What We Learned From the Flyers Game 1 of Round Robin
Philadelphia Flyers Hockey is FINALLY back!
On Sunday, August 2nd, 2020 after 145 days of no hockey other than an exhibition game, the Flyers played their first meaningful game.
The first of 3 round robin games that will decide the positioning amongst the 4 top teams in the conference for the playoffs. The Hockey Gods decided that the Flyers would play the Boston Bruins in their first round robin game, the only team to have beaten the Flyers in their previous 11 games if we count the exhibition game as well.
This was a huge test for the Flyers for sure, and a chance at redemption. That game they lost to the Bruins back in March, was a game the Flyers dominated and they deserved a better faith.
So, what did we learn from game 1? The answer, my friends is quite simple: The Philadelphia Flyers are for real folks!
The Flyers dominated the Bruins in every aspect of the game.
Let’s take a look at exactly how they did it.
The Defense
This was an incredible defensive stand, against a really good offensive team in the Bruins. Ivan “Drago” Provorov, who was on the ice for 24:51, was just a machine out there.
Steadily making plays and clearing the zone with so much ease.
Provorov really reminds me of a young Nickolas Lidstrom out there. The paring of giants Travis Sanheim and Phil Myers has so much talent and they weren’t afraid to show it. They just formed an impenetrable brick wall back there and both used their size and incredible reach and made the defensive plays look really easy. Each finished the game with a plus (+) 3 rating. And can we finally stop hating on Robert Hagg? He was out there blocking shots, clearing the zone, making hits, and was just defensively sound. Braun and Niskanen did what they were brought in to do, lead by example and both are as steady as they come. But the defense wasn’t only played by our defensemen. This was a complete team effort.
Head Coach Alain Vigneault, as much as possible, matched-up the line of Couturier, Giroux, and Voracek against the skilled Bruins line of Bergeron, Marchand, and Pasternak. This was a stroke of genius by Vigneault. The Bruins top line was a non-factor the entire game. As a matter of fact, the Bruins top line finished the game with a combined minus (-) 7. Pasternak, minus (-)3, in particular, looked lost out there. He never had the puck more than a fraction of a second before one (or two) Flyers were on top of him. The NHL leader in goals was really frustrated and it showed in his performance on the ice.
The Offense
Anyone who has watched the Flyers play all season long will tell you that Alain Vigneault and both his assistants have the Flyers playing a game of letting the offense come from the defensive side of the puck.
That all starts with puck possession and although the Bruins are one of the top faceoff teams in the NHL, they were no match for the Flyers forwards in that department.
You can’t score if you don’t have the puck.
While the top line of Coots, G, and Voracek were making life miserable for the Bruins top line, the rest of the Flyers got to work offensively. That well balanced 4-line attack of the Flyers you’ve heard so much about all year was in full display during this game. Fourth liner Michael Raffl had himself one hell of a game starting the scoring with a goal and adding an assist. Raffl did leave the game with an injury and did not return. If he can’t go, I fully expect Joel Farabee to draw into the lineup. Boy, that a nice depth problem to have isn’t it?
One of Chuck Fletcher’s under the radar acquisition was fourth-liner Nate Thompson made an immediate impact, playing 13:01 minutes and scoring a big goal with a beauty of a shot. He was also 5 for 8 in the faceoff circle.
The defense chipped in offensively as well, with Phil Myers scoring a real beauty with on a laser of a shot over goaltender Jaro Halak’s shoulder. Sanheim made an unbelievable pass to Raffl for the game’s first goal. Second-line also chipped in when Kevin Hayes sent a long pass to Scott Laughton who scored his second goal in as many games. This Flyers team can score from anywhere, from any of the four lines, creating nightmare matchups for the opposition.
The Goaltending
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I personally don’t know why there would be, but if there were any doubts about how Carter Hart would perform in his first playoff appearance, he laid those to rest early. Hart was unbelievably good.
Hart finished the night with 34 saves of 35 shots, the lone goal was one that deflected off of Hagg’s skate, leaving him with no chance, and a .971 SV%.
There was nothing spectacular. He just did what Carter Hart does, and that is being positionally sound and being at the right place at the right time. By the middle of the third period, you could really see the frustration throughout the Bruins lineup, at being unable to solve Carter Hart.
Nate Thompson had the quote of the night, in my opinion. He said:
“He’s (Hart) a true pro. He reminds me a little bit of a goalie I used to play within Montreal and you guys know who I’m talking about. He’s our Backbone back there.”
Hart who at 21 years, 355 days years of age became the youngest goaltender in Flyers history to earn a postseason win, eclipsing the previous mark held by Pete Peeters (22 years, 235 days in Game 1 of the 1980 playoffs).
Enjoy the ride Philadelphia Flyers fans, it looks like it’s gonna be a long and prosperous one for you beloved Flyers.
Featured Image: Jordan Hall / NBC Sports
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