5 Observations: Flyers Complete Impressive Trip as Carter Hart, Joel Farabee Star

The Philadelphia Flyers went 2-1 on their impressive road trip, which ended Saturday night with a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators.

Carter Hart nearly recorded his fourth career shutout, and Joel Farabee collected three points as the Flyers improved their record to a surprising 4-1. They started the trip with an upset victory over perennial-power Tampa Bay, and they have won four of their first five for the first time since 2011.

Here are five quick observations:

1. Carter Hart was excellent. Again.

Nashville controlled the pace, had a healthy shots and faceoff advantage, and spent an inordinate amount of time in the Flyers’ defensive zone, especially in the first 40 minutes.

And lost.

Credit Carter Hart.

The 24-year-old goaltender stopped 31 of 32 shots, boosting his save percentage to .949 in four games. He is now 4-0 and looking like one of the NHL’s elite netminders.

“He looks calm; there’s not a lot of extra motion,” coach John Tortorella said.

Hart was at his best in the middle part of the second period, stopping Matt Duchene from point-blank range, turning aside Nino Niederreiter’s tip-in attempt, and denying Yakov Trenin from the doorstep to preserve the Flyers’ 2-0 lead.

Duchene broke the shutout with 2:18 left in the third while the Preds were on a six-on-four power play.

Hartsy doing Hartsy things. #PHIvsNSH | #FueledByPhilly pic.twitter.com/7mHTRlQz5m

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 23, 2022

2. Newcomer Lukas Sedlak made a solid Flyers debut.

Plucked off waivers from Colorado on Wednesday, Sedlak was the fourth-line center and he supplied energy, nearly scored — he hit the post with a second-period shot — and was solid defensively.

Sedlak, who played for John Tortorella in Columbus, was briefly moved to the third line in the third period.

3. The Flyers finally scored first and got energy from two early fights.

Rallying from deficits has been the Philadelphia Flyers’ theme in the early part of the season.

In the first four games, they trailed 1-0, 2-0, 2-0, and 2-0, respectively. But they finally turned on the red light first Saturday. Kevin Hayes’ goal from the left circle put the Flyers ahead just 3:13 into the game. Hayes (two points, plus-3) later added an assist. He has assists in the first five games, tied for second-longest in franchise history at the start of a season.

Nick Deslauriers and Nick Seeler both got involved in opening-period fights that seemed to spark Philly.

🚨 GOAL! 🚨 @KevinPHayes12 gives us a 1-0 lead at 3:13. #PHIvsNSH | #FueledByPhilly pic.twitter.com/UfFhQOp2j1

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 23, 2022

4. Joel Farabee got more involved, and Zack MacEwen continued to shine.

Farabee, who underwent neck surgery in the offseason and was pointless in his first four games, had a pair of first-period assists as the Flyers built a 2-0 lead on goals by Hayes and Zack MacEwen.

The 22-year-old Farabee made it 3-0 with 12:16 left in regulation, scoring his first goal of the year.

MacEwen started the season with the Phantoms, but has been very good since being recalled from the AHL team. He has been active in the offense and providing his usual physicality, two reasons coach John Tortorella has moved him up to the third line.

On his goal, MacEwen replaced Travis Konecny on a line charge and charged the net, getting in position for a rebound.

“It was good timing for him (Egor Zamula) to throw it to the net, and I got a good bounce there,” MacEwen said.

Carter Hart is the first #Flyers' goalie since Ron Hextall in 1997-98 to win his first four appearances in a season, per the #NHL.

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) October 23, 2022

5. The Flyers lost the territorial advantage because they lost too many faceoffs.

Philly began the night last in the NHL in faceoffs (40 percent), and they didn’t help that figure Saturday as they won just 29 percent (16 of 56) of their draws.

Rookie Noah Cates, a converted left winger, won 2 of 14 faceoffs.

Breakaways

With a little over 13 minutes left in the second, Nashville defenseman Mark Borowiecki went into the boards and left the ice on a stretcher. Morgan Frost hit him with a glancing blow, and the play was reviewed, and no penalty was called. Nashville said Borowiecki was conscious and had movement of all his extremities. … Scott Laughton had five hits, and Ivan Provorov blocked four shots. … Jackson Cates was a healthy scratch. … The Flyers host San Jose and Oskar Lindblom on Sunday night. … The Flyers were outshot by a 12-6 margin but built a 2-0 lead in the first. … It was the Flyers’ first win in Nashville in nearly six years. … Philly allowed just five third-period shots. “I thought our third period was awesome,” Hart said. “We didn’t give them much.” … Entering the night, Nashville had been outscored, 9-2, in the third period.

Carchidi: Welcome Back, Oskar Lindbom