Flyers Fan Reaction (FFR4) Gm 59: MTL 4, PHI 3 (OT) – Record Scratch
That didn’t just happen. The Philadelphia Flyers didn’t just lose, 4-3, in overtime, to the Montréal Canadiens. They didn’t just blow a lead in the last minute of the third period to one of the worst teams in hockey. They didn’t just lose for the 17th time in the 22nd game of their last 24 where they were at least within one in the third period. There’s just no way.
“I haven’t,” said a livid Mike Yeo when asked if he’s ever seen something like the plague that has infected the Flyers in the waning minutes of close games all season.
There was a time not ridiculously long ago when the Flyers could at least feel good about where they were trending. From mid-January to the end of February, the team was playing legitimately solid 5-on-5 hockey. Not great, but solid. If they were remotely healthy, odds are they would’ve put up a respectable record. Their lack of talent wasn’t an excuse for losing games back then; it was a reason. Even better, a reason that appeared to at least somewhat improve with the returns of Joel Farabee and Derick Brassard.
But instead of building on those improvements, the Flyers’ progress hasn’t just stalled; it’s in reverse. To be clear, that’s not just because of a lack of impact from Farabee and Brassard (although other than in the Chicago game, they haven’t been very noticeable). It’s not as much of a mess as the team was when Yeo took over, or where they were at the start of 2022. But it’s still poor, even for their standards.
“Again, I think that — there was things that you can look at, our defensive game is getting better, and blah, blah, blah, that’s nice,” said Yeo. “That’s what you have to do. That’s what you’re supposed to do. And there’s a way to play with the puck where you’re not turning it over and giving free ice and giving freebies to a team that obviously has skill. We still refuse to do that.”
Most of the Flyers’ collapses late in close games have felt like “straw that breaks the camel’s back” moments. They usually occurred against teams that were significantly better than them on paper. Some games, their opponent was playing great hockey, and the Flyers only managed to hang on via outstanding goaltending.
Sunday’s collapse was of a far different, more damming nature. The Flyers were playing the Canadiens, who while have been much better under interim head coach Martin St. Louis, are still dead last in the NHL and a poor team on paper. With under one minute to go, the Flyers had a power-play and possession of the puck. They could not be in a more likely position to win a game (without changing the scoreboard). And everything still fell apart.
“First off, they get a pretty darn good look right off the hop, so Risto(lainen) has to go long-body or slide to deny that play, so he ends up in the corner.” said Yeo when asked to describe the almost comedic scene that was the game-tying goal. “We still have a chance to maybe be first on the puck, but we end up losing it. Instead of coming into the house and stopping, we’re playing on the move.” Not exactly the type of defensive structure you want to have nursing a late one-goal lead. Or ever, for that matter.
There have been so many times the Flyers appeared to hit rock bottom this season. The 7-1 loss to Tampa Bay that led to Alain Vigneault’s dismissal. Falling in embarrassing fashion three nights later to New Jersey, their 10th straight loss. Hitting the same “milestone” in a mid-January loss to Columbus, overshadowing Jake Voracek’s return. Buffalo blowing them out of the water the very next game. And failing to show up for Keith Yandle’s record-breaking 965th consecutive game — which therefore became their franchise-record 13th straight loss.
And yet as that list shows, every time the Flyers think they’ve hit rock bottom (which Claude Giroux himself said he felt the team was at after the Buffalo loss), they find a way to sink lower. We’ve known for a while there’s essentially no saving the 2021-22 Flyers. What they can do, at least in theory, is making progress to at least somewhat shrink the gap separating them from being significantly better for 2022-23. But Sunday night serves as a swift reminder that achieving that task is far easier said than done. After all, that’s how everything involving success has played out for this Flyers team so far.
Lindies
The milestone that everyone’s been waiting for when it comes to Claude Giroux (his 1000th game) doesn’t come until Thursday. But the captain did hit one major mark on Sunday, tallying his 900th career point with a second-period goal. That tally also moves him into sole possession of 8th place in the Flyers’ all-time goals list (291), passing Eric Lindros.
Morgan Frost set up that goal, who had a rare game at wing alongside Giroux and Travis Konecny. Though he was at fault for Cole Caufield’s OT winner, Frost’s work in the first 60 minutes of play; highlighted by a beautiful through the legs pass to spring Konecny for a solid chance.
This game marks Philadelphia’s 17th one-goal loss this season, as well as their league-leading 11th OT loss.
3 Stars
3rd: Nick Suzuki (MTL) – 2 Goals (15, 16), 4 Shots, 52.4% Faceoffs, 23:27 TOI
2nd: Claude Giroux (PHI) – Goal (18), 7 Shots, 61.1% Faceoffs
1st: Cole Caufield (MTL) – Goal (9), Assist (16), 3 Shots
Next
MTL: 3/15, 7 PM vs. ARI (18-36-4, L1)
PHI: 3/17, 7 PM vs. NSH (33-21-4, W1)
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