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Rick Tocchet’s Philadelphia Flyers (9-6-3) split their weekend road trip. After making multiple comebacks on Friday to ultimately defeat the St. Louis Blues via shootout, 6-5 (1-0), the team traveled to Dallas overnight. Philly played its third game in four nights. The Stars well-rested after a blowout win against Montreal on Wednesday. Therefore, even before the game, it figured to be a tall task against a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
That’s exactly how the game turned out. Dallas grabbed control quickly in the first period and never looked back in a 5-1 outcome. The final score could easily have been even worse for Philly.
Jason Robertson collected a natural hat trick for Dallas in the second and third periods (two even strength goals. one power play). The Stars also got a first-period goal by Liam Bichsel on a shot that deflected off Bobby Brink and changed direction. Tyler Seguin rounded out the scoring on a snipe from his favorite spot near the left dot. Jake Oettinger (20 saves) flirted with a shutout for two-plus periods. Christian Dvorak finally got the Flyers on the board at 10:57 of the third period.
Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly from Saturday night’s game.
The Good
- Dan Vladar made numerous tough saves and could hardly be faulted for Saturday’s outcome.
- Matvei Michkov (five shots of goal, 14:35 TOI across 20 shifts) was one of the most offensively assertive players in this game.
- The Flyers’ second period was decent, at least compared to the opening frame. Unfortunately, Robertson made them pay for a couple of miscues.
The Bad
- Philly was a step slow and disconnected most of the night. They lost far too many 1-on-1 and 2-on-2 battles and allowed way too many good looks at the net. Even at 1-0, it was just a matter of time until the Stars pulled away.
- Too much backing into the defensive zone, right off the bat. The Stars had an easy time gaining entries and making plays with the puck.
- Yet another poor start in the first period. Yes, “plane legs” are a real thing. Nevertheless, this has been a problem far too often in the first 18 games of the season. It goes beyond the fatigue factor.
- Far too many one-and-done forrarys into the offensive zone. This, too relates to lack of connected play as five-man units.
- Even the Robertson power play goal in the third period felt like a foregone conclusion. Vladar made a pair of good saves on the kill but the Flyers continued to give up time and space.
The Ugly
- Friday was more about subpar goaltending play. Saturday was more about repeatedly allowing too much time and space. Either which way, the Flyers gave up 10 goals in two nights.
- For stretches of the first period in particular, the Flyers couldn’t get out of their own zone even once they gained possession. Breakout attempt? There was a turnover. Rim the puck around the wall? It was either too soft and got intercepted or too hard and became an icing.
