Let’s look back at the last week for the Flyers, and we’ll hand out our 3-Star selections.
Game 5: Canucks at Flyers (10/19/2024) // Flyers 0, Canucks 3
Despite what the score might reflect, Ersson played well in this game, making 29 saves on 32 shots (.906 SV%). The Canucks scored early at 3:51 of the 1st and then quickly struck twice before the mid-way point of the 2nd period.
This was another contest that the Flyers appeared to be chasing, and it’s one they should have been, as their home opener was complete with a great atmosphere to start the game.
Vancouver out-hit the Flyers, which led to them winning the turnover advantage.
Game 6: Washington at Flyers (10/22/2024) // Flyers 1, Capitals 4
For the second time, the Flyers tried to regroup on home ice and get their season turned around after a 1-3-1 start. The Flyers’ offense looked disjointed in a 4-1 home loss against the Washington Capitals. Positives for the Flyers were tough in this one. Perhaps a bright spot with Sanheim scoring early in the 3rd to make it a 2-1 game.
Unfortunately, the momentum boost was short-lived, with Washington scoring about a minute later. On the healthy scratch list, Erik Johnson, Jett Luchanko, and Tyson Foerster are sitting out this game, with Foerster perhaps being the most interesting name.
The Fans want to see Luchanko, but the Flyers brass appears to be managing his workload until they hit the 9-game deadline on whether to keep Luchanko for the season.
Game 7: (10/23/2024) – Flyers at Washington (10/23/2024) // Flyers 3, Capitals 6
Flyers were chasing another game in this one, down by 2 heading into the 2nd period on the road in Washington. Washington scored on a breakaway within the first 5 minutes of the 2nd period, adding another before the middle point of the game.
The Flyers tried to get back in this one, with Couts and TK adding markers in the second. Michkov got the Flyers back to within one, but the Capital responded with two empty net goals, and this game was in the books.
After a fairly lackluster week by the Flyers, it was difficult to pick out three stars, so we’ll skip that and let’s see what everyone is saying.
Travis Sanheim had this to say following the 4-1 loss at the hands of the Capitals:
“It’s early in the season, I’m not too worried about it, there are a lot of guys in this room that are goal scorers,” Travis Sanheim said.
“We’re going to get going here. I’m not worried at all.”
Head Coach John Tortorella echoed a similar calm but focused approach:
“If we just stay and play our game — it’s not a safe game, it’s a very aggressive game — we’ll get our goals,” Tortorella said.
“There’s a fine line between playing aggressively, on your toes, and checking forward versus cheating and hoping. That’s when [the play goes] the wrong way, back the other way.
“So that’s what we have to watch for here. We’ve got a group of men here that are going to figure this out. We just have to do it together and not lose ourselves through panic or frustration and forget about how we play.”
Sam Ersson had this to say:
“There are some moments I feel like I’ve got to come up with a big save,” Ersson said.
“Especially right now, we’re maybe struggling a little bit confidence-wise, and I think it’s kind of one of those times I’ve got to step up and make a save there.”
Meanwhile, at least the Hockey News had some nice things to say about Matvei Michkov:
“While things have been rough for the Flyers, they have a big bright spot in star rookie Matvei Michkov. The 19-year-old winger has been excellent for the Flyers early on and is only continuing to stay hot”.
Weekly, it becomes clear that the Flyers are still a talented but young team, including on defense and on the net.
The Flyers will need to find a way to tighten up on defense and hold on to some leads before another season begins to slip away.
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