Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers-Bruins: 5 Takeaways as Travis Konecny Injured in Loss
The Boston Bruins on Thursday became the fifth team in NHL history to win their first 10 home games.
Their latest victims were the injury-ravaged Philadelphia Flyers, who put up a gallant fight but lost at TD Garden, 4-1.
The best-in-the-NHL Bruins (15-2) won their fifth straight while sending the Flyers (7-7-3) to their fifth consecutive defeat.
“We’re just not making enough plays,” coach John Tortorella said. “… We’re still trying to build an identity. We’re not there yet.”
The Flyers, who were within 2-1 late in the game, managed just 23 shots.
Here are five quick observations:
1. This was the most unsettling part of the loss: Travis Konecny became the latest Flyer to suffer an injury.
Late in the second period, Konecny went to the locker room for repairs after he appeared to injure his right hand as he got tangled with David Pastrnak.
Konecny did not return to the game, and the Flyers had no immediate update on his future status. The right winger leads the Flyers in goals (seven) and points (19) in 17 games, and he had his career-best, seven-game point streak snapped Thursday.
The Flyers are already missing several injured forwards, including Sean Couturier, Cam Atkinson, James van Riemsdyk, and Wade Allison.
They cannot afford to lose Konecny.
Right on the nose. 👃 pic.twitter.com/8jAU9ULsVE
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) November 18, 2022
2. Carter Hart rebounded nicely.
After allowing a total of 11 goals in his previous three starts — some of it was because he didn’t get much support — Carter Hart played very well. Don’t be deceived by the score, because Hart didn’t have much of a chance on the Bruins’ goals.
He stopped the first 17 shots before an all-alone Tomas Nosek scored from the slot after a defensive breakdown allowed the Bruins’ Hampus Lindholm to get between Scott Laughton and Kevin Hayes and into the zone. Nosek’s goal gave Boston a 1-0 lead with 8:35 left in the first.
All told, Hart turned away 28 of 32 shots.
“Hartsy gave us a chance … like he always does,” left winger Scott Laughton said.
Hart was especially effective in the final minute of the first while Boston was on a power play. He made great stop on Brad Marchand’s wraparound, and turned away Pastrnak’s blast from the left circle.
And now TK added to injured list. https://t.co/eKPEXdF8g9
— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) November 18, 2022
3. The Flyers had several Grade A chances in a scoreless first period.
Before the game, the Philadelphia Flyers probably would have taken being in a scoreless tie after 20 minutes against the powerful Bruins.
Truth be told, Philly had the better scoring opportunities, but was denied by Linus Ullmark.
Ullmark stopped Noah Cates on a breakaway, turned aside Laughton on a two-on-one shorthanded chance, rejected Konecny from point-blank range, and made a difficult glove save on Morgan Frost’s turnaround shot.
With Boston holding a 1-0 lead, Ullmark made one of his best saves, stopping Kevin Hayes at the doorstep with 14:06 left in regulation.
The Bruins then made it 2-0 with 12:28 remaining on Jake DeBrusk’s power play goal. He finished off a slick passing play with Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy.
The Flyers’ PK finished 2 for 4, and that contributed mightily to the loss.
4. The Flyers’ power play scored a big goal, but …
Philly was sloppy and ineffective on its first three power plays, but it clicked with 10:12 left to get to within 2-1. Owen Tippett scored on a blast from the top of the right circle. Cates set a screen, and Frost won a draw to aid the goal.
But …
Just 16 seconds later, David Krejci made it 3-1 as he scored after Pavel Zacha somehow made a pass around Ivan Provorov and sent his teammate in on Hart. Krejci later added a power-play goal for his second tally of the night.
5. Patrick Brown made a solid season debut.
Brown, who had offseason back surgery, played his first game of the year for the Flyers. He was at right wing on the fourth line with Nick Deslauriers and Lukas Sedlak.
The former Boston College forward finished with four hits and gave the Flyers some quality minutes.
“I feel great; it’s been a while since I’ve been in there,” Brown said during the first intermission on NBC Sports Philadelphia. “We’re just trying to get two points. We know we’re playing a good team and we have to spend more time in their end.”
That didn’t happen.
Breakaways
After Konecny left the game, he was replaced by Joel Farabee on the top PP unit. … Frost, who won eight of 12 faceoffs, and Hayes led the Flyers with four shots each. … The Flyers allowed the first goal for the 13th time in their 17 games. … Tortorella coached in his 1,400th career game; he has a .548 points percentage. … The Flyers finish the three-game road trip Saturday night in Montreal.