After going 6-8 in January and going into the All-Star break on a five-game losing streak, the Philadelphia Flyers desperately needed to rebound against the Florida Panthers. Thankfully, they did just that.
Period 1
Unfortunately, the rebound did not begin right away for the Flyers. They appeared to lack that spark of offense they have worked so hard to cultivate this season. The offense did not put a shot on goal until Scott Laughton broke through at 14:30.
The majority of the period was the Sam Ersson show. He stopped five shots before Laughton was able to respond.
At 10:52, Nick Seeler went to the box for tripping against Jonah Gadjovich. The Panthers’ power play is 10th in the league, therefore the Flyers’ penalty kill had quite the task ahead. In the end, the Panthers’ power play prevailed. Carter Verhaeghe scored the first goal of the game at the 10:38 mark.
Let’s just say that with only five shots on goal for the entire period compared to the Panthers’ 10, the Flyers were lucky to escape down only one goal.
Score: 1-0 Panthers
Period 2
Truly a tale of two periods. After the sluggish first period, the Flyers were fortunate to start the second period down by only one.
However, the Flyers came racing out of the locker room with a burst of energy. Owen Tippett had a shot on goal only 11 seconds into the period, a far cry from the last period.
Travis Konecny rode that momentum and potted his 23rd goal of the season at 6:27. Joel Farabee saw Konecny speeding into the offensive zone on a Panthers’ line change and took advantage of that with a crisp pass. Sean Walker also had an assist.
To put a bow on the period, Travis Konecny and Gustav Forsling engaged in a shoving and slashing match after the last whistle. Even Matthew Tkachuk joined in on the extra-curricular activities.
Konecny let his vintage pot-stirring work its magic, reminding Flyers fans of his lovable feistiness.
“They’re trying to play tough, and we’re not afraid of that. We will stand right in there.”
– Travis Konecny during second-period intermission interview on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Flyers had 12 shots on goal that period alone, compared to the Panthers’ 8.
Score: 1-1
Period 3
As a result of Travis Konecny’s pot-stirring, the Flyers started the third period on a four-on-four. Although there was no luck for either team, shortly after the four-on-four ended, Noah Cates scored on an explosive solo effort at the 2:37 mark, putting the Flyers in front 2-1.
Cates’ goal snapped a 22-game scoreless drought. After missing some time due to injury, this goal was a much-needed morale and confidence booster for the young forward.
At 8:44, Owen Tippett was sent to the box for boarding Niko Mikkola. Once again, the Flyers’ penalty kill was tested in an extremely crucial part of the game. Thankfully, despite a few close calls, the penalty kill was successful, and the Flyers preserved their one-goal lead.
The Flyers persevered through Anthony Stolarz being pulled for a 6-5. They earned every piece of their win.
After struggling with shots on goal in the first period, the Flyers ended the game with 25 shots on goal compared to the Panthers’ 21.
Final Score: 2-1 Flyers
Sam Ersson
Ersson shined in the first period, stopping nine shots out of 10. After losing his last four starts, the net-minder needed a confidence booster, and he definitely got it.
“We had to get everything up, really, back to our standards. In the first, nothing really went our way, but we showed some really great character and bounced back.”
– Sam Ersson in post-game interview on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Three Stars of the Game:
- Noah Cates (GWG)
- Travis Konecny (1 G)
- Carter Verhaege (1 G)
What started as a lopsided game that heavily favored Florida turned into a “How the Flyers Got Their Groove Back” moment. The Flyers look to keep this momentum going against the Winnipeg Jets at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center.
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