The Philadelphia Flyers traveled up north to take on a historically challenging opponent in the Boston Bruins, and although they mounted a hard-fought comeback win, couldn't salvage a point from the game.
The Philadelphia Flyers traveled up north to take on a historically challenging opponent in the Boston Bruins, and although they mounted a hard-fought comeback win, couldn't salvage a point from the game.
Although the 6-5 scoreboard might not reflect it, the Flyers put up a serious fight, and looked poised to at least force overtime up until the very end. It was a classic gritty and temperamental Flyers performance, one that, despite the loss, shows that they haven't become as lackadaisical as some people have been suggesting.
Morgan Frost Is Good At Hockey
Frost has been a surprisingly polarizing figure in the corner of the Internet inhabited by Flyers fans. It seems that people love him and see him staying in Philadelphia for a long time (a future that he has admitted he sees for himself), or they're still not convinced he has what it takes to be a fixture in the lineup and believes he should be traded. Well, Frost quieted the doubters in this game (at least for tonight).
Along with Joel Farabee (who had a two-goal night), Frost put on an incredible performance, proving that he doesn't "only play well against bad teams." Aside from his stunning between-the-legs goal, he showcased his signature playmaking abilities—the smooth passes, the eye for creating scoring chances so sharp it's lethal, the crafting of an offensive sequence so creative and thoughtful you could put it in a museum.
You can write his fans off and make as many excuses as you want—Frost is a good player and has a place in this team. Can he still improve in areas of his game? Of course. But it's about time fans start embracing the talent and ability that he has right now (and has worked tirelessly to prove) instead of writing him off.
Who Are You, And What Have You Done With TK?
Losing one of your captains and top scorer to an injury is never an ideal circumstance, and it certainly wasn't for the Flyers. Before, Travis Konecny could be counted on to be the center of the offense and being a thorn in the opposition's side. Now, it's clear that he's still a little shaky as he comes back from his injury.
He got a point on one of Joel Farabee's goals against the Bruins, but other than that and getting involved in a couple of scrums, he was largely unassuming. It was a frustrating sight for some fans, who can't wrap their heads around why players like Bobby Brink and Sean Couturier instantly face demotions, benchings, healthy scratches, etc. when they have bad performances, but other players like Konecny don't seem to face the same consequences.
While it's very likely that Konecny is just experiencing a bit of a slump that isn't uncommon at all for a player returning from injury, the timing is extremely unlucky, and tensions are heightened astronomically because of where the Flyers are in terms of playoffs.
Trusting Sandstrom
Although it was necessary for Sam Ersson to be rested against Boston, things with Felix Sandstrom quickly fell apart. He was actually doing pretty well for a good part of the game, but he visibly lost confidence once the Bruins started finding ways past him.
With Ersson, many games have been lost because he was making the saves he needed to, but the offense couldn't produce enough to back it up. In this game, the offense was producing well and doing what they needed to, as evidenced by their clawing back within a goal in the third period. Ersson needed this rest, especially if he gets the start against the Toronto Maple Leafs when the Flyers return home this week, but the Flyers missed him in net.
The Flyers next outing will be in Philadelphia against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Mar. 19 at 7:00 p.m. EST.
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