The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Canadians Saturday night with a score of 4-3. The overtime win symbolized the month full of magic for the orange and black, as Provorov capped the win with a between-the-legs dangle.
Mo-vember Magic
Back on Oct. 29th, the Philadelphia Flyers faced off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in their final game of the month. The Flyers lost this one in embarrassing fashion to their rivals, 7-1. However, the Flyers only used this to motivate them for a historic month.
During the month, the Flyers picked up 24 points, tying a franchise record. Their overall record of 10-2-4 was their best in November since going 10-0-2 in November of the 2003-2004 season.
Stars of the month
Sean Couturier
One of the best two-way forwards in the league led all Flyers’ skaters in points. Being tied for first in goals (6) and assists (9), Couturier posted 15 points in 16 games played. His spark with any line he has played on has allowed players such as Oskar Lindblom and Jakub Voracek to bounce back during November as well.
Matt Niskanen
Going under the radar a bit, defenceman Matt Niskanen has been one of the best pickups this offseason. During November, the blueliner picked up six points, but what stood out was his natural leadership ability.
Being a 13-year veteran, he has been able to pair up with numerous young defensemen around him and work his game around them. Being paired with Ivan Provorov has solidified the Flyers’ first defensive pairing, and has allowed Provy to thrive offensively as well. Along with this, “Nisky” showed what “Philly Tough” means, as he was second on the team in hits (36) and was third with blocks (21).
Tyler Pitlick
Pitlick is not going to be an offensive leader by any means. However, he is beginning to warm up to fans. While gaining two goals and two assists en route to four points during the month, Pitlick was as impressive as any other Flyer during November. Game in and game out, the fourth-liner plays with high energy. His ability to forecheck and create turnovers is just what the Flyers’ fourth line needs. Along with this, he has played 12 minutes on the penalty kill, consistently creating takeaways and blocking two shots.
Goaltending
It would be asinine to credit one goalie and not the other. Both Carter Hart and Brian Elliott shined during the month.
During October, Hart was pulled from two games and posted a lackluster 2-3-1 record. During those games, he had a .864 save percentage and a 3.32 goals-against average, which is clearly far from the Hart Flyers fans know and love. However, the youngster bounded back in November. His record of 6-2-2, .927 save percentage, and 1.94 goals-against average allowed him to climb to 11th in the NHL with a 2.44 goals-against average.
As for Elliott, going 4-0-2 in November was one of the best months of his career. Elliott is slowly earning himself a potential spot to be re-signed after this season, as he is proving his worth. During November, the veteran showcased a .926 save percentage with 2.38 goals-against average. Being as young as Hart is, he needs a stable, veteran backup, and Elliott is proving to be just that.
The month to come
The Flyers currently stand with the fifth-most points in the entire NHL, presenting them with third place in the Metropolitan Division. Historically, the Flyers have also thrived during December, presenting 340 wins, 211 losses, 82 ties, and 28 overtime losses in their franchise history.
For the upcoming month, Philadelphia will play 13 games (six home, seven away). However, the Flyers have their West Coast trip to end the 2019 year, where they have struggled historically. The strength of schedule for the month looks in the Flyers’ favor, and plenty of success looks to be in the Flyers’ future.
Mandatory Credit: © Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
