The Philadelphia Flyers were facing a world of pressure when they took on the New York Islanders on Monday night, where a game-tying goal from Morgan Frost with 9.6 seconds left on the clock was quite literally the only thing that salvaged the Flyers' playoff hopes.
The Philadelphia Flyers were facing a world of pressure when they took on the New York Islanders on Monday night, where a game-tying goal from Morgan Frost with 9.6 seconds left on the clock was quite literally the only thing that salvaged the Flyers' playoff hopes.
Philadelphia's singular point put them precariously back in third place in the Metropolitan Division standings, but they are now in a position where anything short of two points in their remaining six games could demote them to a wild card spot or, worst case scenario, missing out on the playoffs altogether.
Fedotov Makes His Big Debut (No Pun Intended)
Everyone has been asking to see six-foot-seven Ivan Fedotov in goal since he arrived to play for the Flyers last week, and fans finally got their wish when starting goalie Sam Ersson was pulled after the first period.
"I wanted to bring [Fedotov] in, it just didn't look right with [Ersson]," head coach John Tortorella explained of his decision. "I was totally impressed. I put him in a hell of a spot. He's the only goddamn player that played in the second period."
Fedotov did indeed impress everyone in his debut, making a number of huge saves to keep the Flyers in the game, receiving roaring approval from the crowd at the Wells Fargo Center every time.
He endeared himself further to fans when he didn't switch nets for the overtime period, needing Islanders goalie and fellow Russian Semyon Varlamov to give him a small reminder to go to the other side of the ice.
Fedotov explained in his post-game press conference that he didn't switch nets because he's used to the KHL rules where goalies don't switch sides for overtime.
"We always play [on the] same side," he said. "So when [the teams changed sides], it was kind of funny, like, 'What's going on?' And the other goalie saying, 'You need to go to the other side.'"
Tortorella's Watchlist
One of the most talked-about moments from Tortorella's highly-quotable postgame press conference was when he stated that "there are certain people that don't have a clue how to play or just don't have it in them to play in these types of situations."
While he didn't name anyone specifically, this set social media off on a speculation frenzy to try and figure out which players Tortorella could have been referring to. He could have been speaking about two players, and he just as easily could have been speaking about 12 players. The simple fact is that we just don't know, and speculation only fuels division and disillusionment between the team and the fans.
It's likely that Tortorella will give some indication as to who he thinks is up for the remaining challenge in the final six games of the season, utilizing his penchant for benching, reducing ice time, and healthy scratching to leave no doubt in the minds of fans or his players who he thinks has what it takes to continue with the playoff push.
One Word: Togetherness
This game was a rollercoaster of emotions, to say the least, but one thing was consistent—this Flyers team cares. They care a lot. No matter what the TV talking heads, keyboard warriors, and armchair experts say, the reaction from the Philadelphia bench speaks volumes about this team's desire to make it to the postseason.
Their season was ten seconds from taking a steep decline. Morgan Frost, a player who has faced some of the most adversity on this team, saved it with his game-tying goal. Jamie Drysdale, a young defenseman who was thrown into Philadelphia in a trade saturated with drama and just coming back from an upper body injury, got an assist. The reactions from the players and coaches say it all—this team cares. This team will go to war for each other. This team will fight until the clock runs out (and sometimes even after the horn sounds). You can say what you want about their on-ice performances, but even in the most nerve-wracking situations, the Flyers can stand strong on the foundation they've built as a team.
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