Flyers Fan Reaction (FFR5) Gm 3: PHI 3, TB 2 – Storm Chasers
It is one thing to overcome a 2-0 deficit against a solid but struggling team like Vancouver. Doing it against the Lightning is a much more impressive feat. But that’s exactly what the Philadelphia Flyers did, as they WIN, 3-2, over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The lone NHL team that failed to overcome a multi-goal deficit last season just did so for the second straight game. And against the three-time defending Eastern Conference champions, nonetheless.
Flyers-Lightning is a lop-sided matchup on paper, and it largely looked that way for most of the game. The Flyers did not win the shot attempts or expected goals battle in any period on Tuesday. While Philadelphia’s performance gradually improved — they went from generating 30.64% of the expected goals in the first to 36.1% in the second and a respectable 45.53% share in the third — they were still chasing the game. And that would’ve been true even if Steven Stamkos hadn’t lit up a previously solid Flyers penalty kill to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead.
But the Flyers didn’t try to do too much. If the Flyers are going to have any success this season, they have to embrace who they are. They are a team lacking high-end forward talent with tenacity and, from the early returns, a pretty good starting goaltender. Carter Hart kept the Flyers in it, stopping all 34 shots he faced at 5-on-5. The Flyers continued to simplify. About six minutes after Stamkos’s second, Egor Zamula flipped a shot from the right point just looking for a rebound. He got it, and Scott Laughton finished it. On an early third-period power play, Kevin Hayes saw James van Riemsdyk had a pretty good screen on Andrei Vasilevskiy. So, he shot it, and JVR, who despite his flaws is a good net-front presence, tipped in the equalizer.
Then, the Lightning made a rare mistake. Erik Černák made an uncharacteristic turnover near the slot with a couple of Flyers lurking. Noah Cates picked up the puck, but he wasn’t in an immediate shooting position. So he didn’t panic, turned, fired, and beat Vasilevskiy. The Flyers’ defense tightened up. Hart made the final few saves that he had to. The Flyers beat the Lightning. Simple, really.
“We’re just a hungry team, we’re a bunch of dogs,” Noah Cates said post-game after scoring his first NHL game-winning goal. “Like I said people are counting us out. We’ll just keep fighting and you know, play for 60 minutes. That’s the game, we’re sticking with it, and we’re having a ton of fun right now.”
If it sounds excessively basic, that’s because it is. And that’s who the Flyers need to be right now. They are coming off a season where even executing line changes properly was a challenge. It could not be overemphasized how much room for progress there was when the 2021-22 season ended.
Three games into the 2022-23 season, there is almost as much. The Flyers are 30th in the NHL in Corsi For and expected goals percentage. They are riding a heater from Hart, who has given the Flyers the third-best goaltending of any team so far this season. Maybe all this does is present a little bit of false hope. But maybe it gives the Flyers some confidence and time to figure some things out before things likely go south at some point. It is easier to learn in a positive environment. The Flyers could not have been farther from that for so much of last season. Right now, they have it. Who knows how long it lasts. But while it does, it’s worth appreciating — and maximizing for the Flyers and their young players, who still have a lot to learn.
Lindies
Once again, I’ll reiterate the impact other things can have on the length of these articles. Generally, I aim to make these about 1,500 words. But between schoolwork, the Phillies’ postseason run, and days only having 24 hours, articles like these may be the norm for the next few weeks.
The Flyers made some roster moves before Tuesday’s game. Defenseman Louie Belpedio and center Jackson Cates. They actually surprisingly recalled winger Olle Lycksell for Friday’s game after he had a strong training camp. Meanwhile, Rasmus Ristolainen was moved to IR, although he is with the team for their road trip.
That road trip only has two more games left on it, including one tonight. The team’s first back-to-back means the first start for Felix Sandström this season. It will be a major litmus test for the Flyers. If they can somehow beat the high-powered Panthers (who are down a couple of key defensemen), it would really make a statement.
3 Stars
3rd – Noah Cates (PHI) – Goal (1)
2nd – Steven Stamkos (TB) – 2 Goals (5, 6), 5 SOG, 71% Face-Offs, 20:06 TOI
1st – Carter Hart (PHI) – .947 SV% (36 Saves/38 Shots), 2 GA on 4.06 Expected Goals Against (All Situations)
Next
PHI – 10/19, 7 PM @ FLA (2-1-0)
TB – 10/21, 7 PM @ FLA (2-1-0)
Follow Us on Twitter! And check out the Vendetta Shop!
