Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
After defeating the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 in Philly Monday night the Flyers were immediately on the road to Chicago to face the Blackhawks on Tuesday. This is the second game of a back to back for the Orange and Black. The Blackhawks have been off since Saturday but will take any advantage they can get. They’ve been spending their free time hanging out in the NHL basement.
Samuel Ersson got the start in the Flyers net and was challenged numerous times in the 1st period. He looked confident and poised as he kept the Hawks at bay. Ersson’s big tell is his glove hand. When he’s in the zone his glove hand is snappy and sharp. On nights when he’s not at his best his glove is the first thing to lag. He had plenty of snap tonight.
Midway through the 1st period after the Flyers had just successfully killed a Chicago power-play Travis Konecny opened the scoring. Trevor Zegras exited the sin bin and joined an entry into the offensive zone.
Zegras threaded a picture perfect cross slot pass through net-front traffic to Konecny. With goalie Spencer Knight totally committed to the left post TK wasted no time firing the puck into the vacant side of the net.
8:47 into the 2nd period with the Flyers on the power-play Travis Konecny sent a behind the back pass across the slot to Noah Cates who smacked the puck past Spencer Knight to put the Flyers up by two. The set up may have been more of a flub than a pass but who’s to say? …what a beautiful fake!
Things got a bit chippy late in the second. Konecny caught a dirty hit down by the Chicago net leading to a Flyers power-play. Zegras seemed to be having a good time keeping things from smoothing over.
Ten seconds into the Flyers man advantage Denver Barkey boarded a Hawk behind the net. Barkey looked to begin pleading his case but never got the chance as he was immediately jumped by two Blackhawks.
Barkey, playing in just his 3rd NHL game, does not shy away from uncomfortable situations despite his smaller frame. He spends a lot of time camping out in front of the other team’s net and taking all the heat that comes along with being there.
Unfortunately that was the end of the Flyers power-play and Chicago soon found their way onto the score sheet. Ryan Danato fired a puck through traffic that beat Samuel Ersson with just 1:30 left in the middle period. This game went into the 2nd intermission with Philly up by the score of 2-1.
The Blackhawks came out like gangbusters in the 3rd period. Rush after rush, plugging away, looking for that tying goal.
Travis Sanheim took a high hit in the Chicago zone. Alex Vlasic was called interference. Sanheim was slow getting up and went straight up the tunnel. Denver Barkey also did not return to the ice for the 3rd period.
Chicago was playing with desperation attempting to avoid their 4th consecutive loss. They were relentless on the rush and Ersson made a few big saves to protect the one goal lead.
Just when it looked like the Flyers may be feeling the effects of the last 24 hours the line of Dvorak, Zegras, and Konecny had a shift that looked like it was shot out of a cannon. Total dominance with the puck in Chicago’s end that just kept going at a crazy pace yet failed to produce a goal.
With 4:24 left in regulation the hard pressing Blackhawks went on the power-play. The Flyers survived the Chicago man advantage. The Hawks pulled their goaltender just as the Flyers were rushing up the ice and Carl Grundstrom fired the puck into the empty net.
Flyers win 3-1. The entire NHL now goes on break for December 24th, 25th, and 26th. The Flyers return to action Sunday December 28th in Seattle.
Extra Credit: I hope that you and yours have a wonderful holiday break. If at all possible take some time to slow things down a bit, count your blessings, and enjoy things in life that matter. Merry Christmas Flyers Fans, thanks for everything!
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NHL Philadelphia Flyers Hockey. Rink-side reports, press-box coverage, credentialed access.
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