Wrap: Flyers Fall in Dallas, 5-2
The Philadelphia Flyers suffered a 5-2 loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday evening at the American Airlines Center. Dallas, with only one win in their previous seven games and looking for their first regulation win of the season, was a hungry team.
They were also by far the more rested team. The Stars, home since Monday, were playing for just the second time in six nights. The Flyers were playing for the third time in four nights across three different cities and two time zones.
The Flyers actually had the better of the play in the first period but could not solve Anton Khudobin (31 saves for the game, 19 in the first period). Philly came out putting pucks to the net from a variety of different angles. By Natural Stat Trick's count, the Flyers outchanced the Stars by an 11-7 margin in the first period.
Nevertheless, Dallas went to intermission with a 1-0 lead. When the Stars finally did generate some extended offensive zone possession, they turned it into a Luke Glendening deflection goal. Additionally, while the Flyers finally generated some power play pressure (against what has been a struggling Dallas penalty kill of late), they couldn't capitalize on either of two man-advantage opportunities.
Second periods have been, overall, the Flyers weakest for most the early season. This game was no exception. Dallas severely outskated -- and also played a very physical forecheck against -- the Flyers in the middle frame. The Flyers' legs seemed be getting tired. Philly competed but the attention to detail dipped along with the energy.
The Stars built a 2-0 lead off a Keith Yandle turnover that turned into a tap-in goal a few seconds later for Roope Hintz midway through regulation. Philly got a goal back on a greasy-but-good goal credited to James van Riemsdyk (2nd of the season, 1st at 5-on-5). The puck actually went into the net off Glendening's skate after going off at least one other defender on the scramble.
There was a lengthy official scorer's delay to determine whether JVR touched the puck or if Travis Sanheim had the last Philadelphia touch or if Rasmus Ristolainen had jammed the puck over the goal line at the last moment. Actually, the Stars had already scored again on the very next shift -- Tyler Seguin won a battle in the Philly zone and, shortly after that, had a tap-in from the edge of the crease after a pass from rookie Jacob Peterson (recalled by Dallas from the AHL's Texas Stars on Friday). The score was 3-1 and the scoring on the Seguin goal was announced before JVR was finally credited with the Flyers' goal.
The Flyers deficit grew to 4-1 in the third period. A Joel Farabee interference penalty was converted into a point blank goal for Joe Pavelski on a chance created by Hintz after recovering his own initial shot. The Flyers long-starved power play got a goal from the second unit -- an Ivan Provorov (1st goal of the season) center point shot through traffic -- to get back within two goals.
The Flyers had a couple chances to narrow the deficit down to one goal but Dallas, overall, was able to restore some order. Finally, with Martin Jones pulled for an extra attacker, a cross-ice pass by Cam Atkinson intended for Ristolainen got picked off by Glendening. After the puck was sent to Radek Faksa, the Stars scored a long-distance empty netter to seal a 5-2 final.
The outcome of the game was already a foregone conclusion. But it's worth noting that a very hasty whistle by an out-of-position referee cost the Flyers a goal in the closing minute. The puck sat loose in the crease behind Khudobin but the referee didn't see it and blew play dead as Zack MacEwen was in the process of stashing it in the net. Ultimately, it was just one more frustration from a frustrating night for the Flyers.
The Flyers' fourth line of Nate Thompson, MacEwen and Oskar Lindblom had an especially rough night. They were out for both Dallas goals in the second period, including the Seguin goal scored right after the JVR tally. Lindblom was moved down to the fourth line amid large-scale pregame line combination juggling by Alain Vigneault.
Lindblom was uncharacteristically among the culprits of a few defensive details that were missed and he ultimately was on the ice for four of the five Dallas goals (one power play, three even strength). Prior to this game, he'd been in a deep offensive funk with no goals and just one assist to show for the season despite a healthy volume of scoring chances but the other parts of his game were actually quite good. Saturday wasn't Lindblom's night pretty much in any aspect. He had company. The Flyers as a team just were not sharp enough.
Jones was not to blame on any of the four goals he allowed on 29 shots. None among the Glendening deflection or the point blank goals by Hintz, Seguin or Pavelski were likely to be stopped by any goalie. It was just a night where the skaters in front of the goalie were losing pucks and/or getting beaten in coverage.
On the bright side for Philadelphia --- and, truthfully, this was a less galling loss than Wednesday's special teams breakdowns and poor third period in a winnable game against Toronto -- the team finally got Kevin Hayes and Ryan Ellis back into their lineup. Neither was at the top of their game, which is to be expected (especially with Hayes, who missed training camp, the preseason, and the first 12 games of the regular season). However, both players had some moments that showed why they'd been missed in the lineup. Additionally, the two players were credited with the assists on the Provorov goal.
