Photo Credit: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
The Flyers took the ice late Tuesday night against the reining Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights. The Knights have not lost a game yet this season going 6-0-0 to start the year. This is the longest season opening win streak for a Cup winning team in NHL history. The Flyers have looked competitive against all comers so far this season so Vegas would be wise not to underestimate the challenge.
Drop the puck
Scoring started off with a broken play behind the flyers net. Cam Atkinson was attempting to move the puck around the boards down low. Unfortunately it was intercepted by Jonathan Marchessault who threw it out front to Jack Eichel. Eichel tap passed the puck to Ivan Barbashev who wasted no time getting Vegas on the board 6:54 into the game.
There were not a whole lot of shots or quality chances for either team as the game began to take shape. Neither team was threatening much or taking many chances. A lot of feeling each other out. Then at 13:07 Noah Cates skated into the Vegas zone and fired an innocent looking backhander from the circle. Vegas goaltender Logan Thompson gloved it but failed to control it. Cates picked up his own rebound and slammed it home.
The hockey gods then gave Cam Atkinson an opportunity to make up for the first Vegas goal. Cam was running out of options as he skated down the left side into the offensive zone. He just kind of threw a back-hander at the net which was misplayed by the Vegas Goaltender. Thompson attempted to steer the biscuit of a shot to the corner with his blocker. The puck caught the underside of the blocker instead and ended up going behind him and into the net.
With just a few minutes left in the 1st Kaenan Korczak took a cross-checking penalty against Bobby Brink. The Flyers ensuing power-play continued the sag we’ve all become accustomed to. The Flyers currently own the 2nd worst power-play in the league. They mounted a single shot on goal while Vegas had no problem taking control of the puck and sending it the length of the ice over and over again till the penalty expired.
Back at full strength Sean Couturier ripped a shot just wide high glove side as time ran out on the period. The Flyers went into the 1st intermission leading in shots-on-goal 8-6, and ahead on the scoreboard 2-1.
Second Period
The Flyers were more than holding their own and were leading in shots halfway through the 2nd period. Winning battles and races for the puck the Flyers kept mounting pressure. Noah Cates and Owen Tippett both with nice chances as the visiting Flyers kept sustained attack time in the offensive zone.
Vegas started to step up the pressure in the second half of the period. At one point Nicolas Deslauriers hustled back to make a really fine defensive play that broke up a dangerous rush. Shortly thereafter it was Flyers goaltender Carter Hart who came up with a couple of really big saves. Sustained pressure kept the Flyers bottled up in their own end unable to complete a line change for a considerable amount of time but Hart continued to be the difference.
The Flyers bounced back with several nice chances in the Vegas end and seemed to get their groove back by the end of the 2nd stanza. They ended the period still ahead in shots 20-15, still ahead in goals 2-1, and still very much in this game.
Third Period
Vegas started the third period with a minute and a half in power-play time still remaining from a questionable slashing call. It’s understood the league is trying to crack down on players getting slashed in the hands but sometimes the calls seem a bit extreme. Just call it what it is, Tyson Foerster two minutes for tapping.
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The Flyers penalty-kill kept the Knights very much at bay during this contest. Vegas had gone 0 for 2 with only one PP shot-on-goal at this point. Travis Sanheim took a penalty very shortly after the Flyers had just killed of the last one. On top of that it’s Las Vegas so Sanheim also took a lot of lip from an Elvis impersonator as he tried to plead his case with the Ref. You can’t keep going to the box against a team like this. Vegas was swarming in the 3rd, down by one goal, with their winning streak on the line.
Carter Hart was asked to do a lot of heaving lifting in the final period and for the most part he stood up to the challenge. The Flyers were back on their heels as Vegas kept the pressure dialed in. With 7:54 left in regulation Paul Cotter scored a highlight real goal to tie the game at two. He charged up the right hand side tricked Egor Zamula out of his shorts and put a shot high blocker side passed Carter Hart.
The Kill Shot
The third period was very lopsided. Vegas was outshooting the Flyers 12-4 with five minutes left in regulation. The Flyers needed to slow the pace of the game and afford themselves some chances. They had been playing not to lose with a one goal lead now they were stuck in a tie game with only minutes left against the best team in the league. Vegas maintained dominant control of the play for the final moments of the contest finally scoring the go-ahead goal with just 32 seconds left. Shea Theodore fired the puck through traffic and netted what turned out to be the game winning goal.
It was a valiant effort by the Flyers but they were finally outmatched by a team on a tear who responded very well to the wake up call. Vegas extends their record setting season opening winning streak to 7-0-0.
Extra Credit:
A well deserved tip of the hat to the Philadelphia Phillies who came within one win of a repeat trip to the World Series. The team made this baseball season a very exciting time to be a Philadelphia Sports Fan. Much respect and gratitude to the Phillies. They are a great team who share an amazing bond with this city and their enthusiastic fan base.
