Corsi Analysis: Tough Night for Elliott Spells Doom for Flyers
The Flyers were playing desperate in order to halt the free fall in standings. The team made a determined effort and won the possession battle, but were unable to overcome strange bounces and subpar goaltending, falling to the Capitals 5-4
First Period
CF:14 CA:15 CF%:48.28% ZENO:2
From the start, the Flyers looked like they were ready to keep pace with the Capitals, but less than five minutes in, Brian Elliott would make his first mistake in an abridged evening, allowing a fat rebound that would find its way into the net.
Later in the period, Shayne Gostisbehere was unable to tie up Carl Hagelin in front of the goal and Hagelin tucked a rebound between Elliott’s legs. It was another goal that probably should have been stopped.
The Flyers did a excellent job of containing Backstrom in the period where he had a 27.27 CF%. With better play in goal, this would have been a good period for the Flyers, instead they were trailing 2-0.
Second Period
CF:27 CA:13 CF%:67.50% ZENO:3
Despite dominating possession, the Flyers would end the period where they started, trailing by two. JVR started the period closing the gap to a single goal on a nice wrister strike. Thirty seconds later the Caps would retake the lead.
Elliott would let in a strange looking tough angle shot to give back the Caps two-goal cushion. It was a great shot, but Elliott played the angle badly and looked fooled on an odd looking shot. The rotation looked like it was straight out of “The Matrix” and seemed to initially fool Elliott. Hart replaced Elliott after the goal.
The Flyers would close to within one again and seemed primed to reel the Caps back in, until a couple of bad clearing attempts by Justin Braun during a Capitals’ powerplay. Another example of a good period’s work negated by just a couple of bad plays.
Third Period
CF:6 CA:7 CF%:46.15% ZENO:3
The Flyers would close the gap on the Caps, coming just short in the end. The Caps were in a defensive stance, rebuffing the Flyers time after time, and clogging the neutral zone. Philadelphia would concede the first goal, a deflected shot that pinballed its way through Hart and across the goal line.
The Flyers had a mountain to climb, with the Capitals looking to push them off, but the team did battle back. Despite losing the 6 V. 5 corsi numbers, the Flyers took advantage of the powerplay with the goalie pulled. In addition, they used the dump and chase method for most of the period, which played in to the Cap’s defensive posture. While the Caps out chanced the Flyers, the Caps did not get much puck time past the red line.
Corsi Winner
The line mates had a strong night on the ice and were tough for the Caps to contain. Unfortunately on this night, the possession metrics needed to translate into goals to negate Elliott’s rough night.
Corsi Loser
PHI D Nate Prosser CF%33.33
Prosser looked a step slow all night and was on the ice for two Capitals goals. Prosser needs to clean up play in his own end if he is going to be in the lineup.
Conclusion
CF:48 :CA:35 CF%: 57.83% ZENO:8
The Flyers’ goaltending had a rough night and cost the team a chance at victory. The team played a good game, one where they deserved a shot for the win, but sometimes things go wrong between the pipes. The team’s goalies have saved them in many of the games this season, they are entitled to the occasional clunker. But in this case, the timing is pretty bad, and it leaves the Flyers desperately seeking points.