Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings is a sure-shot future Hockey Hall of Famer and when he does get inducted someday, maybe he should give a little shout-out to the Flyers.
Kopitar scored twice in the third period of Sunday night’s game against Philadelphia, rallying the home team to a 5-4 win at Crypto.com Arena.
Beating the Flyers is nothing new for Kopitar. The Kings’ captain also scored twice in his team’s victory at the Wells Fargo Center just 10 days ago.
The Flyers took a 4-3 lead into the third period. But then Kopitar struck at 6:44 and followed that up with a power-play goal at 8:55, just five seconds after Travis Sanheim went to the penalty box.
As for the Flyers, Matvei Michkov had not scored in nine games, so no one was surprised when Flyers coach John Tortorella benched the talented rookie for the third period of Saturday afternoon’s 3-1 victory at Anaheim.
A night later, few were sure if Michkov would be in uniform against the Kings.
Not to worry. Michkov not only wound up playing, he ended a nine-game scoring drought plus added an assist.
Tortorella thought the Flyers played a sharper game than the one they played in the Anaheim win.
“We played so much better than we did against Anaheim,” Tortorella said in a televised interview. “I thought we were on our toes. Although they were trying to play well in front of our goalie, I don’t think we gave them much.”
As for Michkov, Tortorella added: “I thought ‘Mich’ competed hard tonight, there was a big difference in his game.”
Through an interpreter, Michkov sounded more upbeat about this performance than others in recent games.
“If I do the work, the scoring will come,” the 20-year-old Russian said. “My job is to come out and do what I can do. I’m trying to do everything the coach says. In the first period, my line let two goals in, so there are some things to work on.”
The Flyers scored twice in the second period to take a two-goal lead.
Michkov banked a shot off goaltender David Rittich at 11:03. Then Joel Farabee took advantage of a fine Garnet Hathaway pass to tuck in the puck at 13:42 for his second goal in as many games.
Farabee credits his new line of Hathaway and Ryan Poehling for a degree of his success.
“They’re obviously two really good players,” Farabee said in a televised interview. “They move their legs really well. We’re really just focusing as a five-man unit. ‘Poehls’ made a really good play to ‘Garny’ (on the Farabee goal). I think it’s just coming out of our zone together and using each other.”
Los Angeles bounced back on a goal from Warren Foegele at 15:04. Foegele broke loose from the Flyer defense, thanks to a Travis Konecny giveaway, and scored on his own rebound at 15:04. The Kings continued to apply strong pressure at the end of the period but Flyers goalie Aleksei Kolosov was up to the challenge.
“That third goal was just a kick in the teeth,” Tortorella said. “We gave them one for free.”
In a wide-open first period, each team scored a pair of goals and generated plenty of good chances.
After the Kings took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Kevin Fiala from a wide angle at 5:14, the Flyers came right back when Tyson Foerster, working on a feed from Cam York, connected after a semi-breakaway, four-on-four situation at 8:17 with a shot past Rittich.
Foerster has really picked up his offensive play, notching five goals in his last five games. He’s reached the 10-goal mark, which puts him on pace to finish with more than the 20 goals he registered last season.
“I think it’s just going back to playing simple,” Foerster said. “My mindset is to try not to give up a goal right now. (In this game) Just chip it in, we think we can get to their ‘D.’+”
The Flyers went ahead on Scott Laughton’s goal at 14:09. Michkov, looking for his first point in eight games, stood behind the Los Angeles net and tried to bank a shot off Rittich and past him. Instead, the puck wound up deflecting in the air, went off Laughton’s lower body and across the goal line.
It didn’t take long for the Kings to respond. Adrian Kempe took a cross-ice pass from Brandt Clarke and hit the twine at 16:54.
Kopitar scored twice in the third period of Sunday night’s game against Philadelphia, rallying the home team to a 5-4 win at Crypto.com Arena.
Beating the Flyers is nothing new for Kopitar. The Kings’ captain also scored twice in his team’s victory at the Wells Fargo Center just 10 days ago.
