-Gabriel Pageau getting possession all alone in front of the Flyers net.
Pageau fired a wrist shot past Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson who was making his 4th consecutive start. Ersson has been taking on a lot in the absence of Dan Vladar due to injury.
Ersson had two big wins on the team’s recent three game road trip but his play has been spotty. Dan Vladar was at the morning skate today so he is definitely closer to rejoining the team after missing several games. Goaltending is not such a tricky situation with Vladar in the mix.
Downhill
5:41 into the second period Mathew Barzal tipped a bouncing redirect into the Flyers net making the score 2-0.
12:50 Former Flyer Tony DeAngelo scored his first career goal against the Philadelphia Flyers. With the Islanders on the power-play Barzal sent a cross-ice pass to DeAngelo who teed up a one-timer from the top of the slot. 3-0 Islanders.
The Flyers held onto the puck behind their own net to a chorus of resounding boos from the hometown crowd as time ran out in the second period.
3rd Period
13:38 Pageau scored his second goal of the night. It was spotty coverage by the Flyers that allowed a beautiful pass across the slot to a streaking Pageau who fired a wrist shot past Samuel Ersson. 4-0 Islanders.
Special Teams
The Flyers went 0-for-3 on the powerplay, actually giving up a shorthanded goal. They went 2-for-3 on the kill. The final Islander power-play threw a ton of dangerous chances at the Flyers net and it was Ersson’s shining moment in this match.
Rasmus Ristolainen who was in his first game back from injury was a standout in that final penalty kill as well driving the puck into the New York end and eating up the clock when he got there.
Inspiration
You have to give credit to Tippett, Michkov, Cates, and York for getting pucks to the net but even then Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin did not get much of a workout. He was able to rely on his excellent positioning and catch pucks off the the logo on his sweater all night long.
It did not take much of an effort from Sorokin or his team to shut down and shutout the Flyers. The home team looked sluggish and uninspired. With this loss the Flyers fall four points out of playoff positioning behind the Islanders. They are currently tied with the Capitals who sit one point ahead of the Devils and two ahead of Columbus.
Up Next: The Flyers will be in Columbus to faceoff against the Blue Jackets Wednesday night at 7:30 PM.
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