Photo Credit: Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times via AP
The lights shined bright in south Philly early Friday evening as hockey was back in Philly. This first period of hockey was unlike people have seen from year’s past with the Flyers. They got off to a great start and lead the game 1-0 after one, with great forechecking, beating the Vancouver Canucks to loose pucks, hit, and we’re good with breakout Ms for once, and then the wheels started to fall off the bus in the second period.
“We don’t want to do this all season long, we would rather play with a lead. The fans were pretty wild at the end. That was one of the most exciting goals I’ve scored, just seeing the guys pretty jacked up and the fans were happy. When you lose in shootouts, it’s no fun, but to be able to come back like that and get one point, it’s huge.” – Claude Giroux said following the game
Fortunately, I will not rehash how the game went, but one major takeaway, and one that needs improvement immediately is the Flyers penalty kill. If this does not improve the Flyers could get Hak’d by former Head Coach Dave Hakstol, or Krak’d by the Kraken.
Stay out of the box
The Kraken have scored twice on six power play opportunities early on for the 2021-22 season, which is good enough for a 33.3% success rate. This Flyers team has to stay out of the box, as they allowed two goals on four power play opportunities to the Vancouver Canucks.
If you do the math that is a lowly 50% success rate on the penalty kill. Some may say it’s just one game, to which they are correct. However, the orange and black finished the pre-season with a 60% success rate, while allowing eight goals on 20 opportunities in the pre-season.
Cam Atkinson, being the leader he is took accountability for the lackluster penalty kill in the home opener saying they have to get better, and it starts with him. Atkinson actually was a solid addition on the penalty kill in the first game and he was noticeable. The way he drives the play up the ice after a missed opportunity by the Canucks cannot be taught, that’s just the player he is. Atkinson appears to be much like Kevin Hayes in that area. The point is, he’s a leader, and will take accountability even when he doesn’t have to.
“We started the game on time,” Vigneault said following the home opener. ” I really liked the energy and our execution in the first period. I think what took a little bit of the momentum away from us was the penalties that we took tonight. T.K.’s (Konecny) 200 feet away, Provy’s maybe a little unlucky, shoots it over the glass, Willman is obviously unnecessary and the one that put us 5-on-3, it was a penalty. That took momentum and gave them momentum.”
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The key to beating the Kraken on home ice tonight is by staying out of the box. Ivan Provorov said this following the home opener that the Flyers took too many penalties, well he’s right. The Flyers cannot allow their penalty kill to dictate their fate of their season in a bad way, early in the 2021-22 season, just stay out of the darn box.
Why is it that the Flyers braintrust cannot see that Travis Sanheim is not a capable penalty killing defenseman. He stands next to opponents as they poke pucks in the net that the goaltender is trying to cover up. Either he doesn’t know how to move the opposition out of the way or just is too scared to. I can only hope that when Ristolainen is back Sanheim gets a seat on the penalty kill.
The next time he takes the body on anyone will be the first time. Just noting that if it was Gostisbehere standing next to a forward pushing the puck in the announcers would be all over him. Somehow Sanheim catches a break even though his plus minus was horrendous last year.
You never hear a comment about his aversion to contact.