Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
After tonight’s 3-1 victory over the Predators in Nashville the Flyers currently stand in the number four spot in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 8-5-1. We are into November and this has been a pretty solid start for the rebuilding Philadelphia hockey club. This was a back and forth game that had numerous swings in momentum.
Momentum doesn’t swing itself
Although the final result is a gain in momentum something has to spark the initial shift. The Predators came out of the gate ready to grab it by the horns. Nashville took the ice showing zero curiosity as to what the Flyers game plan may be.
They relentlessly threw the puck into the Flyers zone and refused to let them leave with it. They were deconstructing break-out attempts with aggressive forechecking sometimes sending three players in to challenge the Flyers puck possession.
The Payoff
The first goal of the game came just 1:44 into the contest. The Predators were pushing hard and getting pucks to the net. The goal is not going to make any highlight reels. Ryan O’Reilly took a routine shot from the high slot that hit Jamie Drysdale up high and changed directions. Flyers netminder Dan Vladar didn’t have a chance at stopping it. It was one of those keep pressure on, get traffic in front, take the shot and hope for the best type of situations. It paid off.
Nashville continued to play aggressively in the Flyers end for most of the period. The Flyers had some chances late but spent much of the period defending. The last time these two teams met Nashville outshot the Flyers 33-18 and lost the game 4-1. The Flyers are not unfamiliar with being under attack from this team.
The Swing
The Flyers came out in the second period looking like a different team altogether. What appeared to be a momentum shift was actually a change of strategy by the Flyers to counteract the Predators aggressive approach. The Flyers began using Nashville’s aggressive forecheck to their advantage. Instead of attempting to skate the puck out of their own end they were using stretch passes through the neutral zone to move the puck up the ice with numbers.
Matvei Michkov scored his 2nd goal of the season 4:43 into the period. Cam York skated in deep with the puck and passed back out front to Michkov who wristed the shot past Jusse Saros. By the middle of the second period the Flyers overtook the shots-on-goal total and had the Predators on the defensive.
With 2:23 left in the period Noah Cates scored the go ahead goal. Throughout the 3rd period the Flyers played a strong defensive game. They threw their energy into keeping the Predators away from their net instead of looking for the insurance goal.
It was a physical game with plenty of hits and hints of ill humored interaction. The Orange and Black protected their one goal lead until Nashville pulled their goaltender and Travis Konecny scored on the empty net to reach tonight’s final score of 3-1.
Dan Vladar
Vladar was exceptional tonight stopping 23 of 24 Nashville shots. Aside from a fluke redirect off a defenseman he was stellar. He looked like his old self again (you know the guy from a week or so ago). Some of his saves were outright spectacular. There were times when the Predators were absolutely buzzing around the Flyers net and Vladar made clusters of key saves. His recovery and repositioning were sharp as a tack. Much of the credit for this win goes to his outstanding performance in the net.
The Flyers kept their composure in this one. They withstood the onslaught and adjusted their game throughout to surpass then neutralize their opponent. As they say it’s not up to the visiting team to put on a show. They got where they needed to be and then slowly strangled the home team and left with all the points.
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