The Flyers sure gave Dave Hakstol a warm welcome! How about a 6-1 beat down in South Philadelphia. I had a fun time diving into my notepad after Game 1 so let’s do it again. My boss can be a real asshole so let’s see how long this concept lasts.
First Period – Hakstol in His Feels
- I love the Brassard, Farabee, Atkinson line. Atkinson almost scores back door after great offensive zone time during their first shift
- Donskoi splits the D and gets a breakaway. Carter Hart sound in position.
- Donato wide open in the slot for a backhand redirect. Carter Hart once again… excellent save.
- Willman comes down the left wall 1 on 1 with Giordano after Flyers 4th line forces a neutral zone turnover. He nicely change his shooting angle. Grubauer with the save.
- Incredible puck movement in the O zone by Brassard, Farabee, Atkinson and leads to fantastic one timer from the slot.
- Carter Hart WHAT IN THE WORLD! Jordan Eberle robbed with a wide open net!
- Flyers Goal (1-0): WOW!! Claude Giroux absolute missile off the rush with Travis Konecny.
- Scott Laughton throws a pizza delivery up the middle on his backhand…. Seconds later flubbed another on his forehand? Something to monitor.
- Flyers Goal (2-0): Quick pass through the neutral zone leads to Travis Konecny having space entering the zone. Shoots pad and puts in his own rebound. Big start from him considering the down year last season.
- Flyers Goal (3-0): All starts with Sanhiem pinching to keep the puck in the zone. (And some confusion about icing) Brassard throws a tough angle shot on net that hits a Seattle defenseman before going in. They don’t ask how, they ask how many! That line deserved one.
- Somehow Giroux, behind the net, finds TK through 9,000 bodies in the slot for a serious threat
- Giroux cross checked with 15.2 seconds to go in the period.
- Offensive zone PP play that didn’t work, yet a very interesting look: Yandle up top QBing. He’s searching for Couturier sneaking backside post after going behind the net off the draw.
Second Period: Justin Braun scores? Game over, no?
- NAK finds Laughton on an odd man rush and somehow doesn’t bury? Giordano and Grubauer run into one another.
- Seeler Interference call moments later. Off to the PK. Don’t give Seattle any life.
- Flyers Goal (4-0): Joel Farabee wins half-wall battle. Brassard chases it down in the corner and finds Ryan Ellis. Idk if you heard me say this, but what an incredible line!
- Flyers Goal (5-0): When Justin Braun scores, the game should end!
- Grubauer yanked!
- Travis Konecny CRANKS iron. Wells Fargo was ready to explode.
- “Fuck Dave Hakstol” chants. Amazing!
- NAK takes a dumb penalty. Seeler and Oleksiak drop the mitts and the crowd erupts. Goosebumps down the spine!
- My favorite line of the night even shows defensive zone discipline. Brassard in the slot covering his man intercepts a pass and chips it into the neutral zone for a proper change. The little things!
- Kraken Goal (5-1): Carter Hart fights off a shot with his shoulder and Soucy follows up the rebound. Just under 3 minutes remaining in the period.
- Travis Konecny called for tripping in the offensive zone.
Third Period – More Broad Street Bullies Action!
- Ironically enough, Konecny tripped to start the third. Both PP units moving the puck nicely
- Giroux sauce a little too far ahead of Couts on 2-on-1.
- Flyers Goal (6-1): Brassard, Atkinson, Farabee off the rush! You already know.
- Nate Thompson UPPER CUTS on Bastian after Bastian went after Giroux earlier. My initial reaction as the crowd erupts a second time? Uh oh! This team has swagger!
- Laughton, JVR, and Lindblom with numbers heading in transition, but Laughton tough turnover right before zone entry. I want to keep my eye on this line as games continue.
I will expand more in detail on the postgame podcast where I’ll also be taking your calls!
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