Date Published: 11-6-2022
Photo Credit: Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
No one knew what to expect from the Flyers with facing their old pal Claude Giroux last night for the first time since being traded last season. It got off to a rocky start as Giroux, of all people, scored within the first three minutes of the game to make it 1-0 Senators.
“G is a close friend of mine,” Kevin Hayes said. “He’s a great player, he deserves all the accolades. I’m happy he scored 300, we won, and he got his 300. I’m sure it’s one he’s going to remember.”
Then the Flyers stormed back, led by Travis Konecny. There was good cycling of the puck with the man advantage, he saucered a pass to Hayes, and woolah the game was tied at one. That just so happened to be Konecny’s sixth Power Play point on the season for the orange and black, which leads the team.
The Zack attack then took over. He was energized, and MacEwen forechecked well (His line of Nic Deslauriers and Morgan Frost all forechecked well). Believe it or not MacEwen skated well, and looks a bit faster in his last nine games or so. MacEwen has looked like a different player since his recall to the big club. For his efforts, he blasted a puck past Cam Talbot, and I’m certain it left a hole in the net. The shot had to be close to 100 MPH.
“He works so hard, big fan on my team. He works so hard.” – Wade Allison said of Zack MacEwen
“I work hard, just keep playing with confidence. Just being reliable,” MacEwen said of his game. “To get rewarded, my confidence it gets better and better.”
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MacEwen now has three goals on the season. He now has more goals than Alex Debrincat, Patrick Kane, Mitchell Marner, Anze Kopitar, and Brayden Schenn. He had turned into a goal scorer of sorts.
The Carter Hart Effect
Hart is one of the best darn goalies in the NHL and there is no bias with saying that. He stands in third in the league with a .946 Save Percentage, and fourth in the league with a 1.97 GAA. Moreover, Hart is is also tied for second in the league with six victories. The guy has been phenomenal, and it’s hard to believe he’s only 24-years-old. Are these stats sustainable? Who knows, all anyone knows for sure is he’s playing lights out right now.
The Flyers are riding his coattails to victory, and it appears to be fueling the room, “He’s making the saves, but sometimes the Goaltender sets the tempo for your team. He looks relaxed, he looks calm, settles the team down also. He’s handled himself very well,” John Tortorella said last night following the victory against the Senators.
He finished with another 34 saves performance, and was first star in Ottawa for his efforts. This was good enough for a .971 Save Percentage. Hart is Ron Hextall’s best draft pick ever.
The Flyers have the day off today, as they return back to Philly.
