After a long and grueling training camp, it was finally time for the Flyers to step on the ice for a regular season game. It wasn’t perfect by any means and there are certainly some things to clean up, but the youth showed exactly what the team wanted from them in the 5-2 victory.
Every goal scored by the Flyers tonight was by a player who were 25 years or younger. In fact, two of those players ended up with two goals apiece on the night.
It was the Devils’ own 20-year-old who got things going first, though as Alexander Holtz opened up the scoring on the power play. Playing in his first game after nothing in the preseason, it’s a goal that Carter Hart will absolutely want back. It was an innocent-looking shot to Hart’s right that squeaked between the glove and pad, trickling into the net. It was Holtz’s first goal in the NHL.
The Flyers didn’t wait long to answer back, though, as Wade Allison got Philadelphia on the board just 13 seconds later. Beginning with a Noah Cates faceoff win, Ivan Provorov shot hit a body in front and bounced to Allison. He had nothing but an empty net staring back at him. Tony DeAngelo collected his first point in a Flyers rebound, collecting the secondary assist.
As the period went on, John Tortorella’s message was received loud and clear. There was a lot of physical play and hard hits being dealt out by Philadelphia. They had 13 hits in the first period, led by Scott Laughton (3) and Morgan Frost (2). 10 different players recorded at least one hit. They also blocked 12 shots, unsurprisingly Ivan Provorov leading the way with four blocked shots.
Toward the end of the period, Owen Tippett and Ondrej Palat collided in the Flyers’ zone as both were a bit slow to get up. While Palat would return for the second, it was Tippett who would not. He came out right before the second period started, sat on the bench, and ended up going back up the tunnel. He would not return as he was later ruled out with an upper-body injury. There was no update following the game on his status.
Things started to open up as the second period trailed on. The two sides traded odd-man rushes but both Hart and Mackenzie Blackwood stood tall. It was the second period in which the Flyers lost a lot of energy and would seemingly fall apart. But they tried to change the narrative of that with two quick goals.
After an excellent keep-in at the line by Kevin Hayes, Travis Konecny carried one into the zone and fired one between the legs of Brendan Smith and past the glove of Blackwood.
They tacked on another just 23 seconds later. Morgan Frost, who up to this point of the game, wasn’t off to a good start, absolutely blasted a one-timer past Blackwood. James van Riemsdyk rimmed one around the boards to Tanner Laczynski who sent a no-look pass to a waiting Frost. And he wasted no time in going down to a knee and firing the puck into the net.
And while Frost was the one with the goal, it was Laczynski who made it happen. Similar to Allison, he’s had a long and injury-filled journey to get where he is now. But Allison isn’t surprised by him at all.
"“I’ve been telling you guys the whole time. He’s a special player. Now that he’s healthy, he’s confident, he’s doing the right things. Look out, he’s gonna be a real good player for us.” Wade Allison said about Tanner Laczynski."
Despite getting outshot 15-8 in the period, the Flyers would carry a 3-1 lead into the third period. Now it was all about shutting the Devils down. It also helps if you can add onto the lead as well. And Konecny did just that.
Starting the third period on the power play, Konecny scored his second of the night after a quick touch pass from Kevin Hayes. His shot beat Blackwood as he was being screened by James van Riemsdyk. DeAngelo grabbed his second point of the night as well.
While the Flyers had the clear advantage on the scoreboard, Hart still had to make some timely saves as well to keep things in their favor. Aside from the Holtz goal, he didn’t look like a goaltender who missed the entire preseason. But after Konecny’s goal, it was all Devils the rest of the way. He had to be his absolute best in order to keep the team afloat.
"“Big reason why we were able to find some good minutes when we were struggling other mintutes. He helped us there. So I thought he played really well.” John Tortorella said about Hart’s effort."
The Devils weren’t ready to pack it up as Damon Severson helped the Devils get back to within two with 9:26 remaining. Despite Konency blocking a shot in front, the Devils had plenty of numbers in front as Jesper Bratt sent a backhander to Severson whose shot rose up and off the shoulder of Hart.
The Devils didn’t let up after that as it seemed like the Flyers were hanging on by a thread, something that continues to be a problem for them. They couldn’t clear the puck and were giving up numerous dangerous chances. Hart had to be the team’s best player. The Devils went with an empty net with over four minutes remaining as. they kept the pressure going.
But thanks to Hart’s strong play, the Flyers eventually iced things with the empty netter. It looked like it was going to be Tanner Laczynski’s first NHL goal. Behind the net, Frost tried to center it to Laczynski but it deflected off the Devils’ player and into the net. So instead, Frost had his first career two-goal game in the NHL. Not too shabby of a night for him either.