The Flyers earn 1 point in their season opener after scoring 2 goals in 65 seconds late in the third period to force overtime. I thought it would be fun to post my notepad as the game went on.
Before we dive deep, here are my very broad thoughts: Outstanding heart by this team. Also, Carter Hart needs to be way better if the Flyers want a chance this season.
First Period – A Dominating Effort!
- As expected the Flyers came out buzzing! Thatcher Demko was forced to stop a ton of great scoring chances, most notably Joel Farabee finding Derick Brassard in the high slot just minutes into the action.
- Flyers Goal (1-0): An early power play unit of Ellis, Provorov, Farabee, Brassard, Atkinson looked SOLID. Joel Farabee scored the first goal of the season by cranking a one timer far pad and getting a nice bounce to find twine. Ellis is so poised quarterbacking.
- The goal song is irrelevant to me.
- JVR, Lindblom, and what looked to be Nate Thompson (possibly mid change) with very nice puck movement in the offensive zone close inside the blue paint. Maybe one too many passes. I enjoyed the creativity and thought process.
- Carter Hart: extremely comfortable on first and second chance opportunities. He even played the puck well off the wall a couple times to help as an outlet pass. Something to keep an eye on as we’ve seen the struggle in that area before.
- Provorov cut across the slot in the offensive zone and no call after being tripped?! Flyers deserved another man-advantage!
- JVR used his body perfectly down low underneath the goal line to create havoc in the crease with 12 seconds to go. The play stopped due to their net coming off…..
- Flyers outshoot Vancouver 14-5 in the period.
Second Period – I want to throw up! Undisciplined!
- Carter Hart tried to use behind the net to play the puck which resulted in confusion. Communication with the D core should come throughout the season.
- Canucks Goal (1-1): Short side snipe over the glove of Hart by Vasily Podkolzin. Not the way you want to start the 2nd.
- Travis Konecny takes a 2 minute high sticking penalty.
- Canucks Goal (2-1): Elias Pettersson ripped a shot that banked off the boards wide right and came back to hit Hart before crossing the goal line. PP Goal.
- JVR draws a holding penalty while trying to establish offensive zone presence.
- Flyers continue to struggle. Delay of Game Penalty as Provorov lifts the puck out of play.
- Cam Atkinson forced a turnover at the blue line & Nate Thompson stopped on a short handed breakaway! Solid deke, Demko just had the answer. Should Cam have stayed with it? Clearly a way better goal scorer.
- Wow – Falling apart – Flyers bench minor for too many men on the ice.
- Canucks Goal (3-1): 5 on 3 for Vancouver: A simple back door pass to Alex Chiasson does the trick after Hart made an initial save.
- Flyers Goal (3-2): Farabee and Brassard moved the puck well behind the goal line and finds Cam Atkinson in the slot for his first as a Flyer!
- Laughton & Lindblom 2-on-1… Lindblom can’t handle the pass.
- 4th line of NAK, Thompson, and Willman really establish a nice shift. – Momentum gaining with 4:22 to go?
- Canucks Goal (4-2): Hart comes off his post. The puck is jammed between his skate and the pipe. JT Miller crashes the net. Absolutely unacceptable.
- Willman ends the period with a cross checking penalty. What a stupid emotional decision. Canucks kill the rest of the period off without the Flyers touching it. BOOOOOOOOs pour down as they should!
Third Period – From Blah to WOW!!
- JT Miller Grade-A scoring chance a handful of seconds into the period. Came into the zone and cranked a clap bomb on Carter Hart after the puck was banked off of corner boards. Flyers kill off the penalty.
- Blah.
- Flyers Goal (4-3): Travis Konecny almost gets his head chopped off with a two-hander to the head area. How does he respond? A PP goal of course by camping around the crease with just under 2 minutes to go.
- Flyers Goal (4-4): Extra attacker and CLAUDE GIROUX TIES IT UP FROM A TOUGH ANGLE!!!!
Overtime – Canucks slow it down.
- Hart breakaway five-hole save on Pettersson!
- Cam Atkinson with shifty moves entering the zone, nice backhand on Demko.
- Hart incredible back-door save as Vancouver slows down the pace in the offensive zone.
Shootout – Blah.
- Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux had Demko beat, but couldn’t bury.
- Canucks Win (5-4): Vancouver scores on their first two attempts to take the victory.
I’ll continue the conversation more tonight on the postgame podcast which you can find here:
https://www.youtube.com/brodesmedia