Behind the Hockey Scenes: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets
December 20, 2022 – Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
Introductions
Philadelphia (10-15-7, 27 points) sits just ahead of the bottom team, Columbus (10-19-2, 22 points) in the Metropolitan division of the National Hockey League's Eastern Conference. The Flyers and Blue Jackets are just ahead of the Anaheim Ducks (21 points) and Chicago Blackhawks (18 points) with the lowest point totals in the NHL.
Like Brad Larsen's squad, John Tortorella's team has been impacted by many injuries. Last summer's debate about Johnny Gaudreau led to him signing with Columbus in July. He leads his team with 33 points (10 goals and 23 assists).
Columbus leads the four-game season series with one regulation and one overtime win.
The Flyers lost 6-3 to the New York Rangers at home on Saturday night. The Blue Jackets lost 2-1 at home to the Dallas Stars last night.
Anthem - Lauren Hart - Her voice and love for the game and the fans, like that of her iconic father and Flyers' broadcaster, Gene Hart, resonates in the listener's soul.
First period
Starting goaltenders – Philadelphia – Carter Hart, Columbus – Daniil Tarasov
Wade Allison, Kevin Hayes, and Zack MacEwen returned to the Flyers' lineup.
No sustained pressure on either side through the first half of the period.
First power play went to the Jackets due to Rasmus Ristolainen with at 12:58 left in the frame. However, Travis Konecny scored a shorty (thirteenth overall goal) at 13:58 remaining to give the Flyers the first tally. Assist to Scott Laughton)
Shots: Philadelphia - 13 Columbus - 8
Score: Philadelphia - 1 Columbus - 0
Intermission – Mites On Ice, with Peanuts Christmas music equaled a crowd-pleaser.
Second period
Kirill Marchenko scored (third goal) at 5:58 into the frame. Assists to Jake Christensen and Eric Robinson.
Kent Johnson (eighth goal) put a wrister over Hart's left shoulder at 8:41 to give the Jackets a 2-1 lead. Assist to Gaudreau.
Moran Frost (sixth goal) took a pass from Cam York and snapped a wicked wrist shot past Tarasov at 10:04 to tie the game. Assists York and James van Riemsdyk.
Owen Tippett (ninth goal) worked a nifty give-an-go with Joel Farabee to the right of Tarasov on a power play to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead at 14:18.
The growth of the younger players on the roster was on display at points in this period. As Tortorella has often said, this season is about seeing what they have.
Shots: Philadelphia - 13 Columbus - 12
Score: Philadelphia - 3 Columbus - 2
Intermission – More Mites
Third period
Konecny, who had that Christmas pep in his step tonight, weaved into the offensive zone and threaded a backhanded wrister over the left shoulder of Tarasov to give the Flyers a 4-2 lead at 2:45. His second goal of the night and fourteenth of the season was unassisted.
Andrew Peeke (third goal) quickly entered the zone and snapped a strong wrist shot over Hart's left shoulder to close the gap to one goal at 11:11. Assists to Jack Roslovic and Gustav Nyquist.
Columbus pulled the goalie with approximately two minutes to go. But Tippett (tenth) netted an empty-netter to seal the game. His second of the night, unassisted at 18:41 to give Philadelphia a 5-3 victory.
Shots: Philadelphia - 13 Columbus - 13
Final Shots: Philadelphia 39 - Columbus - 33
Per the Flyers media relations department:
Philadelphia Flyers Head Coach John Tortorella
How much of a factor was it for you guys to come back in that second period? They started to get some momentum on their side, you guys answered back and take it back, but how key was that for you guys?
Are you asking me if that was a key time? When we went down 2-1? Yeah, when we answered, tied it, and then scored another one – Tip’s goal – it just swings the momentum. Didn’t give. We give up some goals. We give up a lead, but we didn’t give. We crawled back in it and found a way.
Was Carter okay at the end? It looked like he was slow getting up.
I didn’t notice anything. I just left the bench. I did not see. No one’s told me anything.
This morning we talked about the power play and how the main focus for those guys was the entries, just getting into the zone. That unit didn’t end up with a goal on the power play – I believe it was Tippett’s goal at the end – but what did you see there, them being able to keep the puck in even after the power play ended?
We still struggle on the entry. It’s at a very dangerous area right at the blue line. I thought Tip has a good game as far as retrieving pucks and battling for pucks. I didn’t even see the goal, so I can’t even comment on it. Everybody stood up, so I couldn’t even see it. It’s a work in progress as far as our power play, especially the entry part.
