Flyers Fan Reaction (FFR5) Gm 6: SJ 3, PHI 0 – Red Osktober
At least the fans who filled the Wells Fargo Center got to see a Philadelphia team win on Sunday. No, it wasn’t the Philadelphia Flyers, who lose 3-0 to the San Jose Sharks. It was a missed opportunity for the Flyers. After all, they were going for a 5-1-0 start against the Sharks, who entered Sunday in the league’s basement. Yes, it was in the second half of a back-to-back with travel and with Felix Sandström in the net. And San Jose’s lone victory before Sunday was against the Rangers, a reigning Eastern Conference finalist who are 3-0-1 in their other four games.
But for the Flyers to have any shot of being successful this season, putting up a better fight in games like this is critical. The Sharks absolutely boat-raced the Flyers in the second period. It wasn’t just that Erik Karlsson and Steven Lorentz scored to put the Sharks in the driver’s seat. Outshooting the Flyers 12-5 and generating a whopping 85.94%, the worst mark against Philadelphia in any period this season, is far bleaker.
None of it meant all that much to those in attendance. Most of them had already lost their minds when the Phillies won the National League pennant about an hour before puck drop. It wasn’t long ago the Phillies were in a similar position to the Flyers. Their eleven-year wait between postseason appearances sapped up a lot of the goodwill the team had built. As recently as a few weeks ago, the discontent around the team was still alive and well. Now, they are going to play for a championship.
The Flyers don’t have to do all of that to restore the goodwill they’ve lost over the last two seasons. They don’t even need to make the playoffs to do so. But they need better showings than the one they offered on Sunday. Yes, even the best teams lose to bad teams on occasion. The nightmares of years past mean Flyers need to prove that isn’t the case, though.
Lindies
Of course, the most important story from this game was the namesake of this section playing in the Wells Fargo Center for the first time as a visitor. There aren’t words to describe the connection between Philadelphia and Oskar Lindblom, who exemplifies the heart and soul that the city’s fans value above all. No one will ever forget Lindblom’s courageous battle with cancer during the 2019-20 season and his triumphant return in the 2020 playoffs. The Flyers gave him an emotional tribute during Sunday’s game, and Lindblom received one of the most well-deserved standing ovations you will ever see. Of course, all the best to Oskar, who had a typical strong little things game with Corsi For and expected goals percentages around 57% each.
3 Stars
3rd – Steven Lorentz (SJ) – Goal (1)
2nd – James Reimer (SJ) – 30-Save Shutout (1) on 2.28 Expected Goals Against (All Situations)
1st – Erik Karlsson (SJ) – Goal (3)
Next
SJ: 10/27, 10:30 PM vs. TOR (4-2-0)
PHI: 10/27, 7 PM vs. FLA (4-1-1)
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