After winning on opening night, the Philadelphia Flyers are back in action against the Ottawa Senators with an afternoon matchup on the road once again. What can the Orange and Black do to stay undefeated on the season with a young Atlantic Division foe on the mound?
Watch Out for Senators’ Top Line
The Senators have one of the scariest first lines in the entire league, highlighted by forwards Tim Stützle and Brady Tkachuk, and a familiar face in Claude Giroux rounding it out. It could be the difference maker in this match, so the Flyers will need to gameplan for this trio.
Much like the top line they faced against the Columbus Blue Jackets for their first game, the Senators’ top line has elements of speed and is extremely talented. Flyers fans know better than anyone what Giroux is capable of at this stage of his career, which is much more than what his age suggests.
At 35, he can still be a creator of offense, responsible in the defensive zone, and finish on scoring opportunities. Now that he has fantastic linemates in Stützle and Tkachuk, he is more dangerous than he was during his later years in Philadelphia.
Stützle does not just possess an elite shot, but he is also one of the best skaters in the entire NHL. His hands match that of Giroux when he was in his prime, and he is an exhilarating player to watch. Tkachuk is yet another star player who might be on the way to the best season of his career, given he is still just 24 years of age.
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The Flyers don’t really have the talent to compete with the type of output that this line is capable of, but they can shut it down. In order to stay in this game, they will have to limit its effectiveness.
Take Advantage of Senators’ Weak Offensive Depth
Due to an injury to center Josh Norris and a contract dispute between the organization and 22-year-old centerman Shane Pinto, the Senators’ depth is rather weak offensively. For a Flyers team that is solid from lines one through four, this is probably their biggest advantage heading into this game.
Behind the first line of the Senators, they appear to be rather subpar on paper. Their depth is certainly pretty young, but the upside is really not there at this point. Players like Mathieu Joseph, Drake Batherson, and Vladimir Tarasenko are solid middle-six pieces, but beyond them, Ottawa is particularly weak.
For about two-thirds of the game, Ottawa’s top line will not be on the ice. The Flyers should be controlling play more than Ottawa during that stretch. These minutes are where the Flyers should be drawing most of their penalties, sustaining the most pressure, and setting up odd-man rush opportunities.
The Flyers have to take advantage of a roster that isn’t at full strength, especially since they were in that exact same situation last season. With the Flyers outclassing Ottawa in terms of depth offensively, that should give them a chance to win this game.
Flyers Should Take Frequent Risks
In order to maximize their chances of winning both now and in the future, the Flyers cannot play safe. They will need to take chances in order to win hockey games, and that has been their philosophy thus far. This doesn’t seem to be changing, as head coach John Tortorella’s primary focus seems to be instilling an aggressive attitude in his group of players.
In their win against the Blue Jackets, the Flyers were taking chances throughout the game. This led to the team’s demise in one instance, where too much pressure in the offensive zone led to a breakout the other way and the goal that tied the game.
Even though this was a bad result, the Flyers’ insistence on keeping possession in Columbus’ zone was one of the main reasons why they won. With defenders pinching to keep the puck in the offensive zone over the course of almost half of their shift in some instances, the Flyers were not scared about the risks of their actions. They played to win, and that’s exactly what the team did.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Flyers took a similar approach to their game against the Senators, and it would be their smartest course of action. A rebuilding team with a lesser upside than most of their opponents has to be different than the average team somehow. An ultra-aggressive mindset would be grounds for that.
Believe in Sanheim
Even after the disappointing season Travis Sanheim had in 2022-23, he might just be the best defenseman on the Flyers without much competition on that front. Cam York is a solid player, but Sanheim is on the trajectory of having the best season of his career. With the performance he had against Columbus, he must be trusted to play abundant minutes in this match, as well.
Logging 26:17 of ice time against the Blue Jackets in just his first game, Tortorella was very clearly impressed by his game, especially considering he had not played for more than 24 minutes in a game since Dec. 20, 2022. There was a different Sanheim on the ice from what was shown last season, meaning that he should be a pivotal piece in the Flyers’ success. It is way too early to say that he is officially back to being a top-end defender, but his game has been impressive in both preseason and now the regular season.
The Flyers lack defensive talent who can play big minutes, but Sanheim is a player who has shown that he absolutely can. To shut down the Senators, he will need to be a big factor. Tortorella has shown faith in him, and it is likely that he will continue to do so until he proves that he is not up to the challenge.
A rather vulnerable Senators team is looking to bounce back from a 5-3 loss at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Flyers will have to fight them off to start a nice little win streak. On the road, it will still be a big test.