The Philadelphia Flyers stormed into Denver, taking down the Colorado Avalanche by a sound 5-2 score. Now on a four-game winning streak, what were some takeaways from the win for Philadelphia?
Konecny Is a Star Player
If there was any doubt about it before, there probably shouldn’t be now. Even though Travis Konecny has both streaks of dominance and despair, he is an elite player in the NHL.
Konecny potted a puck in the back of the net twice in this game, which is something he also did in the Flyers’ 4-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 7. It doesn’t come all the time, but he is typically the best player on the ice when he is scoring. On a roster without much talent star-wise, he is becoming one of the more obvious exceptions.
Since Konecny started his NHL career as a teenager with the Flyers in 2016-17, he has shown significant growth. He has developed into a responsible player who can change momentum in a game with his knack for goals. On pace for just under 50 goals this season, it’s hard to deny his status as one of the better players in the league.
Konecny isn’t the type of player to lead a team by himself, but he is the most talented player on the Flyers. The supporting cast around him this season has been much better than last season, and that has been a big help in the team winning games. Arguably the best player on a 15-10-2 team that is soaring past expectations, it would almost be an insult to call him anything but a star player. He has cemented his status as such.
Hart Has Truly Settled In
The young career of goaltender Carter Hart has been filled with ups and downs. He began to establish himself as one of the potential star goaltenders of the future with successful seasons in 2018-19 and 2019-20, but all of that progress was undone the following two seasons, where he saw significant regression. He had a disastrous 2020-21 season and a slightly better but still not great 2021-22 season, and it became a question of whether he really was the answer in Philadelphia. From that point forward, he’s made it abundantly clear that he is.
Hart started to turn things around with a fantastic 2022-23 season, but most of that was aided by a brilliant month of October. This season, he has had a lower peak but has been significantly more consistent. Almost always, he is a reliable figure in goal.
Hart’s 36 saves on 38 shots against an elite shooting team like the Avalanche is notable. Going about the last half of the game without conceding a goal, he gave Colorado nothing to work with. Right now, it’s safe to say that he has finally proven himself, and he is one of the star goaltenders in the league. Regression at this point is unlikely, and he is on the way to having the best season of his entire NHL career.
The Flyers Are a Relentless Group
The Flyers’ persistence as a club is one of their best qualities. Their constant ability to challenge other teams makes them a genuinely difficult team to play against. They rarely ever give their opponents an off version of themselves, and that’s what makes them so deadly. The Flyers, no matter the score of the game, will always play as hard as they possibly can.
The Flyers never trailed in this game, but there were times when they came pretty close. The test of going into Colorado was quite obvious, but the Flyers stood them up. There was noticeable push-back on Philadelphia after they got the ball rolling with a few goals, but the Flyers simply counted on good defense, goaltending, and then further offense of their own.
There was never a point where the Flyers seemed to be flustered. The Flyers entered the third period with a 3-2 lead on the road against one of the best teams in the league and still hung onto it. At around the 10-minute mark, the Flyers had two goals in quick succession that took the Avalanche out of the game and deflated them as a team. The Orange and Black never lose their own spirits — always fighting until the final whistle — but they are a team that makes other clubs lose their will to win. They are relentless in that way.
Flyers Can Beat Any Team They Want
This season, it has become evident that there is no team that scares the Flyers. Against teams that are higher than them in the standings, they hold a 4-3-1 record on the season. The Flyers are playing at a high level, even against contenders, and that is one of the most inspiring things about Philadelphia. No matter what team they play or what building they’re going into, they give themselves a chance to win every game.
Related: Flyers Fans Should Embrace The Team’s Resurgence
Head coach John Tortorella and the Flyers have been giving teams that have better rosters than them on paper a challenge all season. The individual players on a roster don’t matter if they work as a team. The Flyers might be a group that was doubted from the very start and was thought to have limited upside, but they make a pretty great team.
Following their huge win, the Flyers will look to extend their win streak on the road against the Nashville Predators on Dec. 12. Against a team just like the Flyers themselves trying to establish themselves as a playoff team, that game should be a big matchup for both sides.
