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The Philadelphia Flyers (24-19-9) saw a third period comeback and a Travis Konecny hat trick go to waste in Wednesday night. In the process, the Flyers suffered a 5-3 road loss to the Columbus Blue Jets to lose their ninth game out of the last 11 (2-7-2).
Dan Vladar needed a period to get settled in during return from injury. In a losing cause, Vladar made 26 saves on 30 shots. Several were highlight reel saves especially in the third period. That, too, went for naught.
Sean Monahan’s backdoor goal at 16:32 of the third period proved to be the game winner after Konecny forged a 3-3 tie. Charlie Coyle, Kirill Marchenko, Erik Gudbranson and Mathieu Olivier (ENG) also scored for Columbus. Zach Werenski collected two assists. Elvis Merzlikins made 22 saves on 25 shots.
The good
- Konecny put the team on shoulders — as he did in the Vegas game last week. His three goals put him in the team scoring lead ahead of Trevor Zegras.
- Vladar deserved a better fate in this game. Three of the four goals he allowed were plays where the team in front of him hung him out to dry. The other was a heavily screened point shot off a Columbus faceoff win.
- Neither recorded a point but both Denver Barkey and Owen TIppett played with pace and energy even when it was lacking from much of the team.
- The Flyers went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
- Christian Dvorak partially redeemed himself for a bad penalty. He made hustling plays on Konecny’s second and third goals.
The bad
- The Flyers had too many turnovers on potential clearing passes and breakout opportunities. This was a frequent issue in the first two periods and proved costly.
- Columbus ate the Flyers’ alive on faceoffs (37-20).
- The Flyers took an 0-for-5 horse collar on the power play, including a must-score 5-on-4 down by a goal in the third period. The Konecny tying goal followed shortly thereafter, but a key opportunity went by the wayside before that.
- Columbus’ second goal came during a 4-on-4 (Marchenko).
- Noah Cates let Monahan slip away to the back door on the game-winning goal.
The ugly
- The Flyers coughed up a goal on the game’s first shift. They gave up one in the last minute of the first period. Philly gave up another early in the second period. They had a coverage miscue that lost the game shortly after Konecny got the game tied. Each and every one of these breakdowns were inexcusable game management.
- The Flyers came into the game talking about the need to attack the middle. In execution, they failed to do so with any regularity until their third period push.
- Rasmus Ristolainen lasted just two shifts. He left the game with a lower-body injury early in the first period. The Finn did not return.
Flyers starting lineup
Trevor Zegras – Christian Dvorak – Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey — Sean Couturier — Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Carl Grundstrom – Lane Pederson – Nikita Grebenkin
Travis Sanheim – Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York– Jamie Drydale
Nick Seeler– Noah Juulsen
Dan Vladar
[Samuel Ersson]
Bill curious at this rate where you see this going at the TDL ? Do you see some possible strategic trades looking at improving young talent?
I think it’s becoming increasingly possible that they become a seller. However, they already signed Dvorak to a long-term extension, still intend to work out a big extension for Zegras, and they don’t have tons of other players other teams want.
Is Risto even tradeable at this stage? He cannot be counted on to play
If this is more than a genuinely day-to-day injury — this is lower-body, unlike the previous ones — that severely limits what they can do.