PHILADELPHIA – Cam York might be only 25 years old but from a hockey perspective he’s a grizzled veteran.
The Flyers defenseman has played 309 NHL games just for the chance to compete in his first Stanley Cup playoffs.
Even though this might be his initial postseason go-round, he’s been playing in the game at its highest level long enough to serve as a calming voice for many of the team’s young players.
After Wednesday morning’s skate at Xfinity Mobile Arena, York shared what advice he’s been giving to rookies like Denver Barkey, Porter Martone and Emil Andrae.
With the Flyers making their first playoff appearance at XMA since 2020, the place figured to be a madhouse, at least for the opening 10 minutes.
The most prudent approach to that bedlam?
Stay even-keeled.
“I think that was our mantra for our last 20 regular-season games,” York said. “We have tried to stay even-keeled. There’s obviously a lot of noise around us. It’s like if you lose a game, sell the farm.
“It’s just been our mentality since the Olympic break. Stay positive, no matter what happens. We know what we’re capable of.”
Coach Rick Tocchet sees a certain maturity in York’s game now, especially since he’s been put on a second defense pairing with Jamie Drysdale,
“He’s taken steps, as much physically as mentally,” Tocchet said. “More consistency from him. I just felt there’s more consistency in his game, puck decisions and stuff like that. I think he and Drysdale have taken steps. They’re not the biggest guys but they can defend with their brains and their quickness.”
Captain Sean Couturier, the dean of Flyers players, has been around since that 2011-12 season when he recorded his first hat trick against the Penguins in that year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.
Like York, Couturier would like to see his team not get too caught up in that early sound storm.
“Control your emotions and not get too ramped up, that can lead to bad things,” Couturier said. “Stay in control, stay in the moment. There’s going to be a lot of atmosphere. Hopefully we can feed off that.”
Having the Pittsburgh experience under their belts should be helpful too. The noise at PPG was deafening.
“I think Pittsburgh was a good test,” Couturier said. “That was a loud building, a lot of atmosphere. A couple young guys said it was the loudest they’ve heard. I’m sure it will be louder here. I don’t think the noise has affected us so far, just stay in the moment.”
The Flyers tried to stay even-keeled in recording a rather surprising pair of wins in the first two games of the best-of-seven series at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
“I’ve been in those situations where you can be over-keyed,” Tocchet said. “We know the city (Philadelphia) and what’s going on. We have to be careful we’re not overexuberant. Running around, pinch at the wrong time, undisciplined. These are the things you have to be careful of. We have to play a smart game.”
York remembers his first couple years playing in regular-season games. He figures the noise level for Wednesday night’s Game 3 and Saturday night’s Game 4 would be much higher.
“We know that they’re going to be buzzing,” York said. “Our team has a defend-first mentality. I don’t think we’re going to get out of position or anything like that.”
York likes the way his team has kept its composure on the ice, too. While they did take a total of seven penalties in the first two games, none resulted in any damage.
The Flyers didn’t get suckered into too many post-whistle scrums and that also was key.
“I think the way that we’ve played so far, we know that they’re frustrated,” York said. “I think we have them in a good spot right now. We have to keep the pedal to the metal.”
Although the Flyers’ penalty kill units have been efficient, Tocchet does not want his team taking any penalties which aren’t essential. No post-whistle garbage if possible.
“We handled it well,” Tocchet said. “I understand their point of view. You just move on. It has nothing to do with this game.”
Why was the penalty kill so efficient in Games 1 and 2?
“Getting in lanes with sticks, blocking shots. . .that can be the separator with the penalty kill,” Tocchet said. “We’ve done a nice job there. We like what we’re doing, being aggressive.”
>Last line change quandry
With the Flyers having last line change in Games 3 and 4, that should help the Flyers get favorable matchups, especially against Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby. The Flyers want to get their Couturier-led fourth line out there against Sid as much as possible.
“It does help,” Tocchet said. “But sometimes as a coach you have to be careful you don’t get people out of the game. It’s a mixed bag for me. I have to let things flow but there are certain guys on the ice that are faster, that’s when you have the advantage at home. Sometimes coaches overmatch. You have to be careful.”
>Quick starts
The Flyers had trouble with slow starts this season. That wasn’t the case in the opening games of the series.
What’s improved?
“I think getting into the game a little quicker,” Tocchet explained. “Getting a little more aggressive early, instead of waiting to see what the other team is going to do. It’s more get to our identity first, let’s not worry about their game.
“You always have to expect the other team is going to come out hard. We have to do the same.”
>Short shots
Christian Dvorak was off for a maintenance day. Tocchet said defenseman Andrae, who missed Game 2, was a possibility. . .The Flyers called up five players from Lehigh Valley: Goaltender Carson Bjarnason, defensemen Helge Grans and Hunter McDonald, forwards Oscar Eklind and Jacob Gaucher.
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