Flyers Fan Reaction (FFR4) Gm 66: PHI 4, NSH 5 – Trade-Off
That’s fair. The Philadelphia Flyers lose, 5-4, to the Nashville Predators, the second meeting between the two teams this year to end in a 5-4 final. The first one went the Flyers’ way, of course. They made sure to honor Claude Giroux’s legendary career and 1,000th game with a memorable comeback victory in front of a packed Wells Fargo Center. Sunday’s game in Nashville followed nearly an identical script, only for the ending to veer sharply in the other direction.
Perhaps the biggest difference between Sunday’s game and the one ten days prior was Philadelphia’s start. The Flyers understandably lacked the same pep in their step when playing for Giroux. Not to mention the team is already well into a daunting Western road trip pitting them against four playoff teams. It showed with a sluggish start. The Flyers managed just four shots on goal in the first period, which they concluded with an ugly 26.24% Expected Goals share. They were outplayed any way you look at it.
So how did the Flyers, as they did in their first game this season against Nashville, find themselves up 3-1 early in the second? The best answer is that they were simply opportunistic. Three of the Flyers’ first five shots were a clean look for Travis Sanheim at the left hash marks, a rebound left right in front for Joel Farabee, and a breakaway for Max Willman. And all three were well-deserved looks. The first came off a dogged forecheck and smooth dish from Morgan Frost. Cam Atkinson tied up a Nashville defender in front to allow Farabee to get to the loose puck first. And Willman’s goal was a spectacular individual effort. He blocked a shot from Matt Benning, corraled the loose puck at center, and finished one of the league’s best goaltenders in Jusse Saros.
But the Flyers were clearly playing with fire, and eventually, it burnt them. Just as they did in Philadelphia, the Predators swarmed back from a 3-1 deficit before the end of the second period, eventually taking a 4-3 lead. Nashville simply put their heads down, went to the net, and deflected a couple of pucks past Martin Jones to jump in front while still controlling play.
To their credit, the Flyers once again pushed back. A James van Riemsdyk blast tied the game late in the second period. And if this was any other team, this game certainly had the feeling of one that was destined for overtime. But these are the 2021-22 Flyers, a team that will be remembered for their inability to win close games. Or in Sunday’s case, even get a point in them. Tanner Jeannot deflected a Roman Josi shot past a help-less Jones with just 1:19 to play — the exact same time Joel Farabee scored the game-winning goal in Giroux’s 1000th game. A week and a half after the Flyers won for their captain, Nashville’s captain lifted his team to a much-needed victory.
It was an entertaining, back-and-forth, high-scoring, and physical (there were two fights) game. For any Flyers fans simply rooting for the team to maximize their lottery odds, dare I say this was the perfect game. Well, the perfect loss, anyway.
Lindies
Josi extended his point streak to 13 games with an assist on Trenin’s first goal.
Fitting to see Hayden Hodgson and Tanner Jeannot face off in a fight to start the third period after Frank Seravalli mentioned how similar many think they are on Thursday.
Speaking of Jeannot, I couldn’t find it, but I remember reading an article a while back about a theory that NHL players tend to have big games after having a child. Well, add Jeannot to the list. In his first game after having his child, Jeannot recorded his first career 3-point game and a Gordie Howe hat-trick.
Claude Giroux recorded his third straight two-assist game to start his Florida Panthers career on Saturday. That eases the sting, right?
3 Stars
3rd: Roman Josi (NSH) – 2 Assists (62 ,63), 27:27 TOI
2nd: Yakov Trenin (NSH) – 2 Goals (16, 17), 4 Shots, 5 Hits
1st: Tanner Jeannot (NSH) – Goal (22), 2 Assists (16, 17), Fight, 3 Hits
Next
PHI: 3/29, 8 PM @ MIN (39-20-4, W5)
NSH: 3/29, 8 PM vs. OTT (23-36-6, OTL1)
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