Wrap: Flyers Earn Yeoman Win over 'Yotes, 4-1
The Philadelphia Flyers grinded out a 4-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday evening at Mullett Arena in Tempe. The victory, the Flyers' third in a row, ended a five-game winning streak for Arizona and got a three-game road trip started on a positive note for the Flyers.
Arizona goaltender Connor Ingram entered the game scorching hot, but the Flyers solved him for even strength and shorthanded goals from Travis Konecny (13th and 14th), plus 5-on-5 tallies by Joel Farabee (9th) and Cam York (4th). Lawson Crouse scored the lone goal for the Coyotes.
Ryan Poehling was a late scratch for the Flyers due to illness, so Olle Lycksell entered the lineup for his first NHL game of the 2023-24 season and ninth of his career. Playing with a lead most of the night, Philly was able to spread ice time around (even with three penalty kills) rather evenly. Every Flyers skater except Lycksell (eight shifts, 6:11 TOI) skated at least 10:30 of ice time. None skated more than 21:20 (defenseman Sean Walker).
Carter Hart generated another rock-solid performance in goal, stopping 25 of 26 shots. He outplayed Arizona counterpart Ingram, the NHL's reigning Player of the Week.
The Flyers did not have any power play opportunities in the game. They've only had one abbreviated (ended midway by a penalty of their own) power play in the last two games.
Philly's soaring penalty kill shined again, however, going 3-for-3 with Konecny tallying the team's seventh shorthanded goal of the season and his third. Over the 10 previous games heading into Arizona, the Flyers killed penalties at 94.1 percent clip. Opponents were just 2-for-32, and Philly had scored twice shorthanded in that span. All those numbers improved again on Thursday against an Arizona club that entered the night ranked fifth in the NHL on the power play for the season.
For more -- a period-by-period synopsis, analysis, stats and highlights -- see the
Postgame 5 on the Flyers' official website.
The Flyers will practice in Denver on Friday. On Saturday, the Flyers (14-10-2) will pay a visit to Ball Arena to play the Central Division leading Colorado Avalanche (16-8-2 overall, 9-3-0 on home ice).
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Phantoms Update
Ian Laperriere's Lehigh Valley Phantoms (9-8-4) had a tough time last weekend, as they saw a six-game point streak (5-0-1) come to an end and went 0-2-1 during a 3-in-3 gauntlet. They'll try to get back on the winning track this weekend.
The Phantoms will host the Providence Bruins (11-8-3) at the PPL Center in Allentown on Friday evening at 7:05 p.m. ET. On Saturday, the Charlotte Checkers (10-9-0) will come to town for a 7:05 p.m. ET game. Both matches, as always, will be streamed on AHLTV (subscription required).
With leading scorer Olle Lycksell on NHL recall to the Flyers, the Phantoms will at least temporarily need to rework their top line. The trio of Lycksell, Tanner Laczynski and Samu Tuomaala had been on a roll. Laczynski is/was dealing with a nagging injury that prevented him from taking faceoffs but he was able to play. Hopefully, he's feeling better by now.
Providence goalie Brandon Bussi has had the Phantoms' number so far this season. Bussi has authored 2-1 (overtime) and 3-2 wins over Lehigh Valley in the last couple weeks. In fact, the goalie's spectacular 41-save performance in the P-Bruins' 2-1 OT win over the Phantoms at the PPL Center on Nov. 24 was the best game any opposing goalie has played against Lehigh Valley so far this season. Bussi wasn't nearly as busy in terms of quantity or difficulty of save opportunities in last Sunday's 3-2 win over the Phantoms in Providence.
In last Sunday's game, a breakaway goal by Elliot Desnoyers (3rd) was one of the few highlights for the Phantoms in the 3-2 defeat. The Desnoyers goal temporarily tied the game at 2-2 before the P-Bruins retook the lead for good on a Justin Brazeau power play goal.
The Phantoms generated only 22 shots on goal in Sunday's game. Rookie forward JR Avon (5th) opened the scoring on a first period power play goal from the right circle but the P-Bruins pulled even about five minutes later and never trailed again.
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Alumni Game VIP Reception
If you have
already purchased tickets to the Flyers Alumni Game on January 26 and wish to add the pregame VIP reception but have not done so yet, use
this link to purchase the VIP add-on for the reception.
2024 VIP reception highlights:
* Mix-and-mingle with 50+ Flyers Alumni, including all Alumni Game players, the 1973-74 and 1974-75 Cup reunion attendees and off-ice participants.
* Autographed Mark Recchi HOF Weekend puck with purchase of a reception pass.
* Autographs and photos are encouraged.
* Food and drink in Shift4 Club starting 90 minutes before the Alumni Game.
If you have NOT yet purchased Alumni Game tickets,
use this link. After you select your tickets for the Alumni Game, the VIP reception is available as an add-on before final checkout.
Here's the confirmed roster and tentative starting line combinations for the Flyers Alumni.
Here's our roster for the 2024 Alumni Game vs. the Bruins Alumni: 12 forwards, 6 defensemen, two goalies.
Brent Fedyk - Eric Lindros - Mark Recchi
John LeClair - Mike Richards - Mike Knuble
Donald Brashear - Patrick Sharp - Scott Hartnell
Todd Fedoruk - Riley Cote - Dave Brown
Mark Howe - Kimmo Timonen
Brad Marsh - Dennis Seidenberg
Joe Watson - Daryl Stanley
Brian Boucher
Robert Esche
All proceeds from the Flyers Alumni versus Bruins Alumni Game at Wells Fargo Center will benefit Flyers Charities and the Flyers Alumni Association's charitable giving programs.
Another nice touch of the weekend is the appearance of the Stanley Cup trophy itself. The Alumni of the 1974 and 1975 Cup champion teams will all gather together at center ice and hoist the Cup one final time together. They've never gotten to do in Philadelphia as a group.
After the Flyers won the 1974 Cup at the Spectrum, hundreds of fans came out onto the ice to join the celebration. It was an unforgettable scene but the Flyers players, apart from captain Bobby Clarke and goaltender Bernie Parent, did not have the opportunity to lift the Cup as champions and take a proper victory lap.
The next year, the Flyers clinched their second straight Stanley Cup championship as they won Game 6 in Buffalo. This time, all of the Flyers were able to celebrate together on the ice with the trophy but it was in front of an emptying building of disappointed Sabres fans who left when the Sabres players departed the ice after the handshake line.
Finally, in 2024, the Flyers players of that era will have the ice to themselves with the trophy in the home arena with the stands filled with Philly fans.
On December 27, before the current Flyers host the Bruins in a Saturday matinee, Recchi will be inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame. All of the Cup team reunion players will still be in town, too, and will be on hand at the Wells Fargo Center.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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