Starting the season with four straight games on the other side of the continent figured to test the Flyers right off the bat.
Things started off well with a shootout win over Vancouver. But that was about it.
The trip ended in disappointing fashion on Thursday night in Seattle. After taking a brief 2-1 lead after one period, the Flyers surrendered four unanswered goals to the Kraken in the second and eventually lost, 6-4, at Climate Pledge Arena.
The Flyers finished the trip with a record of 1-2-1.
Philadelphia picked up goals from Cam York and Jamie Drysdale (on the power play) in the third period but the rally fell short.
After he scored, Drysdale gave that one back when he pinched in on a play that allowed Oliver Bjorkstrand to get a breakaway and restore a two-goal Seattle lead.
Coach John Tortorella wasn’t exactly thrilled with Drysdale’s derring-do.
“Five-four, I just hate to see the pinch by Jamie,” Tortorella said after the game. “Those are things that Jamie has to understand. We don’t need to overextend ourselves there. When it’s five-four and there’s five-plus minutes left, we don’t need to open ourselves up.
“I thought we had ‘em. Those are the little things, when you’re trying to crawl back in that we have to learn. A young player has to learn that. I’ve already talked to him about that.”
Scott Laughton, who scored a pair of goals in the first period, said the comeback was encouraging but still left something to be desired.
“That’s just part of this group, we don’t give up, we don’t fold over,” Laughton said. “We battled. It’s a credit to the guys. Found a way to make it a game. It’s unfortunate we just couldn’t tie it up.”
Added Travis Sanheim: “We wanted to push more from the back end. Try to get up there and support the forwards and join the rush. We have to continue to do that, four-man rushes.”
Leading 2-1 after one period, the Flyers saw the wheels fall completely off in the middle frame by giving up the quartet of goals without a response.
The result was a three-goal Seattle lead after two periods.
The onslaught began innocently enough when Jared McCann scored at 3:06. He connected on a power play by deflecting a shot past starting goaltender Ivan Fedotov.
But near the end of the period the Flyers let things really get out of hand in a hurry.
First Eeli Toivanen scored at 14:57. That was followed by the Kraken scoring two goals in a span of eight seconds. Jordan Eberle took a pass from McCann and found the net at 17:44. Before the Flyers could take a deep breath, Shane Wright was allowed to rush in unchecked and send a short shot past Fedotov at 17:52.
Fedotov gave way to Samuel Ersson for the third period.
Laughton, playing wing on a fourth line with Ryan Poehling at center and Garnet Hathaway on the right side, connected for his first goal at 4:23. Laughton took control of a Poehling miss to the right of goaltender Philipp Grubauer, quickly circled the net and tucked the puck in before the goalie could slide over.
The Kraken tied it on a goal by Brandon Montour at 18:15. Bobby Brink, trying to tie up a Seattle player in front, may have screened Fedotov as the long shot found its way through the goaltender’s skates.
But just 43 seconds later, Laughton struck again. This time he took a pass from Hathaway, skated in from the outer edge of the left circle and sent a high shot over Grubauer’s shoulder.
Laughton’s two-goal game was his first since Feb. 25 at Pittsburgh. Hathaway and Poehling had assists on both goals.
In the third period, York scored at 10:19. Then Drysdale hit the net for the Flyers’ fifth power-play goal in their first four games to close the Seattle lead to a single goal.
But Bjorkstrand scored with 5:08 to play to restore the Kraken’s two-goal lead.
>Looking forward to home opener
The Flyers open their home schedule on Saturday against Saturday and coach John Tortorella was asked how much he looks forward to these occasions.
“It’s great coaching in Philly,” Tortorella said. “We’re just trying to be the best we can be. Back in the day, as a visiting coach, I think you recognize the crowd more than the home coach when you go into the building. I’ve been to a few (Phillies) ballgames this summer. I look at the crowds there. I want our players to play in front of people like that.
“I want them to feel that juice. I’m not counting season tickets or seeing what’s going on there but if we take care of our business and we do it the right way and just continue to build it the right way, we’ll get there.”
>Short shots
Defenseman Nick Seeler missed his fourth straight game with nerve issues in his leg after being struck by a puck in a preseason game. . .The Flyers are flying home Friday and will return to action on Saturday night when they open their home schedule.