Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
The Flyers have played three games since Monday. One thing has been consistent about all of them. It has been absolutely impossibly not to notice the play of Owen Tippett. He’s really stepped up his physical play. His speed is always impressive. And he’s been an offensive force to be reckoned with. He led the team again tonight with six shots on goal, second game in a row, and he spent most of the night passing the puck. Tippett is playing some monster hockey and it’s been a blast to watch.
Philly vs Minnesota
The Flyers were in Minnesota on Thursday night to face the Wild less than 24 hours after an exhilarating 4-1 victory over the Capitals in Philly on Wednesday night.
The Philadelphia hockey club packed up and traveled right after the game arriving in Minnesota around two in the morning. The Flyers looked no worse for the wear as the game got underway. They had jump early on and were forechecking aggressively in the Minnesota zone.
The teams traded unsuccessful power-plays. Minnesota’s special teams have been red hot as of late.
Emil Andrae
With just 1:24 left in the opening period Trevor Zegras kept the puck in the Wild zone and waited for Emil Andrae to join the rush. Andrae cut to the slot and fired a wrist shot that went five hole. Minnesota goaltender Jesper Wallstedt got a piece of the shot but failed to pinch it dead. The puck slowly emerged from between his pads and eventually made it’s way across the goal line.
It’s hard to figure out why Andrae is having such a hard time securing a regular spot in the line-up. He moves the puck well especially during transitions through the neutral zone.
Wild take control
The Wild came out guns-a-blazing to start the 2nd period. Dan Vladar looked sharp after a quiet 1st period.
Matt Boldy quickly took advantage of the Wild’s second power-play to tie the game at one. The Flyers had been giving the Wild plenty of room to work with on that left hand side. Boldy jumped into the left circle and beat Vladar between the legs with a heavy wrist shot. Just 25 seconds into the man advantage, 8:39 into the period.
With 2:09 left in the middle period Kaprizov danced right across the slot with the puck evading defenders then beating Vladar high blocker side with beautiful shot. 2-1 Wild.
The Flyers schedule was starting to show on them. The Wild were dialed in and looking for more as time ran out in the 2nd period.
Owen Tippett
The Flyers had another man advantage early in the 3rd period but could not enter with control of the puck. The opportunity came and went quickly. The Power-play would dog the Flyers the entire game. They would have several opportunities that got away from them before the night was over.
There were a few occasions where Tippett fed the puck to a team mate during odd man rushes. A couple times to Grundstrom, once to Konecny. It looked like it was all over but the dunk to finish. Possibly Grundstrom was caught by surprise? Konecny flat out whiffed on a golden opportunity. TK was not at all happy about that one, but he got his chance to make up for it later in the night.
6:08 into the third the Flyers gave the Wild another crack at the man advantage. They’d already been successful once tonight. Owen Tippett swiped a puck in the neutral zone. It went from Sanheim, to Grundstrom, then back to Tippett in on a 2-on-1 break. This time Tippett chose to shoot. He just teed up a slapper from the slot that went in off the inside of the blocker. Tippett’s shorthanded goal tied the game with 7:58 to go in regulation.
Dan Vladar made some huge saves down the stretch, even took a couple of pucks off the head. The Wild took a “too many men” penalty with 51.5 left on the clock. The Flyers would start the overtime with a 4-on-3 power-play for the first 1:09.
Overtime
The Flyers spent most of their golden opportunity passing around the edges. The Wild with only three men on the ice managed to keep the Flyers at bay. When the penalty expired the teams would play 4-on-4 till the next whistle.
Quinn Hughes was whistled for pulling down Trevor Zegras and the Flyers were going right back on the 4-on-3. Again the results were the same. The Wild killed off the penalty and with only 1:29 left in the overtime session we finally got to see some 3-on-3 hockey.
Shoot-out
Dan Vladar was perfect in the shoot-out. Jesper Wallstedt stopped two of Philly’s finest craftsmen in Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras.
Travis Konecny got to take the final shot of the night. He came in slow and steady drifting from right to left before snapping a shot through the pads to win the game.
Extra Credit: The Flyers showed excellent resilience in winning both games of their back-to-back after suffering a crushing loss on Monday night. Way to bounce back. This busy week is not over yet. The Flyers host the Blue Jacket on Saturday night at 7:30.
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