Despite a late comeback effort, the Philadelphia Flyers fell to the New Jersey Devils 4-3 in overtime on Nov. 30. Falling to a record of 11-10-2, what were some takeaways from the loss?
Flyers’ Resilience Again on Display
The Flyers have shown resilience all season, and that was no different in this game. It essentially looked like a lost cause for them, trailing by two goals with just five minutes left in the third period. Not only were they able to get one goal back, but they eventually tied the game in the last minute. Even though they lost in overtime, not giving up when things look bleak has been one of the Flyers’ best qualities this season.
The Devils had the Flyers dead to rights, but Philadelphia found a way to get themselves back in the game. One of the team’s most obvious philosophies is their determination and effort no matter what the scoreboard says. They don’t have the elite roster to be able to cap off their comeback bids frequently, but the effort is there. After allowing the first goal in this game, the Flyers are now 0-9-2 when their opponent scores first. A record doesn’t always show the full story, and that was the case with this loss. Though the Flyers only got a point, their relentlessness was respectable.
Joel Farabee Was the New Victim of the Doghouse
There have been several players this season who have found themselves in head coach John Tortorella’s doghouse. In this game, Joel Farabee was one of them. After a turnover by him before he was even able to play a minute of ice time, he was sat for the rest of the game.
This move was one of the several reasons why the Flyers lost, but it could be argued that it didn’t directly determine the outcome. The rationale for the decision was that “He didn’t listen,” according to Tortorella. There was definitely a motive for his choice that was likely understood by Farabee himself, but the coach’s comments don’t clear up the story entirely.
Even though Garnet Hathaway was thrown out of the game late in the first period, Tortorella stuck to his guns. Farabee sat for what was essentially the entire game. This is especially noteworthy because he has arguably been the best player on the team the entire season despite limited ice time, so a statement was made with his benching.
Running with just 10 forwards for a majority of the game, it is a miracle that the Flyers were able to get to overtime in the first place. This was a statement punishment for Farabee, especially considering how little ice time he has gotten so far this season, averaging a little over 15 minutes entering this game.
Tortorella is known for his harshness at times, and that is a reality that has to be accepted. The players handle their punishments well, regardless of whether it matches the crime or not. The coach isn’t afraid to sit his best players, and that is a statement of how much he values discipline. For a rebuilding team, that is a quality they need.
Goals Will Tend to Come Naturally
When you shoot the puck on net 47 times, goals will generally find their way on the scoreboard. The Flyers pummeled goaltender Akira Schmid with shots, and it was looking like he would have an elite performance until a couple late goals from the Flyers. His 44 saves on 47 shots still show he had a fantastic game, but the goals against him were no fault of his own. With how much the Flyers shot the puck, they were almost destined to find the back of the net.
The Flyers’ goals in this game could be more attributed to the fact that they love shooting the puck rather than because they masterfully executed a play. Bounces happen, and pucks simply have a way of finding the back of the net when a goaltender is peppered with nearly 50 shots. This season, the goals should continue to come naturally. Some goals will happen because they made an excellent play, while others will occur simply because they shoot so much. In this game, most of the pucks that went in the net were the latter.
Power Play Will Have Its Highs
Even though the Flyers’ power play has scored at an incredibly low rate this season, that hasn’t stopped the team from having games where their power play leads the way for the offense. They have gone through several dry spells without a goal on the man advantage, yet have also had multiple games where they score on the power play twice. Against the Devils, they had two power play goals, both vital in them forcing overtime.
Related: Solving the Flyers’ Struggling Power Play
To their credit, the Flyers had one of their best games on the power play. It looked like they were turning a corner early, even before they came across their first goal. Morgan Frost took advantage of a rebound up close midway through the second period, while Tyson Foerster changed the direction of a shot from the point that found its way past Schmid with just over 50 seconds showing on the regulation clock. This goes back to their natural ability to find goals in a way, but they deserve credit for taking advantage of the chances presented to them. The power play is coming off one of its best games, yet it’s still hard to judge where it will be at moving forward. It’s inconsistent, but when it is on, it has given the Flyers life.
On Dec. 2, the Flyers start their home-and-home with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The division rivals have not faced each other this season, and their records are similar, with both having 11 wins and 10 regulation losses. In Pittsburgh for the first game, the Flyers will look to get back to their winning ways against a team they oftentimes struggle with.