The Flyers took a 4-3 lead into the third period. But then Kopitar struck at 6:44 and followed that up with a power-play goal at 8:55, just five seconds after Travis Sanheim went to the penalty box.
As for the Flyers, Matvei Michkov had not scored in nine games, so no one was surprised when Flyers coach John Tortorella benched the talented rookie for the third period of Saturday afternoon’s 3-1 victory at Anaheim.
A night later, few were sure if Michkov would be in uniform against the Kings.
Not to worry. Michkov not only wound up playing, he ended a nine-game scoring drought plus added an assist.
Tortorella thought the Flyers played a sharper game than the one they played in the Anaheim win.
“We played so much better than we did against Anaheim,” Tortorella said in a televised interview. “I thought we were on our toes. Although they were trying to play well in front of our goalie, I don’t think we gave them much.”
As for Michkov, Tortorella added: “I thought ‘Mich’ competed hard tonight, there was a big difference in his game.”
Through an interpreter, Michkov sounded more upbeat about this performance than others in recent games.
“If I do the work, the scoring will come,” the 20-year-old Russian said. “My job is to come out and do what I can do. I’m trying to do everything the coach says. In the first period, my line let two goals in, so there are some things to work on.”
The Flyers scored twice in the second period to take a two-goal lead.
Michkov banked a shot off goaltender David Rittich at 11:03. Then Joel Farabee took advantage of a fine Garnet Hathaway pass to tuck in the puck at 13:42 for his second goal in as many games.
Farabee credits his new line of Hathaway and Ryan Poehling for a degree of his success.
“They’re obviously two really good players,” Farabee said in a televised interview. “They move their legs really well. We’re really just focusing as a five-man unit. ‘Poehls’ made a really good play to ‘Garny’ (on the Farabee goal). I think it’s just coming out of our zone together and using each other.”
Los Angeles bounced back on a goal from Warren Foegele at 15:04. Foegele broke loose from the Flyer defense, thanks to a Travis Konecny giveaway, and scored on his own rebound at 15:04. The Kings continued to apply strong pressure at the end of the period but Flyers goalie Aleksei Kolosov was up to the challenge.
“That third goal was just a kick in the teeth,” Tortorella said. “We gave them one for free.”
In a wide-open first period, each team scored a pair of goals and generated plenty of good chances.
After the Kings took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Kevin Fiala from a wide angle at 5:14, the Flyers came right back when Tyson Foerster, working on a feed from Cam York, connected after a semi-breakaway, four-on-four situation at 8:17 with a shot past Rittich.
Foerster has really picked up his offensive play, notching five goals in his last five games. He’s reached the 10-goal mark, which puts him on pace to finish with more than the 20 goals he registered last season.
“I think it’s just going back to playing simple,” Foerster said. “My mindset is to try not to give up a goal right now. (In this game) Just chip it in, we think we can get to their ‘D.’+”
The Flyers went ahead on Scott Laughton’s goal at 14:09. Michkov, looking for his first point in eight games, stood behind the Los Angeles net and tried to bank a shot off Rittich and past him. Instead, the puck wound up deflecting in the air, went off Laughton’s lower body and across the goal line.
It didn’t take long for the Kings to respond. Adrian Kempe took a cross-ice pass from Brandt Clarke and hit the twine at 16:54.
Overall, the Flyers have done OK in the two California games.
“I thought we played a pretty solid game,” Nick Seeler said. “We were right there with them. A couple tough breaks there. They’re a good hockey team, well balanced, skilled. I thought we did a pretty good job hanging with them.”
>Short shots
The Flyers get to celebrate New Year’s Eve when they visit the Sharks in San Jose on Tuesday night with an 8 p.m. Eastern time start. . .Laughton has registered 10 points in his last eight games. . .Foerster outskated defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov on his quick-rush goal in the first period. . .Kopitar has led his team in scoring 16 straight years. The only others to accomplish that feat are Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe.
