Two teams, from two different sides of the country, that play each other twice a year have turned into Philly’s wildest hockey rivalry. The Anaheim Ducks 21-19-3 are in 5th place in the Pacific Division. Tonight’s match-up against the hosting Philadelphia Flyers was sold out. Flyers Fans showed up early to watch the pre-game warm up from the Ducks side of the ice. It was hands down the loudest home game of the season so far. Why? …All because of this guy.
Philly can hold a grudge like nobody’s business. And Cutter Gauthier stirred up an anger in the Flyers fanbase that is not going to just go away any time soon. You hear people say it’s time to let it go, it’s been over a year since Gauthier refused to play for the team that drafted him. After watching the way the Flyers played the Ducks tonight it doesn’t look like the team is up for any “forgive and forget” either.
The sold out crowd at the Xfinity Mobile Arena booed every single time Gauthier came on the ice and every time he had control of the puck. It did not get quieter as the game went on. This town has a lot to say about feeling like their beloved ice hockey team was disrespected, and they only get to let it out once a year.
Philly vs Anaheim
The game got off to a quirky start. Lauren Hart did a fantastic job with the Star Spangled Banner as always. The crowd was stoked and ready to go, chanting inappropriate things, and waiting for the puck to drop. But there was a problem with the ice and the Zamboni came out to resurface the far end of the rink. Excitement was building. Eventually the puck was dropped and the fun got underway.
The Ducks came very close to striking first. Emil Andrae picked up a loose puck directly in front of the Flyers crease and got it out of harms way. Bobby Brink got creamed in the Ducks end by Jansen Harkins. Noah Cates jumped to Brink’s defense dropping the gloves and earning himself 17 minutes worth of penalties as the instigator. Brink left the game and Cates would spend a considerable amount of time in the box. This all took place in the first 2:38 of the 1st period.
On the ensuing power-play Cutter Gauthier scored the game’s first goal 4:15 into the contest. The crowd continued the razzing but there was an uneasy feeling in the rink. Gauthier has not been a bust for Ducks. He’s one of their highest scorers. That was his 20th goal of the season. This could turn into a long night.
Trevor Zegras
This was a very physical game. Troy Terry took a run at Christian Dvorak and the Flyers went on the powerplay. They failed to scored with the man advantage but shortly after the Ducks got back to even strength Trevor Zegras unleashed a sharp angle laser that beat Lukas Dostal glove side 10:22 into the 1st period. The crowd erupted.
Up until this past Summer Trevor Zegras played for the Ducks. They picked him 9th overall in the 1st round of the 2019 NHL draft. Some would say he was treated a bit like a square peg that they kept trying to force into a round hole. He’s been the Flyers top scorer since coming to Philly in a trade for Ryan Poehling and a couple of picks.
Four minutes and one second after scoring the Flyers first goal Zegras teed up another shot from almost the exact same spot and scored again. He exploded with unbridled joy as did the crowd. He slammed his stick on the ice in what almost looked like anger. Everyone wants to shine when they are playing against the team that traded them. Right?
With just under five minutes left in the opening period and two goals already on his stick lots of players may be temped to turn this into a one man show in pursuit of the hattrick. To his credit Zegras did not lose focus. He continued to be crafty and generous with the puck. Playing for the team and not for himself.
Defense
The 2nd period opened and closed with goals by two Flyers defensemen. York at 1:15 with a snap shot through traffic. And Sanheim at 14:40 with a slapper from the slot.
In the middle of the period there was a scary moment for Flyers defenseman and former Anaheim Duck Jamie Drysdale. It all started when Garnet Hathaway leveled Olen Zellweger with a crushing check. Ross Johnston looked to even things up by taking out Jamie Drysdale. It was clearly interference, Drysdale was nowhere near the puck and Johnston took him out knee to knee.
Drysdale immediately hit the ice and laid there for an extended amount of time. The trainers came out and eventually a stretcher was bought onto the ice. Drysdale did not want the stretcher. He got up with assistance and was helped off the ice on his own skates. He went straight up the tunnel and I have no further information for you at the time of this writing.
You expect a game like this to be physical but you don’t take guys out with contact like that. It’s cheap and dangerous. Johnston was given a five minute major and a game misconduct.
This game was littered with penalties from beginning to end. Bobby Brink and Jamie Drysdale both left the game injured. Matvei Michkov was not in the line up tonight. He took a puck off his foot the other night. He did skate this morning and is day to day.
Wrap it up
The Flyers went into the final period with a 4-1 lead. Alex Killorn scored an early power-play goal for the Ducks 1:25 into the period to make it 4-2. Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar was not super busy tonight but he was tested and stood tall for most of the night. Vladar gives his team a confidence. On most nights after the 2nd goal you figure that’s it for tonight. It’s interesting to see the Flyers playing with a lead so often this season. It’s not something we’re used to.
Former Flyers Ryan Poehling got a nice round of applause when he was featured on the scoreboard. Poehling was a solid Flyer, hard-working, reliable, a true team player.
Former Flyer Radko Gudas got to fight Garnet Hathaway. Gudas is currently the team’s captain and good for him. Gudas was always entertaining as a Flyer. He always set the tone, and he still does. After this scrap the roar in the arena was a at a volume not heard since the last time the Ducks came to town.
Nikita Grebenkin had a shift near the end of regulation where he looked like he was shot out of a cannon. With just minutes left in a game where a ton of energy was already expended he was bouncing off Ducks like a madman. It seemed only fitting that he also picked up the empty net goal with a minute fourteen to go to set the final score, 5-2 Flyers. These two teams will meet again once more this season on March 18th in Anaheim.
It’s great to hear the building this loud and see people so excited. During the rebuild moments like this have been rare. Claude Giroux’s 1,000th game was the closest thing to a playoff intensity this town has seen in quite some time. Eventually the post season will return to Philly, but for now it’s the Ducks.
Extra Credit: I remember my first trip to Quebec City as a teenager. An older Nordiques fan was talking to me about hockey. He said “when the Flyers come to town we boo, we yell, we throw things. …we love the Flyers”.
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