It was Hockey Fights Cancer night at the Wells Fargo Center!
The Philadelphia Flyers went 0-1-2 on the road, sitting sixth in the Metropolitan Division standings. The Calgary Flames were fresh off a shootout victory over the Florida Panthers. At the end of regulation, the Flyers fell at home, 5-2, sinking to 7-8-4 in 2022-2023.
No Fly Zone
It was a busy first period in Philadelphia! Calgary scored in no time! Jonathan Huberdeau recovered the puck from Tony DeAngelo, pushing a two-on-one pace. Travis Sanheim played the one-timer pass but Huberdeau opted to shoot for the first goal of the game.
Justin Braun served in the penalty box for tripping, summoning the Flyers penalty kill for the first time. Rasmus Ristolainen and Nicolas Deslauriers shined on the penalty kill in the offensive zone, slowing the puck in board battles.
Zack MacEwen and Dennis Gilbert fought. They traded blows to a no-decision. Calgary responded to the fight with a goal similar to their first. Dillon Dube opted to shoot after Sanheim took away the one-timer passing lane, extending the Flames lead to 2-0. Owen Tippett was guilty of the turnover to set up the scoring play.
Recalled yesterday, Tanner Laczynski got his team back into the game. He slotted in for Scott Laughton, evaluated out of the lineup with a head injury. Laczynski deflected the puck on a turn-and-shoot chance by Kevin Hayes. It was his first NHL goal, cutting Calgary down to 2-1.
“Anytime you score, you get some confidence in you. We just got to keep playing and possessing the puck as best as we can.”
Tanner Laczynski; 11/22/2022
Unlucky Break
Philadelphia remains unlucky in terms of their players deflecting pucks past Carter Hart. Rasmus Andersson made it 3-1 when his shot glanced off the stick of Joel Farabee and into the net.
“We go down early that definitely hurts us a little bit. Like I said, a few bounces here and there and that game could have been completely different.”
Joel Farabee; 11/22/2022
A lack of possession in the offensive zone hurt the Flyers. It made the job easier for Jacob Markstrom. Milan Lucic served for interference, giving Philadelphia another powerplay chance. Markstrom closed the door on MacEwen, who had the best chance with Lucic in the penalty box.
Too little, too late
Hayes immediately served a high sticking penalty within fifteen seconds. Nikita Zadorov took offense to Sanheim knocking the puck into the net after the whistle, earning both time in the sin bin. Overall, the Flyers killed off another Calgary powerplay.
Philadelphia continued to play hard and were rewarded for it. Farabee pounced on a turnover in the offensive zone, chucking the puck past Markstrom. It was a clean, beautiful unassisted goal that put the Flyers in striking distance, 3-2.
Back on the powerplay, the Flyers had a chance to tie the game again. Nazem Kadri served for holding. Morgan Frost nearly tied the game but Markstrom stood tall once more.
In the final two minutes, John Tortorella made the decision to pull Hart. Blake Coleman and Trevor Lewis scored empty net goals before the end of regulation. Calgary won 5-2, handing the Flyers their seventh loss in-a-row.
Gina’s Gem
There was a clear choice. Hockey Lady Whistledown’s ‘Diamond of the Tilt’ goes to Tanner Laczynski. Tortorella recalled him to fill in for Laughton. He answered the call with his first NHL goal.
“He had some good shifts, flattened out, and had another couple of good shifts. Scored a goal, that’s good. Maybe that will help him.”
John Tortorella; 11/21/2022
While Laczynski fills in for Laughton, he’ll battle for more ice-time. He’s battling with Kieffer Bellows to stay in the lineup once the Flyers begin to heal.
Next up
The Philadelphia Flyers visit the Washington Capitals tomorrow at 7pm.
(AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