The Flyers will have an off-day on Sunday, a practice day on Monday and then host the Calgary Flames on Hall of Fame Night on Tuesday. Prior to the game, Rick Tocchet and Paul Holmgren will be officially inducted into the Flyers' Hall of Fame.
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Wrap: Phantoms Drop 2-1 OT Decision to Springfield
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms settled for one point as they lost a home overtime game, 2-1, to the Atlantic Division leading Springfield Thunderbirds at the PPL Center on Saturday night. The Phantoms, who remain in last place, dropped 3-7-3 through 13 games. Springfield, which had lost two of its three previous games, improved to 9-2-2.
The Phantoms, playing for the fifth time in eight nights across four cities (Charlotte x2, Hershey, Providence and Allentown), did not lack for competitiveness but needed better discipline in the first period. Lehigh Valley killed off three penalties in solid fashion in the first period, and goalie Felix Sandström got them through other portions of the period where the ice was tilted in Springfield's favor. The Phantoms had a 15-8 shot deficit in the opening period but the game went to intermission scoreless.
Over the balance of the game, the Phantoms put up a valiant battle. Lehigh Valley carried the majority of the play in the second period and the rest was fairly even.
Tanner Kaspick put the Thunderbirds ahead, 1-0, as he stashed home a rebound near the net at 3:53 of the second period. Sandström couldn't quite get there in time for a second save.
The Phantoms, whose power play ranks 30th in the 31-team AHL (6-for-58, 10.3 percent), had a mid-second period opportunity to tie the game but could get a puck past Charlie Lindgren. Oddly enough, the Phantoms' penalty kill (82 percent, ranked 15th) has been more of a scoring threat in many games than the power play.
That came into play again on Saturday, as the Phantoms scored their league leading fifth shorthanded goal of the season. At 15:21 of the middle frame, the Phantoms tied the game at 1-1. Morgan Frost heavily pressured the pike and finally jabbed it loose from Nolan Stevens. Racing down the ice, Frost led a 2-on-1 with Max Willman. Frost slid a nice pass to Willman, who moved to his right and slid the puck into the bet.
For Frost, it was his team-high 10th assist of the season (tied for 6th in the AHL). For Willman, it was his sixth goal and second shorthander of the campaign to date.
GOAL. Morgan Frost to Max Willman.
— Tony Androckitis (@TonyAndrock) November 14, 2021
Frost relentless up top in the D-zone. He forces a turnover and Max Willman finishes off the ensuing 2-on-1.
Game tied at 1-1 on a shorthanded goal at 15:21. pic.twitter.com/RMNsBP3TP2
The Phantoms will now get a three-night respite before their next game. On Wednesday, they will host the Charlotte Checkers at the PPL Center.
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Flyers Alumni Hall of Fame Game Preview
The Flyers Alumni Hall of Fame Game will take place tomorrow (Nov. 15) evening at the Wells Fargo Center. I have written a 25-page program for the game, which includes bios and photos of every participating Alum, a history of the Flyers Hall of Fame, and much, much more. The program is free viewing on the official Flyers Alumni website.
Team Holmgren and Team Tocchet lineups:
TEAM HOLMGREN (black uniforms)
Coaches: Paul Holmgren, Orest Kindrachuk, Bob Kelly
10 John LeClair - 88 Eric Lindros - 19 Scott Mellanby 19 Scott Hartnell - 18 Adam Hall - 15 Joffrey Lupul 9 Scottie Upshall - 14 Ron Sutter - 21 Dave Brown 29 Todd Fedoruk
2 Mark Howe - 3 Dan McGillis 14 Joe Watson - 2 Derian Hatcher
42 Robert Esche 35 Neil Little
TEAM TOCCHET (orange uniforms)
Coaches: Rick Tocchet, Mike Keenan, Murray Craven
12 Simon Gagne - 48 Danny Briere - 22 Mike Knuble 26 Brian Propp - 9 Pelle Eklund - 18 Lindsay Carson 87 Donald Brashear - 37 Mitch Lamoureux - 27 Reggie Leach 32 Riley Cote
6 Chris Therien - 28 Kjell Samuelsson 8 Brad Marsh - 55 Nick Schultz
56 Mike McKenna
There are still tickets remaining for Monday's event. Availability is limited in the middle sections to east end of the rink but there's more availability at the west end and club boxes. Tickets cost $35 to $45 and all proceeds go to the Flyers Alumni Association charity programs ("Every Child Deserves a Bike", "12 Days of Christmas Season Giving") along with Flyers Charities.
Flyers Alumni Association president Brad Marsh said that the proceeds from roughly every 500 tickets sold will enable the Alumni to have one customized adaptive bicycle built for donation to a local special needs child. Please held the Alumni and Flyers Charities get all the available seats sold out. It makes a real difference.
For tickets,click here.