Flyers gain two points at Wells Fargo versus the Bruins

Think of this seven-game gauntlet as a Stanley Cup Playoff series. The Philadelphia Flyers (36-26-9) are adjusting effectively. They aren’t playing the same team, but they are regrouping and did defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins (41-16-15) within the first five games of this brutal stretch.

In this metaphorical seven-game Stanley Cup Playoff gauntlet, the Flyers are 2-2-1.

Sam Ersson secured the biggest win of his young career. Philadelphia hadn’t defeated the Bruins this season, and with the Washington Capitals on their heels in a tight NHL Metropolitan Division postseason race, the Flyers secured a valuable two points.

“For me, it’s not so much on a game last week to now. It’s when we get scored on, [and] they tie it. How do we play after that? We end up scoring a goal, [and] then we get scored on again. How do we play after that? It’s more of a closeness of reaction as far as the flow and momentum of the game. I thought we handled ourselves really well tonight.”
John Tortorella; 3/23/2024

On the road, the Carolina Hurricanes won in overtime. After that loss, Brad Shaw said he felt the Flyers paced the third period. Grinding down the opponent to pace the third period is one of the main ingredients to Philadelphia competing against the top teams in the NHL. John Tortorella echoed a lot of how Shaw felt on Thursday about this performance versus Boston:

“The thing I take out of the game: it’s two games in a row that our third period has been our strongest period. I thought we took over the game in Carolina. I know we gave up a couple [of] goals this period, but territorial and the chances, I thought it was a really good third period by the whole group.”
John Tortorella; 3/23/2024

Sean Couturier returned to the lineup. As soon as he touched the puck, Couturier felt the love from the Flyers fans. He was a healthy scratch for two games. Tortorella sent a message to his captain, and in his return, Couturier was fully engaged with Andrew Peeke, logged a high-danger scoring chance on a wrist shot during the second period, and won half of his faceoffs. Couturier, in his return, played well.

“I’m just happy to be back and contribute in any way I can. That’s a big two points.”
Sean Couturier; 3/23/2024

Egor Zamula served a minor penalty for interference in the first period. Travis Konecny helped Ersson by blocking a shot on goal. Charlie Coyle and David Pastrnak had scoring chances while Philadelphia began on their heels due to an early penalty. At the end of the game, the Flyers finished 2/2 on the penalty kill.

Before the end of the first period, Brad Marchand and Erik Johnson collided knee-to-knee. Johnson went to chip Marchand in pursuit of a puck, and the officials saw it as accidental contact. Marchand told his story as he skated back to the bench. It wouldn’t be the first time Marchand complained in this game, but it would be the only time it resulted in an unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty.

At the start of the second period, Philadelphia began to pick up the forecheck. Bobby Brink, Joel Farabee, Ronnie Attard, and Garnet Hathaway kept pucks in the offensive zone. In the defensive zone, Owen Tippett disrupted a Bruins scoring chance. Johnson blocked a shot up high before Ersson made a circus save on James van Riemsdyk a moment later. The Flyers were hanging in with Boston in all zones.

“It’s a little team defense. I think one of the strongest parts of our game tonight was supporting them by starting back with our backchecking. I think it’s really important with the changes of personnel, and some of the youth back there, it needs to be connected. We really concentrated on being connected defensively. I thought we did a pretty good job of that. The young kids, I don’t see any nerves; mistakes were made. Mistakes were made by their [defense], too, but they go back out and play. High marks, that’s a really good hockey team, obviously.”
John Tortorella; 3/23/2024

Ryan Poehling, Tyson Foerster, Konecny, Zamula, and Johnson endured a long shift on the ice with the Bruins cycling them in the defensive zone. Ersson froze the puck for a much-needed line change, but the patience to endure Boston limited any momentum shift.

Konecny made sure van Riemsdyk paid for his minor penalty for holding. On the powerplay, Scott Laughton won a board battle and found Foerster front and center for a one-timer, but he whiffed. Linus Ullmark surrendered a rebound, and Konecny was there to cash in the rebound, 1-0. Philadelphia finished 1/3 on the powerplay.

Justin Brazeau timed his entry perfectly with Coyle. Brazeau had a step on Zamula, then crashed the crease on Ersson, 1-1.

Again, Konecny beat Ullmark. Morgan Frost possessed on the entry, dropped to Konecny, who fired a screened shot, 2-1. The Flyers weren’t out of the woods yet.

Danton Heinen scored the game-winner when these two teams previously met in this seven-game gauntlet. Morgan Geekie put a pass on the tape near the crease for an easy tip-in by Heinen, 2-2. It seemed as if Philadelphia was on a path into another overtime.

Foerster scored the game-winner. He sniped the glove side on Ullmark, 3-2. This victory represents the first time the Flyers defeated the Bruins since October 20th, 2021. After the game, Foerster agreed that this game-winning goal was the biggest of his career.

“As he [Foerster] continues to get better, we’re only going to see more of that. He played some games last year and [with] some of the things he’s able to do, he’s going to be a really good player for a long time because of the way he plays away from the puck. He does a lot of good things and gets rewarded for it.”
Travis Konecny; 3/23/2024