The Philadelphia Flyers swept their California road trip and extended their road winning streak to 7 games with their 4-1 win vs. the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. A three-goal gap is a pretty comfortable one, but the score does not represent the entire game.

For nearly 50 minutes, the game was close. Most of the game was tied, whether scoreless or a goal each. Once the Flyers took the lead early in the third period, the Sharks turned up the heat and applied some added pressure.

The Flyers’ defense stood strong and held its own. It may not have come easy, but between a great effort from Dan Vladar and the Flyers’ defense, the Sharks could not find the equalizer.

Eventually, the Sharks’ fatigue kicked in, and the intensity slipped a bit. The Flyers scored twice on the empty net, leading to the three-goal difference in the final score.

Still, it was a great all-around effort by the Flyers. Let’s look at some observations from the game.

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Observations from the Flyers big win vs. the Sharks

Flyers’ group efforts that stood out

Let’s start with the power play. Yes, it entered the game struggling. And yes, they did score a goal on Saturday. I would not say the problem is solved – even a broken clock is right twice a day. However, as a whole, there was a lot of good from the Flyers’ power play.

One of the biggest issues the Flyers have run into on the power play has been their lack of willingness to shoot pucks. They were looking for the perfect shot and passing too often. Even on their three power-play attempts before the goal and the one after, they were shooting the puck and doing it well. Per Natural Stat Trick, the Flyers had 12 high danger chances compared to the Sharks’ one on the man-advantage. The Flyers had 9 shots on goal during the power play, and 22, including misses.

It was a much better effort from the power play. It’s not a problem solved, but it certainly is a step in the right direction.

The trio of Nikita Grebenkin, Trevor Zegras, and Tippett is playing very well. Grebenkin’s ability to get into the greasy areas and extend possessions has been such a benefit to the group. Zegras’ creativity and passing ability have led to many great chances, and then there is Tippett and his freakish physical ability. The speed, the power, the shot; he is a player you game plan getting the puck to. That line does it, and they each complement each other well. That was on display all game on Saturday.

In the first two periods of the game, any time the Flyers did something exciting, it seemed like it was coming from that group. They have been a ton of fun to watch.

Individual efforts worth mentioning

Owen Tippett is scorching hot. Before the Olympic break, Tippett was skating at another level and playing very well. That has continued through the break. With his goal on Saturday, Tippett now has 4 goals in his last six games, and 5 since the Olympic break. He now has 24 goals on the season. With the way he is playing, 30 doesn’t seem out of reach for him this year.

Noah Cates is another player who is now, not-so-quietly, playing very well post-Olympic break. His empty-netter now gives him goals in three straight. He’s now up to 5 goals and 7 assists in the 13 games since returning to play. Cates has now matched his career high in points at 38, and is a goal away from tying his career high of 16 goals.

Cates has also, once again, stepped up for a teammate. Trevor Zegras got crushed by Barclay Goodrow. Cates, who is in no way a fighter, gave no extra thought to dropping the gloves with Goodrow, a stepped up for Zegras after the hit.

Shocker, Dan Vladar was incredible yet again. The Flyers found some stability in net. Vladar stopped 24 of 25 shots on goal, giving him yet another game with a high save percentage. Since the Olympic break, he has three games with a .960 SV% or better and 8 with a .900 SV% or better. The Flyers needed their best in goal, and they’ve got it from both goalies lately, but Vladar was spectacular on Saturday.

Also, with his assist on Christian Dvorak’s power play goal, Matvei Michkov reached 100 career points in the NHL, and became the 4th fastest Flyer to do so.

The Flyers’ game-changing moment

Garnet Hathaway had the game-changing moment of the game. It came in typical Garnet Hathaway fashion, too. He has always been the rat who got under the opponent’s skin. Hathaway has taken on the role of the 4th line energy player very well. He may not have the scoring this year as he had in years past, but he has been playing very well as of late.

On Saturday, Hathaway had the game-changing moment.

Early in the third period, the game was tied. The Sharks had cut or even killed the Flyers’ momentum with their second-period goal, and had the game in their hands. Hathaway laid a crushing hit on Sharks’ young superstar Macklin Celebrini, and drew the attention of Mario Ferraro, who immediately went to jump Hathaway.

Hathaway is never one to back down from a fight, but he held back from this one as Ferraro picked up the only penalty on the play – roughing for his hit on Hathaway.

That led to the Flyers’ fourth power play of the game, and eventually Christian Dvorak’s game-winner.

Garnet Hathaway made the play of the game for the Flyers.

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