There has been a running theme this week at the big rink. It’s a similar scenario to showing up at a party looking like a million bucks with the world on a string because you know your ex is going to be there. In the big picture hockey often has a poetic nature to it. Sometimes it’s a blast, like the Ducks game. And some times it’s a real kick in the pants, like tonight.
Another very unwelcome theme this week has been the Flyers losing key players to injury. Both Bobby Brink and Jamie Drysdale left Tuesday night’s feisty tilt against the Ducks and did not return tonight. The Ducks game was a blast but it was not without it’s consequences.
Tonight Travis Konecny did not return for the 3rd period with an upper body injury. Konecny also scored the Flyers only goal in this game. Christian Dvorak passed the puck from behind the net to Konecny who fired a wrist shot from the circle. It was perfectly placed, short side, over the blocker 55 seconds into the 2nd period.
This goal gave the Flyers a one-nothing lead that held up until the final moments of the 3rd period. Both teams had plenty of chances. The Flyers had several episodes where multiple players were jammed up in front of the net whacking away at a puck that just refused to go in.
The Flyers looked like they possibly had their insurance goal with 8:15 left in the game. Trevor Zegras was adamant that the puck had crossed the line, until he saw the replay and the look on his face gave the outcome away before the announcement came from the on ice officials. No goal.
The Flyers had a pair of power-plays in the third that they could not capitalize on. They went 0-for-3 with the man advantage. This also has reemerged as another running theme.
Earlier in the night the Flyers paid tribute to Scott Laughton. A highlight reel was shown on the scoreboard and fans gave him a well deserved round of applause. Up until last Spring Scott played his entire career for the Orange and Black. He was picked by the Flyers 20th overall in the 1st round of the 2012 NHL draft. During his tenure here he was a loyal, hard-working, foundational member of the team. A fan favorite, loved and respected by his team mates, and a model citizen.
The Flyers were on their final power-play of this game when Scott Laughton picked up a loose puck in the Leafs end and skated it the length of the ice. He fired a wrist shot from the slot that sailed past Dan Vladar to tie the game with 5:56 left in the 3rd period. Aside from scoring the unassisted short-handed tying goal Laughton went an incredible 19 for 20 in the faceoff circle. It was Scott’s night to shine against his former team.
The overtime session was an echo of everything that led up to it. The Flyers had the chances. The “how did that not go in” moments. Finally the Leafs got a break of their own. John Tavares and Easton Cowan broke into the Flyers zone on a 2-on-1. Tavares made a pretty behind the back pass to Cowan who fired the wrist shot that ended the game.
Extra Credit: Every point counts in the squeaky tight Metropolitan Division. You have to be thankful to get one even though it felt like the second point was on the Flyers stick all night long.
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