The game plan was right and so was the execution.
From the start of Monday night’s game, the Flyers played a strong defensive game. They were tied 1-1 after two periods.
Then they went to work in the third period, eventually getting a 3-2 shootout win over the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The Flyers have won three straight games (tying their longest win streak of the season) and closed the gap for the playoffs to four points.
The Flyers were playing without the services of leading scorer Travis Konecny, who was scratched Monday night due to an upper-body injury. He’s listed as day-to-day.
A goal by the Flyers’ Noah Cates broke the tie at 14:42 of the third period but the Leafs tied it on a power-play goal by William Nylander as time was running out.
The Flyers won the shootout on goals by Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zygras.
What’s been the key to this three-game streak?
“I thought the PK (penalty kill) was excellent tonight,” said coach Rick Tocchet, mindful his team had killed off 18 straight power plays before the late tying goal. “I know we gave one up there but when you’re playing these tight games, I guess playoff-style games for us, you’re looking for those big moments. We’re finding them lately.
“A little more urgency (on the kill). This is crunch time now. Guys are blocking shots. Really good sticks in the lane.”
Cates was in the right place at the right time on his go-ahead goal.
“We’re just battling and finding ways to win,” he said. “I think the reset with the break (helped). We got to practice our systems. Our offensive zone possession, we’re just making those little plays. We took that week and really went to work.”
It was another strong game for Vladar. He was outstanding in the shootout, stopping two of three Toronto shots.
“Since the break we haven’t been running around as much,” he said. “We’re patient, sorting out the plays. Makes my job way easier. Credit to them. But we have to keep grinding.”
It was an evenly played first period with each team scoring a goal.
Toronto struck first at 15:22. Nick Seeler’s clear attempt didn’t make it out of the corner. Sean Couturier tried to block the shooting lane of Dakota Joshua but actually appeared to block goalie Dan Vladar’s view.
The Flyers tied it on their third power play of the period. Denver Barkey helped set up Christian Dvorak for a shot through goalie Anthony Stolarz’s pads from close range at 18:38.
There’s been slightly more success on the power play of late for the Flyers.
“I think we’ve tried to be more shot-focused, the second half (of the season),” Barkey said in a first intermission televised interview. “Just get pucks to the net. Bank some in that are just lying around.”
The only real highlight of the second period was a near-goal by Nic Deslauriers. It would have been his first goal since last April but Stolarz came up with the save.
With Konecny out of action, Owen Tippett played on a line with Dvorak and Trevor Zegras.
“Just trying to keep it simple,” Tippett said. “They’re great at supporting and making it easy. Played with them a little earlier in the year. So just trying to get back to that.”
>Tocchet-Berube friendly rivals
Tocchet and Toronto coach Craig Berube go all the way back to the ‘80s when the two played together on the Flyers during some very competitive seasons.
Since then they’ve coached against each other but they’ve always maintained a good friendship.
This season is especially special because Berube coached the Flyers some 10 years ago and Tocchet is coaching them now.
The two squared off for the first time in Toronto as the men behind the bench with Tocchet leading the Flyers.
Currently, Berube is taking quite a bit of heat because the Leafs are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
“Craig is taking some heat out here with how things are going,” Tocchet said in pregame comments. “He’s a terrific coach. He’s a Stanley Cup winner (St. Louis, 2019).
“When he took over there, they were in last place. It’s his calmness, things like that to make him successful.”
That said, Berube is highly competitive.
“I know he might not be calm sometimes, but behind the scenes he is smart guy,” Tocchet said. “And it’s like all coaches, we’re always under the gun, and you’ve always got to be ready to tweak certain things.”
>Short shots
The Flyers return to action on Thursday night when they host the Nashville Predators. . . Deslauriers played in this 700th NHL game and Bobby Brink in his 200th. . .Seeler left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury. “Hopefully it’s nothing major,” Tocchet said.
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