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Rick Tocchet’s Philadelphia Flyers ((25-20-10) defeated Spencer Carbery’s Washington Capitals (28-23-7) by a 4-2 score in the penultimate game before the Olympic break. Goaltender Dan Vladar had an outstanding effort in goal, especially in a sloppy first period for the team.
Owen Tippett (19th goal of the season) staked the Flyers to a 1-0 lead they took to the first intermission. The big story of the period was the 11 saves that Vladar made including no fewer than four spectacular stops. In the second period, the Flyers — for once — benefited from a favorable bounce on a goal by Carl Grundstrom (8th). However, the Capitals pushed back for a shorthanded tally by Aliaksei Protas (19th).
Anthony Beauvillier tied the game on a close-range rebound goal early in the third period. At the 14:37 mark, however, Jamie Drysdale (PPG, 4th) reclaimed the lead on a power play goal through traffic. The Flyers later got a long-distance empty goal from Rasmus Ristolainen (1st).
Vladar made 26 saves on 28 shots. Making his third start in four nights, Washington’s Clay Stevenson turned aside 18 of 21 shots from the Flyers.
The good
- The Flyers attacked with pace and energy. They also got traffic to the net, which figured in two of the goals they scored.
- The first tally by Tippett was a really nice all-around passing sequence started by Matvei Michkov. The Russian winger swooped around the net from the left side to the right and made a good pass to Travis Sanheim. Sanheim then passed to Tippett, who had a nifty backhand finish.
- Tuesday’s game hung in the balance when Philly got its third period power play in the latter portion of the frame. Too often this season, the Flyers have failed in these situations and gone to lose the game. Not this time.
- Vladar was downright sensational at key junctures of the game. The Flyers’ goaltender was instrumental in the win in several regards.
- Noah Cates made a key backchecking play in the third period to break up an odd-man rush with the game tied at 2-2.
- Travis Konecny shook off a hard hit (he’s quite banged up right now). It wasn’t his A-game. He turned over four pucks. Nevertheless, in the clutch, he went on to generate assists on the winning goal and insurance tally.
- Two goals and a primary assist came from three different defensemen: That’s always a big boost.
- Tocchet said after the game that he spoke with Matvei Michkov earlier in the day. The discussion was a reminder that the player need not overly shorten shifts when he still feels energetic and there’s a potential chance to attack. He skated 20 shifts in this game — just two more than in Saturday’s match — but averaged 46 seconds per shift to skate 15:37 overall.Meanwhile, the Russian winger made a fine play on the game’s opening goal.
- Time will tell what happens after the Olympic break. However, Tippett seems to have a realistic shot at his first career 30-goal season. He’s 11 away, and playing his best all-around hockey for a month-plus.
- Philly blocked 25 shots in front of Vladar, many in the latter half of the game.
- The Flyers only took one penalty.
- Philly held by Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson generally quiet.
The bad
- The Flyers may have played a more energetic game but it was spotty from a decision-making standpoint: 21 giveaways, several coverage miscues. Vladar stole at least three expected goals from Washington. The Caps out-chanced the Flyers (28-24) overall per Natural Stat Trick.
- The shorthanded goal easily could have been a killer: A missed shot, puck rims around the boards, and the Caps get a 2-on-1.
The ugly
- The Flyers never had to chase the game, which was much needed. But it was yet another game where a lead slipped away. Fortunately, the team came through.
- Philly didn’t need an artistic win, and it certainly wasn’t one. But it was indeed a win and a regulation one at that.
Postgame reaction
Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar
Daniel Briere pregame press conference
Shortly prior to Tuesday’s game, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere spoke with the press. He addressed the firestorm surrounding Rick Tocchet and Matvei Michkov. He also discussed various topics about the state of the team shortly before the Olympic break. Briere said the team overachieved up until January 6 and underachieved since then. He believes the reality is somewhere in between.