You’ve talked a lot the last few weeks about the fact that you’re building something here. A game like this where you have a lot of the 25 and younger guys step up – TK, Tippett, Frost, Cam – does that make you excited for what this could be down the road?
As hard as it’s been to eat all the losses – for coaches, it’s hard – they’re the ones that play. I can imagine how they feel. There have been some good things going on as far as development, as far as individual players, and also our team concept. You got to hang your hat on somewhere or you’ll lose your mind. Those are the things we’re trying. We’re trying a little “small victories” as far as where we’re coming as individuals. I’ve seen players get better each game. I’ve seen our backend get better. Cam York – minor leagues worked. Lappy and those guys, that whole situation that you guys were pissing and moaning about when we sent him down – worked. Cam comes up and is trying to make a difference. Those are the things we’re trying just to build on and hopefully – 50 plus games here – hopefully we just get some consistency and maybe some results.
With Konecny, has he entered the point where you trust him in any situation – power play, shorthanded, up a goal, down a goal?
You see how I use him, so I trust him. I’m always looking for him. He does some crazy stuff at times. We need to work with situational play with him, but you’ve got to be really careful of how – he’s just a reaction type player – you got to be really careful how you coach him because I need to let him go. Teach him a couple things along the way, but I need to let him go because that’s when he’s at his best.
Have you seen the positive progression in the areas you need him to be better in?
Yeah, I think he’s cognizant – at least he tells me that before he goes out on the next shift. He’s a bundle of energy and I love that about him. With a bundle of energy, there’s going to be some crazy stuff that happens. I don’t want to overcoach him. When we get to being a team that is competing in big games, playoffs and all that, when we get there as a team, hopefully at that time, he’ll lead the way as far as situational play. He’s still a pretty young man in this game. I’m hoping he leads the way as far as understanding some of those things when you’re in those key type of situations.
What did you think of Wade Allison’s game? I think he missed about six weeks, and what did you think of Hayes’ game tonight too?
I’m not giving up Hayesy’s game. I’m not going to have the Kevin Hayes update. You guys are trying to pit him against me and me against him, which is so ludicrous. So, I’m not giving you any update on Kevin Hayes. Ally, straight ahead, had some good bangs. I think he probably played ten minutes. I can give you a better assessment when I watch the tape.
Going back to Konecny, he scored the first shorthanded goal of his career tonight. You’ve had him paired up with Scott Laughton on the penalty kill. What have you liked about that duo, not just from a penalty killing standpoint but also their ability to try to create some offense?
I don’t think he’s killed here before. At least that’s what he’s told me, which is shocking. I’m not criticizing the prior coaching staffs, but I just think he’s so good. I had Cam for six years. Him and Cam are very similar – they anticipate so very well as a penalty killer. That’s why they end up with scoring chances in those types of situations. Willing to block shots, their quickness to pucks – listen, he’s a key guy. As I said, I look for him in every situation and deservedly so.
You talked about how Cam York, since he’s come back up, he’s trying to make a difference. Are you kind of seeing the same thing with Morgan Frost, especially over these last few games?
Yeah, he’s growing. He scores another goal tonight. I think we put that line together and I think James has kind of steadied those two kids. I watch him tonight. I see him carry the puck more instead of just getting rid of it. I think the big part of his game is carrying the puck, bringing people to him, so he can make plays. For a big part of this season, he was just getting rid of the puck. I think he feels more confident. When you start getting some points and you score a couple goals with those offensive guys, that’s what happens. This is a big time for his career. He has a chance to show or not show. He’s going to get the opportunity throughout the rest of this year and I think he’s trying to cease it here.
We talked a lot about positives at times in losses and how that’s important to focus on, but you have two wins in your last three games. Is it still important to get results throughout this process?
Everybody wants results. You can’t minimize that. We always are preparing to win a hockey game. Players, that’s all they want to do is win. I have to, as the head coach of the team, understand some of the situations that some guys are in and where maybe we get overwhelmed at times. I got to make sure I keep patience as we’re building. Because we’re building. As you’re building, when you approach each and every game, you want to win. It’s my job and my coaching staff’s job to make sure we handle ourselves the right way. Players just want to play and win. We have to control circumstances and how we coach them when we’re not getting the results.
