The Philadelphia Flyers made sure history did not repeat itself when the Toronto Maple Leafs blew back into town just five days after the two teams last faced off at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Philadelphia Flyers made sure history did not repeat itself when the Toronto Maple Leafs blew back into town just five days after the two teams last faced off at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers looked like revitalized in his game, with no traces of the back-to-back losses that came before it. The team needed big performances and real effort, and they got exactly that in their 4-3 victory. 

Elephant In The Room

On the freight elevator down to postgame media availability, there was unspoken question hanging in the air—Who will be bold enough to ask the players and John Tortorella about Sean Couturier? 

The topic of the scratched captain was a sensitive one. In their interviews, players like Scott Laughton and Owen Tippett reiterated how Couturier is a huge part of the team, even if he's not in the lineup. When Morgan Frost was asked if the captain's scratching was done to light a fire under the team, he gave a small chuckle before saying, "I'm not sure. You'd have to ask if Torts will give you an answer on that."

Safe to say that Tortorella did not want to give an answer on anything to do with Couturier, stating, "I'm not talking about Sean. I'm not debating with you. I'm not conversing with you. That's between Sean and I. Talk to me about the game."

He may not have wanted to address the situation, but it would be a bit ignorant to think that at least part of the reason Tortorella made the bold (and largely controversial) decision to scratch his captain was to light a fire under his players. They had taken plenty of literal and metaphorical hits in the days before this game, and they were looking to be in desperate need of something to fight for as their playoff spot looked certain to slip through their fingers. Whether or not it was the "right" decision is a matter of opinion, but if Tortorella wanted to reinvigorate his team, it was certainly mission accomplished.

Minister Of Defense

Although things got nervy towards the end, the Flyers had solid defense against the Maple Leafs. Sam Ersson had what Tortorella called an "outstanding" game, making a number of crucial saves, and looking more like his usual calm and collected self in front of the net. 

Another huge defensive performance came from Cam York, who also earned an assist on Owen Tippett's goal. York was throwing his body all over the ice to stop pucks from becoming dangerous shots, and continued to show his improvement in terms of his positional awareness and his willingness to get involved in the physical, dirty corners of the game. Against an opponent as challenging as the Leafs can be, it's only more evidence supporting York's bid for the Flyers' top defenseman. 

Bringing His 'A' Game

Scott Laughton is no stranger to taking on leadership positions (prior to Couturier being named captain, he had the 'A' to serve as the official captain figure for the Flyers, per NHL rules), and it didn't look like he missed a step in being the leader his team needed Tuesday night. 

Laughton is another player that has struggled with inconsistency this season, but he netted a beautiful goal (straight out the penalty box, no less) and had no problem stepping up to be the leader the team needed to keep them grounded in Couturier's absence. There's a reason he kept his 'A' when the Flyers named their official leadership group, and he showed exactly why in this game.

(Maybe it was the power of the friendship bracelet that Gritty gave him before the game?)

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