The Philadelphia Flyers were a desperate hockey team. Having lost a lot more than they have won over the last several months, the antidote of the Colorado Avalanche couldn’t have come at a better time. The Avalanche, sporting the league’s worst record, came into Philadelphia and it was like they were never even there. The game was already a 3-0 landslide at the hands of the Flyers just over 10 minutes into the first period.
The Avalanche have struggled mightily on the road all year and it showed Tuesday night. Also, as a team swirling in trade rumors in lieu of Wednesday’s trade deadline, the Avalanche looked as though they were checked out of the game from the drop of the puck. The Flyers took full advantage and gained an extremely valuable two points in the standings. They did it on the back of Steve Mason, who made his first start in eight games and earned a shutout for his effort.
First Period
The first period was all Flyers. They came out swinging in front of the home crowd against a poor Avalanche team that plays especially poorly on the road. The Flyers would light the lamp three times in the first stanza, all on special teams. The first goal by Wayne Simmonds came on a shorthanded tally that went off an Avalanche defender, a goal the Flyers would gladly take as they have not had many bounces go their way for some time now.
Their second goal would also come from the stick of All-Star Game MVP Simmonds, as he tipped a rocket from the point off the stick of Shayne Gostisbehere on the power play. Simmonds wasn’t finished there, as what was originally thought of as his third goal in just over 10 minutes into the game would eventually be credited to Jake Voracek well after the home crowd tossed their hats onto the ice.
Sooo…actually Jake's…but thx for the hats 😅 #COLvsPHI pic.twitter.com/AJy3MPwHs4
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 1, 2017
The Flyers would skate into the second period with a commanding 3-0 lead by outshooting the Avalanche 14-11.
Second Period
The beginning of the middle stanza would surprisingly be controlled mostly by the play of the Avalanche. After going down 3-0, they started to build some momentum towards the end of the first and it carried over to begin the second. However, just as quickly as they began to steer play their way, the Avalanche would give up their fourth goal of the night seven minutes into the period.
It turned out to be Flyers forward Jordan Weal scoring his first goal of his NHL career off an impressive tip that displayed superb hand-eye coordinator.
First NHL goal must've felt WEALy good 😏 #COLvsPHI pic.twitter.com/Q0BItbZP5X
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 1, 2017
Weal and the Flyers would take the 4-0 lead into the third period despite being outshot 11-7 in the period by the Avalanche.
Third Period
The final stanza had the looks of teams looking to get to the end of the game as quickly as possible. With the Flyers playing conservatively on the back of a 4-0 lead along and the Avalanche looking mostly disinterested all period, there was only one shot between the teams through the first 10 minutes.
The Flyers would eventually go on to reward Steve Mason with a 4-0 shutout to finally get back on the winning track after previously dropping four of their last five.
Steve Mason shuts out the competition in his return. Boss. pic.twitter.com/tN5Igv5ZeM
— Sons of Penn (@SonsofPenn) March 1, 2017