The Flyers have won all three games of their last major departure from the East Coast this season.
The Philadelphia Flyers closed out their latest road trip in St. Louis, sealing second place in the Metropolitan division with a 4-2 win over the Blues. As they head back to a snow-covered Philadelphia, there's plenty of things they'll want to continue doing in their quest for the playoffs.
Welcome Back, Noah Cates!
After missing 22 games with a broken foot, along with several other minor injuries, Noah Cates officially made his return to the lineup against the Blues, and he looked pretty good for a player that had been out for such a long stretch.
Cates' return couldn't have come at a better time, seeing as Sean Couturier is dealing with an unspecified minor injury and missed the last two games of the Flyers' road trip. As of publication time, there has been no timeline given as to when Couturier could return to the lineup, but given as he's looked lackluster even in morning skates, Cates might need to adjust to being a consistent fixture for the foreseeable future.
Goal Droughts? Don't Know Her Anymore
Scott Laughton joined Cam Atkinson and Tyson Foerster as the latest Flyer to break a goal drought on this road trip. It's a great sign to see the offense getting stronger with each game and the goal scorers becoming more varied, taking much of the pressure off of the first line, especially in the unexpected absence of Couturier.
Speaking of dealing with Couturier's absence...
Farabee, Tippett, and Frost Were Immaculate
The only thing you can really say about the way those three players played against the Blues is, "WOW." Both Joel Farabee and Owen Tippett got their names on the scoresheet, while Morgan Frost just seemed to be everywhere on the ice. The resurgence of Farabee and Frost after being at odds with head coach John Tortorella earlier in the season has been spectacular, while Tippett put in yet another tremendous shift during this game. The Flyers' entire group of young players has been stepping up this season, but these three in particular have been versatile, tireless, and effective contributors to the Flyers' success.
The Flyers will get some much-needed rest time as they travel back to Philadelphia to face the Dallas Stars on Jan. 18 at 7 pm.
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