FINAL: 2-5 VANCOUVER

STARTING LINEUPS:

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Forwards

GIROUX-COUTURIER-VORACEK

WEAL-PATRICK-SIMMONDS

RAFFL-FILPPULA-KONECNY

LEIER-LAUGHTON-LEHTERA

Defensemen

PROVOROV-HAGG

MANNING-GOSTISBEHERE

SANHEIM-ALT

Goalie

NEUVIRTH

(ELLIOTT)

Top Scorer

JAKUB VORACEK (25 POINTS)

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Forwards

D. SEDIN-H. SEDIN-VIRTANEN

BAERTSCHI-HORVAT-BOESER

GAUNCE-SUTTER-GAGNER

ERIKSSON-GRANLUND-VANEK

Defensemen

EDLER-POULIOT

DEL ZOTTO-BIEGA

HUTTON-GUDBRANSON

Goalie

MARKSTROM

(NILSSON)

Top Scorers

BOESNER (17 POINTS)

FIRST PERIOD

Giroux, Couturier and Voracek start the period with Manning and Gostisbehere backing them up. Neuvirth mans the crease.
A bit of back and forth to start the period with Philadelphia getting the first shot of the game 1:41 in. Markstrom swallows it up and freezes the puck, good pressure so far.
Filppula has a golden oppotunity from the hash marks off the ensuing faceoff. Markstrom stands tall.
4 minutes into the period, the 4th line comes out buzzing but lose the puck on an odd man situation.
Couturier almost buries a feed with about 15 minutes left to go in the period. Missed by inches.
6 minutes in, Gostisbehere rings one off the post. Hit it so hard the puck almost deflected back towards the net off a defender. Still scoreless.
Voracek has a breakaway but the defenseman catches him and takes the puck. Just over 12 minutes to go.
8 minutes in, Provorov fires a laser from the point and it deflects off a Vancouver player and into the net. 1-0 Flyers.
With 10:18 left in the period, Neuvirth appears to make a save on Daniel Sedin. The officials call no goal until it’s revealed the puck, in fact, did cross the goal line after deflecting off of Neuvirths pad. Bad break. 1-1.
19 seconds later, Bosner finds the back of the net following a Jordan Weal turnover. 2-1 Vancouver.
With 8:30 left in the period, Konecny makes some space for himself and almost scores on a 1-on-1 with the defender. Can’t find twine.
Leier turns the puck over twice in a ten second span. 4:30 to go in the period.
3:37 left in the period, Gagner is called for a holding on Provorov.
1st PP unit comes out flying but can’t put one in. A lot of great chances.
Patrick goes down behind the Vancouver net on the powerplay but there’s no call. PP ends.
G with a cannon from the dot in the final seconds but Markstrom stands tall. End of the 1st.

SCORING

(8:00) PHILADELPHIA; G: Provorov, A: Konecny, Filppula

(9:42) VANCOUVER; G: D. Sedin, A: H. Sedin, Virtanen

(10:01) VANCOUVER; G: Boeser, A: Pouliot, Edler

PENALTIES

(16:23) VANCOUVER; Gagner – Holding

SHOTS

Flyers 16

Canucks 9

SECOND PERIOD

Sanheim is called for Slashing 1:20 into the period. Bad start.
PK has an odd man opportunity but they can’t score. Puck immediately goes the other way and Boesner pots his second of the night to make it 3-1 Vancouver.
Flyers getting something that somewhat resembles offensive pressure but can’t make anything happen 5 minutes into the period.
With 12:23 remaining, Baertschi is called for Holding.
Flyers fail to make anything of the PP and frustrations are running rampant. Giroux appears to break his stick over the board and the crowd grows restless.
Manning called for Holding with 7:19 eft in the period.
With 14:40 left in the period, Baertschi scores on a messy play out front of Neuvirth. They couldn’t clear the crease and it results in a Vancouver goal. 4-1.
Neuvirth is replaced by Brian Elliott. He had been better since the first two Vancouver goals but a change is sometimes for the better.
Sam Gagner appears to get whacked by Giroux and he labors to his own bench. No call.
Flyers have slowed to a stand still has the period nears its’ end. Mindless hockey with 1:30 left to play. That last goal demoralized them.
This period ends the same as the 1st, a Flyers opportunity that results in nothing. Voracek can’t get it done on the breakaway.

SCORING

(1:56) VANCOUVER; G: Boesner, A: D. Sedin, H. Sedin

(14:40) VANCOUVER; G: Baertschi, A: Eriksson, Vanek

PENALTIES

(1:20) PHILADELPHIA; Sanheim – Slashing

(7:37) VANCOUVER; Baertschi – Holding

(12:41) PHILADELPHIA; Manning – Holding

SHOTS

Flyers 16 (32)

Canucks 16 (25)

THIRD PERIOD

The third starts out slow. Neither team seems to be able to get anything going through the first 4 minutes.
With 15:23 left to play, Raffl is assessed a minor for Tripping.
Nothing comes of the PP, back to even strength.
Vancouver aggressively forechecking as we approach the halfway mark of the period. Philly can’t get out of their own zone.
The Flyers get the jolt they needed and Voracek scores on a BOMB from the point on a beautiful feed from Giroux. More scoring from the top line. 2-4 Vancouver.
Flyers gain new life after the goal. They’re buzzing around the ice. Can’t convert on any of their chances though.
Elliott heads to the bench with 2 minutes left to play in the 3rd. Desperation time.
Empty net goal with 20 seconds left seals it. Eriksson makes it 5-2 Vancouver.

SCORING

(9:56) PHILADELPHIA; G: Voracek, A: Giroux, Sanheim

(19:39) VANCOUVER; G: Eriksson, A: Gagner

PENALTIES

(4:37) PHILADELPHIA; Raffl – Tripping

SHOTS

Flyers 6 (38)

Canucks 11 (36)

TAKEAWAYS

Honestly, there’s only one thing to take away from tonight’s: game: this team isn’t currently built to win. Whether it be a trade, benching or someone losing their job, something needs to change in that locker room. This was the most difficult Flyers game I’ve ever had to watch. The effort they’re showing on the ice is not one worth playing party to of late. This team has managed to turn the fanbases general sense of giddy excitement to that of disgust and apathy. The pieces are there. The talent is there. The passion, on the other hand, is no where to be found. We know what this team is capable of and we expect nothing less. The fans in the City of Brotherly Love care too much to be forced to watch a team that doesn’t seem to care at all.

…Well, there’s my rant. On a positive note (I’m really digging here) Brian Elliott filled in for Neuvirth with a strong effort and has looked great lately. Nolan Patrick looks to be slowly regaining his preseason form. The 1st line is still the bright shining sun that somehow manages to shine light on this desolate planet we call Broad Street. And, uh… the Eagles are 9-1 and trusting the process is starting to pay off for our Wells Fargo Center roommates. The Flyers have a chance to rebound tomorrow against the Islanders, maybe they’ll win by 10+ and the bottom 9 will do the jobs they’re paid to do, a true Thanksgiving miracle. Here’s hoping!