Flyers Plucked by Red Wings 6 to 3

The Flyers looked to bring their win streak to three against the upstart Redwings and it did not go well.

First Period

CF: 11 CA: 20 CF%: 35.48%  SF: 15 SA: 26

The Flyers looked to start the second half of the season with a win at home against the Detroit Redwings. Things were looking up for the Flyers with Derick Brassard taking the opening faceoff.  It was the first time in weeks that Brassard had taken the ice. The good vibes lasted about 60 seconds until Justin Braun left an ill-fated blind back hand drop pass for his partner Provorov. Unfortunately, the drop pass went to a Wings’ forward who converted the turnover into a difficult save for Hart.

The Wings would take the lead 90 seconds later on a Dylan Larkin power play goal derived from a Sanheim holding penalty. It was a bit of bad luck as Larkin shot the puck looking for a deflection. He found it, banking the puck off the skate of Ivan Provorov and by Hart.

The Flyers would tie the game just 20 seconds later on a Zac MacEwen wrist shot that worked its way through an Isaac Ratcliffe screen and bump of the Wings’ keeper Nedeljkovic.  The puck ricocheted off the knee of the Flyers’ rookie while his stick was caught up in the arms of the keeper. Detroit challenged the goal, however the review showed Ratcliffe’s stick was placed there by the defender.

The goal, Ratcliffe’s first in the NHL, was initially credited to MacEwen. It withstood the challenge and the Flyers tied the game at one. The Flyers’ ensuing powerplay derived from Detroit’s unsuccessful challenge only produced heartburn for the Flyers’ faithful.

The tie would last just under three minutes before the Wings leapt ahead with Lucas Raymond finding the net after a prolonged shift in the Flyers’ zone.  They controlled the puck in their offensive end for 15 seconds, the Flyers losing puck battles and defensive discipline with each passing moment.  Raymond found himself alone as Keith Yandle hounded Larkin out to the blue line.

No forward dropped back to cover for Yandle, leaving Nick Seeler to desperately scramble across the slot to block Raymond’s first effort.  Seeler slid out of position after the block leaving Raymond and the puck alone with Hart. Hart was trying to recover from the first attempt, which allowed Raymond to extend the puck out on his back hand and slide it by the goalie.

The Flyers would bounce right back, this time taking only 24 seconds to tie it on a Sanheim short side, one timer, off of a perfect Giroux feed. Sanheim’s goal was made possible by Oskar Lindblom who was able to retrieve and control a loose puck behind the Wings net. As Giroux sped by Lindblom, he dropped a pass to the Flyers captain who found Sanheim.

The period ended tied at two.

Period 2

CF: 5 CA: 25 CF%: 25% SF: 8 SA: 11

The Flyers were shorthanded early in the period courtesy of a Lindblom offensive zone trip. The penalty kill was able to hold long enough for Max Willman to draw a cross checking penalty ending, thus ending the powerplay. However, their power play efforts were again fruitless.

The Flyers would falter again after a period of extended Wings’ pressure. Pius Suter was able to elude Sanheim and drift alone into the slot where he was found by a slick Robby Fabbri dish.  Hart was hung out to dry as Suter had a great shooting angle and all the time in the world to bury the puck for a 3- 2 lead.

There would be opportunities for the Flyers to tie during another man advantage, but as it has done so many times, the powerplay fizzled ending in a rare icing call. Hard to believe. Things would get even worse for the home team after the ineffective powerplay. Detroit kept the Flyers pinned in their end for over a minute, with the latter chasing the former the full 60 seconds.

The Flyers finally broke the pressure with an uncontrolled clear into the offensive zone. Detroit transitioned quickly against the exposed and exhausted MacEwen and Ristolainen with Robby Fabbri shooting the puck through Hart and into the net. A display of bad hockey in all facets.

The hockey gods would not let the Flyers die just yet. Scott Laughton was able to cash in on an open net born out of a blocked Travis Konecny shot.   Laughton started the play driving the high slot, one against two, and coughed up the puck as he was spun towards the far post. TK shot the loose puck off of a defender’s leg which would find Laughton alone in front with the keeper out of position. Laughton buried the shot and pull the Flyers back to within a goal at 4 to 3.

Moritz Seider then single handedly humiliated the Flyers. While on the power play the Flyers saw Seider control the puck, by himself, for 25 seconds, punctuated by laughing off an attempted check by Travis Konecny before retreating to his own end with the puck and then icing it, probably out of boredom. Shortly after Seider’s effort the period mercifully ended with the Flyers trailing 4-3.

Third Period

CF: 7 CA: 15  SF%: 28.57%   SF: 5  SA: 8

The Flyers were not able to find a lot of speed or chemistry in the first half of the period. Much of their play was disjointed, with players grouping together and around the puck. By contrast the Wings seemed to be trying to slow themselves down, trying to avoid mistakes with the puck. Even with the Wings throttling down, they were able to extend the lead when Givani Smith beat Hart with a 5-hole wrist shot. It was a goal Hart should have stopped. It gave the Detroit a 5-3 lead, and spoiled what was a pretty good effort by the keeper.

The Flyers powerplay would have an opportunity to try to close the gap, but as has been the case all season they struggled gaining the zone and showed little creativity when they did get in. The only highlight was a two on one by the Wings, which the Flyers were able to negate.

The Flyers failed to generate any offense leading Mike Yeo to pull the goalie with over three minutes remaining. They showed a bit of effort generating some shots, winning some battles. But it was not enough as former Flyer Sam Gagner was able to spring Vladislav Nanestnikov at center ice.  Namestnikov was able to hold off Giroux and skate the puck into the empty net with less than a minute remaining for a 6 to 3 Wings lead.

Outside of Ratcliffe’s first NHL goal there was not much in the way of positives. The Flyers looked like a slower, poor skating and disinterested team tonight. They have a few days to regroup before getting another turn against the Red Wings. Let’s hope for a better effort.